Today’s Successful Law Firm Marketing requires law firm owners to have a host of tools in their proverbial “toolbox.” Studies have shown that you need to touch a prospect or consumer twenty times or more in order for them to remember who you are and make a decision to hire you. With so much competition these days, law firm owners need a robust Marketing Plan that leverages a variety of means and platforms. Here are three of the biggest mistakes I see lawyers making today:
MISTAKE #1: LITTLE OR NO STRATEGIC THINKING: Effective Law Firm marketing isn’t random; It’s strategic. Unfortunately, many law firm owners’ approach to their firm’s marketing is a pasta free-for-all: akin to throwing a pile of spaghetti at the wall and hoping some of it will stick. That is not the way to approach this most important aspect of law firm growth.
If you want to hit a target, you must have a clear visualization of the target.
- Law Firm Owners need to start by identifying their ideal prospects. Who exactly are you trying to reach? What are their demographics? Their age? Their sex? Their ethnicity?
- Once you identify who your ideal prospects are, then determine their viewing habits– What do they watch, listen to, and read? What social media platforms are they using? Facebook? TikTok? Instagram? Linked In? What local radio stations or local cable stations, etc.?
- What’s your message? Once you determine who you want to reach, and where to reach them, then you must craft a message that will resonate with them. Put yourself in their shoes and determine what questions they are asking, and what issues are keeping them up at night?
*Your firm’s message needs to be relevant to them. It needs to address their concerns. You should provide information to them that hits home with them.
*But here’s the rub: You need a message that differentiates you from the pack of lawyers in your market. If your message is the same as theirs, then why will prospects choose your firm over the rest?
*Have a brand promise differentiator. Most law firms offer the same message and say the same thing: “We’ll fight for you,” or “We’ll get you the compensation you deserve,” and so forth. You need to craft a brand promise that stands out. In my personal injury law firm, we promised prospects an Iron Clad 30-Day Client Satisfaction Guarantee – If they weren’t happy with the way they were treated or that their case was being handled after 30 days, they could come and pick up their file, with no fees or charges.
Other law firm brand promises include Same Day Call Backs; We only represent women; Criminal cases- it’s all we do; or We know the Insurance companies secrets, etc. The possibilities are virtually endless. Just try and come up with something no other law firm in your market is saying.
*Aim to formulate a message that answers two critical questions: 1) Do I need a lawyer, and if so, then 2) Why your law firm? Creating a unique brand promise will help your prospects choose your law firm over the competition.
*Amass as much social proof – ie; Google Reviews, written testimonials, and video testimonials – as you can. Push these testimonials out across your social media platforms and on your website. Testimonials are powerful pieces of evidence that will help convince a prospect that you will be able to solve their problems, too.
MISTAKE #2: BRANDING APPROACH VS. A DIRECT RESPONSE APPROACH: Law firms can and should craft and promote their Brand. Getting your name out in your market is important. However, many law firms waste their marketing dollars by focusing on their branding without including a Direct Call to Action.
*Include a Call to action in every marketing push and post that you can. Ask the prospect to call or text you for a free consultation; Offer a free downloadable report or eBook. Your goal should be to capture their email or phone number so you can continue to nurture them in follow-up email or text drip campaigns. Branding without a Call to Action wastes your marketing opportunity. People like knowing what to do next, so give them that option with a clear Call to Action.
Answer their internal question, “What do I do next?” with a clear Call to ACTION, such as: Click here, or Call me, or Text me, or Fill out this short form, or Request your FREE copy of the book here, etc.
The bottom line is this: Combine your Brand Marketing with Direct Response Marketing whenever possible. You will get more engagement and the ability to build the relationships that turn prospects into clients much faster.
MISTAKE #3: TARGETTING THE WRONG AUDIENCE: Where do your top cases come from? Where do you want them to come from? Successful Law Firm Marketing includes knowing the kind of cases that you want to attract and crafting a Marketing Strategy to get them.
Unfortunately, many law firms spend their marketing dollars marketing to the wrong demographic. Examine where your marketing dollars are going, and on what platforms and make sure that they are targeting the demographic that you want. Make sure that the content you are pushing out is designed specifically to attract these kinds of clients and cases.
If you want more trucking cases, or worker’s comp cases, or motorcycle injury cases, then make sure you are crafting a Master Marketing Plan that strategically targets this demographic, goes where they are, and delivers a message that will resonate with them.
In order to attract a specific demographic, start by putting yourself in their shoes. What are their issues and concerns? What are their viewing habits? Their online surfing habits? What social media platforms are they most apt to use? The answers to these kinds of questions should directly shape your marketing campaigns, your social media posts, as well as your grassroots and community marketing efforts.
If you want to develop a new are of your practice, the same processes apply. Many law firms want to sign more motorcycle injury cases. That’s exactly why my dear friend Patrick Anderson and I started NAMIL ( National Academy of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers). Motorcycle injury is a niche and as you’ve probably heard before, there are riches in niches. NAMIL is designed to help law firm owners understand and reach this specific demographic with marketing that will resonate with them and result in more signed motorcycle cases.
If you want more Worker’s Comp cases, then develop a marketing strategy to reach injured workers. If you want more Mass Torts cases, such as talcum powder torts – you will aim for marketing strategies reaching women in the 25-50 age bracket, and so forth.
The most successful marketing campaigns – the ones that result in more signed cases – are those that are targeted and tailored to reach a specific demographic with a specific message designed for them. If you are intentional in your marketing efforts you will be able to reach your ideal clients much more successfully.
What it all boils down to is being Intentional and Strategic in your Marketing Efforts. While the Spaghetti Noodle approach may help you to some degree, it will not give you the kind of results that you are capable of achieving if you are willing to take the time to clearly identify your ideal client and create a marketing message that resonates with them and is pushed out on the platforms and in the locations they frequent. Law firm owners in today’s market have more competition than ever before. The good news is that today’s law firm owners also have more opportunities than ever before to reach targeted demographics with a powerful differentiating message.
If you are struggling to come up with your own Differentiating Brand Promise or Targeted Strategies to Reach Your Ideal Client, or if you are facing other Growth Obstacles, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am happy to talk with you and brainstorm to come up with solutions and strategies to help you propel your law firm forward. Your Success is my success. Here’s to Strategic Thinking, Marketing, and Greater Law Firm Growth!
