Branding
Personal Branding During an Election Year: Whose Side Are You On?
By Dave Argentar | 09.17.2020
Being a lawyer means taking sides. Litigators represent a plaintiff or defendant against the other. Transactional attorneys protect the interests of their clients over other parties to a deal. Even estate planning lawyers square off against the IRS when they develop plans to keep tax liabilities to a minimum. Attorneys taking sides on behalf of their clients is one thing. But attorneys taking sides in an explosive political and social climate during the height of a contentious and historically consequential presidential election (oh, and an ongoing global pandemic) is quite another.
The Value of Sharing Your Values – Through Actions Rather Than Words
Understandably, most lawyers and law firms don’t wear their political affiliations on their client-facing sleeves. You rarely see a lawyer being overtly political in a blog post, on LinkedIn, or otherwise in their professional capacity beyond offering a perspective on a narrow legal/political issue that breaks one way or the other for their client base.
That’s because by taking a side, you run a significant risk of alienating or angering existing clients or prospects who fall on the other side of the political divide. Clients have decided who to retain based on far less important distinctions that may rub them the wrong way.
Conversely, however, people like to support businesses and professionals that share their values. This summer, firms of all stripes and sizes felt compelled (either sincerely or cynically) to announce their commitment to racial justice and related issues. That likely rankled the feathers of some. But those firms that truly believed it was their responsibility to take a stand did so, regardless. And their pronouncements (and, more importantly, actions to back them up) no doubt put them in a positive light among a much larger group of clients and prospects.
Attorneys who are passionate about political issues may want to express their opinions somewhere other than the political miasma that is Facebook. But doing so in blog posts posted by a firm is probably the wrong forum for such expression. When published on the page, the intense emotions that drive so much of our political discourse can manifest in language and statements that cross the line between opinion and rant. Not that I would know anything about that.
Corporate Social Responsibility as a Brand Builder
Instead, firms and individual attorneys who want to show the world what they stand for are better served by using their actions rather than words. That doesn’t mean (and on a firmwide basis, shouldn’t mean) efforts on behalf of a particular candidate or party.
Rather, you can make clear your values through the philanthropic, charitable, and community organizations you support. Whether doing pro bono work for immigrants, asylum seekers, or members of underserved communities, helping with food insecurity issues, or committing to positive environmental practices and causes, those actions tell people where you’re coming from socially – and, to a lesser degree, politically – minus the invective.
Demonstrating corporate social responsibility is not only a positive in and of itself; it is a differentiator and selling point. By being a good corporate citizen, actively supporting charities, and promoting volunteerism among attorneys and staff, law firms and their attorneys can demonstrate their social and political commitment while also enhancing their brands.
We Can Help You Maintain and Expand Your Stellar Reputation
Whether you want to explore corporate social responsibility opportunities, deepen existing community engagement activities, or publicly share your good works, Rain BDM can help. Using a variety of marketing platforms, we will work with you to create strategic messaging to communicate your firm’s social responsibility commitments and spotlight the passionate people in your organization who give their time and talents.
