Few people understand the power of a compelling story better than a lawyer. Whether you’re delivering a closing argument to a jury or negotiating a case in bankruptcy court, you’re embedding the facts of the case in a narrative that is, hopefully, irrefutable. You understand that juries and judges are ultimately moved by the same overwhelming force as everyone else: emotions.
Likewise, when you’re making a case for your law firm, you’ve got to do better than statistics and sound bytes. You’ve got to tell a story that convinces your prospects you’ve got what it takes to handle their problems. You’ve got to provide a context for your claims, and most importantly, you’ve got to put your ideal audience at the center of your firm’s brand narrative.
Who is your law firm’s story about?
Traditional marketing relied on unadulterated self-promotion. Modern techniques recognize humans would rather talk about their own goals and problems than listen to a sales pitch. A savvy law firm, then, positions their ideal client at the center of their brand story.
Demographic data doesn’t provide enough insight alone to understand your target market. You’ve got to dig deeper into more diverse analytics – both quantitative and qualitative – to sketch a true-to-life profile of your ideal audience.
It’s also important to remember that who your firm affiliates with influences how people perceive your firm. As you develop profiles of your target markets, show them in their most sympathetic light to create a halo effect in your marketing story. In Shawshank Redemption, the character Red says, “Everyone in here is innocent.” When you’re developing a client avatar to stand in as your firm’s protagonist, she needs to be better than innocent. She needs to be relatable.
If you’re a bankruptcy lawyer, the protagonist of your firm’s story might be a plucky entrepreneur fighting to make a rebound after a series of unexpected misfortunes. A probate attorney might imagine her protagonist as a grieving adult child navigating a complex legal web.
What is driving your client?
You need to understand what motivates your client to tell a compelling story about them. What are their needs? What are their goals? What stands between them and the future they desire? What are they afraid of?
Again, a rich data supply will help to tease out what drives your protagonist’s behaviors. Drilling down into psychographics, interviewing past clients, and studying consumer trends can all provide revelations about what’s driving your audience’s decision-making.
How does your firm help clients?
Once you’ve established the protagonist of your firm’s story and what they are trying to accomplish (or avoid), it’s time to make your grand entrance. Make clear in your story how you empower your clients to overcome their obstacles and achieve their goals.
How does your help set clients up for the next stage of their story?
When you recognize your client as the protagonist of your law firm’s marketing story, it becomes clear that their story doesn’t end when their case is closed. Make sure to show how you’ve prepared her for the next stage of her life.
How can a short story inspire a year of legal marketing?
Let’s take one of the examples above: our plucky entrepreneur. We can follow through each of these steps to craft a short story about our protagonist that will help “look alike” prospects align with your brand narrative.
Elle launched her business eager to build something up she could be proud of and to give something back to her community. In her first three years, she worked seven days a week to keep the business afloat, but in the end, her first business venture failed. Despite Elle’s sacrifices, it looked like she was going to lose everything, and she was feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and hopeless. Creditors were calling non-stop, and Elle wasn’t sure how she would ever get back on her feet again.
ACME Attorneys advised Elle on how to use bankruptcy to settle her debts and keep creditors off her back. They handled the tedious filings and developed a repayment plan that both Elle and her creditors could live with. With ACME on her side, Elle feels more confident and secure. She’s even got new ideas to make sure her next business venture has a better chance of success.
This short story can serve as the kernel of inspiration for your website copy, radio ads, and social media posts. Variations of the story can be used across platforms, and elements of the story can be used to develop compelling touchpoints for your target market across all of your online properties.
Morgan & Co. helps law firms tell their stories.
At Morgan & Co., we rely on cutting edge technology and data analytics to get to the heart of who your target market is. We help you uncover the attitudes and behaviors that motivate your prospects, and we create comprehensive strategies that take advantage of your audience’s media habits. All of our strategies are aligned to your goals and supported by data. Contact us to learn how we can help you build trust and grow your business.
