20 Tips for Marketing Your Law Firm in Tough Times (Tips 16-20)
When economic times get tough, law firm marketing is often the first line item to be lopped from the budget.
That’s extremely unfortunate, because this is precisely the time when you need to increase the number of clients you’re serving; find new clients in new markets to serve and/or increase the amount of revenue you get from current clients.
And it’s only through law firm marketing that you can do all three. It’s only through law firm marketing that you can help skyrocket your profits.
.jpg)
So to help you and your law firm through these tough economic times, I want to share with you 20 tips for marketing your law firm.
With this blog post, we’ll cover Tips 16-20.
16. Be aware of the effect of every message you’re sending – Consistency in your message, your office, your speech and all that revolves around working with a client is vital to building trust in your abilities. This is what is meant by your law firm’s “brand.” Everything related to your business sends a message and modifies the buyer’s image of your company, from your letterhead to the size of your aisles. Control every message and make every message “sing the same song.”
17. Make everything as attractive as possible – Having a well-designed and appealing law firm website can do wonders as a first impression. So start with an attractive, easily navigable legal website, making everything as comfortable as possible for a client.
18. Write ads that make people want to know more – Here is where legal marketing expertise can help you determine what to say. Ads are little pieces of seduction, designed to make the buyer want to know more. They don’t have to make the sale; they just have to get buyers to take the next step. Make them alluring, not weighty.
19. Use the Internet to market and sell – Most people with computers go there first to research products and check out sellers. Be there, or be left behind.
20. Be flexible and watch for new opportunities – Even in the legal marketing world, there is always something new and better to try. Take calculated risks when you approach a new marketing method. Turn to legal marketing experts for advice on what kind of opportunities would work best for your firm and your budget; but don’t let your law firm marketing approach be stagnant. Change is constant, creating both dangers and opportunities. Those who do not respond to change do not survive for long.
(My thanks to the Marketing Psychology Group for their article “20 Marketing Tips for Hard Times” that provided the ideas for these tips.)
20 Tips for Marketing Your Law Firm in Tough Times (Tips 11-15)
As 2008 is swept away like sand erased by a wave, now in 2009 is the time—more than ever—to emphasize marketing, because when economic times get tough, law firm marketing is often the first line item to be lopped from the budget.
That’s extremely unfortunate, because this is precisely the time when you need to increase the number of clients you’re serving; find new clients in new markets to serve and/or increase the amount of revenue you get from current clients.
And it’s only through law firm marketing that you can do all three.
So to help you and your law firm through these tough economic times, I want to share with you 20 tips for marketing your law firm. With this blog post, we’ll cover Tips 11-15.
11. Don’t think of your product as your baby—You should be proud of your firm, your previous cases and even the case you are trying to acquire. However, from a client perspective, your clients have come to you for the fastest and most beneficial solution so they can move on with their lives. Don’t ever forget why you do what you do in the first place.
12. Provide outstanding customer service—This is often the differentiating factor among competitors. Today good customer service isn’t enough. Great customer service is required. For example, make sure you call a client back when she leaves a message. Pay attention to your client when he arrives. Showing a client she matters can be a deciding factor when she chooses an attorney.
13. Know their doubts and overcome them—Doubts and fears are part of any buying decision. Recognize what they are and confront them directly. Although you can’t guarantee a case result, through your legal expertise, you can ease their concerns of having a valid case.
14. Treat customers like friends—If they feel a personal connection with you, that will help them feel more inclined to pick you as their attorney.
15. Use testimonials and other validators (honors, awards, etc.)—Let other people praise you and your legal expertise. Display this on your law firm website and in your other advertising.
(My thanks to the Marketing Psychology Group for their article “20 Marketing Tips for Hard Times” that provided the ideas for these tips.)
20 Tips for Marketing Your Law Firm in Tough Times (Tips 6-10)
When economic times get tough, law firm marketing is often the first line item to be lopped from the budget.
That’s extremely unfortunate, because this is precisely the time when you need to increase the number of clients you’re serving; find new clients in new markets to serve and/or increase the amount of revenue you get from current clients.
