Find Your Passion and Build Your Brand as a Lawyer

Why All Law Firms Need a Strong Brand

The legal industry is extremely competitive. It feels impossible to make yourself stand out. The good news is that it’s actually extraordinarily easy to do. You see, all lawyer websites and social media pages say the same thing. “We’re aggressive.” “We win the most.” “We are Super Lawyers.” Everyone is playing it safe. Cliche websites with the scales of justice and headshots in front of a legal library. No one wants to be different yet everyone wants to stand out. So how do you make yourself stand out? Dare to be different.

While this is quite simple, you should make sure you do put a good amount of thought into it. It isn’t enough to simply try to create noise and stand out. You need to stand out in a way that is aligned with who you are and what you believe in. When you tap into the deepest parts of yourself you will not only create a strong brand, you will create a path to fulfillment and happiness in your life.

If your marketing is unfocused, it’s time to hone in on what you really want to put your time and energy into. If you are still unsure of who you are as a lawyer, it’s time to get vulnerable and be honest with yourself about what makes you tick.

When you do the work of building a brand that speaks to you, you will magically begin to connect with your ideal client. Why? You will be able to craft a message that speaks directly to the heart of these people and they will see the value you can provide in their life. Because you are being true to yourself, and speaking to their hearts, you will form a connection with them.

Once you figure out what your brand is, you will easily understand how you should be communicating with potential clients and even other attorneys who you want to set up referral relationships with. You will begin to build your tribe and you will experience exponential growth as your circle widens. The best part? You won’t feel like you are being someone you aren’t. You won’t be working with clients or other attorneys who you don’t vibe with and you’ll feel the happiness and freedom of doing things the way you want, not the way the industry thinks you should do things. You will feel empowered to share your message with the world and this will just keep attracting more positivity and growth into your life. You won’t care what other lawyers are doing or how they’re doing it because you’ll be so busy enjoying your own life.

You don’t want to be just another voice in the crowd so learn to shut out that noise now. The faster you do this, the quicker you will grow. The success of your law firm isn’t determined by your last big verdict or the number of cases you’ve won. It comes directly from your ability to differentiate yourself, the clarity and strength of your message and the power behind your brand. When these things are executed thoughtfully, you and your services will be in high demand.

Your Logo Is Not Your Brand

When I speak about a brand, I’m not referring to the colors you use on your website or the logo on your social media pages. I’m talking about who you are. What do people feel when they hear your name? What are you most known for and how would people describe you. That is your brand. If you can’t answer these questions, you have a weak brand. If you can answer them but you don’t like what that answer is, don’t fret; you can build whatever brand you dream of with the right plan in place.

The “Hero”; one of twelve possible archetypes for your brand.

Carl Jung and Brand Archetypes

Psychologist Carl Jung theorized that humans break down complex concepts they experience in the world around them into symbolism in order to more easily understand them. He identified 12 archetypes which, in business branding can help you determine the distinctive identify of your law firm.

It’s incredibly important to understand this concept. You may want to be channeling the persona of a “sage” but instead be putting off “outlaw” vibes. There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to choosing your marketing message but it can be a disaster if you don’t know who you want to be or who you are.

By understanding which archetype you are, your message will resonate more deeply with clients and you will connect with them on a deeper and more emotional level. While reading through the 12 archetypes try to identify the one you most identify with. Additionally (and very importantly) identify which archetype your dream client would most identify with.

Chances are, you will lean heavily toward one archetype. However, you may also see qualities in other archetypes that speak to you. These “secondary” traits can be used and interwoven into your brand to create a unique archetype that belongs to you, and only you. Your dominant and supporting archetype(s) will be used to create messaging and marketing that speaks subconsciously to the hearts and souls of your tribe on a subconscious level.

The 12 Archetypes

Some archetypes invoke feelings of comfort or safety and other illicit excitement and a sense of danger. Choosing the right archetype for your law firm should not be taken lightly. We suggest choosing an archetype that is aligned with who you are as a person. It may seem fun to pick something that serves as somewhat of an alter-ego so you can play with another personality. However, this may become exhausting. The strength in your brand will come from being your authentic self, not trying to be someone you aren’t.

Let’s take a look at the 12 archetypes and how lawyers can use them to create deep connections with their ideal client.

