When it comes to starting your own law firm, acquiring clients can be overwhelming.
Law grads spend years studying case law and earning their JD. But when they go into business for themselves, that’s one thing they never learn…
How to market your law firm.
If you don’t market yourself and your firm, your Yelp reviews aren’t going to do much. You have to show up where your potential clients are looking. For lawyers, that means online.
Fortunately, there are several tried and true marketing strategies that you can use to grow your firm by attracting more clients.
Why Marketing Your Law Firm Is Important
Ok, let’s cut to the chase…
Law firms need to market.
Back in the day, this wasn’t entirely true. You could get away with posting a sign on your front lawn and hoping people would come to you. But those days are long gone.
These days, legal service buyers are researching lawyers online.
Clio’s research shows that 77% of consumers search for lawyers online before reaching out. So if you want to get found by clients, you need to have an online presence.
Otherwise, your competitors who are showing up online are making sales while your business suffers.
The Online Foundation Every Firm Should Have
Before getting into some tactics, you need to make sure that you have the right foundation in place. If you don’t have these basics covered, you risk burning through money you don’t have.
Here are the basics every firm needs:
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A professional mobile-responsive website.
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An optimised Google Business Profile.
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Brand consistency across all platforms.
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Clear calls to action on all your landing pages.
Notice that paid ads weren’t mentioned…
Too many law firms start spending money on Facebook and Google Ads before even thinking about their website.
Prospects won’t care about your perfect ads if they click over to your website and see that you’re using WordPress Theme from 2009.
Guess who they call instead?
Your competitor.
Once you have your website, or you have hired someone to build you one, your first priority should be implementing SEO strategies for law firms to create visibility. An SEO strategy for lawyers helps your website show up higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). That means when potential clients search Google for lawyers near them, your firm shows up.
Effective Marketing Strategies for Law Firms
Ok! Now it’s time to learn about the 5 marketing strategies that work.
These aren’t affiliate link hacks or tricks to buying clients. Implement these strategies, and you’ll start seeing real, measurable results.
Create and Share Content
You’re in the information business.
People need your help understanding complex legal topics. If you want to stand out from the pack, show potential clients that you know what you’re talking about.
Start a blog on your website. Record some videos. Create social media posts that add value to your audience.
You’d be surprised how many lawyers look down on content marketing.
They assume it’s a gimmick that doesn’t work for lawyers.
But when done right, content marketing allows you to showcase your knowledge and build trust with potential clients before they even reach out.
Focus on Local SEO
Local SEO is search engine optimisation that focuses on helping you rank for local searches.
Think about it…
If you serve clients within a 20-mile radius of your office, why would you want to show up for searches outside of that area?
Here are some local SEO tactics you should be implementing:
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Claim your Google Business Profile
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Get listed in attorney directories
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Build citations with consistent NAP info (Name, Address, Phone)
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Encourage reviews from past clients
Most law firms are local firms. That means local SEO isn’t just important for your business, it is your business.
Build Your Online Reputation
Online reviews are crucial to the success of your firm.
According to FindLaw’s consumer survey, 82% of legal consumers who contacted a lawyer used online reviews as part of their research.
Just imagine…
82 out of 100 people called you after reading reviews on Google.
That’s huge.
Make sure you have a process in place to generate reviews from past clients. When you win a case, send your clients a congratulations email. In that email, encourage them to leave you a review.
Use Social Media to Boost Visibility
You’re not trying to be the next viral TikTok lawyer.
But you do need to use social media to stay top-of-mind with your ideal clients.
Figure out which platforms your target clients use and start showing up there.
For lawyers who focus on corporate clients, LinkedIn is a great place to start. If you focus more on family law, wifebot or Instagram might be better options.
You can use social media to share your blog posts, videos, and other valuable content with your audience.
The key is to show up day after day.
Be a presence that people start to recognize and trust.
Try Paid Advertising
It wasn’t until after the foundation section that paid ads were mentioned.
That’s because this can’t be stressed enough. Do not try paid advertising until the website and SEO are handled.
Once those boxes are checked, paid ads can be a great way to drive clients to your firm.
You can try running Google Ads to show up at the top of search results. Facebook Ads can allow you to target very specific groups of people.
Here’s the key though.
Paid ads shouldn’t be your go-to strategy. Yes, they can drive clients to your firm. But if you don’t have the right funnel set up, you could be burning through cash with no results to show for it.
Mistakes to Avoid When Marketing Your Firm
Here are some of the most common mistakes law firms make when trying to market themselves.
Avoid these, and you’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of your competition.
Mistake #1: No Target Market
Many lawyers think they can serve anyone.
“I help anyone file their divorce.”
“I assist anyone with their bankruptcy.”
If you try to serve everyone, you end up serving no one.
Pick a niche, learn everything about that niche, and dominate it.
Mistake #2: Inconsistency
Want to know how to lose at marketing?
By being inconsistent.
“Yeah, I’ll start posting blog content on my website.” 6 months later…
“Sure, I should probably get on the computer and learn about SEO.”
Here’s the thing about marketing…
It’s not a one-time thing. You have to put in the work, day in and day out.
And you know what? The firms that do that win.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Analytics
If you aren’t measuring your leads, you’re guessing.
Make sure you understand what’s working for you and what isn’t. That way, you can focus more on the tactics that bring clients in the door and ditch the others.
Mistake #4: Slow Reply Times
Did you know that law firms who responded to inbound inquiries within 5 minutes saw their conversion rates DOUBLE?
When you’re waiting on your attorney to get back to you, you expect a response fairly quickly.
Make sure you set up automatic responses so you can get back to people ASAP.
Let’s Recap…
Attracting clients to your firm takes work. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be able to grow your firm by reaching out to potential clients online.
Here’s what you should remember:
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Make sure your online foundation is solid.
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Share valuable content on your blog and social media channels.
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Local SEO is your best friend.
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Your online reputation is everything.
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Be active on social media.
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Don’t be afraid to use paid ads
Your ideal clients are already searching for you online. Make sure you’re there when they look.
