Technology in Marketing: Where to Invest Your Marketing Technology Dollars

Law firms have realized that using technology ' particularly the Internet ' is a powerful tool for creating a more level playing field to enhance their images, expand their visibility in targeted markets and drive business to their firms. However, with so many competing interests for limited marketing dollars, where should you invest your firm's resources to get the most bang for the buck? Consider the following options.

Beef Up Your Web Site

Now might be that time to beef up your firm's Web site. The difference between a “good” and “really good” Web site is all about the content. Clients look to hire lawyers who are authorities in their field and have specific experience relating to the client's legal issue or technical need. If you are a small or mid-size firm competing with the larger ones, trying to be all things to all people is not going to help distinguish your firm from the “brand-name” firms. Do not be reluctant to narrow your focus, target your message and emphasize what you do really well. However, what the Web site looks like also affects a firm's ability to project a sophisticated image, so spending money on a site that looks homemade is not a wise investment.

There are now a plethora of Web site development resources available for a fraction of what they used to cost. Where small firms were spending upwards of $10,000 and larger firms upwards of $50,000 for a custom-designed site, there are many online options that offer very affordable solutions, some for as little as a few thousand dollars. As an example, visit The Modern Firm (www.themodernfirm.com), a Web site development company that offers a variety of site design solutions for law firms, including online content management.

Speaking of content management, it really does not make a lot of sense today to choose a site development solution that doesn't provide a way for you to update your own content. This gives you maximum flexibility to change practice profiles, add news, articles or links, update attorney bios and the like. Also, selecting a Web site development company that understands the importance of keywords and search engine optimization, will help you develop your content, links and other strategies to achieve better rankings by search engines.

Demonstrate Your Capabilities with Media

Podcasts, which are essentially sound files, are relatively easy to create for any law firm Web site or blog, and present lawyers with a great way to educate clients on particular legal topics, build a reputation for the firm's work in certain practice areas, and demonstrate attorney knowledge about specific industries. The unique feature of this technology is that attorneys can actually “talk” to the firm's clients and contacts anytime and anywhere ' clients and contacts can download a firm's podcasts to their MP3 or iPod, mobile phone, computer or PDA and listen at their leisure ' whether they are stuck in traffic or working out on the treadmill. Integrating podcasts into your firm's Web site is not a huge investment of resources and is more versatile than video because you do not require a user to have a video component enabled. To learn more about podcasts and resources for creating and using them, read Joshua Fruchter's article from the March 2006 Technology in Marketing column, which can be found in the Marketing The Law Firm archives (see www.lawjournalnewsletters.com/issues/ljn_marketing/19_11/news/146223-1.html).

Video, which requires a bit more planning and resources than podcasts, can be a very compelling client development tool. Linda Sedloff Orton, President of Intelligent Video Solutions (www.intelligentvideosolutions.com), believes that lawyers should pay more attention to the power of video to attract potential clients and stay connected to existing ones. Orton notes that “the key is to educate, entertain and engage viewers with relevant, simple and exclusive stories. A highly produced, short video is more affordable than many lawyers realize. If goals are set, a script outlined, and business goals are married to creativity, the finished result will be powerful.”

One firm that has been an early adopter of video for business development purposes is The Rosen Law Firm in Raleigh, NC. This firm has done a great job of showcasing its ability to work with clients with its “Life Stories” section, featuring real clients talking about their experiences. The video segments are compelling and are supported by narrative text to frame the unique issues of each person's situation (see www.rosen.com).

Use e-Mail Marketing

While you can review a tracking report showing hits to your Web site, the technology behind e-mail marketing provides unprecedented insight into who's reading your material and who's not. You will need to use an e-mail marketing service to get this tracking information which will tell you who received the e-mail (and who didn't), who opened it, and who clicked on the links you included in the content. This information will help you objectively assess the value of your message and e-marketing efforts. No investment in design is necessary, these services usually have a wide variety of templates your firm can use. Additionally, e-mail marketing services have the infrastructure already in place so that your e-communication complies with anti-spam rules (CAN-SPAM Act). There are a host of choices out there ' among the most inexpensive are VerticalResponse (which requires no monthly commitment), Constant Contact and Campaigner (which can be as little as $20 per month, depending upon the size of your firm's e-mailing list) and there are many others.

Social Networking

LinkedIn, Facebook and now Twitter are revolutionizing the way lawyers can attract new clients. The latest entry into the online social networking craze ' Twitter ' provides a simple, yet effective way to create a community of referring attorneys, clients or potential clients to follow you through cyberspace. What's most interesting about this tool is not just the cost (it's free), but that you can create a “buzz” for your legal services. For example, if you are a product liability attorney, sending out periodic “tweets” about consumer product recalls, could not only raise the awareness for possible injury, but generate inquiries from potential clients or referring attorneys.

