15 Fantastic Marketing Ideas for Lawyers

Marketing your practice as a lawyer can take a lot of money and you often don’t get a lot of return on that kind of investment. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot in order to have an effective marketing campaign. With the right strategy that is focused on what your strengths are in the legal field, you’ll get a consistent outcome that will bring people into your offices.

It all begins with your ability to be honest and authentic. There is a general distrust of lawyers for many, so being helpful and genuine will always set you apart from the rest of your local competition.

Useful Marketing Ideas for Lawyers

1. Remind People Consistently
People don’t come to your office because you’re a hard worker. They come to your office because you provide value. If you don’t remind people of the value you specifically provide, they’ll head to a competitor that does.

2. Always Greet People
When you’re outside the office, request to greet people at formal events you attend because this allows you to introduce yourself to everyone you meet. A formal event doesn’t have to be a business function either. Churches, for example, are often looking for greeters to help people come through the front door.

3. Get Your Blog Up and Running
Legal blogging might seem kind of boring, but in reality it is a way to prove that your services provide value. You don’t have to give away free legal advice, but you can talk about relevant things that can happen to people [like an automobile accident] and then talk about what they should do [like call you immediately if they have an injury].

4. Send Greeting Cards At Random Times
Every lawyer tends to send their current and previous clientele a card during the holidays. You should too, of course, but also start sending greeting cards at different times throughout the year too with a nice, personalized note. This action shows you care about the relationship you have with that customer and it will keep you at the top of their mind.

5. Focus on the Need
If people are coming to see a lawyer, then they have a legal need that must be resolved in some way. If you focus on this need and work to help solve a problem, then you’ll create value. Even if you have to refer a potential client to another lawyer, have a recommendation ready and you’ll still create value – plus a favor that can be returned later on down the road by the lawyer who got your business.

6. Have a Passion
The best marketing events for lawyers is to plan something that works into the passions that are had. If you love photography, then organize an event that draws out photographers, like a photo trek on a local nature trail. If your hobby is model trains, then get involved with a local group or start your own group. This lets you connect on a person-to-person level in a much better way.

7. Don’t Force It
There’s an attitude that many lawyers have during a networking event that they’ve got to get their information to everyone and that just tends to turn people off. You don’t have to meet everyone and not everyone needs your business card. Engage in natural conversations and the marketing will take care of itself.

8. Know Your Times
Many lawyers push their online marketing efforts either before or after their working hours and that’s a big, big mistake. The peak times for interaction tend to be during the lunch hour or just after it because people have free time to check their social networks and personal emails. Focus your online marketing efforts to these times and you’ll get better open and click rates.

9. You’ve Got to Convince People
It’s kind of expensive to hire a lawyer today and most people are already living paycheck to paycheck thanks to lost jobs or medical bills. You’re going to need to convince people that your services are needed because most people will simply wait it out and save their money.

10. Actively Listen
How annoying is it when someone cuts off a statement that you’re making? Actively listen to people and let them complete their thoughts. Tell them what you heard to make sure you’re on the same page. Connect with them through similar experiences if you can to help build the initial relationship. The better you listen, the more people you’ll eventually have.

11. Make Good Use of Your Time
Speaking at a workshop or seminar only makes sense when there’s going to be a good attendance. Make good use of your time by getting involved with popular events and don’t buy full tables for dinner events. Buy separate chairs so you can work the room instead.

12. Know What Works
You’ve got to track your marketing efforts to know what is working and what needs to be changed. For an online presence, that means installing analytics to your website so you can track activities. For off-line efforts, ask for feedback to see how people reacted to your efforts.

13. You Never Know
Don’t disregard anyone you come into contact with because you never know who someone else may know. That greasy looking guy who panhandles on the corner for cigarettes and spare change might be best friends with a top radio personality. That guy who just checked you out at the store might know someone who needs your services. That means every person you meet doubles as a marketing opportunity.

14. Have a Good Reputation
There’s nothing more powerful than letting your “yes” be yes and your “no” being no. When your reputation is beyond question, then you’ll have consistent levels of business.

15. Do Your Research
Having a client is good, but having a client with a good reputation is better. Research people or businesses before deciding to represent them and you’ll get a good grasp of their potential needs and know what public relations work you might need to do to make your image stay crystal clear.