Many law practices find themselves dependent on traditional marketing efforts. They are either unaware of the most valuable and efficient marketing tools available, do not have a website to execute a solid plan with, lack the knowledge to move their marketing efforts forward, or a bit of all three.

Outlined below are a few basic tips to help you as you design and build an efficient law firm internet marketing campaign.

1 - THE DATABASE

Create a database containing prospects, previous clients, and current clients. The purpose of this database is to help managers maintain control of the communication records for each person. We recommend a Client Relationship Management (CRM) software like HubSpot Sales to help house this database. Once you have your list, you can use the CRM tools to keep your firm top-of-mind with your contacts.

2 - CHOOSE THE RIGHT OUTREACH TACTICS

Blogs: A blog is a useful tool for directing past and potential clients back to your website for both industry information as well as information on your practice. You can highlight benefits of doing business with your firm, cases you may have had with positive results, as well as provide educational insights that may be helpful to those needing legal advice.

Continually creating new content for your blog can be very beneficial for your firm. Not only will it allow you to provide details about your areas of practice, but it can also help to position you as a thought-leader within the legal industry.

E-Newsletters: E-newsletters are an efficient way to stay in touch with prospects, keeping you top of mind. Once you have your prospect and client database in place, you can create e-newsletters that go out to recipients at pre-determined intervals.

You should plan your newsletter campaign so that it reaches recipients with industry news, news about your firm, perhaps highlighting recent litigation or high-profile suits, and highlight a particular area of practice in each newsletter.

Carefully consider frequency. No one likes an inbox filled with unwanted email. Perhaps once per quarter would be an appropriate timeframe, at least until you get feedback from recipients. Also, make sure you have an opt-out option for those that choose not to receive this information.

Social Media Sites: Utilizing social media channels that focus on business such as LinkedIn and Twitter can be a great way to position your brand in front of your target audience.

On LinkedIn, you can search for groups to join that may lead to business from those needing a legal consultation. Once you’ve identified and become part of those groups, you can engage with members by sharing or posting recent blog posts, media articles about your firm, and other relevant information that further supports your expertise in the industry.

Software such as Hubspot will enable you to schedule social media distributions in advance.  If you have a variety of worthy news to share, you can plan your communication and schedule your posts the month prior, knowing that each blog, article, or image will go out to its intended audience when scheduled.

3 - GROW YOUR PRACTICE 

Determining the right law firm internet marketing tools and tactics to create your strategy can prove cumbersome. If you do not have a dedicated marketing manager at your firm, applying these strategies to grow your practice will take much effort and time.

To work smarter and not harder toward your growth goals, consult with an inbound marketing agency such as Rizen that understands the current market and will work with you to keep new and existing clients coming through your doors.