Legal Marketing News

Law Firm Marketing 101

picFrom Business Development to Marketing Technology

2018 is already shaping up to be a game changer for legal marketers.  With the extraordinary reach of digital advertising and the unparalleled availability of data, legal marketers can fine-tune advertising campaigns to get attorneys the most significant return on their investment.  The only problem is that most attorneys do not understand effective marketing and often see it as an unnecessary expense.  As any firm who has seen success through marketing efforts can tell you, this cannot be further from the truth.  The key is understanding what legal marketers are trying to achieve and how you, as an attorney, can be an effective marketer for yourself and your firm.

 

By the end of this article, you should feel empowered to have a real conversation with your marketing company or department.  With a firm grasp of legal marketing basics, you will be able to see the importance of supplying feedback to your marketers so that they can put your dollars to their best use.  Ultimately, this article will show you that effective marketing is invaluable.

 

Start with a plan

The legal industry is more competitive than it has ever been.  If you do not have a marketing strategy, you need one today.  A law firm marketing plan should be all-encompassing and depending on your practice will likely include multiple platforms.  If you haven’t narrowed your practice, consider your niche and your overall brand.  Knowing your niche will help you target your ideal audience and spend your marketing budget wisely.  Remember, legal marketing is more than selling your firm.  Your plan should include a detailed budget, campaign layout and goals for each effort.

 

Business Development

Business development is a hot topic that gets thrown around by industry moguls, but few understand how it plays into legal marketing.  Before you get started on your legal marketing plan, you need to make sure that your law firm is focused on growth.  These ideas should be discussed by the essential members of your firm and should be solidified in writing.  Decide plans for attending conferences, building relationships inside and outside of the firm and how to nurture these ideas into realities.

 

Marketing Platforms

For decades legal advertising was relatively black-and-white.  Most referrals came by word-of-mouth.  Radio and television commercials were reserved for large law firms with seemingly infinite budgets.  Today, the playing field is a bit more level.  Legal marketing can be applied across multiple platforms.  Your law firm marketing plan should include a digital campaign, social media, television and radio advertisements, email communications and print marketing.   Targeted advertising and the ability to market correctly to your ideal client has made it more affordable for small law firms and solo practitioners.  Metrics play a crucial role in targeting your advertising and getting the biggest return on your investment.  The more information you can provide to your marketing team the better they will be able to analyze which campaigns are working and which need improvement.

 

With the advent of smart TVs, metrics are no longer reserved for digital and social media campaigns.  Even television ads can generate feedback on what consumers are watching and how they are responding to specific ads.  This feedback will help you tailor your campaign to target your ideal client.  As with internet advertising, you can use television advertisements to see which campaign viewers are calling from and the time of day that they are most likely to be engaged.

 

Marketing Technology

This new frontier of legal marketing is made possible by technology introduced in the last decade.  The analytics available on the internet and through Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is truly a breakthrough for legal marketers.  This technology not only allows marketing executives to see how specific campaigns are doing but also allows law firms to stay connected to potential and current clients.  Marketing technology will enable you to capitalize on your marketing dollars.   Tracking information from your leads and your conversion rate will result in more signed clients.  Without this technology, you may be wasting time and money on your marketing efforts.

 

This brief introduction to law firm marketing is truly only the beginning.  As an attorney, understanding the why behind the marketing will help you become a helpful asset to your firm’s growth.  The more that you can do to assist your marketing team, whether it’s by providing data, focusing on business development, or generating networking opportunities.

 

 

Learn more about effective marketing tools from Amicus Media Group.  We are a legal marketing company dedicated to helping you grow your firm and acquire quality cases at less risk.  Contact us today for a free consultation.

 

 

This blog post does not contain legal or financial advice. Author and publisher disclaim any and all warranties, liabilities, losses, costs, claims, demands, suits, or actions of any type or nature whatsoever, arising from or any way related to this blog, the use of this blog, and/or any claim that a particular technique or device described in this blog.

 

 

7 Simple Steps to Grow your Firm

picHow to take your law practice to the next level

No matter if you are starting out or have been practicing for over a decade, you need to new clients to keep your practice going.  Growing your firm can be hard work, but it doesn’t have to be.  Follow these seven simple steps to build your firm in 2018:
 

  • Find Referral Sources. The key to growth is a comprehensive marketing strategy.  Part of your marketing campaign should include focusing on referral sources.  Networking is a huge part of this.  Meeting attorneys outside of your practice area is a great way to start a two-way referral system.