And it’s only through law firm marketing that you can do all three.
So to help you and your law firm through these tough economic times, I want to share with you 20 tips for marketing your law firm.
With this blog post, we’ll cover Tips 6-10.
6. Make your message interesting—Use your personality and personal experiences (confidentiality permitting) to explain your story and what your prospective clients get when they hire you as their lawyer.
7. Make your message believable—Don’t promise something you can’t do for a client just to sign them. Word-of-mouth can be a harmful thing if you don’t deliver on what you promise. To hire you as their lawyer, their first impression of you is vital and they must be able to trust you. So in your law firm marketing, state what you can do and what you believe in. If you have had an 80% successful case rate state it; however, be prepared to back-up your messages when a prospective client calls.
8. Value their time—Their time is valuable, so at the outset in your marketing message, emphasize what you can do for them. Free consultation forms on your website and even free consults (if applicable) in the office can help you make the most of their—and your—valuable time.
9. Don’t assume you know what your customers want—If you don’t know what each specific target group of your buyers really wants, research. It’s easier to sell them what they want than to convince them to buy what you think they want. From a law firm marketing perspective, you find out what your clients want by talking to them and keeping track of what is important to them. Your marketing can be tailored to focus on their needs. Is it important for a car accident victim to know your previous success with their type of accident or with the auto company they are going against? Listen, learn and apply it.
10. Satisfy their emotions—People often buy on the promise of emotional satisfaction and then justify it with logical reasons. As a lawyer, understand how your prospective client feels about his or her case. For example, if they are angry, empathize with them and see what you can do to help them feel vindicated. And never overlook other powerful emotions like security, safety, acceptance, guilt, fear, longing, and a dozen others, even in business-to-business sales.
In my next blog post, we’ll cover Tips 11-15.
(My thanks to the Marketing Psychology Group for their article “20 Marketing Tips for Hard Times” that provided the ideas for these tips.)
20 Tips for Marketing Your Law Firm in Tough Times (Tips 1-5)
When economic times get tough, law firm marketing is often the first line item to be lopped from the budget.
That’s extremely unfortunate, because this is precisely the time when you need to increase the number of clients you’re serving; find new clients in new markets to serve and/or increase the amount of revenue you get from current clients.
And it’s only through law firm marketing that you can do all three.
So to help you and your law firm through these tough economic times, I want to share with you 20 tips for marketing your law firm. (My thanks to the Marketing Psychology Group for their article “20 Marketing Tips for Hard Times” that provided the ideas for these tips.)
With this blog post, we’ll cover Tips 1-5.
1. Know your target audiences—This translates to know your clients. What kind of legal cases do you want to get? What kind of person would need your help? You need to know what appeals to them in words, images and even in the results a client desires by hiring you as his or her lawyer.
This may also open up a discussion on what kind of business you want. Is your law firm successful by a volume number of cases? Or is your law firm successful through the quality of its cases and clients? Both business models work; however, the target audience—or client---is different for each method.
2. Know what each client group REALLY wants to buy—People don’t really buy a product or service; they buy to satisfy a specific set of personal motivations.
So what kind of lawyer do your clients want? Do they want a legal shark that will tear up the competition? Do they want someone to understand them and perhaps just find a way to settle the case out of court quietly?
3. Remember to sell to all who influence the buying decision—From a legal marketing perspective, you need to consider who will be involved in the decision to hire you. If you’re working with elder law cases, you’ll need to consider the elder’s children who are approaching your firm with a case. The client is ultimately the elderly person, but you need to also impress the children who are seeking an attorney on their parent’s behalf.
4. Use positioning to gain market share—You must not only give your potential clients reasons for buying the legal services, but also give them reasons for buying these services from YOU. You have to help them determine if they have a valid case and why you would be the best person to represent them.
5. Make your message clear—Because many people struggle to understand what their rights are, you should explain their rights to them through your legal marketing and in your discussions with them. Let them know what they are entitled to, whether it’s in a divorce, in a work situation or in filing for bankruptcy. Simplify it for clients so they can walk away knowing exactly what you want to do for them.
