STRATEGIC MARKETING FOR LAW FIRMS
A case study for success
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Reports* out of the US show are consistent in reporting that the legal market, globally, has fundamentally changed.
1) Less demand for external legal representation – more and more taking their legal functions in-house
** CitiPrivate Bank’s Law Firm Report 2012Georgetown University 2013Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor Report 2012 -13
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Reports* out of the US show are consistent in reporting that the legal market, globally, has fundamentally changed.
1) Less demand for external legal representation – more and more taking their legal functions in-house
2) Too many lawyers chasing too little work – the market is tightening even further
** CitiPrivate Bank’s Law Firm Report 2012Georgetown University 2013Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor Report 2012 -13
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Reports* out of the US show are consistent in reporting that the legal market, globally, has fundamentally changed.
1) Less demand for external legal representation – more and more taking their legal functions in-house
2) Too many lawyers chasing too little work – the market is tightening even further
3) Slower increase in billing rates
** CitiPrivate Bank’s Law Firm Report 2012Georgetown University 2013Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor Report 2012 -13
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Reports* out of the US show are consistent in reporting that the legal market, globally, has fundamentally changed.
1) Less demand for external legal representation – more and more taking their legal functions in-house
2) Too many lawyers chasing too little work – the market is tightening even further
3) Slower increase in billing rates4) Clients pressure for discounts and alternative fee structures increasing
** CitiPrivate Bank’s Law Firm Report 2012Georgetown University 2013Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor Report 2012 -13
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
“As we enter 2013, the legal market continues in the fifth year of an unprecedented economic downturn that began in the third quarter of 2008. At this point, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the market for legal services in the United States and throughout the world has changed in fundamental ways and that, even as we work our way out of the economic doldrums, the practice of law going forward is likely to be starkly different than in the pre-2008 period. To an unfortunate extent, many lawyers and law firms seem stuck in old models – traditional ways of thinking about law firm economics and structure, legal work processes, talent management, and client relationships – that are no longer well suited to the market environment in which they compete.”
- Georgetown University/Thomson Peer Monitor report, 2013.
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGIC MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS : A pathway to stronger, more successful brands.
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGIC MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS :
A pathway to stronger, more successful brands
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
OVERVIEW
1) Qualitative Research; know your audience2) Building strong brands2) Strategic Planning; why, how, when3) CRM; keeping clients in a competitive marketplace4) Public Relations; thought leadership, media relations – a matter of
perception5) Websites; your ‘shop window front’6) Marketing Online; social media, search7) Internal and Client Communications8) Other Ingredients
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH – creating strong foundations
Benefits:- Provides a starting point or review point for your brand and
communications- Always uncovers some ‘gems’ and helps you prioritise
- Recognise strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats- Target your activities better- Saves you $$ in the long run- Your clients like to know that you care enough to ask
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION
Conduct Market Research
Understand Perceptions
Define Desired Brand Position
Build Brand Platform (Marketing Comms Plan)
Deliver the Brand (Execute the plan)
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
BRAND – A BASIC FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
• Your brand is second only to your people and the delivery of their expertise in terms of importance
• Your brand needs to have a strong identity that communicates more than just your name to customers
• Weak brands are forgettable, lacklustre, bland and melt into a sea of sameness
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
PLANNING
• Plan the work, work the plan
• Leverage tactics throughout the year – a plan allows you to spot these opportunities and maximise their potential
• Importance of objectives, clearly defined and measurement. Only 10% of companies actually measure their marketing ROI.
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
CRM TO BENEFIT BUSINESS
In a service industry, like the legal industry, the emphasis and real value of your business is commonly the customer relationship.
Developing a successful customer relationship can spawn a lifetime of committed buying.
You can have the best marketing in the world, but if your CRM is bad, no amount of positive publicity etc can shift perception.
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS
“If advertising is what you say about yourself, public relations is what others say about you.”
