Most law schools teach you Civil Procedure, Tort Law, and Criminal Law, but very few (if any!) cover how to market and grow your law firm. Like any other business, however, a law firm must actively market itself and build brand recognition to succeed. Below are 8 common legal marketing mistakes you should be careful to avoid:
1. Setting Unrealistic Goals
Legal marketing is a process that takes time, but it also builds momentum the longer you do it. Simply improving your website or posting a few blogs will not gain clients immediately. Thus, you must set marketing goals that are realistic and measurable. Try to avoid generalized goals such as “I want more clients,” and specify what you can realistically expect by narrowing the goal. A few examples of goals you may want to consider are the following:
- Gaining an average of two new clients each month over the next year
- Posting one blog every week
- Creating two new social media accounts and posting at least once each week
Whatever goals you set, it is important to track your progress and to measure what efforts are successful and what do not work.
2. Failing to Target Your Audience
Every law firm has an ideal client, and its marketing efforts should be focused on attracting them. You should consider the geographic region or specific industries where your ideal client can be found. Next, target the specific circumstances where your legal services can be helpful. For example, your ideal client may be someone facing overwhelming debt and needing bankruptcy help or a car accident victim who needs a personal injury lawyer. Once you identify your ideal client, you can tailor your marketing efforts directly to them.
3. Not Establishing a Marketing Plan
Many attorneys want to dive right into marketing without creating a plan. However, your legal strategy should be written down so you can ensure that you are holding yourself accountable. A plan assists in organizing your legal marketing efforts. When you create your plan, be sure to set a realistic timeline.
4. Failing to Stand Out
Your law firm needs to find its niche and market the ways you stand out from the competition. Use your legal marketing to connect with your audience. Try to be specific about what you are passionate about and how you can help people with their legal issues. Rather than marketing your firm as a “personal injury firm,” specify that you represent “big rig accident victims” or “pedestrian accident victims.” You should consider sharing stories of how you have helped others in the same situation. Personalizing your marketing is effective in helping your audience connect with you.
5. Keeping the Same Old Website
If your website is the exact same as when you first opened the doors to your law firm years ago, it is time to update it! Your website is one of the most important tools in your marketing strategy. A law firm’s website is typically the first impression a browser gets of your firm, so it is imperative to put your best foot forward.
It is also essential to confirm the information on your site is accurate and that the site is easy and fast to navigate. You should also provide numerous ways for a browser to contact your firm. Finally, your website must be mobile-friendly because many browsers use their smartphone to conduct searches.
6. Not Taking Advantage of Social Media
Many attorneys use social media in their personal life but don’t take advantage of it professionally. It isn’t necessary to have an account on every platform, but you should select a couple of sites to focus your efforts and reach your target audience. Social media is a great way to build brand recognition as well as to drive traffic to your website.
7. Failing to Track Your Progress
If you do not have a system to track what marketing efforts are working, you will not be able to make meaningful adjustments and improvements. Many firms waste money on marketing that does not work for them. By tracking your progress, you can allocate your budget to what actually provides positive results.
8. Failing to Request Client Feedback
You might be surprised at how influential positive reviews are to online browsers. Having your current clients provide feedback can be a valuable marketing tool, so you should create a system for requesting client feedback and permission to share it online.
The above-listed mistakes are the most common for law firms that are implementing legal marketing strategies. However, it is worth noting that the most common mistake of all is doing nothing! Lawyers like to put their heads down and tackle the legal problems of their clients, but this doesn’t help build the firm and guarantee future growth. Legal marketing may not come naturally to you, and it does require a time commitment, but whether you handle it yourself or retain marketing experts, it is worth the investment!
Contact The Rainmaker Institute for Legal Marketing Help
Your digital presence – particularly your website – is crucial in generating and converting leads. You have worked hard to get where you are, so learn to use technology to your advantage so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor more often while also generating new clients!
The Rainmaker Institute can help you implement a successful content strategy that will take your law firm’s online presence to the next level. We will provide content that contains top legal focus keywords, proper page titles, appropriate meta descriptions, target length of content, and images that will boost your attractiveness to Google. In short, we will make great content. Let us handle your legal marketing so you can focus on lawyering.
If you are ready to ensure your law firm’s website is the best it can be, and see your Google ranking improve, we can help. Whether you choose to attend one of our live events or you want a free, confidential consultation, we are here to help!
