The Importance of Unique Offerings for Lawyers

The legal industry is business; like any business, competition can be fierce, particularly for lawyers, so it’s important to conduct your practice in a way that sets you apart. This is why it is important to brainstorm with your firm what kind of unique offering you could consistently keep up with and what would set you apart from other firms in your field.

It is also important to make your unique offering as field-specific as possible. It is important to remember that you are not competing with every law firm; usually, your competition includes attorneys who work in the same practice area and the same geographic location. Familiarize yourself with their unique offerings to get an idea of what kind of competition they present, as well as to compare and assess the effectiveness of your firm’s current marketing strategies.

Ideas for unique offerings:

• Videos: Video marketing presents a valuable opportunity for attorneys to connect with potential clientele in a close second to real-world interactions. In a world where in-person meetings are becoming consistently less common, it is important to have some kind of online video presence where clients can get an idea as to your experience, approach, and personality. Video interviews, legal briefings, Q&A’s, etc. are a great way to provide a unique offering to clients as well as to communicate important information.
• Blogs: Blogs can be a great unique offering, especially if they are consistently updated. Even something as simple as adding a “blog” tab to your law firm’s website and sharing new articles on social media can set your practice apart from others that do not offer an up-to-date blog. Consistency is particularly important to make a blog effective; decide on what kind of schedule you can regularly keep up with. Once a week? Once every two weeks? Offering consistent, high-quality material about topics of interest in your field of law is the key to a successful blog.
• Hours of availability: This type of offering may be more useful in some fields than others. Do you want to offer 24/7 messaging availability? Do you promise to reply to any inquiries within a certain number of hours of receiving them? If you can set a desirable amount of time in which you can reasonably respond to a potential client, this could be a unique offering in itself. People in distress seeking a lawyer are often looking for help immediately, and long wait times can drive them to seek out other law firms.
• Charity: Committing to charity or volunteer work on behalf of your firm is a great way to not only increase visibility but to help build trust in you and your practice. Do you do any pro-bono work? Do you volunteer your legal services via a non-profit advocacy service? Do you help with any fundraising campaigns for injured parties or otherwise afflicted groups? Charity is a good way to reach out, serve the community, and help establish yourself and your firm as a trustworthy, compassionate service provider.
• Mascot: Could your firm use a mascot? Consider keeping a rescue pet that can visit the office, engage on social media, and/or serve as a support to stressed-out clients. Animals have proven to have a calming effect on many people, and having a mascot around is a good way to lighten up what might otherwise be a stressful situation for clients. Of course, a mascot may not be appropriate in some areas of law, so consider this before adding a jaunty puppy wearing glasses to the team.
• Sponsor: Is there a local recreation or sports team you can sponsor? If you sponsor a team and are able to put your firm’s logo or name on the shirts, this can help increase visibility. It’s also a good idea to pay attention to the type of team you want to sponsor; for example, if you work in a workers’ comp firm, it might be helpful to seek out a team consisting of individuals who work in a higher-risk environment, such as construction, factory work, etc.

To learn more about unique offerings for lawyers and law firms, reach out to a legal marketing expert at AskTheLawyers™.