Over the last several blogs, we’ve identified the very real evolutions impacting law firms in today’s ultra-competitive legal marketing environment — challenges both internal and external in nature.
Figuring out what you’re up against it is the biggest piece of the puzzle. When trying to tackle a new problem, there is no better place to get started than the root of it.
After all, it’s one thing to realize that things are changing. But isn’t it much more useful to understand how and why they’re changing?
At Network Affiliates, we don’t believe in abstract goals or pie-in-the-sky plans. Rather, all of our attorney advertising strategies are designed to solve the problems we’ve already identified. A solution isn’t a solution unless you know what it’s solving.
Having gotten to the core of law firm’s frustrations in today’s crowded legal space; we now present some of our essential solutions to these ongoing attorney marketing problems.
Make Up Your Mind
Last month, we wrote to you about what it takes to reach the highest levels of success in legal TV advertising. At the top of our list is your firm’s mindset.
The reality is this simple: your firm can be a successful legal advertiser in your market. You just have to commit to doing what it takes to reach that goal — namely, hiring the right people and giving your campaign the time it needs to take root.
Messaging Matters
Most law firms market themselves with the wrong messages. You know what the wrong message is — it’s the “all about me” rhetoric you hear in almost every attorney ad on television. It’s redundant, it’s cliché, and TV viewers tune it right out.
There is nothing we counsel our clients on more than messaging. You need to stand out. You need to be different, creative, and bold. And most importantly, the message needs to focus on your clients!
Self-lauding messaging is the #1 mistake in attorney advertising. Speak to what your clients need to hear instead.
Know Your KPI Baseline
KPI stands for Key Performance Indicators – criteria you can use to actually measure your marketing efforts’ effectiveness. Examples of KPIs include:
- Cost per lead
- Cost per case
- Conversion percentage
- Overall improvement in your bottom line
- And many more
When it comes to KPIs, we stress three things above all else:
- Focus on intake and conversion. Your clearest path to success is attracting new cases to build your client base.
- Focus on improving the things you’re already doing (rather than spending more on additional, equally ineffective advertising). Too many firms are currently wasting money generating calls/leads that they never properly shepherd into actual cases!
- Make sure you are clearly defining marketing KPIs before you start making changes. We call it a KPI Baseline. That way, you’ll be able to accurately measure your results down the road.
There is a lot to know about defining marketing KPIs. We invite you to learn more by reading our guide to Creating a KPI Baseline to Grow Your Firm.
Diversify Your Audience
In legal marketing, there are three primary ways to diversify your audience:
- Complement the way you’re reaching audiences (try a new medium of advertising, new kinds of messaging as described above, etc.)
- Try targeting new audiences (e.g. Millennials, different ethnic groups, diverse lifestyle demographics, etc.)
- Broaden your law firm’s practice areas (auto accidents, for instance, are not the only thing worth advertising for in the personal injury universe!)
We find that targeting new audiences (in addition to the ones who are already responding to your ads) is one of the most effective growth strategies in all of attorney advertising.
Referrals
Lawyers often look at case referrals as a professional courtesy or as an ethical obligation when it comes to subject matter outside your usual purview.
Those are all fine ways to think about them, but have you considered making case referrals a part of your business model?
While you must be careful to stay well within the confines of your jurisdictions’ ethics rules (something we always take very seriously at Network Affiliates), there is still a lot you can do in the realm of referrals as a means of attorney marketing.
We encourage our clients to create new networks or strengthen their existing ones. Too many firms let their referral efforts fall by the wayside. Is that true of yours?
Strengthening your referral outreach is an easy way to enhance your existing marketing without spending more money.
Hire the Attorney Advertising Professionals at Network Affiliates
Did you know that Network Affiliates put one of the very first legal commercials on TV? That’s true, and we’ve been blazing trails in attorney advertising ever since.
We believe we can fundamentally change your law firm’s rate of growth. To learn how, we invite you to read our latest white paper, A Legal Advertising Survival Guide for PI Attorneys.
Even better, save yourself time by calling and asking how we can start helping you today. Call 877.709.0633 or contact us online — we’re here to help.