Legal Marketing Tips
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1. What success would you like to achieve from your campaign?
If you start off every campaign with this question you will have much higher expectations and more likely much better results. As Sir Alan Sugar says "You have to have a goal to score". If you start any new campaign, from advertising in your local parish magazine, to a national advertising campaign or an online marketing campaign, you should estimate what you expect your results to be before deciding whether to proceed.
For instance, if carrying out a direct mail campaign, often the figure of 2% is branded as a good response rate. But this can be improved upon or of course conversely it can go the other way. However, if you send a targeted campaign to your own database you can beat this figure. If you cost the production of materials against the likely income, will it at least pay for itself and even better, make a profit? If no, then unless you are a huge law firm happy to build a brand then maybe you will still proceed, but for most law firms don't do it. Why spend your hard earned marketing budget on a campaign that will not pay for itself.
2. How are you going to measure the success?
If you ask this question at the start of every campaign I guarantee that you will automatically increase the success of it. By taking the time to think about this you will have to make your campaign more effective.
For instance, if you are going to advertise in the newspaper you might now be thinking how can you track the response? Most solicitors are not very thorough at asking how new clients arrive on the telephone or at their office, so you need to do this job for them. For instance, on our range of new instruction generating LawKits for solicitors, we ask the potential clients to mention the LawKits when they call so that the solicitors that order them know they are working.
Other ways to measure include asking the client to quote a special code to receive a discount or an additional benefit of the service (eg quote XXYY to receive your free copy of our "Guide to Inheritance Tax" when you ask us to help you move home).
Other approaches are to use an alias, eg ask for Sue Perrings when you call us. This might be the maiden name of one of your team or just a name used for marketing purposes so that you can track when someone calls from a particular promotion. You must make sure your receptionist is fully informed though..
3. Promote the campaign internally and externally
So often solicitors forget to keep their own staff in the loop when starting a new campaign, but if you do again you can see improved results. If your staff know about any campaign not only will they be more likely to track its success but also they may mention it to friends and family. They will also be impressed that you are trying something new and informing them about it.
4. Be ready for success
Having spent time and money preparing your campaign, be prepared for it to work. Ensure your receptionist is trained to expect the calls and have at least two or three people ready to answer any queries. If someone takes the time and makes the effort to respond to your promotion someone must be ready to talk to them when they call. If you have to call back you reduce the chances of a successful instruction. Do not let yourselves fail at the final hurdle!
5. Measure the success, improve the campaign!
Once the campaign is completed, do a thorough review once the full performance can be analysed (two or three months after it has finished). How much did it cost and how much new business did it produce. If it paid for itself, do it again, but try improving the campaign. Even small changes to headlines or titles, improved creative design or a change in the call to action (eg call us now on 0800, or complete our online enquiry form at www.xxx) can make a significant difference to the success of the campaign.
Make 2008 a successful marketing year for your practice!
Please call me for a free no obligation discussion on 01275 855525 or complete my free enquiry form and I will be in touch with you. Nick Jervis, Solicitor (non-practising).