May 26, 2025 • 10 mins
What Lawyers Can Learn from Big Brands About Marketing
Most law firms make the critical mistake of selling their services rather than the outcomes those services create. While you're promoting "experienced divorce attorneys," potential clients are searching for emotional benefits like "peace of mind" and "a fresh start." Discover how to bridge this gap with messaging that speaks directly to client needs rather than practice areas.
Ready to transform your firm's marketing approach? Listen now and discover how small shifts in messaging can create massive results for your practice.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 0 (00:05):
What lawyers can learn from big brands about
marketing.
Welcome to Legal Marketing 101.
I'm Toby Rosen.
Let's start off today's episodewith one of the biggest lessons
we can steal from the world'stop brands.
They don't sell a product or aservice.
They sell what that productmeans in someone's life.
Let's think about Nike.
Sure, they make great shoes,but do you ever see an ad that's
(00:27):
just hey, these sneakers haveawesome cushioning and durable
soles.
No, Nike sells aspiration.
Their message is aboutachievement, pushing limits and
being part of something muchbigger than yourself.
The shoes pardon the pun arekind of just the vehicle for
that.
So how can we relate that tolegal marketing?
(00:48):
Let's bring it back a littlebit.
Most law firms, especially inpractice areas like family law,
criminal defense, estateplanning we default to selling
the service.
We handle divorces, we draftwills, we get you out of jail,
and it's factual.
But let's be honest, it's kindof dry.
And yeah, you're lawyers, soyou're kind of dry.
(01:08):
But come on, guys and yourpotential clients they are not
waking up thinking I can't waitto hire a lawyer today.
They're thinking about theoutcome that they want Peace of
mind, a fresh start, securityfor their family, whatever it is
.
They want control over thisstressful situation.
The magic happens when we shiftour messaging from what we do
(01:30):
to what they get, and that'swhere the real emotional
connection and the trust startsto actually build.
So here's a quick exercise.
Let's take a look at yourhomepage headline.
Does it say something likeexperience, divorce and custody
attorneys?
Try rewriting it withoutmentioning your practice area at
all.
What if it said we help youtake back control of your life,
(01:52):
or guiding you through thehardest moments with strength
and care?
You see the difference already.
That positioning, that littletweak, it's what sets these big
brands and the smartest lawfirms apart.
From the rest, Clients arehiring you for the result,
they're not hiring you for theprocess, and that's what we need
to speak to in our marketingevery single time we write a
(02:15):
line.
And another thing big brandsnever, ever mess around with
like they're really kind ofaggressive about it it's
consistency.
Whether you're in Tokyo orTallahassee, a Coke is a Coke
and, yes, anyone who's been toTokyo will know that there are a
bunch of different types ofCoke in Tokyo and a bunch of
different types of Coke inTallahassee, but it's the point
(02:38):
that you can get the same thingno matter where you are.
It's the consistency.
When you walk into any Applestore, you know exactly what
kind of experience you'restepping into.
It's this sleek, minimalist,friendly but polished.
And that consistency is notaccidental.
It is engineered and it'sengineered to build trust.
Every color, every word, everyinteraction, it's all part of
(02:59):
the bigger picture.
Now think about your law firm.
You might have a sharp website,but what happens when someone
calls your office?
Does the tone of thatconversation match what you've
put out online?
Does your Instagram feel allbuttoned up, but your email
newsletter is kind of casual?
Or maybe it shifts too far inthe robotic direction?
Inconsistent branding, even inthe tone of what you're doing.
(03:21):
It sends mixed signals, andmixed signals they create doubt.
Clients want to feel that samesense of trust and
predictability, no matter whatbrand they are interacting with
and how they are interactingwith you.
It's not just about the colorsand logos.
Again, it is about the tone,it's about the timing and it's
the feeling of the experienceacross every touchpoint they
(03:42):
have with you.
So here's an easy place to start.
We're going to do a quick audit.
