Lawyers Unlocking Their Greatest Asset: Personal Brand

Sarah Waley, a leading expert in legal sector branding and founder of Ideas in Practice, has released an informative new guide on personal branding for legal professionals. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and business development roles within professional services and information services organisations, Waley's insights are essential for professionals navigating the competitive landscape of Australia's legal industry.

In her introductory guide, Waley illustrates the importance of personal branding in a market projected to reach $33 billion AUD by 2027-28, according to a report by IBIS World. She states, “In a crowded and increasingly digital environment, technical expertise alone is simply not enough. What sets professionals apart is their ability to clearly articulate their value, establish strong personal connections and earn and keep their client’s trust. Effective personal branding is crucial for lawyers as people prefer to buy from individuals they know, like, and trust.”

The guide offers tools and tips to build and promote a personal brand that is clear, congruent, and resonates with target audiences. It outlines a “Four Cs” Framework - Clarity, Congruence, Community, and Content - for crafting a brand that is distinctive and consistent. This framework helps professionals assess their market perception, determine how they want to be perceived, develop a plan to align the two and amplify their personal brand across the right platforms.

Waley emphasises the role of authenticity in personal branding, encouraging professionals to align their behaviours and actions with their personal brand to ensure congruency. She also underscores the importance of community connections in building a strong network and driving business development.

“In today’s digital age, personal branding is no longer a luxury but an absolute necessity,” says Waley. “This guide is designed to help legal professionals understand the power of personal branding and how to leverage it to differentiate themselves from competitors, enhance their exposure, and expand their networks."

The guide also offers advice on choosing the right online and offline channels to promote personal brands and encourages the creation of valuable content related to niche areas of expertise.

"As a specialist in legal sector branding, I've seen firsthand how a strong personal brand can transform a professional's career and business," Waley adds. "My mission is to help individuals grow their brands and businesses, and this guide is an important step in that journey."

For more information or to read the guide, connect with Sarah Waley on LinkedIn.

Sarah Waley has over 20 years of experience in key marketing and business development roles within professional services and information services organisations, including TurksLegal, PKF (now BDO) and Wolters Kluwer. Sarah now runs her own successful marketing consultancy, Ideas in Practice, helping firms and individuals grow their brands and businesses.