On April 5th, 2018, I presented a marketing for lawyers seminar, Take your practice where you want to go, for the Ontario Bar Association (as part of the Enterprising Lawyer Series). This seminar departed from tradition in one critical way. Instead of treating marketing as a separate discipline, operating in isolation, it was directly tied to law firm leadership.At Bekhor Management, our approach is focused on what really works to build and enhance small to mid-sized, law firms and other Canadian, professional services firms. We invite you to book an initial consultation to discuss your practice goals.
Marketing for lawyers
- WOM – The firm was built on word of mouth referrals. So, the lawyers continue to work their personal networks.
- Divided – The partners want different things. They don’t want to split up. But nobody is stepping up to create alignment.
- Scattered – The partners aren’t exactly on different pages. But they haven’t come together as a team. So, everyone just does their own thing to build their individual areas of practice.
Tactical marketing for lawyers
Marketing involves tactics
There are many valid options to market a law firm, online or off:
- Brochures
- Direct mail
- Website
- Video
- Search Engine Optimization
- Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blog
- Advertising
- Speaking engagements
- Publications
- Networking
- Promotional goods
- Charitable contributions
- Newsletters
- Other events…
But there’s no magic bullet.
To really deliver impact, these tactics need an overarching strategy that ties them to the firm’s identity and its goals.
Marketing impact
Marketing a law firm can keep you busy, busy, busy. But posting, tweeting and analyzing, even if you do it everyday, doesn’t necessarily predict success. So, what does? Well, here’s a formula that helps make it a bit more scientific.
MARKETING IMPACT = REACH x FREQUENCY x RELEVANCY
Impact is driven by the following factors (as are results):
- Reach – Who is the audience? Does it reflect your goals for new client files?
- Frequency – How often is this same audience reached, within a specified, limited window?
- Relevancy – Is the opportunity a good fit for your firm? And, is the quality of your marketing collateral on par with your firm’s professional identity?
Take a step back, to move forward
Leadership drives marketing
Tactics are necessary but they should be in response to something. Leadership.
So, how do you get started? Be practical. Choose an option that’s right for you.
Building a plan
There are many ways to go about planning. For some firms a longer, more structured exercise is a fit. And for others, a one-pager will suffice:
- Strategic plan
- Succession plan
- Business plan
- Business coaching
- Leadership development
- Firm retreat…
- … or scrawl it on the back of a napkin!
Strategic marketing for lawyers
Marketing planning: The process
- Competitive set
- Clients
- Referrers
- Trends in the industry
- Changes in the marketplace
Introspection (take a closer look at the firm itself for further insight):
- Direction
- Objectives
- History
- Success
- Status quo
Marketing planning: The elements
Below are the key elements of a legal marketing plan, much of which leverage the firm’s overall strategic direction, in oder to drive decisions about audience, messaging and style. The point is to devise a plan founded on something meaningful to the firm, or to risk fading into the sea of sameness.
Messaging
- Develop a communication strategy
- Why us?
- From client perspective
Creative direction
- Establish a voice
- Tell the right story
- Use design tools to reinforce messaging
Distribution
- How to reach the desired growth market
- Which vehicles
- Push vs pull
- Online vs off
- What
- When
- How
- Who
Marketing planning: Implementation
The best plan doesn’t stand a chance without commitment.
- Measure
- Review
- Refresh
I’ve met with lots of clients that had tried and then abandoned various marketing campaigns, from blogging to direct mail and speaking engagements… They didn’t get any traction and figured it wasn’t a fit. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. The trick is to get started with an initial direction that makes sense for the firm, develop quality materials expected to deliver impact and then to go the distance. Even the best marketing plans need a bit of tweaking along the way.
At Bekhor Management, our approach is focused on what really works to build and enhance small to mid-sized, law firms and other Canadian, professional services firms. We invite you to book an initial consultation to discuss your practice goals.
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