Marketing to Law Firms

Marketing to law firms is a difficult challenge. There are a number of reasons for this. Attorneys, like most business executives, are busy people. As such, they consider their time to be valuable and are often unreceptive to blatant selling messages. Second, many attorneys have secretaries or assistants who screen out unwanted calls or mail. Third, online programs usually filter out unsolicited emails as well. Finally, it is often unclear in law firms as to who the decision maker may be. In some cases, the individual one wishes to target may be the Managing Partner; in other cases an administrative official; in still others, an individual who spearheads a certain aspect of the firm; and in some, decisions may be made by a committee of individuals. Not knowing to whom to communicate can make the whole process rather daunting.

There are ways in which it can be done.

Know Who You Are Trying to Reach

First, avoid the temptation to consider all lawyers and law firms as being one in the same. Law firms come in many shapes and sizes, and knowing how your product or service fits into their operation is key. Practice areas are different as well. Family lawyers have different needs than bankruptcy attorneys, who in turn are different from commercial litigators. They also have different media consumption patterns. It is essential to know this before you develop strategies for your marketing effort. For example, that corporate litigator may stay abreast of new statutes and rulings on related business cases by religiously reading his/her state’s legal journals. PI attorneys may not have the time or the inclination to do likewise. You may not reach a lot of bankruptcy attorneys at a trade show catering to litigators, but you’re certain to reach a lot of PI attorneys at that same show. When you separate “attorneys” and “law firms” by type, you are more likely to develop a program that is unique and stands out.

Marketing Mix

In terms of marketing mix, online resources are becoming particularly more important as print materials begin to fade. Whatever your product or service, make sure you are listed as a “provider” in all of the relevant legal directories. Aside from obtaining referrals from colleagues and associates, the quickest way a lawyer can access the name of an “expert” or provider is through such listings. Similarly, allocating the resources to have one’s business listed high up on the search engines (SEO) should be another key component of your on-line marketing effort. This takes either great deals of time or money, but is becoming, more and more, a “must” on the “to do” list of providers to the legal industry

With this in mind, in addition to having those directory listings and a strong SEO program, it is absolutely critical that your web site appear as polished and professional as possible. With everyone claiming to be an expert, this is truly one area where perception can make all the difference in the world.

Public relations can also play a major role in reaching attorneys. While that direct marketing piece might get tossed (unless it has some kind of “gift” inside?) and that ad might be ignored, an article which provides useful information to an attorney or law firm executive about his particular area of concern may actually be read and perhaps even saved or passed on. Similarly, providing such information via seminar or webinar can also prove effective, providing of course, that the content is especially relevant and offers a real benefit to the attorney prospect. One thing worth considering in developing such on-line or off-line events is to offer Continuing Legal Education Credits to attorneys who participate.

All of this is not to say that traditional advertising in trade and/or legal journals won’t work – they can. It’s just that the overall cost of print advertising, along with declining use of this medium, makes such an approach less attractive than perhaps it once was.

Administrators & “Gatekeepers”

Sometimes going after attorneys is the wrong approach altogether. After all, in many firms it’s the Office Manager, or Law Firm Administrator, who, at least on a day-to-day basis, really runs the show. This could potentially be good news because such an individual may be less prone to ignoring unsolicited communications, more open to new ideas, and genuinely in need of products or services which you are offering.

They are also usually easier to reach via an assortment of online and offline marketing tools. As with the attorneys, having a good online presence and a professional-looking web site is absolutely essential. In the 21st century, business decision makers go to the internet to survey their choices and to garner further information. As with the attorneys as well, these types of law firm executives hunger for and appreciate information in the form of webinars, seminars and such. But unlike, lawyers, such individuals are more likely to be receptive to collateral materials in the form of newsletters, e-newsletters, and brochures; as well as at trade shows and industry events. It is important to understand that these kinds of executives have their own associations, and their own publications. Given that they are not in the business of actually “lawyering,” and that so much of their responsibilities involve working with outside vendors, a concerted effort towards this group may be well worth the time and expense. As stated, much depends on the size of the firm being targeted, its focus, the management structure, the decision making process, and the degree of influence various members of the firm have over different areas of the operation. Because of this, in targeting law firms, sometimes honing in on a more manageable list of practices may provide more fruit than a shotgun approach.