Law Firm Marketing Plan
It’s true. Attorneys and legal solicitors make a lot of money (which we all agree they deserve because what they do is just not easy).
People just come to them, ready to pay in cash, asking for legal assistance. So you might be wondering why law firms would need marketing plans when they don’t even have to sell themselves the way businesses and franchisers do to be employed and to be paid big by customers. But here’s the thing: it’s not about the money.
Law Firm Marketing Plan Example
Well, maybe it is a little because these days, what isn’t, right? But the real reason why law firms also need marketing plans is because it is essential to help them develop their craft. Attorneys and law firms also have visions; professional goals that they have for the development of their practice.
Nobody wants to stay stagnant in one level of expertise, and instead of relying on guesswork and blindly walking and stumbling along until you get there, a marketing plan will help you create a road map, clear and distinct. Though it is not exactly immune to failures and disappointments, it is far better than vague hypothesis on what to do to achieve a goal.
A marketing plan would include detailed promotional efforts. It can also be designed to include structured marketing activities that can be rigorously followed to achieve advancements more surely. Advertisement now plays a role in marketing strategies of law firms too. Making use of social medias and Web content is always a smart move. However, for this approach, a law firm would need the work of more than one person to successfully implement it.
Law firm marketing plans often need the unified collaboration of all of its members to be effective.
Of course, no one should ever underestimate the ability of organizational branding as a tool to strengthen positive outcomes for their efforts. This is necessary to make sure that the team is working toward the same goal. With so many efforts driven toward one outcome, a law firm can make the most out of its resources, time, and money. You may also see strategic marketing plan examples.
Collins And Whitmore Marketing Plan
Marketing Plan Metrics
Marketing Plan Template for Lawyers
Law Firm Marketing Plan Must-Knows
1. Marketing strategies vary between law firms. There are a lot of elements that needs to be considered for each one such as the geographical location of the firm’s physical store, its size employee and profit-wise, and its level in the business development stage. Of course, a fresh and young law firm who is still building its connections and contacts would need a different marketing strategy from that of a firm that has been in the business for some time.
In creating a marketing plan, these details need to be taken into consideration.
2. Marketing plans are only successful depending on how strong and clear you, the maker, are capable of envisioning the future or the goal you have for the firm.
Marketing plans cannot play the role of a road map if it doesn’t have a destination. Which means that before you create one, you must first decide on where you want it to lead you to. Without this important detail, your general plan may be just as lost as you are. Look at where you are now as a law firm and decide where you want to be a couple of years into the future. Then, design your marketing plan for it to lead you there.
3. Law firms develop marketing plans to improve their organization’s present state. An effective way to do this is to attract more clients.
In any business venture, customers are the main thing that keeps it running. So it’s only logical that marketing plans be designed to make the entire firm more appealing and popular to customers. Targeting clients or having a distinct group with whom to advertise to is an effective way to make sure that your efforts are focused into an area from which you can get the highest results. This should be a priority in any marketing plan. You may also see how to write a marketing plan for a business.
4. Your marketing plan should have a timetable that you and your entire firm can observe. This will help you estimate the time you have rendered on a specific goal.
Setting a limit can avoid spending too much time on a marketing plan that is nowhere close to being accomplished. It can also push the team to work harder because there is a deadline looming over their heads. Estimating how long you and your firm should work on a marketing plan is also effective in helping you divide the tasks and efforts that need to be contributed to the success of the strategy. You may also like digital marketing plan examples.
Otherwise, everyone could just slack off with no second thought toward the goal because there is no time limit that can pressure them into achieving their tasks.
5. A marketing plan is dead without specific marketing strategies. For every goal set by a firm, there are a sure set of steps that can lead them there. Without these steps, no marketing plan can be considered well-structured, which means that no marketing plan can be effective. Marketing plans only work because they offer an orchestrated pace with which the whole firm can walk along to.
The lack of which may lead an unorganized set of feet walking toward different directions, and that’s simply not how one achieves a goal.
6. Marketing plans also include financial discussions. Not every marketing strategy needs a budget. For example, social media can be accessed freely.
However, if you want to make the most out of your promotional strategies, money will be an inevitable part of it. By jotting down an approximation of your expenses and abiding to it, you can avoid spending more than you should. Marketing plans don’t offer instant profits, so make sure that the amount you spend will not leave you bankrupted even before your efforts have produced fruits. You may also check out implementation plan examples.
7. Assessing your firm’s performance over the past year or so can also help you point the marketing strategies you have used that have worked for you.
You can incorporate these into your new marketing plan. Sometimes, it is also better to go along with what we are used to rather than to keep on inventing new ones that never work. If you’ve already found a marketing plan that reaps the best products for you, conduct a few alterations and updates on it a little bit, but maintain the essence of the whole thing. After all, there’s a reason why it worked for you the last time. You might be interested in event marketing plan examples.
Marketing Plan Questions
Marketing Plan Online Tools
Social Media as a Marketing Tool Statistics
Building an Offline Marketing Plan
Despite the availability of social media and the Internet for marketing, employing offline strategies is necessary to achieve a holistic marketing plan. These offline marketing strategies can help you reach out to people who are not as inclined toward technology as much of the world.