You pull up your website yourlatest ad campaigns, a few
social posts, your last emailblast and your intake phone
script.
Maybe you don't even have oneof those.
You probably should read themthrough back to back, each one
of them, one after the other.
Maybe have someone in the roomwith you to listen.
(04:02):
Do they sound like they camefrom the same person, or from
the same firm, even?
Or do they feel like sound likethey came from the same person
or from the same firm, even?
Or do they feel like fivedifferent voices that are
fighting for attention?
Big brands get this rightbecause they know that trust
isn't won in just one big moment.
It's built in all the small,consistently spaced out ones.
And the more seamless yourbrand feels, more integrated you
(04:25):
have your brand feeling intothe person's life, the faster
these potential clients aregoing to feel confident choosing
you.
And here's a little secretPeople forget the numbers, but
they remember the stories, andbig brands have known this
forever.
Think about Apple Whenever theyannounce a new product.
Yeah, we're going to get thetech specs, we're going to get
the screen size, we're going toget the processing, but that is
(04:47):
never the headline.
Instead, it's all about theimpact.
When FaceTime came out, it wasabout how you can connect with
people.
When the first iPhone dropped,it was.
This changes everything.
This wasn't a list of features.
It was a story about how yourlife is going to be transformed.
But in the legal world, we leanway too hard on the stats.
(05:07):
We've won 95% of our cases.
We have 130 years of combinedexperience and, yeah, those
numbers can be impressive in acertain sense, but they don't
stick in the mind of a clientthe way a compelling story does.
Here's why Stories createemotional connection.
When a prospective client isfacing a legal problem, they're
stressed out, they'reoverwhelmed and what they really
(05:29):
crave is reassurance.
Because, while it might belogical to say that we win 95%
of our cases, the person is onlyever going to think about the
5%.
You don't win A story that'sabout someone that's just like
them, though, someone who gotthrough this situation with your
help.
This hits home in a way that nostatistic ever can.
(05:50):
So how do we actually bringthis to life?
We've talked about client storybefore, but what we can do with
this is start simple.
We can pick literally just onesuccess story, one client
success story.
We can either get permission touse it or we can just anonymize
it and we record a quick videowhere we explain what the client
was going through and what itwas like when they came to your
(06:12):
office and then what you said tothem and how you helped and
ultimately what the outcome was.
Or just write it up as a blogpost, or put it into Chad GPT
and, you know, turn it into anice thing.
Or social media.
Again, that's not the point.
Big brands know that storiessell because they tap into
something that is much deeperthan just a number.
They tap into the trust and thehope and the possibility.
(06:36):
That's just as true as in law,as it is in tech, or in consumer
goods or children's toys,because your firm has incredible
stories to tell.
So don't just let them sit onthe shelf.
Big brands know something thata lot of businesses are
overlooking the best marketingdoesn't feel like marketing at
all.
Think about Dove's Real Beautycampaign or Red Bull's Extreme
(07:00):
Sport.
Think about Red Bull's YouTubeat all.
Neither of those aretraditional ads and we do see
them as ads now, but the realityis they're value-packed,
entertaining, educational piecesof content that we have built
loyalty with over time.
Maybe HubSpot?
They basically invented contentmarketing by giving away
everything for free, all thishelpful information that people
(07:23):
just started to naturally trustthem when it came time to
actually buy things.
And now they're a publiccompany, so it works pretty good
.
And it works pretty good inlegal too.
Your potential clients have alot of questions like a crazy
number of them because you guyscomplain about how much.
They call you all the time.
So if you're not answering thequestions, they're Googling
things like what happens afterI'm served divorce papers?
(07:44):
Do I need a will if I'm under40?
And if you're the one answeringthose questions clearly and
compassionately, you're winningtheir trust before they even
pick up the phone.
When we educate, we're not justattracting clients and
expanding our presence on theinternet.
We are building seriousauthority.
This is one of the most majorplatforms for leadership in the
(08:05):
world, and if you're buildingauthority on it, you're doing
well.
