How Lawyers Can Win at Marketing (No Tacky Commercials Required)
If you haven’t seen a cheesy lawyer commercial, you obviously aren’t watching enough daytime television (that’s probably a good thing). Thankfully, law firms today can be more creative and less corny with their marketing efforts… and still attract great clients.
Marketing in the legal field isn’t all that different from marketing in any other business, but it can be difficult to shift into a marketing mindset. With that in mind, let’s review some of the top marketing strategies that lawyers can use to promote their legal services.
Lawyers, don’t be afraid of social media
Social media is helpful for nearly every type of business out there, and the legal field is no exception.
Even the American Bar Association recognizes how helpful social media can be as a marketing tool, especially for smaller firms and solo attorneys doing their own marketing.
Show off your law firm’s personality
Law firms have traditionally been viewed as big, scary entities with zero human connection. But that doesn’t have to be the case! People, especially Millennials, are looking to work with personable businesses that stand out. This is true for law, too.
Blogs and social media are two great ways to show off a firm’s personality, as long as they remain helpful and informative.
Don’t be afraid to brag about the things your firm is really good at
If you ask any two attorneys what differentiates their firm from the next, the answers will probably be shockingly similar.
Luckily, firms don’t need to be decent at everything. If your firm is particularly skilled in a certain area, highlight it.
Personal injury? Family law? Bankruptcy? Education?
Focus on what you’re good at and make sure everyone knows it, especially on social media. Even if your firm focuses on a variety of practice types, you can still selectively highlight some specialties in social media posts, in email newsletters, and on website pages.
An added bonus is that niching down will help with SEO. “Denver bankruptcy attorney” yields more specialized traffic than “Denver attorney.”
Stick with traditional marketing mediums, but with a few modifications
Networking events, local publications, and speaking engagements are all conventional ways of drumming up new business for law firms. The exposure and prestige that old-school marketing offers can’t be discounted. But how can attorneys actually stand out and differentiate themselves?
Here’s an idea to try: Instead of a typical ad with a clichéd headshot and some bold-faced call to action, offer a free report online that addresses common client needs.
Use this as a way to grab email addresses and collect leads. In addition to the report, send a monthly email newsletter to everyone who signs up. Include links to relevant articles, tips, and anything else potential and current clients might find valuable.
Ideally, your reader will figure out that the free information doesn’t solve their problems, and they need a qualified attorney to step in.
At a speaking engagement, an attorney might offer a free initial consultation to attendees who sign up and fill out an information form. Add these leads to the monthly email newsletter distribution list, and be sure to follow up after the speaking event.
Marketing for attorneys is shockingly similar to marketing in any other industry
Again, marketing in the legal realm isn’t that different from marketing any other business:
- Be genuine in your marketing efforts.
- Don’t be afraid to try new marketing strategies to find the best fit for your firm.
- Track any marketing campaigns to determine what works best.
Before you know it, you’ll have plenty of potential clients who need your legal services.