1. Business Cards.
For any man in the corporate world, this simple piece of paper is an efficient tool in spreading the news about who you are. By always having a copy in your wallet, in your desk, in your briefcase, or even in your house, you are readily armed not only to meet someone, but also to make sure they have something to remember you by.
2. Brochures.
Brochures are basically printed websites, which means that they also give you the chance to put your best foot forward for your audience. Design and write a brochure that will introduce your law firm. Imagine the audience as a group of targeted clients because that’s exactly what they are. Curate your best brochure to advertise you. Once you’re done with that, give it away. Display it in every public area that will allow you.
Perhaps the lobby of a friend’s office, or in your office. Anywhere available to you and the public is a great place to display your brochures.
3. Signage.
People often underestimate the ability of a properly labeled storefront to attract an audience. Signage that is easily overlooked or that is easy to miss will not help you make a good first impression both to new clients and to current ones. To be able to effectively market your law firm, be proud of it. Put a sign bearing your law firm’s name in front of your physical location. It doesn’t even have to be fancy. You may also check out personal marketing plan examples.
Your name in eligible font is enough as long as it can tell people that it’s where they can find you. Let your signage impress upon your clients the message that you are trying to uphold.
4. Referrals.
Never take good ole word of mouth to advertise for you. Aside from being free, people would also trust more if a law firm is advertised to them by a friend who are customers themselves.
However, for you to be sure that you will get positive referrals from satisfied clients, make sure that the services you are providing to them are worthy of a good feedback. Otherwise, well, you can’t expect them to lie to their friend about a law firm being reliable if, in their opinion, it’s not. You may also see integrated marketing plan examples.
Do your best to give your customers the best of what your firm offers and they will be your best and most effective marketing strategy.
5. Natural Advertisement.
If you are really passionate toward your craft, if it is something that you are genuinely proud of, advertisement will come naturally for you. Whether you are talking to a colleague, a friend, or your taxi driver, you’d be surprised at how easily you can talk about your law firm. Encourage the same behavior in the other people in your firm and talk about the work you have dedicated your life to. You may also like product marketing plan examples.
There’s a higher chance for people to answer to a person talking about the things that he loves, rather than to a person talking about the things that he merely does for a living.
Law Firm 3-Month Marketing Strategy
Law Firm Marketing Challenges and Opportunities
Law Firm Marketing Plan Template
What NOT to Do for Your Marketing Plan
There are a million marketing strategies you can choose from. Out of all of them, there are a sure few that will help you get the best results, which is every marketing plan’s main objective.
As mentioned earlier, every law firm needs unique marketing plans designed according to their needs. But in this list are some of the strategies you will do best to avoid simply because they aren’t always the best option. Although they work, there is a bigger chance that they won’t.
1. Don’t buy leads.
You may get some calls from unknown numbers asking you if you are looking for new clients because they have a fresh list they can offer to you for a price. When you do, hang up. First of all, their list is pure crap. There’s always a possibility that you will get at least one client from this list, but it’s not going to be worth the amount you will pay. These callers are just vendors looking for money. You can do better than them. You may also see apartment marketing plan examples.
2. Don’t redesign your website.
A lot of businesses think that they need to redesign their website every time they come up with a new marketing plan. Although the idea of redesigning may sound fun, it’s not exactly the best thing to do.
Revenues won’t dramatically escalate just because you’ve changed every color and font in your site. Yes, you can add photos, videos, and new content. But redesigning the whole thing will take time and effort you should, instead, invest into implementing your general marketing strategies. Unless that isn’t your first priority.
3. Don’t pay for SEO analysts.
Or at least that’s what they call themselves. It’s a big world. Although there are genuine experts in SEO, there are also liars and cheats looking for gullible law firms who can be conned. And since we are not experts in what they do, we aren’t exactly the best judge of whether or not they are actually doing their job. Save yourself all that trouble and money by not employing SEO analysts who may or may not be truly skilled in the job. You may also like advertising plan examples.
Instead, focus on your website contents. If you have answered a lot of the usual queries, your site will come up on top of the list. You can do this without paying for someone, right?
4. Don’t let somebody else represent you.
Relationships, connections, and simply knowing people is important for every marketing plan. Which means that your efforts should not only be invested into creating new relationships, but also into taking care of the current ones. Stay connected to these people because they still have a big contribution to your firm being kept running. Instead of letting your staff answer calls and emails for you, do it yourself. You may also check out email marketing plan examples.
Show them that you are present in this professional relationship. Attend lunches and meetings. Make them see just how committed and loyal you are to the people who have helped your firm get to where it is now.
5. Don’t believe every trend.
There may be times when you will hear rumors about this new marketing strategy that many law firms are using. Irregardless of how convincing or logical these strategies are, don’t leave your trusted ones for them.
Chances are, it’s just another sales technique by some vendor, or it’s a rumor started by some insecure lawyer who wants to brag about his nonexistent accomplishments. If you already have a strategy that you know works for you, why would you feel the need to abandon that for something that may not work? You might be interested in creative real estate marketing plans.
Marketing Plan
Marketing Plan Ideas
In a competitive world, you will be safer if you don’t look at how other people do things because they may not work for you. Your law firm is unique from all the others. In designing your simple marketing plan, assess your firm. Look at it as a whole. What are your strengths, weaknesses, and areas where you can improve? Create a marketing plan that will answer to all of that.
Share :
