An effective marketing strategy is critical for most law firms. Without new clients coming into the law firm, most law firms would not survive.
New clientele is particularly important in areas of the law where repetitive business is necessary because the clients they serve do not provide long-term, repetitive business. Take areas like divorce and family law, criminal law, bankruptcy, estate planning, traffic, and related fields where clients’ matters come and go such that new clients are consistently needed.
TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING METHODS
Many law firms that need repetitive business are still employing traditional advertising methods. The kinds and types of traditional advertising are voluminous. However many law firms invest heavily in billboards, phone books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, radio, and television.
There is nothing wrong per se with these kinds of advertising methods. However, many of these advertising methods can be very expensive. The expense can actually outweigh the revenue generated from the cases themselves. Maybe some personal injury law firms that get multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements can afford traditional advertising. But other law firms often cannot.
Many individuals are also spending the bulk of their day online. When individuals are online, they could be doing searches on search engines. Many are spending significant time on their most beloved social media platforms.
In terms of radio and television, there are just so many options in this day and age. With radio, and the advent of Sirius XM, who knows where those in need of legal services are listening. With television, many are moving to streaming television where television ads may not get much visibility from potential clients. With magazines and newspapers, most are reading them online and not ordering the paper versions.
MOVING TOWARD AN EXCLUSIVELY DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY
For these reasons and others, most law firms should at least consider moving to an exclusively digital marketing strategy. Yes, it might be impossible to go exclusively digital. But moving toward a digital marketing strategy (just like many law firms are increasingly becoming more paperless) is a worthy goal.
Having a web page with lots of content is crucial for most law firms. Advertising through the major search engines can also make sense, in addition to engaging in search engine optimization so that the web shows up organically. Increasingly, Google LSA Ads are pushing out Google AdWords and can be run much less expensively.
Another option to consider includes advertising through social networking sites. Social networking sites can result in more visibility than radio and television at a lower cost. Most think of Facebook and X, but there are lots of other options out there as well from Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, and other social media platforms.
While many law firms might like their traditional methods of advertising, most law firms should think about taking their marketing efforts exclusively online. Another benefit of online marketing is that it rarely requires a contract or a long-term commitment. If it isn’t working and you want to pull the plug, you can normally do that with ease. But if you are doing traditional advertising, you are likely signed on to a long-term contract where you cannot get out.
