A change of client and climate

As the global village shrinks, more law firms' business crosses geographical boundaries, meaning firms from small to large, and everything in between, are increasingly competing for international work. Whereas this was once the preserve of only the most glamorous of firms, today it's the new normal. But have firm brand identities kept up with this market shift? Has the way that firms communicate with their audiences kept pace?

The point is that when a firm addresses a new market - whether a new geography or a new industry sector - it's not just a change of client and referrer audiences that drives the need to communicate a different legal and commercial skillset, but also the changed competitor landscape.

Firms may be compared to new rivals that are different indeed from competitors of old, in terms of both capability and culture. A good deal of thought needs to
be given as to how to best position the firm at an advantage in the context of a changed peer group that may be quite different from previous experience.

First impressions count 

Branding, corporate identity, and the look and feel designate a firm in one part of a legal market or another - think how differently a friendly local firm presents itself compared to a glitzy City firm or international player. First impressions count when your business development is predominantly focus ed on forging new relationships, which of course it mostly is when entering new markets. Pre-conceived notions of what the firm is about, due to its historic reputation, may need to be actively discouraged if new market opportunities are not to be scuppered by outdated perceptions of the firm's limitations.

At the same time, as a firm adjusts its image to resonate better with new audiences, how can it avoid alienating precious existing clients and contacts, who are still essential to its business? Answer: with great difficulty. Gaining new clients at the expense of loyal, established ones is generally recognised as the best way to go out of business fast. But how can a firm's brand speak successfully to two audiences at once? How can firms communicate messages of commitment to their roots at the same time as branching out to attract business in new areas?

• Think creatively: Today, our peer group far more concerns the London-based international market, rather than our Italian domestic rivals, and so our identity and the way we present ourselves in the international marketplace for legal services needs to reflect this. Something as simple as a brand refresh, for example, can serve the transition from national to international player;

• Continue to resonate: A new image needs to reverberate with long-standing, national clientele. For example, when deciding on the key elements of our new brand, we focused deliberately on expressing pride in our Italian roots (something we know our home-grown clients respond to positively), and in a way that chimes with international audiences' respect for Italian 'passion' and 'excellence';

• Present visuals: Similarly, our choice of photography ticks both the 'pride in Italian roots' and 'international respect for Italian culture' boxes: the new website and marketing literature features internationally recognised Italian photographers Luca Campigotto and Angela Lopriore. Our choice of the Bodoni font is also significant: Giovanni Battista Bodoni was the designer of the first modern font, so this is a nod to Italy's long-standing reputation for innovation in design; and

• Remember other elements: Branding, of course, is only one factor. A firm's character permeates through to the marketplace in many other different ways, for example by how it expresses itself through the media, and how it presents itself in person, i.e. the impression created by partners and staff when clients and contacts meet them face-to-face.

  All these aspects must be considered very thoroughly, and, as said above, long-standing and faithful clients must never be overlooked or taken for granted in the pursuit of new sections of the market. But, if a careful balance can be struck, the rebranding exercise can be real success. SJ

Marco D’Angelo is marketing director at BonelliErede  www.belex.com