Why Professional Firms Still Struggle to Articulate Their Story — And Why It Matters More Than Ever

Professional firms — from accountancy and legal practices to insolvency specialists, personal financial advisory firms, corporate finance advisers and patent attorneys — face a persistent challenge: the inability to articulate what truly differentiates them.

Despite being built on expertise, regulation and professional judgement, many firms struggle to explain — clearly and consistently — why a client should choose them over another well-qualified competitor.

The result is a growing differentiation gap that affects marketing effectiveness, business development, recruitment and long-term strategy.

The Problem: Everyone Sounds the Same

Ask senior leaders across professional services how they describe their firm, and the responses are strikingly similar:

• “We’re specialists” or “sector experts”

• “Partner-led, senior-level service”

• “Client-focused, relationship-driven”

• “Commercial, pragmatic, straight-talking”

• “Top-tier” or “Top 10 / Top 20”

• “X offices, X partners, X years’ experience”

• “Award-winning, highly ranked, well regarded”

These statements may all be factually correct — and reassuring — but they are rarely differentiating. They describe competence, scale or credibility, not distinctiveness.

From a client’s perspective, they often raise a single, unanswered question:

“So what makes you different from the next firm?”

Unless these claims are directly linked to a specific client outcome or experience, they become interchangeable. Competitors can — and do — say the same things.

As a result, firms unintentionally end up competing on reputation, price or personal referral rather than on clearly articulated value.

The Problem: Everyone Sounds the Same

Ask senior leaders across professional services how they describe their firm, and the responses are remarkably familiar:

• “We’re specialists.”

• “We offer partner-led service.”

• “We’re client-focused.”

• “We build long-term relationships.”

• “We’re personable and commercial.”

These statements may be true — but they are not distinctive.

They represent what might be called professional hygiene factors: qualities that clients now expect as standard. In a crowded market, they no longer help firms stand apart.

When firms rely on these generic claims, clients are left with little basis for comparison beyond price, availability or personal referral. Differentiation becomes blurred, and firms begin to compete on effort rather than value.

What “Story” Really Means in Professional Services

The concept of a firm’s “story” is often misunderstood.

It is not a corporate history, a timeline of growth, or a catalogue of services. Nor is it simply a branding exercise.

A firm’s story is its strategic narrative — the articulation of:

• what makes the firm meaningfully different

• why that difference matters to clients

• what changes for the client as a result

In other words, it is the firm’s reason to be chosen.

Firms without a clear story tend to describe what they do rather than why they do it or how it creates impact. As a result, even highly capable firms struggle to communicate value in a way that resonates with prospective clients.

Why the Challenge Persists

Across professional services, several structural factors explain why this issue continues — even in successful, well-run firms.

1. Multi-partner complexity

Partnerships bring depth and breadth of expertise, but they also bring multiple interpretations of value. Each partner may describe the firm differently, leading to fragmented messaging internally and externally.

2. Technical expertise overshadows narrative clarity

Professionals are trained to be precise, analytical and evidence-based. Storytelling — particularly client-centered narrative — is rarely part of that training.

3. Time pressures discourage strategic reflection

Story work is rarely urgent. It sits behind client demands, regulatory change and operational priorities — often indefinitely.

4. Marketing capability is often operational rather than strategic

Many firms have competent marketing teams, but without a clear narrative foundation they are limited to tactical execution rather than strategic positioning.

5. Committee decision-making slows change

Reaching consensus on differentiation requires alignment — something that can be difficult in established partnership structures.

An Often-Overlooked Factor: The Founder Gap

There is, however, another reason this challenge persists — one that is frequently overlooked.

In many established professional firms, the current partners are not the original founders.

Founders typically start firms with a strong belief system. They are clear about why the firm exists, who it is for, and what it wants to do differently. That conviction becomes the firm’s story — expressed clearly, passionately and consistently. Early clients often buy into that belief as much as the service itself.

Over time, firms evolve.

Founders retire. Leadership transitions. Mergers occur. The firm grows, diversifies and professionalises. While the business may become more successful, the original narrative often fades — and no new shared story replaces it.

