5 Key Marketing Strategies To Build An Online Marketing Blueprint
Build it and they will come only worked in “Field of Dreams.” If you want to attract more leads and run a thriving law firm, you must learn how to strategically market online and offline.
Are you looking for a way to attract more clients?
Do you want to build a thriving law firm?
If so, keep reading as I outline five key marketing strategies to build an online marketing blueprint to help you attract more clients and build a thriving law firm.
Why Build an Online Marketing Marketing Blueprint?
Build it and they will come only worked in “Field of Dreams.” If you want to attract more leads and run a thriving law firm, you must learn how to strategically market online and offline.
We are all in the business of marketing — intentionally or unintentionally. Marketing is simply activities and content designed to make more of your ideal prospects know, like, and trust you, so that they are more likely to try, buy, and refer your services overtime. Intentional marketing is strategically building a marketing blueprint that promotes your services. Unintentional marketing is the reliance on the word-of-mouth or “hope strategy.”
Marketing can be done in a variety of ways and far too many lawyers are relying on word-of-mouth marketing. Without a strategic plan in place, you are simply hoping that a lawyer in your network or past client will refer out your services and leave reviews. It just won’t happen because people need reminders. Implementing a strategy and creating a system to market your services and ask for reviews and referrals is intentional marketing.
Key #1: Establish a Web Presence
According to Google, 97% of consumers use the web to search for local businesses, and your firm is considered a local business. An online presence is important because it reinforces your brand and what you offer to your target market. An online presence includes a website, an opt-in offer, email marketing, a chat client, and much more.
It’s no longer “just enough” to be online. Lawyers must use their online presence to provide information that is educational, relevant, and builds authority. This also involves keyword research, onsite optimization, and a simple design.
Most important is establishing keywords before building the website. If you’re not ranking for the keywords that your prospective clients are searching for, then your chances for attracting your ideal clients will be minimal.
Key #2: List Your Firm in the Online Directories
Ten years ago, you could place a BIG ad in the Yellow Pages and connect with a large percentage of your local clients when they were in need of your services.
Today, people go to a number of places including Google, Yahoo, and Bing, but they also go to online directories.
Yellow Pages Are No Longer Effective
It used to be that the #1 place clients looked when they needed a lawyer was the Yellow Pages. In today’s market, very few people still reference the printed Yellow Pages. In fact, the new generation has not even been exposed to the Yellow Pages and only knows the Internet as a way to search for local businesses.
There are free and paid directories, and at a minimum we suggest that your law firm is listed in Google My Business, Yahoo Local, Bing Local, Avvo, YP.com, and Superpages.
Key #3: Use Social Media
There is a lot of BUZZ around social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), but how can social media be leveraged by a lawyer? How can you actually use social media to grow your law firm?
It all starts with understanding that social media is the new word-of-mouth. The best way to use social media is to enhance the engagement / loyalty of your existing clients, and by extension of that and social media platforms, you will grow your repeat business and word-of-mouth business.
Set up and optimize your social media profiles on the major social sites for your company: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and SlideShare.
Be sure to post valuable content. This may be the most important component of your social media strategy. If you have thousands of fans and followers, but don’t add value… you will have accomplished nothing. You need to post relevant updates, tips, ideas, techniques, news, and calls to action on a daily basis. Try to keep 90% of your posts informational and 10% (or less) promotional.
Key #4: Implement Video Marketing
In order to be found on the Web, you need to put information there that your prospective clients will find. That information has to be relevant and useful, and it needs to be distinctive and representative about your firm.
You likely have been told that videos can improve your Internet marketing results, but how?
Have you ever considered answering legal questions on video? You can also use videos to introduce your firm on your website, social media sites, and online directories. That’s providing real value. That’s a real differentiator from your competition — building authority, providing educational content, and engaging with your prospective clients online through video.
Key #5: Direct Mail Marketing
We’re not just talking postcards here. This is about staying “top of mind” with your current clients and implementing a strategy to ask for referrals and reviews. Consider implementing a monthly newsletter that is one or two pages that highlights community events, monthly events that you may be hosting or speaking at, new hires, and case studies. Monthly newsletters are a great way to build trust and relationships with your current clients.
Conclusion
Effective marketing leads to an end result. Before you build your online marketing strategy, we do recommend that you consult your state bar rules. Simply visit your state bar website and download the rules so that you have a reference point. If you are working with an online marketing agency, make sure that they understand legal marketing. Lawyers can not do everything online that traditional marketers recommend.
Well, there you have it. Five key marketing strategies to build an online marketing blueprint to help you attract more clients and build a thriving law firm.
Montina Portis of Creative Internet Authority, LLC, provides full service marketing services for lawyers and law firms so that they can attract new clients, generate more referrals, and make more money using online and offline legal marketing strategies. With a strong blend of education, technology, and marketing with her 15 years in the business world, Montina is focused on targeted and efficient results. See her website for more information, or email her at montinap@creativeinternetauthority.com.
