“No matter how well that nice-looking quality luxury car
feels on the open road, at the end of the day it’s still
a Kia, not a Lexus. That’s the power of the impression of a brand. “
In a recent article on abovethelaw.com Scott Love looks at how a Law Firm is perceived -their Brand- and how it effects recruiting.
I thought it was the most insecure thing I ever heard a grown man say: “What will everyone think of me if I join that firm?”
He was a partner who was open to making a move. His firm’s merger three years prior increasingly conflicted him out of work, resulting in progressively downward dips in originations. I made an effective presentation of my client’s opportunity based on his intrinsic motivations and the desires he shared with me about his ideal situation. But in spite of my enthusiastic pitch, he declined to go forward based one thing: my client’s perceived brand status within his practice area. Indeed, his pass on my opportunity was based on the preconceived idea of what everyone else might think about him joining that firm.
Brand equity holds prominence in the minds of others when considering a lateral move. When I shifted from recruiting executives for corporations to recruiting partners for law firms, I quickly learned how this subtle attribute of a law firm carries so much weight. I became adept at telling good stories about law firms by realizing that the attitudes about a law firm’s perception in the market could develop positive equity and real energy in the minds of others.
Here are a few ideas and suggestions for your firm:
- Always regard your firm’s brand from the viewpoint of those outside of it.
- There are three aspects of a law firm’s brand: that of the firm itself, the brand associated with each practice group, and individual personal brands.
- Consider utilizing brand-building tools when you tell your story.
Read the full article at http://abovethelaw.com/sponsored-content/2014/02/law-firm-branding-and-recruiting/
