The legal industry is becoming increasingly competitive, and having a lackluster online presence can make it challenging to attract new clients. Follow these tips to optimize your website and boost your law firm’s visibility online.
The world of marketing, flashy gimmicks, and over-the-top language often comes at the expense of honesty and credibility. As today’s marketers push the boundaries, some businesses risk sacrificing their integrity with overly “salesy” content.
In the legal industry, however, words and impressions carry significant weight. That’s why many law firms shy away from aggressive marketing campaigns and rely on referrals for business. While referrals are honest and trustworthy, they may not be enough to compete in today’s legal market.
Fortunately, there are still honest, tried tactics law firms can employ. So which techniques should your law firm include in your marketing strategy? We’ll discuss 5 of the best here.
Does my law firm need marketing?
The quick answer is—Yes! Marketing lets you cast your nets wider, attract new clients, and ultimately grow your business. You only have to know what and how to say it effectively. Most importantly, you have to craft your message around the unique value proposition of your firm to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The 5 Essential Steps to Facilitating Growth through Marketing
The question of ‘how to grow’ is relevant to all law firms, and for many, the impediment to growth can be overcome with effective marketing. Let’s guide you through how you can leverage marketing strategies to achieve growth for your firm.
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Build a Strong Brand for Your Law Firm
In today’s crowded legal market, it can be challenging for consumers to differentiate one law firm from another. This is especially true for personal injury attorneys, of which there are tens of thousands in the US.
So how can a law firm stand out in such a competitive landscape?
The answer lies in branding.
What is legal branding?
Branding goes beyond polished, flashy logos.
Your brand is your firm’s personality; it’s the heart and soul of your firm. A memorable brand is essential to building trust and credibility with clients. A compelling legal brand tells your clients you understand their needs and have the expertise to help them.
Investing in your brand can build lasting relationships with clients based on trust and reliability.
How can you establish a legal brand for your firm?
Clients are ultimately contacting you based on how you make them feel.
By communicating your unique values and establishing trust and credibility with your audience, your firm can create a distinctive brand that connects with potential clients on an emotional level.
It’s critical to take the time to carefully consider your branding strategy and create a brand that accurately reflects your firm’s values and mission, while also resonating with your target audience. Here are some key steps to help you establish a legal brand:
- Know your audience: Clients seek legal support during critical times in their lives, often when they have a big problem that needs solving. Identifying and empathizing with common client issues will help you tailor your brand messaging.
- Identify and project the values you want your firm to embody. Consider your firm’s values and what sets your law firm apart. If the answer isn’t clear, reflect on why you became a lawyer to begin with. Was it to help people? Defend the underdog? Provide legal support to indigent populations? Find a way to incorporate these values into your mission. Your values will help create a unique selling point that sets you apart from other law firms.
- Use real client feedback to inform your brand. Talk to your current clients or look for online reviews to understand what your clients appreciate about your services. Use their feedback to identify your strengths and what sets you apart from other law firms, and incorporate these qualities into your branding.
- Keep it consistent: Your law firm’s branding should be consistent throughout all aspects of your firm. This includes your website, social media, business cards, and any other materials.
Keep in mind that effective branding is not a one-time effort but rather an ongoing process that requires continuous refinement and improvement. Your brand must remain relevant and adaptable to changing market trends and client needs. The above steps should therefore be revisited periodically to ensure that your brand messaging remains consistent and competitive. Are you interested in learning more about branding your law firm? Check out our LAWsome podcast featuring tips from top legal professionals and marketing experts.
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Engage in Continuous Lead Generation
Content is the gist of online marketing. But rarely do people watch or read entire content pages. Blame the 8 seconds long attention spans!
Sadly, lead generation hinges on content. Leads are potential clients or prospects. Lead generation is about acquiring new leads. Marketers consciously take new leads through sales funnels to turn them from potential clients to actual clients.
You can’t afford poorly done content. Your lead generation depends on it. Telling stories, and sharing helpful written and info-graphic content is prevalent and works. Follow these sales funnel steps to generate leads.
- Awareness: Make them know you exist and tell them what you offer.
- Interest: Get them interested. You must have a hook (subtle call to action) on your website’s landing page.
- Decision: Get them to find out more about you or decide to enlist your services. You must make a believable case for why your services benefit them.
- Action: Which ultimate action do you want them to make? Share their contact info, pay for a service, sign up for newsletters, etc.
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Optimize Your Website Design for User Experience
If you remember one thing from this article, make it this: website speed reigns supreme. Did you know that 1 in 4 users will abandon a website that takes more than 4 seconds to load?
Slow, poorly designed websites can send potential clients running to competitors.
On the flip side, a fast website that presents a law firm’s services in an easy-to-understand format paints the picture of an efficient and competent firm that’s up-to-date with the times. That’s why having a great user experience (UX) is so important – it provides a powerful visual representation of a firm’s brand, expertise, and level of professionalism.
Here are actionable steps you can take to design your website to create the best possible user experience:
- Ensure the website is mobile-responsive, so users can easily view it on any device.
- Streamline website navigation to make it easy for visitors to find the information they need.
- Use clear and concise language to convey complex legal concepts and avoid confusing legal jargon.
- Incorporate multimedia elements, like videos and infographics, to make the content more engaging.
- Provide multiple options for users to contact the firm, such as phone, email, and live chat.
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Use Smart SEO Practices
Law Firm SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps Law Firms to appear in people’s searches on Google or other search engines.
A Google My Business page leverages SEO to put your business at the top of search results. It also includes your contact info and location. Sign up for one to improve your SEO ranking. Remember to do these things when filling it out.
- Include a detailed description of your firm and all the services you provide
- First impressions are important. Upload many quality photos
- Choose the categories that fit your firm’s specifications
- Add a local phone number
- Add a link to your website
- Include your address in the same format and order as your website
- Share accurate and up-to-date info
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Develop Marketing Services that Work for Your Firm
In light of the current state of the legal market, it’s more important than ever to invest in marketing efforts for your law firm. However, while it can be tempting to try out new marketing strategies, it’s important not to abandon what has been successful in the past. If you’re riding high on referrals, don’t drop them for social media. If social media has been working out, don’t drop it for another method. The idea is to pursue complementary marketing.
It may be time to measure your marketing strategies too. Referrals are easier to calculate. People rarely ask for rewards to refer you to someone else. Social media and paid marketing are different. Here are 3 ways to measure your current paid marketing campaigns. The results will help you decide the way forward.
- ROI:Return on Investment measures how much every cent you spent brought in. For example, if you spent $500 on a campaign that brought in $1000, your ROI is $500.
- Cost Per Lead: Cost per Lead measures the effects of your lead generation. If you get 5 clients from 5 leads on a $500 budget, your leads cost $100 each.
- Conversion Rate: This is measured in percentage. It tells you the percentage of visitors to your social sites who became leads or clients. A campaign that brought in 1000 visitors from which you got 10 leads has a 1% conversion rate.
Takeaway
The legal industry is indeed becoming increasingly competitive, but there are proven tactics that’ll help grow your business this 2023 – like the ones aforementioned.
At Consultwebs, we have a two-decade track record of providing measurable online marketing strategies for law firms. If you’ve been looking to secure your digital assets and your digital dollars, you’re in the right place. Feel free to schedule a 1-1 with our sales consultant Sam Polesak.