The Leaders

The Creator

Goal: Create something with meaning and enduring value
Traits: Creative, imaginative, artistic, inventive, entrepreneur, non-conformist. Visionary, storyteller.
Drawback: Could be perfectionistic or impractical. Perfectionism, procrastination and burn-out.
Marketing niche: Visionary, help customers express or create, and foster their imagination. Imagine, believe, unique, build, innovation, change.
Example: Lego, Crayola, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram

The Caregiver

Goal: To care for and protect others
Traits: Caring, maternal, nurturing, selfless, generous, compassionate. Protector, nurturer.
Drawback: Being taken advantage of, taken for granted, or exploited. Dependent.
Marketing niche: Help people care for themselves, serve the public through health care, education or aid programs. Safe, compassion, protect, empathy, sincere, warmth, support, give, care.
Example: Mother Theresa, Campbell’s Soup, Johnson & Johnson, Heinz

The Ruler

Goal: Control, create order from chaos
Traits: Leader, responsible, organized, role model, administrator, boss.
Drawback: Could lack a common connection, or be too authoritative or controlling. Bossy, manipulative.
Marketing niche: Help people become more organized, restore order, create more stability and security in a chaotic world. Respect, influence, wealth, greatness, influence, respect.
Example: Microsoft, Barclays, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, IBM, Amazon

The Mentors

The Explorer

Goal: Finds fulfillment through discovery and new experiences
Traits: Seeker, wanderer, restless, adventurous, pioneer, ambitious, individualistic, independent, pioneering
Drawback: Might not fit into the mainstream. Restless, unsatisfied, not following through
Marketing niche: Exciting, freedom, discover, alive, transform, risk-taking, authentic, new, understand, embrace, enlighten, change, challenge
Example: Indiana Jones, Jeep, Red Bull, GoPro, Patagonia, Starbucks

The Sage

Goal: To help the world gain wisdom and insight
Traits: Knowledgeable, teacher, mentor, trusted source of information, wisdom and intelligence, thoughtful, analytical, guru, advisor
Drawback: Could be overly contemplative or too opinionated. Judgemental.
Marketing niche: Help people to better understand the world, provide practical information and analysis. Teach, mentor, educate, truth, mastery and wisdom.
Example: BBC, PBS, Google, Philips, Audi, Forbes

The Innocent

Goal: To be happy
Traits: Idealist, dreamer, purist. Strives to be good, is pure, young, optimistic, simple, moral, romantic, loyal.
Drawback: Could be naïve or boring. Unrealistic.
Marketing niche: Companies with strong values, seen as trustworthy, reliable and honest, associated with morality, good virtues, simplicity, can be nostalgic. Authentic, peace, harmony, conscious.
Example: Dove soap, Coca-Cola, Cottonelle bathroom tissue, Wii, Disney

The Connectors

The Regular Guy or Girl

Goal: To belong, or connect with others
Traits: Down to earth, supportive, faithful, folksy, person next door, connects with others. Realist, citizen. Community and connection is everything.
Drawback: Could lack a distinctive identity and blend in too much. Don’t like being alone.
Marketing niche: Common touch, solid virtues, gives a sense of belonging. True, honest, friendship, community, belonging, humble, connection.
Example: Home Depot, eBay, Target, Facebook, Ikea, Levis

The Jester

Goal: To bring joy to the world
Traits: Fun, sense of humor, light-hearted, mischievous, irreverent. Performer, joker, entertainer.
Drawback: Could be seen as frivolous or disrespectful. Frivolous.
Marketing niche: Help people have a good time or enjoy what they are doing, allow people to be more impulsive and spontaneous. Happy, motivate, uplift, fun, curious, perform, cheeky, colorful, pleasure.
Example: Motley Fool, Ben & Jerry’s, IKEA, Mail Chimp, Old Spice

The Lover

Goal: Create intimacy, inspire love
Traits: Passionate, sensual, intimate, romantic, warm, committed, idealistic. Romantic, partner, beauty.
Drawback: Could be too selfless or not grounded enough. Ruled by emotion.
Marketing niche: Help people feel appreciated, belong, connect, enjoy intimacy, build relationships. Luxury, beauty, passion, charming, sensual, divine, love, pleasure, joy.
Example: Victoria’s Secret, Godiva Chocolate, Marie Claire, Tiffany & Co., Magnum Ice Cream, Chanel