But now let's talk about one ofthe most overlooked secrets of
big brand success.
I think the biggest one that alot of lawyers forget is that
they never stop marketing.
Coca-cola has been around forlike 180 years I have no idea
it's over a century but they'restill pouring billions into
(08:27):
advertising every single year.
Why?
Because staying top of mind isa constant battle.
People have short memories, andthey did so way before TikTok
existed and attention is alwaysshifting.
There's always something new.
The moment you start to thinkyour brand is established enough
to coast is the moment you'regoing to start to lose.
Now let's contrast that with howmost law firms handle marketing
(08:49):
.
It's kind of either feast orfamine.
Right, when the leads are slow,the ad budget goes up, the firm
scrambles to pump out blogposts, social media updates, all
this stuff, but once thecaseload picks up, marketing
right back on the back burneruntil the pipeline starts to dry
up again and you guys freak outand the cycle repeats itself.
I don't know how many we'vebeen through and how many
(09:11):
different industries, but italways does this.
Big brands they don't fall intothat trap.
Their mindset is incrediblysimple.
Marketing isn't something youswitch on and off.
It's a long-term investment.
That is a core element of thebusiness.
Every ad, every blog post,every social media touchpoint,
every comment that the socialmedia manager makes it is a
(09:31):
brick in the foundation of theirbrand equity.
That's what keeps the clientscoming back and the referrals
flowing in.
Even during the quieter times,Everybody's still buying
Coca-Cola, and for law firms,what this means is making a
commitment to consistency.
I think this is really thebiggest thing you can take away
today, Even when you're slammedwith cases, keep your content
engine running, Whether it's oneblog post a month, a weekly
(09:55):
Instagram tip, a quarterlynewsletter.
It doesn't have to be anoverwhelming back-breaking
schedule, it just has to besteady.
And what's that word?
Consistent?
Because here's the reality thefirms that keep showing up.
They keep showing up over andover.
They are the ones that stay onpeople's minds and they're the
ones that stay at the top of themarket.
The big brands know it, thesmartest law firms know it and
(10:18):
your competitors know it.
That's it for Legal Marketing101.
Check out RosenAdvertisingcomfor more Thanks.
What lawyers can learn from big brands about
marketing.
Welcome to Legal Marketing 101.
I'm Toby Rosen.
Let's start off today's episodewith one of the biggest lessons
we can steal from the world'stop brands.
They don't sell a product or aservice.
They sell what that productmeans in someone's life.
Let's think about Nike.
Sure, they make great shoes,but do you ever see an ad that's
(00:27):
just hey, these sneakers haveawesome cushioning and durable
soles.
No, Nike sells aspiration.
Their message is aboutachievement, pushing limits and
being part of something muchbigger than yourself.
The shoes pardon the pun arekind of just the vehicle for
that.
So how can we relate that tolegal marketing?
(00:48):
Let's bring it back a littlebit.
Most law firms, especially inpractice areas like family law,
criminal defense, estateplanning we default to selling
the service.
We handle divorces, we draftwills, we get you out of jail,
and it's factual.
But let's be honest, it's kindof dry.
And yeah, you're lawyers, soyou're kind of dry.
(01:08):
But come on, guys and yourpotential clients they are not
waking up thinking I can't waitto hire a lawyer today.
They're thinking about theoutcome that they want Peace of
mind, a fresh start, securityfor their family, whatever it is
.
They want control over thisstressful situation.
The magic happens when we shiftour messaging from what we do
(01:30):
to what they get, and that'swhere the real emotional
connection and the trust startsto actually build.
So here's a quick exercise.
Let's take a look at yourhomepage headline.
Does it say something likeexperience, divorce and custody
attorneys?
Try rewriting it withoutmentioning your practice area at
all.
What if it said we help youtake back control of your life,
(01:52):
or guiding you through thehardest moments with strength
and care?
You see the difference already.
