Small Law Firms

5 Ways To Market Your Firm For Free (While Using Your Strengths)

Identify your strengths and use them to your benefit.

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I had no budget for staff — much less marketing — when I started my law firm. My method for attracting customers was to accept any client I could confidently serve with my legal know-how. I employed the “whatever sticks to the wall” method of marketing, which was desperate and time-consuming (picture me lining up text boxes on Canva for hours on end).

From my failures and successes, I’ve found that I am most consistent in marketing in a way that feels strengths-aligned. Specifically, I enjoy public speaking and presenting, which has led me to market using these strengths. Other people excel at writing, love being in front of a camera, or distilling complex information. Identify your strengths and use them!

As my firm has grown, I have streamlined my marketing. Here are five ways to market your business, based on your strengths, for free (or a minor investment).

  1. Podcasting 

If presenting is your jam, or you have the gift of gab, consider recording podcasts to share your knowledge. I don’t want to produce, host, and edit a podcast, so I prefer to be a guest speaker. Reach out to podcasts and pitch them to talk about your legal subject matter. I created a one-pager that allows me to pitch various podcasts, and it has successfully helped book me on podcasts such as Lawyerist and Maximum Lawyer. This year, I have spoken on over 20 podcasts. If you do not have the network or confidence to pitch podcasts, don’t let this stop you. Creating your own podcast is a great way to communicate with your ideal clients.

2. YouTube

For those who desire to see their face in lights, YouTube is an excellent way to start sharing your subject matter knowledge for free. If you have a smartphone with a camera, you are already halfway there! Next, set up a YouTube channel. You can find instructions on how to do so here. Then, start to record two- to five-minute videos to answer questions that people may have about your area of law. When I started my YouTube channel, I used Keywords Everywhere to find out what people were searching about regarding estate planning. I recorded videos based on those questions. (Please subscribe and “smash the like button” to get my channel to over 100 subscribers!) Video is a great way to market yourself and offers a low barrier of entry if you’re not overly self-conscious in front of a camera.

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3. Blogging

If you enjoy writing, consider starting a blog to discuss legal issues with which your firm can help. The old Googler loves consistent, fresh SEO content to inform the public. Again, use Keywords Everywhere or a similar application to figure out what people are searching for when it comes to your practice area. The key to blogging is to be consistent, which leads to higher rankings on Google and other platforms and is a great way to build your reputation and practice.

4. Reviews

Another easy way to build your reputation is to have a system for following up with clients — think Google, Yelp, and Facebook reviews — after service is rendered. It’s straightforward to set up these business review pages at no cost. The act of asking (and following up) has led to many client success testimonials that allow other people interested in hiring me for estate planning to see what I do and learn about my client experience. Ask away!

5. Social media

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When marketing on social media, don’t pick every single platform to get your content out there. First, start with the one you enjoy using. For me, it’s Instagram. I also share content on LinkedIn and Facebook. Be consistent, answer questions without hiding the ball, inspire, and share personal stories and anecdotes so potential clients can relate to you and your law firm. While your purpose is to sell, customers are savvier these days and want more than cookie-cutter thoughtless advertising coming their way.

It’s imperative to track where your leads are coming from to know where to spend more marketing time and energy. As a solo or small firm owner, your time is at a premium. In the beginning, you may spend energy generating content with no notable response, but as time goes on, and with consistency, you will see where traffic is coming from and focus on opportunities to create a business from those channels. Eventually, you may have a staff person or company help you with your marketing efforts. This might seem like a pipe dream for some of you, but it is a reality that could happen when you deliberately speak to your ideal clients and provide them with the answers they want.

I’d love to hear your constructive comments or questions at iffywrites@ibekwelaw.com. I am always looking for topic suggestions! Did I mention that I signed with a literary agent for my upcoming estate planning book? You can read all about it here.

Iffy Ibekwe is the principal attorney and founder of Ibekwe Law, PLLC. She is an estate planning attorney evangelist for intergenerational wealth transfer with effective wills and trusts. Iffy is writing her first book on culturally competent estate planning, available in 2022 (prayers up!). She graduated from The University of Texas School of Law and has practiced law for over 14 years. Iffy can be reached by email at iffywrites@ibekwelaw.com, on her website, and on Instagram @thejustincaselawyer.

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