Key Takeaways from the 2024 Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference – Part Eight
Blog Post
Welcome to the eighth post of the series on our key takeaways from the 2024 Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Conference, which highlights one of the sessions that took place on the second day of the conference.
Building Better Bios: What Actually Matters to In-House Counsel and Clients
Karla Pinckes, Outside General Counsel for Tech Startups at Rose Bowlus Law, Angela Quinn, Chief Client Officer for Husch Blackwell LLP, and Dave Weinberger, Founder of One Story Branding, successfully ran this breakout session focused on crafting effective lawyer bios. Data suggests that the most viewed page on a website is the bios, making it essential to create compelling bios that accurately portray both the lawyer and the firm. Here are our key takeaways from the session:
Evaluate the Context and Identify the Structure
When building a better bio, you should consider who the bio is for, what the impact will be, and how you are going to get across the necessary information. Given the abundance of referrals received by firms, the bio should serve as a valuable tool for selling the lawyer and the firm.
When structuring the bio, four key statements should always be included: the positioning sentence, the purpose, the proof, and the impact statement. Karla Pinckes expressed that bios that are concise, written in the present tense, and include an executive summary are more effective. She also emphasized the importance of ensuring that their bios are added to their LinkedIn profiles in addition to the firm’s website.
Ensure Brand Alignment
While the individuality of a bio is important to authentically portray the lawyer, keeping the bio on brand with the firm is also essential. You must determine the brand voice and values that you wish to implement across all the firm’s bios. When connecting the lawyer to the firm, it’s crucial to include prompts that encourage users to explore the website further. This involves incorporating sections that highlight the lawyer’s areas of expertise or service offerings, allowing users to seamlessly navigate to relevant service pages with a simple click.
Consider Human Connection
The session speakers also stressed the significance of fostering a human connection through bios. When prospective clients view a lawyer’s bio, they want to know what it would feel like to work with the lawyer. By evaluating and refining bios to enhance this communicative aspect and highlight relevant experience and accolades, firms can ensure bios remain captivating and relationship-driven.
Read our previous blog post to discover our key takeaways from a branding session attended by our strategists.
What is the LMA Annual Conference?
The LMA Annual Conference is a premier event in the legal marketing industry, bringing together professionals from around the world to explore innovative strategies, forge meaningful connections, and learn about industry developments. It typically features keynote presentations, breakout sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to facilitate knowledge sharing, skill development, and professional relationships among attendees.