Law firms are often notorious for being slow to adopt new ideas and technologies. There’s a reason why the legal industry is consistently ranked as one of the most conservative industries in the world. This can make it difficult for lawyers and law firms to stay ahead of their competitors in terms of marketing and advertising strategies.
However, with recent advancements in technology like social media and email marketing, there are now more ways than ever before for lawyers to be seen by potential clients online—and no longer do those clients have to find you if they don’t want to. With that said, here are some law firm marketing tips on how your law firm can use these new trends.
Focus on your client’s needs, not your services
It’s easy to get caught up in the details of your services and lose track of what’s important—your clients. If you want to attract new clients and keep current ones happy, focus on their needs rather than yours.
Understand what your clients want. It’s tempting to assume that everyone wants exactly what you provide because it suits your personal goals so well—but that’s not always the case. Ask questions, listen carefully to their answers, and take note of any hesitations they have about making a change or engaging with your firm over another one. Once you know what they need from you—and why—you can tailor your marketing accordingly by focusing on those particular qualities in future posts or ads.
Find your niche
A niche is a specific area of the law that you excel at and can become an expert in. If you’re looking for clients, being an expert in your field will help you get their trust, which leads to more referrals and repeat business. You’ll also be able to charge higher rates because clients will feel like they are getting high-quality legal services by working with someone who knows their area extremely well.
When it comes time to find your niche, think about any areas of the law that interest you and that you are passionate about. Once these ideas have been narrowed down, ask yourself what makes them unique or different from other lawyers specializing in those areas. This is where your passion can shine through as well.
Build something that will last
Your marketing plan should be more than just a list of tactics you’ll use to promote your business. It is also—and more importantly—a guide for how you will run your law firm. Your marketing plan will help you:
- Understand where your firm stands in the marketplace and what opportunities exist for growth.
- Identify the legal problems people have, whether real or perceived, that can be addressed by your firm’s services.
- Develop strategies for making connections with potential clients, who might include current clients as well as prospects who are not currently using legal services but may want them in the future (often referred to as latent demand).
Developing these ideas and thinking about what kinds of content your target audience wants to consume can be extremely helpful when developing your law firm marketing plan.
Be authentic
When it comes to marketing your law firm, you should be authentic. This is because being authentic means being yourself and not trying to be someone else. In other words, it’s about being open and honest about who you are and what you do as a lawyer. You can do so in the following ways:
Be a good listener: You may have heard that listening is an important part of communication but did you know that people often underestimate how much they listen? We’re all guilty of listening on autopilot because we’re so used to hearing yourselves speak. The best way to make sure that what your audience hears is what they want is by asking questions and listening carefully so that their needs are met.
Be a good storyteller: It’s no secret that storytelling sells. Consumers respond better when they can relate or identify with something, and this doesn’t mean telling them how terrible things were when one was just starting. People love stories. They like hearing about other people’s experiences because they feel like they can learn from them or apply them in some way in their life situation—whether at work or at home.
Conclusion
If you want to stand out as a law firm, start by focusing on what makes you unique and building relationships with clients. The most successful lawyers are the ones who take the time to get to know their clients and understand their needs. By putting in this extra effort into your marketing, your brand will benefit from trust and loyalty that goes far beyond just having someone’s business.