Why the "Loneliest General Counsel" Says Branding Works

Originally published in:

& "LA Daily Journal"

By listening to its customers, the consumer product company Maytag Understood that it had to make the most dependable appliances in the marketplace. And they did. Thus began the brand essence that has carried the venerable appliance maker through decades of good business and good marketing.

Branding has created value for scored of consumer products like Maytag, but professionals services firms like law firms have not understood how branding can payoff for their businesses.

But, the Associate General Counsel of Maytag does. During a recent lunch with Richard Mosher, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Maytag, he explained why branding is the right strategy for consumer products companies as well as law firms.

Not Lonely at Maytag

"Maytag's brand impacts our company and our legal department a great deal," he shared. "Our brand essence proudly says, 'We are a 100-year old company; we are not the biggest of the least expensive, but we are quality and high-end." Indeed that description might apply equally well to a law firm as it does to Maytag and its line of washers, dryers and dishwashers. So what makes the brand distinction work at Maytag?

According to Mosher, the brand distinction works because Maytag lives its "brand essence" of quality. During the past 15 years, for example, Maytag acquired a number of appliance companies including Jenn Air, Hoover, Admiral and Magic Chef. At first, the company kept the Maytag name away from these brands. "Then we had a cultural shift in our corporate thinking. We wanted our strong brand identity to rub off on these other products because if Maytag makes it, the perception is that it must be well built. That is now helping us leverage our brand equity," he said.

Actually demonstrating quality is the other element of Maytag's brand success. With a new washing machine called the Wind Tunnel, for example, Maytag recently initiated a test in a small town in Kansas by putting washers into each home. "We had the Department of Energy measure the water and energy savings, which really drove home the quality of our brand." Mosher adds that the company continues to look for ways to demonstrate quality and show its customers why it is a good company.

But How can Law Firms Brand Themselves?

If such a simple approach as demonstrating quality works for Maytag, could it work in the law firm environment? Mosher seems to think so.

"I don't think I'm alone in saying that no law firm has ever come to me and defined its brand essence in a way that demonstrates responsiveness to my needs." Mosher feels law firms are missing out on a huge opportunity for their businesses. "In fact, some large law firms do not understand that the brand essence they communicate to our legal department is: 'We don't return phone calls,'" he said.

The connection for law firms is simple. Define their brand of lawyering and make it come alive by demonstrating it within the firm and to clients.

Instead, many law firms make the mistake of selling their services without regard to either their unique distinction or client's needs. "Large law firms try to cross market to me by telling me they have a great corporate department or litigation department but without any knowledge of how that department can provide services that benefit Maytag based on our needs," said Mosher.

Identifying the law firm brand can be as simple as asking clients about their needs. "Ask me what is important in the delivery of legal services in this new practice area. Ask how the firm can deliver services to me in an innovative way. Then show me how and why the firm is different and better," explains Mosher.

What is unique about a particular practice group? It may relate to staffing, technology, service, pricing or value-added abilities. Whatever the distinction, law firms need to dialogue with their prospective clients. "This is how a law firm or new practice area can brand itself in my eyes," he said.

Meanwhile, at Maytag, Mosher says that financial analysts are predicting record-breaking receipts for the second consecutive year. "The answer to why this is happening is simple--we keep expanding our brand of quality and listening to our customers."

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Authored by Merry Neitlich, partner with Extreme Marketing. Extreme Marketing is a collaborative branding product designed for law firms. For information contact Merry at (949) 260-9200 or by email at merry@extrememarketing.org