Nancy Roberts Linder, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is the Principal of Nancy Roberts Linder Consulting, a law firm business development and client relationship management consulting practice, located in suburban Chicago. She can be reached at 708-482-0760 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Law firms have realized that using technology ' particularly the Internet ' is a powerful tool for creating a more level playing field to enhance their images, expand their visibility in targeted markets and drive business to their firms. However, with so many competing interests for limited marketing dollars, where should you invest your firm's resources to get the most bang for the buck? Consider the following options.

Beef Up Your Web Site

Now might be that time to beef up your firm's Web site. The difference between a “good” and “really good” Web site is all about the content. Clients look to hire lawyers who are authorities in their field and have specific experience relating to the client's legal issue or technical need. If you are a small or mid-size firm competing with the larger ones, trying to be all things to all people is not going to help distinguish your firm from the “brand-name” firms. Do not be reluctant to narrow your focus, target your message and emphasize what you do really well. However, what the Web site looks like also affects a firm's ability to project a sophisticated image, so spending money on a site that looks homemade is not a wise investment.

There are now a plethora of Web site development resources available for a fraction of what they used to cost. Where small firms were spending upwards of $10,000 and larger firms upwards of $50,000 for a custom-designed site, there are many online options that offer very affordable solutions, some for as little as a few thousand dollars. As an example, visit The Modern Firm (www.themodernfirm.com), a Web site development company that offers a variety of site design solutions for law firms, including online content management.

Speaking of content management, it really does not make a lot of sense today to choose a site development solution that doesn't provide a way for you to update your own content. This gives you maximum flexibility to change practice profiles, add news, articles or links, update attorney bios and the like. Also, selecting a Web site development company that understands the importance of keywords and search engine optimization, will help you develop your content, links and other strategies to achieve better rankings by search engines.

Demonstrate Your Capabilities with Media

Podcasts, which are essentially sound files, are relatively easy to create for any law firm Web site or blog, and present lawyers with a great way to educate clients on particular legal topics, build a reputation for the firm's work in certain practice areas, and demonstrate attorney knowledge about specific industries. The unique feature of this technology is that attorneys can actually “talk” to the firm's clients and contacts anytime and anywhere ' clients and contacts can download a firm's podcasts to their MP3 or iPod, mobile phone, computer or PDA and listen at their leisure ' whether they are stuck in traffic or working out on the treadmill. Integrating podcasts into your firm's Web site is not a huge investment of resources and is more versatile than video because you do not require a user to have a video component enabled. To learn more about podcasts and resources for creating and using them, read Joshua Fruchter's article from the March 2006 Technology in Marketing column, which can be found in the Marketing The Law Firm archives (see www.lawjournalnewsletters.com/issues/ljn_marketing/19_11/news/146223-1.html).

Video, which requires a bit more planning and resources than podcasts, can be a very compelling client development tool. Linda Sedloff Orton, President of Intelligent Video Solutions (www.intelligentvideosolutions.com), believes that lawyers should pay more attention to the power of video to attract potential clients and stay connected to existing ones. Orton notes that “the key is to educate, entertain and engage viewers with relevant, simple and exclusive stories. A highly produced, short video is more affordable than many lawyers realize. If goals are set, a script outlined, and business goals are married to creativity, the finished result will be powerful.”

One firm that has been an early adopter of video for business development purposes is The Rosen Law Firm in Raleigh, NC. This firm has done a great job of showcasing its ability to work with clients with its “Life Stories” section, featuring real clients talking about their experiences. The video segments are compelling and are supported by narrative text to frame the unique issues of each person's situation (see www.rosen.com).

Use e-Mail Marketing

While you can review a tracking report showing hits to your Web site, the technology behind e-mail marketing provides unprecedented insight into who's reading your material and who's not. You will need to use an e-mail marketing service to get this tracking information which will tell you who received the e-mail (and who didn't), who opened it, and who clicked on the links you included in the content. This information will help you objectively assess the value of your message and e-marketing efforts. No investment in design is necessary, these services usually have a wide variety of templates your firm can use. Additionally, e-mail marketing services have the infrastructure already in place so that your e-communication complies with anti-spam rules (CAN-SPAM Act). There are a host of choices out there ' among the most inexpensive are VerticalResponse (which requires no monthly commitment), Constant Contact and Campaigner (which can be as little as $20 per month, depending upon the size of your firm's e-mailing list) and there are many others.

Social Networking

LinkedIn, Facebook and now Twitter are revolutionizing the way lawyers can attract new clients. The latest entry into the online social networking craze ' Twitter ' provides a simple, yet effective way to create a community of referring attorneys, clients or potential clients to follow you through cyberspace. What's most interesting about this tool is not just the cost (it's free), but that you can create a “buzz” for your legal services. For example, if you are a product liability attorney, sending out periodic “tweets” about consumer product recalls, could not only raise the awareness for possible injury, but generate inquiries from potential clients or referring attorneys.

Nancy Roberts Linder, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is the Principal of Nancy Roberts Linder Consulting, a law firm business development and client relationship management consulting practice, located in suburban Chicago. She can be reached at 708-482-0760 or via e-mail at [email protected].