Now that marketing is becoming more 'acceptable' for lawyers, more and more lawyers are interested in websites, blogs, brochures, directory listings, networking and other tools that they can use to build their practices.
Unfortunately, many lawyers get discouraged with their marketing efforts when those tools don't bring the returns they expect. Even worse, some lawyers are suckered in by sales pitches from sales people, or 'marketing consultants' that are more interested in making a sale than in determining whether a particular strategy or service is right for that lawyer or their clients.
Although there can be several reasons for the failure of a particular marketing tool or strategy, one of the most common is that the lawyer fails to think through the purpose behind the particular marketing tool or method they've chosen. Although there are some consultants and sales people who will explore these issues with their lawyer-clients, too many others overlook this important step in favor of making a sale. This is not only a dis-service to lawyers, but is also bad business (but that's another post entirely).
While I'm certainly not trying to disparage marketing consultants or those that sell marketing products or services, I've encountered far too many lawyers that have written off marketing as a result of only one bad experience. There are great consultants and salespeople out there, but you know your clients, potential clients and referral sources the best, and you are ultimately responsible for understanding the whys and hows before embarking on any marketing activity.
Here are some questions every lawyer should ask before they embark on a new marketing campaign or implement a new marketing tool or strategy (or continue an old one):
Why have you decided to use this new marketing tool? Is it because it's the trend of the day? Is it merely because everyone else is doing it? Is it just because that's the way you've always done it? Have clients expressed an interest in it? Is it something you're committed to doing?
What do you want to accomplish by using this tool? If you've decided your firm needs a website, are you creating it as a place to direct existing clients for information? Are you trying to educate the public about your area of law, or is your website merely meant to be an online brochure? Do you want potential clients to find your website while searching the internet for information on a specific issue? Do you want to attract potential clients? Will you be providing information for referral sources? Do you want your website to be a way for clients to pre-qualify themselves?
Is this the right tool to use for your target audience? If you've decided on a website, does your typical client/potential client/referral source use the internet to search for information on the issues that you help your clients with? If a potential client needed services such as the ones that you offer, would they search the internet to find an attorney? If you're thinking about spending a lot of money on a full color brochure, are your clients or potential clients likely to respond to a brochure, or are there other methods or strategies that would better target the kinds of clients you want to attract?
Is this the right place to reach your target audience? While this may seem similar to the above question, it is slightly different. Perhaps your target audience would respond to a 'how to' article on an issue that's important to them. If so, an article may be an appropriate tool to use to reach your target audience. But placement can make a big difference, too. Make sure your article appears in a publication your target audience is likely to read regularly.
What do you want clients/potential clients/referral sources to do once your services have come to their attention via this particular marketing tool? Many a lawyer has spent money on a marketing tool, only to realize no return whatsoever on the expenditure. If it's the right tool, in the right place, for the right audience, perhaps the problem is that you stopped short of making that marketing tool work for you by failing to tell your audience what you wanted them to do.
If you've got the attention of your audience, don't lose out by abandoning them before they've made a decision to do whatever it is you'd like them to do, whether that's subscribe to your newsletter, visit your website, or hire you to represent them. Tell them outright what you think they should do next. If you want them to call you for a consultation, say that - and make your telephone number availabe right then and there, rather than making them search for it. If you want them to go to your website for more information, provide your website address. If you want to follow up with them to talk further, tell them when you'll be contacting them to schedule a follow appointment or meet them for coffee. Don't assume that your audience 'knows' what you want them to do - let them know, and make it as easy as possible for them.
How are you going to measure the return on this activity? If you don't know the purpose of a particular marketing activity or tool, you can't possibly measure your return. For example, if you're giving a presentation, what is your main goal? Is it to educate potential clients? To build your reputation and credibility? To gain experience speaking in front of an audience? To get additional business from existing clients? Or is it to convert potential clients into clients? You can see how those different purposes would color your perception of the 'return' on the presentation. If your main goal was to gain experience, not signing up new clients as a result won't be a problem.
Don't let someone else define your return for you - the result of any particular activity can only be measured by your defined purpose. Not all activities will bring in new clients directly. That doesn't mean that you didn't see a return.
The answers to the above questions will make a big difference in which marketing tools and strategies you choose, how you use them, how much you spend, and how you define success. Answering these questions will allow you to target your marketing much more effectively and ultimately make the return you seek much more likely.
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