How to stand out as a Lawyer in Australia: A Guide to Personal Branding and Content Marketing

10 Oct

Marketing legal services in Australia is a bit tricky and requires an approach that emphasises trust, expertise, and personal connection without overselling. Finesse and attention to detail matters.

According to the latest statistics from the ABS, “there 22,337 Legal Services firms in Australia and this number has grown by 18.9% over the past 10 years.” (Source) That’s a lot of competition and with AI advancing on the sector from the other flank, building your brand and business has never been more crucial. Especially if you are thinking about exiting the business in the next 5 years.

The challenge is that the more lawyers, and professional services in general use traditional push marketing techniques for clients, the more credibility they might lose. There is a level of professionalism that is expected in their industry. So how do you effectively communicate your message without spamming clients and new recruits?

After working with hundreds of professionals we have learnt (sometimes the hard way) that by leveraging quality personal branding and content marketing in a helpful and educative format, lawyers can effectively reach and engage their target audience and keep their professional status intact.

The bottom line is, most lawyers may not enjoy marketing, but they recognise it’s necessary to attract clients, staff, and partnerships. The next generation is adopting modern online techniques so it’s important to explore how to attract top talent, clients and partners to maintain the value in the firm. With that in mind, here’s a few tips on how we have helped lawyers market their businesses.

1. Define Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

There's a lot of competition in the marketplace so going back to marketing basics is a good starting point. A good question to answer is what sets you aside from everyone else?

Clearly articulating what is your organisation's core focus and skill set is paramount. This could be your specialised knowledge, unique approach to client care, or successful track record. Your UVP should resonate with the needs and expectations of your clients and ability of your staff.

Having worked with many legal firms in Australia over the years, I’ve noticed they all operate in very specific niches. One firm was developing legal operation software to sell globally, another specialised in product law, one was an IP specialist, while another focused on insurance litigation. Before diving into marketing strategies, it’s crucial to know who you are which then leads to a deeper understanding of your target market and ideal client.

2. Understand the Client Landscape

Knowing who is your client and who isn’t is vital before any marketing strategy can be created. Identify who you want to target, research the size of that market, and consider where they are located, how they behave, and what media they consume. Most clients find this difficult as they are use to taking anyone who has a need into their business. We are not suggesting turning away clients, moreso building your marketing around attracting your perfect clients that you are more likely to win, produce an amazing result for and who would refer you. This foundational knowledge is key to building a strong marketing strategy.

3. Build a Strong Personal Brand

Services, unlike products, are variable. This is why most referrals to professional services, such as law firms, are to a specific person rather than a company. According to the 2019 Legal Trends Report, “59% of clients sought a referral from someone they know or have been in contact with, but 57% searched on their own through some other means—and 16% did both.” (Source)

A quick LinkedIn search shows 61,000 results for ‘Lawyers in Australia’, that’s a lot and more every year. Therefore, personal branding is essential as clients want to know your specific skills, experience, and capabilities. LinkedIn and your firm’s website are great platforms to showcase your expertise and the clients you’ve worked with in the past.

4. Develop Thought Leadership

Positioning yourself as a trusted expert is critical in the legal industry. Content marketing is a powerful way to educate and engage potential clients. Here are some content strategies to consider:

Educational Blog Posts

Publish articles that address common legal questions and concerns, such as:

- “What to Expect During a Divorce Process”

- “Understanding Your Rights in a Criminal Case”

Informative Case Studies

Share case studies that illustrate successful outcomes. This not only demonstrates expertise but also reassures potential clients about the lawyer’s capabilities.

E-books and Guides

Create downloadable resources that provide in-depth information on specific legal issues. This can serve as a lead magnet, allowing lawyers to capture client information for follow-up.

Webinars and Videos

Host online seminars or create video content discussing relevant legal topics. Visual content can be highly engaging and provide a personal touch.

4. Leverage Email Marketing

Email is a direct way to communicate with potential clients. You can develop a newsletter that includes:

- Updates on legal topics

- Invitations to webinars or community events

- Links to their latest blog posts or resources

Segment the email list to tailor content based on client interests or needs.

5. Podcasts and events

Creating longer-form content is much easier in audio than video or writing. It’s also easier to gain guests and discuss previous cases when it’s not written down. Another way to do this is with live face-to-face events based on topics of interest to your target audience.

We worked with a local Melbourne firm, CIE Legal, who exemplified the new era of e-ttraction marketing in their industry, check out their work in our case study here - https://www.socialstar.com.au/cie-legal

In summary, personal branding and content marketing may be challenging for lawyers due to their attention to detail and concerns about appearing unprofessional. However, by understanding client needs, building a strong personal brand, and creating valuable content, lawyers can engage their target audience effectively. Delivering consistent, educational, and relevant information helps build trust and grow awareness of your brand, ultimately increasing referrals to your practice.

Ready to take your marketing to the next level? Book a discovery call with Andrew.

Book a discovery call

Andrew Ford

Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.

http://www.andrewford.com.au/