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR LAW FIRMS
There’s a wealth of opportunity:
- Commentary on industry happenings
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR LAW FIRMS
There’s a wealth of opportunity:
- Commentary on industry happenings
- Speaking opportunities
- Media relations; by-lined articles in relevant media
- New appointments, new offerings etc
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING ONLINE: WEBSITE
Your website is the most important tool you have at your disposal. If nothing else is done right, get your website right. Here’s why:
• Face to face meetings are happening less – especially with new business. People will go to your website as a first port of call so your messages need to be strong
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING ONLINE: WEBSITE
Your website is the most important tool you have at your disposal. If nothing else is done right, get your website right. Here’s why:
• Face to face meetings are happening less – especially with new business. People will go to your website as a first port of call so your messages need to be strong
• Technology has made geography inconsequential – your clients are everywhere and the only marketing medium that overcomes geography is a website
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING ONLINE: WEBSITE
Your website is the most important tool you have at your disposal. If nothing else is done right, get your website right. Here’s why:
• Face to face meetings are happening less – especially with new business. People will go to your website as a first port of call so your messages need to be strong
• Technology has made geography inconsequential – your clients are everywhere and the only marketing medium that overcomes geography is a website
• New staff will also check out your website – an engaging and up-to-date website will help attract the right calibre staff
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING ONLINE: WEBSITE
Your website is the most important tool you have at your disposal. If nothing else is done right, get your website right. Here’s why:
• Face to face meetings are happening less – especially with new business. People will go to your website as a first port of call so your messages need to be strong
• Technology has made geography inconsequential – your clients are everywhere and the only marketing medium that overcomes geography is a website
• New staff will also check out your website – an engaging and up-to-date website will help attract the right calibre staff
• It’s another place to market your business; blogs, new services, expertise, white papers
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Old Thinking: Law firm website = online brochure
New Thinking: Law firm website = publishing platform for attorney-generated content
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
MARKETING ONLINE: WEBSITE
Ways to improve your website:
- People pages – grow your profiles, become more niche, not generalist – consider micro pages
- SEO – keyword integration, research local searches using free tools- Content – create lots of it. Good content that is in ‘consumer speak’- Advertising – support with low-level advertising - Analyse – subscribe to google analytics and make improvements
based on insights
ABOUT VILLAGE MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONSSTRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
FACEBOOK: FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
• It is the fastest-growing community in the world where your target audience go to meet with friends, be entertained and interact with brands like yours.
• 2, 269,160 New Zealanders use Facebook (53.36% of our population)
• 25-44 year olds make up almost half of NZ’s Facebook users
• The average user spends more than 700 minutes on Facebook every month
• 56% of consumers say they are more likely to recommend a brand after becoming a fan on Facebook
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
TIPS TO ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE FACEBOOK PAGE:
• Write a company strategy. This should include:
• WHO is responsible for the medium• HOW often you post • HOW you deal with negative feedback/comments/posts• WHAT your objectives/aims are• WHAT your measures of success are• WHO/WHAT other pages you are going to link in with (likes etc)• HOW you will support the page (advertising, links from your
website etc)
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
TIPS TO ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE FACEBOOK PAGE:
• Decide on the tone of your content: how do you want your company/brand to come across?
• Do not think of your business page only as a place to talk about your product.
• Keep your posts short and sweet.
• Use pictures.
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
BLOGS – it’s all about perception
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
WHAT IS A BLOG?
By definition, a blog is:
“A website on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.”
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
TIPS FOR CREATING AND MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE BLOG
• Be original
• Promote your blog
• Include images
• Allow comments. People who have engaged with your posts via comments on the blog are more likely to share it with their friends and contacts
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS
Richard Susskind writes:
"Clients rarely complain about the quality of legal work or the level of knowledge of the lawyers advising them; but they frequently express concern about the mechanics of the working relationship between client and firm. More particularly, it is often said that there is a poor level of communication.”
This is easily remedied.
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS
Planned, regular communications are easy with the likes of Smartmail, Mail Chimp etc.
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- Sponsorship- Crisis communications- Events- Advertising
QuestionsBridgette Paton-Tapsell & Tim Paton-TapsellPrincipalsp: +64 7 572 1608w: villagenz.coma: 333 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui 3114, New Zealand
Top Related