Monday, December 29, 2008

TEN TIPS FOR LEGAL MARKETING IN A RECESSION

Even in an economic downturn, there are things you can do
to grow your practice:
  • Adjust firm's mix of services, leveraging practice strengths and focusing on growing/emerging legal areas
  • Commit to ongoing client contact.
  • Cross-sell existing clients on other firm services
  • Recognize marketing as an investment - not an expense. Then INVEST.
  • Implement marketing programs that initiate a firm/client relationship (e.g., seminars) without committing the client financially
  • Develop marketing tools that can be utilized in many ways (e.g., an informational brochure that can be distributed in office, at seminars, as a direct mailer, and/or forwarded to the appropriate media for further dissemination to prospects)
  • Implement a low cost (though work intensive) PR effort that includes press releases and feature articles
  • Track sources of prospect calls and new clients as well as conversion rates
  • Maintain existing price structure (i.e. resist the temptation to be a low cost provider)
  • PLAN. PLAN. PLAN.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Maintaining Media Exposure (Particularly in a Down Economy)

What’s great about public relations is that it’s FREE. That’s also why we always urge our law firm clients to build credibility by getting their name in the papers (or on broadcast) by sending out those releases and constantly pitching articles and story ideas. We did this recently for one full service firm, developing an article on Special Education – outlining what parents of children with “special needs” should know about their rights.

In an economic downturn, it’s important to maintain media exposure by:

1. Recognizing that Even the Smallest of Happenings Can be Newsworthy
2. Being Cognizant of When Your Case May Have News Value
3. Thinking “Evergreens” (seasonal type stories)
4. Pitching Articles on Your Area of Expertise
5. Leveraging Events and Cases on which You’re Not Even Involved
(but in which you have expertise)
6. Pitching Speaking Opportunities to Relevant Groups