Get validated: How awards and recognitions give you a marketing edge

It’s always a good feeling to win an award that recognizes your firm. Earning professional laurels validates the quality of your firm’s work and the excellence of the service you provide. From a marketing perspective, these high praises can play a major role in a client’s decision to hire you.

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In the marketing realm, awards and recognitions are called third-party validations. They tell clients that you deliver on what you promise and show that your firm is worthy of a client’s trust. In fact, Thomson Reuters’ 2023 Consumer Legal Needs Survey shows that 74% of legal consumers rate their level of trust in a third-party attorney rating service as a three, four, or five. 

Third-party validations can also raise your profile among your fellow attorneys. If your practice thrives in part due to referrals from your professional colleagues, awards and recognitions can help boost the number of those referrals.  

Whatever the nature of your practice, a third-party validation offers an unparalleled opportunity to differentiate your firm in a competitive legal marketplace. Here are four ways you can make the most of your accolades.

1. Spread the word

Use every channel at your disposal — your website, blog posts, social networks, and online and offline advertising — to note your latest recognition. If you have earned a listing in Super Lawyers, for example, make sure you link to your listing and that all of your online contact information is accurate. 

You might be the type of attorney who doesn’t like to promote their awards and would rather have your work speak for itself. But your reputation, however strong, isn’t familiar to most legal consumers. Third-party validations are a way to build marketplace recognition without having to “sell yourself.”

2. Don't brag

It’s hard to be humble when your office wall is studded with plaques and certificates. But the rationale for calling attention to your recognitions isn’t to puff yourself up. The advantage of third-party validations is that they are valuable to legal consumers. 

Incorporate your awards into your advertising and marketing where appropriate but remember that it’s not all about you. Instead, you want to use them to prove to current and potential clients that you have the expertise they’re looking for. Showcasing your accolades doesn’t have to be done loudly and brashly, but tastefully and with an appropriate respect for decorum.

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3. Incorporate awards into your overall business building

If a digital plan feels like too much work to handle on your own, look into getting help from an outside vendor that specializes in legal marketing. The right marketing partner can offer you strategies that address your firm’s needs while keeping your accomplishments in mind for your marketing efforts. 

A marketing provider will seek to be a true partner, one that — like you — is interested in measurable goals and long-term results. More importantly, it should allow you to free up time to focus on other initiatives like practicing law.

4. Apply for the Lead Counsel rating

Awards and recognitions not only enhance your reputation among peers but also play a crucial role in obtaining Thomson Reuters’ Lead Counsel rating. Earning this recognition can help demonstrate why your firm should be legal consumers’ first choice — their lead counsel. 

To earn the rating, attorneys are required to undergo a thorough vetting process that includes peer recommendations, along with professional experience and a spotless record. The Lead Counsel Review Board then determines whether your firm has the experience and ethics worthy of the designation. 

Utilize your awards and recognitions today 

Your awards and recognitions are the fruits of your diligence and effort — the kind of skilled work your firm could perform for a potential client. Now it’s time to put those accolades to work and attract new business. 

If you're ready to elevate your status in the legal community, learn more about Super Lawyers and Lead Counsel Verification and schedule a free consultation with FindLaw. 

Super Lawyers

Using our patented selection process, we select the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers list each year. We know lawyers and make it easy to connect with them.