Law Firm Marketing in Uncertain Times
First things first: you are always marketing your law firm in uncertain times.
There is no guarantee anything you do will work. It's up to you to decide that you will keep going until you reach your result.
With that said, “uncertain times” has become the buzzword when talking about the pandemic and its impact on business, so I'm using it to get your attention.
My personal belief?
Times like these are an opportunity to evolve how you practice and market your legal services.
You have three choices:
- React
- Respond
- Evolve
The first two are easy to navigate. We either let the fight or flight part of our brain take charge and take the last roll of toilet paper, or we take a breath and push through despite the fear and worry.
Neither of those options are mentally or emotionally satisfying. The biggest problem with these two options is that neither require us to get uncomfortable and grow. They don't push us to lead.
The third option is the one that takes the most courage.
It takes the most courage to…
- change the way we think.
- change the way things have been done before and to lead others.
- evaluate what your clients need most right now and help them with it.
- create a message and share it with others not knowing if they’ll hear it.
The good news is, it’s easier than ever to show up and be a leader in your law firm marketing.
You don’t need to be in person to connect.
You can do it online by showing up on video, blog, podcast and Zoom.
We’re all craving connection right now.
Your clients are craving connection from you.
Give them what they want.
Evolve with the times.
It’s your choice.
If you’re ready to evolve, if you’re ready to meet people like you who want to connect with their prospective clients and help give them what they need to succeed in times like these, I have an invitation for you in this article.
Practice radical empathy for your client.
Ask yourself what they need right now.
What they need right now may not be all that different than when it's NOT uncertain times, but you must show up and connect in ways you may not have before.
This may mean changing your approach to how you market your law firm. It may mean you package legal services differently.
If you haven't already begun shifting to a personal brand in your marketing, what's holding you back?
It's usually simply fear of the unknown that we all feel when trying something new. It takes a new way of thinking about yourself and your practice to make a shift that feels uncomfortable.
If you relate to this, I highly recommend these episodes of Be a Better Lawyer Podcast:
BBL: #247: Belief Before Action
What can you do TODAY to begin thinking differently about how you're marketing your legal services?
Write down what you're feeling right now.
Take out pen and paper to connect with yourself. When you do this exercise, you'll be better able to understand what your client may be experiencing.
I did an episode of Be a Better Lawyer Podcast on anxiety you and your client may relate to. You can listen here:
BBL #94: How to Stay Grounded in a Crisis
Write down what you believe is most important to your clients right now.
Do they still want to meet in person? Do they want to have an easier way of meeting up online? Do they want 20 minutes of your time to find out whether what they're facing is truly a legal issue? Do they want to know you more?
How can you fulfill their dream client experience without burning yourself out?
Remember, you need to take care of your needs first. I understand you may be at home caring for your children or your parents. Schedule the time you need to focus on your business. Bonus points if you get dressed in real clothes and sit at your desk.
How do you create more know, like and trust without meeting people in person?
What Facebook or LinkedIn groups can you join? What can you do to make yourself more visible on social media?
How can you create law firm marketing content online using SEO that's relevant to their concerns right now?
How can you promote your content consciously?
Keep scrolling to get more resources and ideas for connecting with your ideal client.
There's some law firm marketing copy I think hits the mark. The copy isn't irreverent, and it speaks to their client's concerns.
Most law firms are inconsistent with their social media presence and can learn a lot by simply looking at other law firm profiles. If you want to buck the trend of “post when you want to” lawyers, then I suggest you start spending more time on your social media platform of choice.
It's going to be the one you believe your prospective clients spend the most time. This is a great time to connect with people. They're in their home bored and worried. This is your opportunity to let them know who you are even if they're not your client yet. They'll remember you when the storm passes.
I'm using the same firm as my next example because the firms I usually see out front haven't posted anything about the Corona virus this week – they're silent. Quite possibly regrouping their messaging. This firm knows it needs to address their client's needs and is trying hard.
This next post has too much text for an Instagram post. Too much text on an image on instagram will make people glaze over and skip over. Get your followers' attention with a face or with a short bit of text, so they know there's more to read in the post.
Resources to ensure you're connecting with your client.
Please know that I'm an affiliate for some of the links below. That means that if you purchase something at their link, I may get a commission at no extra cost to you. I never recommend anything I don't love.
Zoom Video Conferencing – Zoom has a free basic plan that's great that includes security encryption for meetings. With a paid plan, you get boatloads of support, so I suggest going to at least the first tier payment plan. You can check out their plans and add-on features here. I use Zoom for Facebook Lives.
Schedule Once online scheduling tool – Integrates with Zoom and the calendaring tool of your choice. They offer a 14 day free trial with this link. I let clients choose a time that works for them. Once they choose a time, then they're automatically sent a Zoom link to the meeting and reminders from Schedule Once for the link, so they don't miss the appointment.
ConvertKit Email Provider – I send those signed up for me email list weekly e-mails with a link to my latest podcast episode or other interesting tidbit that I have that they may value. I've used several e-mail providers, and ConvertKit is by far the easiest to navigate. Click this link to get a 14-day free trial.
LeadPages Email Form SignUps – 14 Day Free Trial. I like using LeadPages with ConvertKit. They integrate seamlessly. A person will sign up for a free offering on my website with their email, then I can send them an email follow-up sequence through ConvertKit.
Canva – Create images for social media with the free platform. The paid is definitely worth it.
Continued reading on the future of law firm marketing:
A website that has some great resources is this one here. I don't have any affiliation with the owner, but it has a lot of great ideas. Click here to learn more from RJon Robbins.
If you've read this far, you want to make a big impact on the people you serve.
To do that, you must OBSESS over what they need and want most, and combine that with taking care of your sanity. (You can't give them what they want at your expense!) If you want a jump start on that thinking process, these books are essential reading.
“This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See” by Seth Godin
“The E-Myth Attorney: Why Most Legal Practices Don't Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber and attorneys Robert Armstrong and Sanford M. Fisch
“The Client-Centered Law Firm: How to Succeed in an Experience-Driven World” by Jack Newton, CEO and Co-Founder of Clio
Recommended Episodes of Be a Better Lawyer Podcast to keep your mindset in check as you get to the work implementing what you learned here.
