Kentucky Fried Chicken and Lawyer Marketing: Are you telling a good story?

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A few months back, there was a story on the news that KFC was transporting it’s “Hand-Written Original Secret Recipe” back to it’s original location at the corporate headquarters.  As the story was being reported, images of armed guards, in some sort of vault, with a silver, metallic briefcase handcuffed to their wrists flashed on the screen. The article tells us:

“The iconic recipe is now protected by an array of high-tech security gadgets, including motion detectors and cameras that allow guards to monitor the vault around the clock.”

Mmmmmm….I love chicken, but what’s the point?

Do you really think that with the technology existing today somebody, somewhere couldn’t reverse engineer KFC’s fried chicken, figure out the recipe and reproduce it?  Of course they could, but that isn’t the point.  KFC has a fantastic story to tell.  It grabs us, we remember it, we talk about it, and people continue to eat KFC.  It isn’t just the taste of the chicken selling KFC any longer.  If it was any one of us could make the same chicken and get rich.  It’s the story being told that makes the difference.

How does this apply to Lawyer Marketing?

I understand that the subject matter you deal with as an attorney is serious and important.  It also can sometimes be dry and factual when discussed and communicated with those people not in the legal profession.  Any marketer worth his weight will tell you that marketing a product, service, etc. involves great story telling.  This is what separates and differentiates your firm in peoples’ minds.  I look at law firm websites all day long.  I wish I could tell you how many firms will “Fight hard for their clients”, “Are experienced”, “Have high ratings from an outside source”.  While these are all admirable and important qualities, they aren’t great stories or differentiators.

How do I get started crafting my story?

I found this great video on Youtube where Ira Glass discusses the art of great storytelling.  Take a few minutes to watch and enjoy:

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