Promote Your Law Firm Through the Recession With Social Media
I’d like to start this post by saying that small to midsize law firms have a once in a lifetime opportunity to grow their practice during the current, turbulent financial crisis. Now is the time to step up your firm’s new business efforts.
- In a 2008 CMO survey, 80% of decision makers say they found the vendor, not the other way around.
- CMO Council’s Marketing Outlook study states that Marketing 2.0 is by no means a brand new idea, but this year it becomes mainstream with the general public.
- Todd Defren, principal at SHIFT Communications and developer of the Social Media News Release template in 2006, stated that in this current enviroment, the PR pro acknowledges that a “cold call” (in any form) — while sometimes unavoidable — is considerably less effective than reaching out as a known community member.
- The current economic crisis that is impacting law firm budgets and will greatly accelerate Web 2.0. Following this recession, there will not be a return to business as usual.
According to current research and trends, traditional media and methods will no longer generate sustainable leads for your firm’s new business. The new business paradigm that we are witnessing is positioning small and midsize law firms online to be found their best target audiences. Firms should develop an appealing point of differentiation and use Web 2.0 tools to greatly expand their firm’s “online footprint” to be easily found by their best prospective clients.
Below is an overview chart of the various inexpensive, online tools agencies can use to expand their online presence:
As a first step, I would suggest subscribing your firm to the following online services. It doesn’t matter if you don’t use them all immediately, but it is important to get a general understanding of them. Sign up for:
Experience the new media tools for yourself and build your staff’s capabilities and utilize the cost effectiveness of new media to promote your agency. For success, you’ll need to understand that motive matters, these tools need to be used correctly. Also they wont be effective unless they are used consistently.
Thirdly, create a firm blog, specific to a particular target audience. Provide useful information and resources. Build relationships and trust along with being positioned as an expert among your target group.
Fourth, continue expanding your firm’s online footprint using other new media tools such as eNewsletters, online surveys/polls, PR, presentations (SlideShare), downloadable whitepapers, PPC (AdWords), Ebooks and article marketing (JD Supra and EzineArticles).
When other firms are cutting back, there is no better opportunity to pick up new clients, increase your agency’s profile and market share. You can do more online with a fraction of the cost.
If you have questions please don’t hesitate to email them to me.
Tags: Kara Smith, Karasma Media, Legal Marketing Tips, Legal Marketing Tools, Legal Marketing Trends, Public Relations, Social Media
