Management
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Making a name for yourself Chris Rodgers on the value of building a brand
Chris Rodgers is head of business development at First4Lawyers
I
n today’s consumer-driven world, what better way to demonstrate who you are, what you do, and how good you are than through a brand? Brands are, of course, everywhere; the food you eat, the drinks
you choose, even the newspapers you read are determined by your trust in that brand. Your first experience with any of the above could be because the packaging looked appealing, a friend made a recommendation, or perhaps a recent advertisement connected with you. If the people behind the brand are doing it right, then no matter
how you were introduced, you will have developed a relationship with that brand, which in turn caused you to make a decision in their favour, by buying their product. Services are not much different than goods. If I mentioned
meerkats or opera singers, you’ll more than likely know I’m talking about insurance comparison websites Compare the Market and GoCompare respectively. You may not have used these services yet but it’s a fair bet that when it comes to renew your car, home or contents insurance, you’ll think of going to either of those comparison sites. For many people, as with insurance, legal services tend to sit
there, ready and waiting for when they are needed. So when the day dawns, how do we ensure that we are the first in mind when they need a PI lawyer? A clever catch-phrase (who can forget ‘Where there’s blame,
there’s a claim’?), well-known representative or gimmick (toy meerkats, anyone?) can all be part of building a brand that helps keep you at the forefront of people’s minds, just in case they should ever need you. But how you use them must be considered carefully. A brand that suggests you understand what your customers need, what they’re going through and that you’re approachable,
42 /Claims Magazine/Issue 11
goes a long way to removing any barriers they may have about giving you a call, but you don’t want to go too far. People still want to trust that people handling their matter are professionals. Yes, you must be able to show you’re human enough to guide
them through the legal process sympathetically but a balance needs to be reached. Too far into the gimmick side of branding and you risk damaging your reputation as excellent lawyers, too far the other way and you may end up alienating a large group of people who don’t feel like you’re a firm that will understand their troubles. Trust is the most important factor with branding and
undoubtedly, given the ‘ambulance chasers’ hammering the sector has taken in recent years, claims management companies and law firms have to consider how best to win this. Primarily we need to build trust that we are working in clients’ best
interests, that we are their champion. Of course, what you actually do needs to back that message up, or it can go horribly wrong. Ensuring that we have the right lawyers on our panel, that
they deliver on what we promise and that we are at the forefront of adapting to the changing market has made First4Lawyers the third biggest claims brand in the country. It is, of course, difficult to distinguish yourself in a market where pretty much everyone is saying the same about themselves, but for starters our name stands out by not actually referencing ‘injury’ or ‘claims’.
Change of focus The First4Lawyers brand has evolved over the years, and
in the post-LASPO world has changed from a focus on the right to compensation to the bigger picture of what is being achieved, with our new tagline ‘That’s what justice feels like’. This accentuates the positive of what PI lawyers and CMCs do – it’s not just about the money, but the satisfaction of righting a wrong. It’s a powerful message.
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