A Law Firm Brochure is Never Enough for Lawyer Marketing

I often advise lawyers to document the frequently asked practice-area focused questions they receive in order to draft meaningful articles or blog posts for their public relations efforts. It is always best to write about what you already know. One of the questions I get most often is, “What do you think we should do to market our business?” That question is then almost always followed by, “we think we need a brochure,” or “we want to redo our website” without any further thought to the big picture of legal marketing.

My typical answer is that attorneys and law firms need an integrated communications plan because no single discipline or tactic can stand alone and be truly meaningful. For example, today’s online viral videos are disseminated via social media, hyped up with publicity, added to advertising campaigns with QR codes, strategically branded and thus often shared worldwide. Just creating a brochure is no different than going to trial without having conducted discovery, researched and written trial briefs, and prepared a trial plan.

In the big scheme, integrated law firm communications is the overall umbrella under which many forms of communications fall. The various disciplines under the umbrella include advertising, branding, social media engagement (which I believe is a discipline in and of itself and not just a vehicle for disseminating messages), traditional marketing, public relations and media relations. It is within those disciplines that various tactics like branding, advertising, media relations, brochures, websites, article placements and CLE presentations fall.

It is important to take an integrated planning approach to all law firm marketing in order to identify the key messages that are your firm’s alone. Those messages then need to be conveyed in ways that your target audiences cannot ignore. It is about defining a message, reaching your audience, knowing who to tell and how, and then persuading them at every touch point to “buy” your services. This is what builds a firm’s brand, shapes public opinion, changes attitudes and beliefs and helps build retention and acquisition of a law firm’s book of business. Then, don’t forget that all attorneys and staff must do their part to deliver exceptional services.

When developing an integrated communications plan, it is also important to demonstrate the value these programs deliver by defining measurable objectives. Understanding business or performance goals while preparing the plan is the first step to supporting objectives and demonstrating program success and accountability.

Here are some questions your firm should be asking internally when preparing a law firm marketing plan:

• Who are we and what makes us different?
• What are our core communication objectives?
• Who are our target audiences?
• Do we have all of the foundational elements in place (such as a business plan or a compelling website) and if not, what is missing?
• What is our overall marketing budget?

Then, and only then:

What tactics should we use in an integrated fashion to generate leads, cross-sell our services and increase new business?

Your answers may surprise you.

Gina F. Rubel is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications Inc., a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney, public relations and marketing expert, Rubel is the author of “Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers.” Gina and her PR and marketing firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, web and graphic design, strategic planning and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com, is a contributor to National Law Review, The Legal Intelligencer Blog and The Huffington Post. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel . For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com .

Comments

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Marketing is one of the key of a successful business. It is the one to focus and be concentrated on.