That positioning, that littletweak, it's what sets these big
brands and the smartest lawfirms apart.
From the rest, Clients arehiring you for the result,
they're not hiring you for theprocess, and that's what we need
to speak to in our marketingevery single time we write a
(02:15):
line.
And another thing big brandsnever, ever mess around with
like they're really kind ofaggressive about it it's
consistency.
Whether you're in Tokyo orTallahassee, a Coke is a Coke
and, yes, anyone who's been toTokyo will know that there are a
bunch of different types ofCoke in Tokyo and a bunch of
different types of Coke inTallahassee, but it's the point
(02:38):
that you can get the same thingno matter where you are.
It's the consistency.
When you walk into any Applestore, you know exactly what
kind of experience you'restepping into.
It's this sleek, minimalist,friendly but polished.
And that consistency is notaccidental.
It is engineered and it'sengineered to build trust.
Every color, every word, everyinteraction, it's all part of
(02:59):
the bigger picture.
Now think about your law firm.
You might have a sharp website,but what happens when someone
calls your office?
Does the tone of thatconversation match what you've
put out online?
Does your Instagram feel allbuttoned up, but your email
newsletter is kind of casual?
Or maybe it shifts too far inthe robotic direction?
Inconsistent branding, even inthe tone of what you're doing.
(03:21):
It sends mixed signals, andmixed signals they create doubt.
Clients want to feel that samesense of trust and
predictability, no matter whatbrand they are interacting with
and how they are interactingwith you.
It's not just about the colorsand logos.
Again, it is about the tone,it's about the timing and it's
the feeling of the experienceacross every touchpoint they
(03:42):
have with you.
So here's an easy place to start.
We're going to do a quick audit.
You pull up your website yourlatest ad campaigns, a few
social posts, your last emailblast and your intake phone
script.
Maybe you don't even have oneof those.
You probably should read themthrough back to back, each one
of them, one after the other.
Maybe have someone in the roomwith you to listen.
(04:02):
Do they sound like they camefrom the same person, or from
the same firm, even?
Or do they feel like sound likethey came from the same person
or from the same firm, even?
Or do they feel like fivedifferent voices that are
fighting for attention?
Big brands get this rightbecause they know that trust
isn't won in just one big moment.
It's built in all the small,consistently spaced out ones.
And the more seamless yourbrand feels, more integrated you
(04:25):
have your brand feeling intothe person's life, the faster
these potential clients aregoing to feel confident choosing
you.
And here's a little secretPeople forget the numbers, but
they remember the stories, andbig brands have known this
forever.
Think about Apple Whenever theyannounce a new product.
Yeah, we're going to get thetech specs, we're going to get
the screen size, we're going toget the processing, but that is
(04:47):
never the headline.
Instead, it's all about theimpact.
When FaceTime came out, it wasabout how you can connect with
people.
When the first iPhone dropped,it was.
This changes everything.
This wasn't a list of features.
It was a story about how yourlife is going to be transformed.
But in the legal world, we leanway too hard on the stats.
(05:07):
We've won 95% of our cases.
We have 130 years of combinedexperience and, yeah, those
numbers can be impressive in acertain sense, but they don't
stick in the mind of a clientthe way a compelling story does.
Here's why Stories createemotional connection.
When a prospective client isfacing a legal problem, they're
stressed out, they'reoverwhelmed and what they really
(05:29):
crave is reassurance.
Because, while it might belogical to say that we win 95%
of our cases, the person is onlyever going to think about the
5%.
You don't win A story that'sabout someone that's just like
them, though, someone who gotthrough this situation with your
help.
This hits home in a way that nostatistic ever can.
(05:50):
So how do we actually bringthis to life?
We've talked about client storybefore, but what we can do with
this is start simple.
We can pick literally just onesuccess story, one client
success story.
We can either get permission touse it or we can just anonymize
it and we record a quick videowhere we explain what the client
was going through and what itwas like when they came to your
(06:12):
office and then what you said tothem and how you helped and
ultimately what the outcome was.
