Marketing undoubtedly plays a major part in law firm growth. But, the process—how it’s done—varies from firm to firm. When it comes to implementing the best marketing techniques, legal marketing teams can be motivated by what high-growth firms are doing to help inform your strategy. That’s the advice from Pitchly, which offers a data enablement system that can help law firms leverage their data—helping them streamline and simplify marketing and business development activities.
Law firm growth accelerated in 2021
While the COVID-19 pandemic has squeezed industries nationwide, law firms haven’t felt the same pinch. US law firm revenue climbed 14% during the first nine months of 2021 over the same period the year before. The revenue growth was led by strong demand, not rate increases. Pitchly says law firm marketing departments can capitalize on that demand by adopting five impactful marketing techniques used by high-growth firms to attract prospects, build engagement, and turn the opportunities into clients.
1. Focus on the data first
Data is king for marketers. The better the data, the better marketers can target. Harnessing data is a primary focus for Chief Marketing Officers of large companies across the U.S. And law firm marketing departments also need to make it a focus in order to grow. But the data must go beyond basic demographics. The best data should include your clients’ online and offline media behaviors and preferences. Understanding what drives your clients can help you customize messages to them across multiple channels.
2. Network on social media
A good social media strategy must be a part of your overall marketing plan. Social media became instrumental during the pandemic as a way to keep people informed and connected and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. Leveraging social media for networking is a tactic used by high-growth firms. Social networking uses social media platforms to stay connected with clients and peers. Firms should utilize social platforms to increase brand recognition, share thought leadership and encourage brand loyalty. Pay attention to the social media platforms you use. According to Sprout Social:
LinkedIn’s user base is well-educated, making it great for in-depth, industry-specific content.
- Facebook and YouTube are both prime places for ads due to their high-earning user bases.
- Instagram and YouTube are top social networks for Millennials and Gen Z, the largest demographic in the workforce today – and while it may feel strange to market a law firm on these platforms, you can be sure that current and future purchasers of legal services are there.
3. Utilize multiple digital channels
Law firm marketing departments need to use multiple digital spaces to grow in 2022 too. Business News Daily mentions that using digital spaces to find and nurture new customers exploded last year. Firms should make sure their online presence appeals to a broader audience. According to HubSpot research, 92% of marketers leverage more than one channel and 81% leverage more than three. If they haven’t already, marketers will want to spread out their marketing focus to multiple channels in 2022 including website and blogs, email marketing, video marketing, and social media, often referred to as omnichannel marketing. Neil Patel, CMO & co-Founder of NP Digital, concludes that all good channels eventually get saturated. And in 2022, firms will need to prioritize all channels and go more omnichannel to stay competitive.
4. Test video marketing
Audience engagement is paramount for an impactful marketing strategy. It’s not surprising that high-growth law firms use more video marketing. HubSpot shares that video has overtaken blogs and infographics as the number one form of media used in content strategy. Video is a strong choice for any law firm marketing department due to its many benefits. For example, video is flexible. A video can be uploaded to YouTube, embedded on a blog (or vlog) and shared on social media. You can also improve your organic search position by using video. Video shows up on both Google and YouTube. YouTube is a search engine in itself as it’s the second more visited site after Google. Firms looking to grow in 2022 will improve reach, brand awareness and ROI by using video.
5. Implement marketing automation
Utilizing marketing automation is another top technique used by high-growth law firms. Technology can reduce or even eliminate manual activities to help improve efficiency and productivity. While certain tools, like CRM and email marketing activities are widely used by law firms, most do not leverage them in the way other industries do – but they should. Common marketing practices used in other professional services organizations include:
Nurture campaigns
- Re-engagement campaigns
- Cross-sell campaigns
- Automated meeting calendars
- Website chatbots
With new types of marketing automation, you can increase your firm’s touchpoints with clients and prospects in a more productive way.