 

  • Build your referral network. Reach out to old law school classmates, attend bar association meetings, join local attorney groups. You need to cultivate and foster relationships with other attorneys so that they will feel confident in referring potential clients your way.  Their name is on the line too when they are making the referral.  Always ask how a prospective client found you and be sure to thank the referral source.

 

  • Be an industry leader. Name recognition will not only help you with prospective clients but also with fostering referrals from other attorneys.  Speak at local bar associations, guest speak on a well-respected podcast, write legal articles, host webinars – do anything you can to be seen and heard in your practice area.

 

  • Consider Cross-Promotion. If there is a related practice area or even another kind of business that complements your firm, consider networking with them.  Think about your ideal client and what other services that they may need – reach out to those industries.

 

  • Become a trusted content source. Use newsletters, blogging, social media and your website to become a trusted content source for potential clients as well as referral sources.  Provide relevant information that answers questions about your practice area.  Be the go-to source for information, and you will be at the forefront of people’s minds.  Send your newsletter regularly with programs like MailChimp, constant contact and others that will take the guesswork out of sending a regular publication.

 

  • Give a little to get a lot. You need to be sure that you are referring out clients as well.  Instead of merely turning a lead away because they are outside of your practice area, find another attorney to refer them to.  Build relationships with referral attorneys, and you will get referrals in return.  Always remember the power of reciprocity.

 

  • Find the time. One of the hardest things for attorneys to commit to is dedicating time to something besides the practice of law.  Law school taught you to be a great lawyer, not a great business owner.  Growing your firm doesn’t have to take up every waking hour.  By finding a little bit of time to foster relationships with potential referral sources, build yourself as an industry leader and develop strategies for attracting new customers you can reach the next level sooner than you think.

 

 

For more on growing your firm with less risk, contact Amicus Media Group today.  We are dedicated to helping law firms acquire more cases without breaking the bank.  We take a unique approach to drive more cases to your office through media buying, media management, performance marketing, campaign financing and creative production.  Contact us today for more information.

 

The Importance of LinkedIn

picWhy every attorney should still be using LinkedIn

In 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $27 billion.  The company has struggled to find its relevance as a professional social network amongst traditional social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Founded in 2003, the company was initially known for their resume and job searching abilities.  Now the site has amassed over 500 million users.  Since its inception, LinkedIn has been a valuable asset for companies, professionals and job searchers.  With its Microsoft partnership, its value is unparalleled.

 

Microsoft Integration

Since the acquisition, Microsoft has been working to integrate many of LinkedIn’s features with its own programs including email and calendar.  The new LinkedIn is working to incorporate artificial intelligence into its database.  Artificial intelligence will help LinkedIn users further target potential clients and sales opportunities.  It can help provide valuable connections for attorneys, law firms, and legal staff.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft quietly integrated data from LinkedIn with Office apps.  Users can find information about other meeting attendees and group members directly from calendar invites.  The integration will help to move LinkedIn to the next generation of professional networking.  One of the most significant problems affecting the company has been the lack of user participation.  People are no longer regularly updating their information or checking the platform on a daily basis as they may be more inclined to do with other social media sites.  To combat this problem, LinkedIn and Microsoft have focused on some different functions including the integration of LinkedIn with Microsoft resume builders, focus on being a content-first platform where users can publish articles quickly and efficiently and most recently the ability to post videos to their feeds.

 

2018 and Beyond

The company is not stopping there.  LinkedIn has also launched monthly notifications regarding relevant trending skills, LinkedIn Learning Courses, Workforce Reports, career advice features, Lead Gen Forms for Sponsored Content which includes Sponsored InMail and Dynamic Ads, interest panels and many other features to make the site more user-friendly and more enticing for everyday visits.

Attorneys who are not using LinkedIn are doing themselves a disservice.  LinkedIn is an ideal professional branding platform.  You can professionally showcase your experience and expertise.  You can link to your profile from any of your websites or blogs.  You can immediately publish articles and most importantly use it as a referral source.  Connections on LinkedIn can be crucial to your firm.

 

Learn more about the revamped LinkedIn and the importance of professional branding across all social media platforms from Amicus Media Group. We work with attorneys and law firms to develop comprehensive media campaigns including digital and TV ads.  We want to help you grow your firm and acquire the cases you deserve.  Contact our offices today for more information.

 

 

This article does not contain legal or financial advice.  Author and publisher disclaim any and all warranties, liabilities, losses, costs, claims, demands, suits, or actions of any type or nature whatsoever, arising from or any way related to this blog, the use of this blog, and/or any claim that a particular technique or device described in this blog.