Or just write it up as a blogpost, or put it into Chad GPT
and, you know, turn it into anice thing.
Or social media.
Again, that's not the point.
Big brands know that storiessell because they tap into
something that is much deeperthan just a number.
They tap into the trust and thehope and the possibility.
(06:36):
That's just as true as in law,as it is in tech, or in consumer
goods or children's toys,because your firm has incredible
stories to tell.
So don't just let them sit onthe shelf.
Big brands know something thata lot of businesses are
overlooking the best marketingdoesn't feel like marketing at
all.
Think about Dove's Real Beautycampaign or Red Bull's Extreme
(07:00):
Sport.
Think about Red Bull's YouTubeat all.
Neither of those aretraditional ads and we do see
them as ads now, but the realityis they're value-packed,
entertaining, educational piecesof content that we have built
loyalty with over time.
Maybe HubSpot?
They basically invented contentmarketing by giving away
everything for free, all thishelpful information that people
(07:23):
just started to naturally trustthem when it came time to
actually buy things.
And now they're a publiccompany, so it works pretty good
.
And it works pretty good inlegal too.
Your potential clients have alot of questions like a crazy
number of them because you guyscomplain about how much.
They call you all the time.
So if you're not answering thequestions, they're Googling
things like what happens afterI'm served divorce papers?
(07:44):
Do I need a will if I'm under40?
And if you're the one answeringthose questions clearly and
compassionately, you're winningtheir trust before they even
pick up the phone.
When we educate, we're not justattracting clients and
expanding our presence on theinternet.
We are building seriousauthority.
This is one of the most majorplatforms for leadership in the
(08:05):
world, and if you're buildingauthority on it, you're doing
well.
But now let's talk about one ofthe most overlooked secrets of
big brand success.
I think the biggest one that alot of lawyers forget is that
they never stop marketing.
Coca-cola has been around forlike 180 years I have no idea
it's over a century but they'restill pouring billions into
(08:27):
advertising every single year.
Why?
Because staying top of mind isa constant battle.
People have short memories, andthey did so way before TikTok
existed and attention is alwaysshifting.
There's always something new.
The moment you start to thinkyour brand is established enough
to coast is the moment you'regoing to start to lose.
Now let's contrast that with howmost law firms handle marketing
(08:49):
.
It's kind of either feast orfamine.
Right, when the leads are slow,the ad budget goes up, the firm
scrambles to pump out blogposts, social media updates, all
this stuff, but once thecaseload picks up, marketing
right back on the back burneruntil the pipeline starts to dry
up again and you guys freak outand the cycle repeats itself.
I don't know how many we'vebeen through and how many
(09:11):
different industries, but italways does this.
Big brands they don't fall intothat trap.
Their mindset is incrediblysimple.
Marketing isn't something youswitch on and off.
It's a long-term investment.
That is a core element of thebusiness.
Every ad, every blog post,every social media touchpoint,
every comment that the socialmedia manager makes it is a
(09:31):
brick in the foundation of theirbrand equity.
That's what keeps the clientscoming back and the referrals
flowing in.
Even during the quieter times,Everybody's still buying
Coca-Cola, and for law firms,what this means is making a
commitment to consistency.
I think this is really thebiggest thing you can take away
today, Even when you're slammedwith cases, keep your content
engine running, Whether it's oneblog post a month, a weekly
(09:55):
Instagram tip, a quarterlynewsletter.
It doesn't have to be anoverwhelming back-breaking
schedule, it just has to besteady.
And what's that word?
Consistent?
Because here's the reality thefirms that keep showing up.
They keep showing up over andover.
They are the ones that stay onpeople's minds and they're the
ones that stay at the top of themarket.
The big brands know it, thesmartest law firms know it and
(10:18):
your competitors know it.
That's it for Legal Marketing101.
Check out RosenAdvertisingcomfor more Thanks.
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