We just entered a new decade once again. 2020 did, and will continue to bring unexpected challenges, and experiences to all our lives. The earlier part of the 21st century was marked by tremendous advancements in video and technology. If you were at the forefront of this media shift you are likely positioned to take advantage of the new marketing landscape in front of you.
I’m not writing to you though. I’m writing to the thousands of firms who have found ways to succeed despite this shift. Not by virtue of. You cannot afford to wait any longer. The occasional video, and the semi-paperless work environments you’ve attempted to create will no longer be enough. Let’s look at some stats:
- 81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool (up from 63% last year)
- Mobile video consumption rises by 100% every year
- By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic (15 times higher than it was in 2017)
- YouTube is the second most popular website after Google
- Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text
- 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video.
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I’m married to a doctor, and some of my closest friends are lawyers. I write this with affection: lawyers and doctors are some of the most resistant to technological change. I won’t spend time pondering the reasons for this, but it has been apparent enough for me to take note. You need to force yourself to heed my advice. You cannot afford to wait any longer.
If you are one of the many firms who has been resistant to change, I can likely predict one of the many reasons you give yourself. Here are some of the more popular:
“We don’t have the time or the resources” – Then put it on your marketing people. Find someone to work within your budget. Negotiate. Do what you do best; find solutions and talk yourself into them.
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“We need to know the ROI before doing videos” – Candidly, this is crazy. You can’t put a trackable phone number at the bottom, or the end of a video and think that it will give you any reliable information. Video is a branding tool. Not one to be used once as a test, but rather as a consistent effort weekly, if not daily to introduce or solidify your brand to a different consumer. A new consumer. One that thinks they can learn everything about you by perusing social media, and YouTube. What they come away thinking is up to you. Coca Cola doesn’t put tracking numbers on their videos. Smart brands know it is about a consistent effort to sink into the minds of consumers, educating them along the way.
“We don’t know where to begin” – The first step here is to realize how much you don’t know. And then you start at the beginning. Make a list of everything you want your potential clients to know about you, and either enlist the help of a production company to tell you the best video tools to make that happen. Or do it yourself. For example: You want your potential clients to know how you treat people: Do a documentary campaign. A deep dive into stories of the people you have helped. Example 2: You want people to really know your associates. Not just the name on the building: Start a biography campaign. An honest look at the lawyers behind the name. Example 3: You want to be considered an authority in your market on Motorcycle Accidents: Start a YouTube page. Make a public Facebook professional page and start producing content. Bring in a production company to shoot a day’s worth of content that will last you 2 or 3 months. Then bring them in again. Or do it yourself. Because you cannot afford to wait any longer.
2020 has been a strange year. Many of you have had to take an honest look at your firm in order to assess the future. You will either come out of this time stronger, and better equipped to pivot and make changes, or unprepared, and struggle adapting to 21st century demands for a growing law firm. Take chances. Be brave. Be adaptable. And do not get left behind. There is a new world out there. You just need to grab it. ◆