As a result:

• the founder’s story no longer reflects the modern firm

• current partners feel limited ownership of that original narrative

• messaging becomes diluted or fragmented

• differentiation erodes gradually rather than suddenly

Compounding this is another reality: storytelling is rarely anyone’s natural role.

Professional firms are led by experts, advisors and technicians — not storytellers. Articulating a firm’s story can feel subjective, intangible or simply “not our strength”. It is often consigned to the “too difficult” or “we’ll come back to it” category.

Crucially, why a firm exists today is rarely the same as why it was founded.

Markets change. Client expectations evolve. Regulation shifts. Technology reshapes delivery. The firm’s impact and purpose move on — but the story often does not.

Without consciously redefining and articulating that story, firms risk operating with a narrative that belongs to their past, not their present or future.

Why Getting the Story Right Now Matters

Clients of professional firms are more informed and more selective than ever. They expect clarity, confidence and alignment — not just competence.

A clear, compelling story delivers tangible advantages:

• it differentiates beyond price and credentials

• it strengthens referrals and reputation

• it supports recruitment and retention

• it aligns partners and teams internally

• it provides strategic direction for marketing and BD

Perhaps most importantly, it builds trust.

A firm that can clearly articulate why it exists, what it stands for and how it creates value is more likely to be perceived as confident, purposeful and well led.

Looking Ahead

The firms that will stand out in the next phase of professional services will not necessarily be those with the longest histories or the broadest service lines.

They will be the firms that can:

• articulate what they believe and why it matters

• express value in client-centered, human terms

• align leadership behind a shared narrative

• evolve their story as the firm itself evolves

Differentiation in professional services is no longer driven solely by expertise.

It is driven by clarity of story — and the discipline to articulate it well.

If your firm sounds credible but not distinctive, it may be time to revisit the story you are telling — and why it no longer reflects your reality.A clear, client-centred narrative can transform how your firm is perceived, chosen and remembered.

 Start a strategic conversation

Q1: Why do professional firms struggle to differentiate themselves?

Answer: Professional firms struggle to differentiate because many rely on generic claims such as “specialist,” “partner-led,” or “client-focused.” While these may be true, they are now baseline expectations rather than points of distinction. Without clearly linking expertise to a specific client outcome or experience, firms end up sounding interchangeable and competing on reputation or price rather than value.

Q2: What does “storytelling” really mean in professional services?

Answer:In professional services, storytelling is not about history or branding slogans. It is the firm’s strategic narrative: what makes the firm meaningfully different, why that difference matters to clients, and what changes for the client as a result. A strong story explains why the firm should be chosen — not just what it does.

Q3: Why do accountancy and legal firms often sound the same?

Answer:Accountancy and legal firms often sound the same because they focus on technical competence, regulation, and credibility — areas where competitors are broadly similar. Over time, messaging becomes shaped by industry norms rather than client impact, leading to uniform language that lacks emotional or experiential differentiation

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Q4: How does partnership structure affect firm messaging?

Answer:Multi-partner structures create complexity because each partner may describe the firm’s value differently. Without alignment around a shared narrative, messaging becomes fragmented internally and externally. This inconsistency weakens differentiation and makes it harder for clients to understand what the firm truly stands for.

Q5: What is the “founder gap” in professional services firms?

Answer: The founder gap refers to the loss of a clear, belief-driven story as founding partners retire or move on. While firms may grow and succeed, the original narrative often fades without being consciously replaced. This leaves firms with diluted messaging that no longer reflects who they are today or where they are going.

Q6: Why does differentiation matter more now than in the past?

Answer: Clients are more informed and selective than ever. They expect clarity, confidence, and alignment — not just credentials. Firms that cannot articulate why they exist and how they create value risk being judged on price, availability, or personal referral alone.

Q7: How does a clear firm story support growth?

Answer:A clear story differentiates a firm beyond price and reputation, strengthens referrals, aligns partners and teams, supports recruitment and retention, and provides a strategic foundation for marketing and business development. Most importantly, it builds trust and signals confident leadership.

Q8: Is storytelling a marketing exercise or a leadership responsibility?

Answer: Storytelling is a leadership responsibility. Marketing teams can execute messaging, but without a clear narrative defined and owned by leadership, marketing remains tactical rather than strategic. A firm’s story must be agreed, articulated, and lived internally before it can resonate externally.