The Facilitators

The Hero

Goal: Help to improve the world
Traits: Crusader, hero, champion. Courageous, bold, honorable, strong, confident, inspirational
Drawback: Could be arrogant or aloof. Obsessed with success, aggressive.
Marketing niche: Make a positive mark on the world, solve major problems or enable/inspire others to do so. Lead, achieve, conquer, win, tenacious, bold, fight.
Example: Nike, BMW, Duracell, FedEx, Greenpeace

The Renegade

Goal: Break the rules and fight authority
Traits: Rebellious, iconoclastic, wild, paving the way for change. Outlaw, maverick.
Drawback: Could take it too far and be seen in a negative way. Risky, controversial.
Marketing niche: Agent of change, advocate for the disenfranchised, allow people to vent or break with conventions. Daring, different, rebel, progressive, disruptor, revolutionary, visionary.
Example: Harley-Davidson, Virgin (Richard Branson), Apple, Brewdog

The Alchemist

Goal: Make dreams come true, create something special
Traits: Visionary, charismatic, imaginative, idealistic, spiritual. Magician, inventor.
Drawback: Could take risks that lead to bad outcomes. Secretive. Too many ideas.
Marketing niche: Help people transform their world, inspire change, expand consciousness. Entrepreneur, intuitive, innovate, transform, change, ideas, vision, manifest.
Example: Uber, Pixar, Dyson, Tesla

How to Use a Brand Archetype for Your Law Firm

Chances are you can probably think of some lawyers you know who are killing it by using the brand archetype marketing method. Almost all of these lawyers stumbled into this accidentally by simply being brave enough to be themselves. Look at what these firms are doing well. Study how they share their true hearts and souls with their fans. Do not try to steal what they are doing, that defeats the purpose. By looking at how others use their own gifts, passions and personalities in brand building you may be inspired to find your own voice.

I highly recommend looking at brands that aren’t law firms as well. Most attorney marketing is pretty bad and you want to stand out and be different. Only admire the work of innovative and daring attorneys. If you can’t find any, look at brands you are drawn to. Who do you follow in Instagram? What is it about these brands that speak to you? Do you love the bright cheerful feel of their content? Are you inspired by their thoughtful words? Do their posts motivate you and make you feel fired up after reading them? The people you follow are a huge clue as to the direction you may want to take your own brand.

Is there a company that’s similar to your law firm? How are they communicating with their existing and potential clients? What posts of theirs seem to gain a lot of positive engagement? Become a brand detective and use your time on social media to inspire you instead of simply scrolling for entertainment.

Let your chosen archetype define your brand. How can the archetype tell your story and share your message with the world? How can you connect deeper with your audience? Be your authentic self, remain open and vulnerable, don’t stray off brand. Be consistent and clear in your communications. Inspire your followers and involve your clients in your brand.

Law Prophet Action Plan

I’m sure you noticed that most lawyers fall into blending the “hero” with the “caregiver”. While these two traits are certainly admirable, they often don’t really co-exist in the same human. The “aggressive” attorney who slaps up a line on their website like, “we treat our clients like family,” wants to portray two contradictory things but probably only delivers on one (or none).

Be honest about what your clients will get when they hire you. There’s nothing worse than being told you will be treated like family and then getting ignored by your lawyer for 6 months because he’s too busy burying people in discovery. If you clients know that you are a ruthless workaholic and they trust that message, and sign up for you to give them that, they won’t expect you to call them once a week.

This applies to any, and all, of the archetypes and you can see why it’s so important to figure out who you are. If you aren’t naturally aggressive you don’t want clients expecting you to flip tables in a deposition. A client is typically unhappy when you over-promise and under-deliver. This applies to your legal work but it also applies to your marketing and what they feel they have been promised when they sign up to work with you.

Choose the archetype you identify most with. Does this archetype attract your dream client? Is there a mismatch between who you are (or who you want to be) and the type of client you want to attract? Figure out how you can fix this situation. We don’t suggest going against who you are to please others or try to win people over.

A better approach may be to get really honest about what you want to spend your time doing, who you want to be, how you want to present yourself to the world and the clients you want to work with. Then, determine what niche market there may be that suits you. I can promise you that there are clients who will love both the human and attorney that you are.

It’s important not to place limiting beliefs or fears on yourself during this process. We will work through the logistics later. For now, dare to be yourself and dream big. Everything else will flow from there.

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