Law firm branding is how potential clients understand who you are and what you do. Clear branding builds trust, while confusion drives people away.
The Tale of the Mystery Taco Joint
The other day, I was making lunch plans with friends at a local shopping center—a major hub in our little college town. As we tossed around ideas, one friend said to another, “How about that taco place you love so much?”
Now, listen. I have spent a significant amount of time in California and South Texas. Tacos are my favorite food group, and it is exceedingly difficult to find good ones on the East Coast where I currently live. If there were a mind-blowing taco spot in town that I hadn’t heard of, I would take that as a personal failure. Naturally, I needed more information ASAP.
This is where it got weird.
One person said, “Well, its sign says Qualitea, but on Google Maps it’s listed as Lulu’s Tacos.”
The other friend chimed in, “Yeah, I don’t even know if they serve tea. But their tacos are off the hook.”
Wait… what? My marketing brain went crazy.
We have a taco place, with the best tacos in town (allegedly), but the sign says tea? How does this happen? And more importantly, how many potential customers have not discovered this taco utopia because they assumed it was a boba shop?
Branding Confusion = Lost Clients
If your sign says tea, but you’re serving tacos, people will walk or drive right by. Confused people don’t buy. They go somewhere else. That same logic applies to your law firm branding. If it confuses people or hides what you really do, they’ll keep scrolling.
Branding is not just about looking pretty—it’s about setting expectations and guiding potential clients toward exactly what you offer. If your homepage says “legacy solutions” or your name sounds like a financial planner, but nowhere do you clearly say you help people with Wills, Trusts, long-term care planning, or navigating aging parents, you’re losing potential clients who would have hired you if they understood what you do.
Estate planning and elder law are already confusing topics for the average person. If your branding makes it even harder for them to understand what you do, you’re not helping them feel confident – you’re helping them delay the decision.
So, How Does Such a Branding SNAFU Happen?
Old Branding That Never Got Updated – Maybe you started out doing one thing (like business law) and pivoted. Great! I know a lot of attorneys who have done that, but your signage, website, and materials still tell the old story unless you have intentionally gone through them and viewed them with new eyes.
Trying to Be Too Clever – Names like “Legacy. Integrity. Solutions.” may sound noble and professional, but it doesn’t tell your ideal client anything useful. I dream of owning a boat someday, but my biggest hang-up is coming up with a clever name because, let’s be honest – if you’ve ever walked through a harbor, those boat names are SO CLEVER. But naming a business isn’t the same as naming a boat. Clever names are usually about the owner. Clear names are about the client.
Inconsistent Online Presence – If your website, social media, and Google listing aren’t saying the same thing, potential clients might assume you’ve been hacked or that you’re in some sort of identity crisis. Inconsistency does not instill confidence. It instills confusion. (Reread the paragraph above – Branding Confusion = Lost Clients – if this is a new idea.)
How to Avoid a Branding Identity Crisis
You don’t have to overhaul everything, but you do have to be intentional about reviewing your brand for potential issues.
- Make It Obvious – Use plain English. Lawyers struggle with this all the time (and it’s a big part of what we do at Cottrell Communications – help attorneys swap out their legalese for everyday language). If you work on Wills, Trusts, Medicaid planning, or caring for aging parents, say that! Clearly. On your homepage.
- Be Consistent Everywhere – Consistency is the secret to effective law firm branding. Your website, social media, signage, and Google Business Profile should all say the same thing. If your storefront says one thing and your online presence says another, you’re making people work way too hard to figure out what you do. And they won’t. Our brains HATE confusion.
- Think Like a New Client – Step back and look at your branding like someone just off the street who has never heard of you before. Would they immediately know what you do? If not, fix it.
Bottom Line: You Could be Amazing at What You Do, But It Doesn’t Matter If You Confuse People
You could have the most compassionate, experienced law firm in the state—but if your branding is confusing, clients won’t make it in the door.
Estate planning already feels overwhelming to the people who need it most. Don’t make it harder. Your branding should reduce uncertainty, not add to it.
Make it clear. Make it consistent. Make it easy to say yes.
Clear law firm branding helps clients feel confident hiring you — and that’s the first win.
