What does this really mean? If you don't have a defined process for landing clients - or getting their interest so that they eventually will become clients - you don't have a marketing plan. Instead, you have what we call “random acts of marketing.” And it’s not going to work in the long term if it works at all.
If you consider your law firm a real business - one that will grow reliably each year, then you need to re-frame how you think about marketing. Consistent growth requires the right actions, consistently done. This is what separates the firms that grow, from those that don’t.
We often hear these themes with firms that aren’t progressing:
What happens when any (or several) of these thoughts prevail? Nothing gets done. Or, sporadic efforts get done.
Marketing is kind of like going to the gym. Going once a month isn’t going to get you anywhere. You need a plan that:
This all comes down to the right plan, systematized. For most firms, the way to do that is to ensure they have the right mix of resources (with appropriate skill sets), executing a defined plan without anything getting in the way.
Here’s a quick checklist to make sure you have the right resources lined up to succeed. You need:
For most firms, achieving all of the above is a difficult task. That’s because the firm must, first and foremost, focus on its core competency - delivering legal services. Projects, staffing, and project management around systematized marketing aren’t core to the firm’s delivery and usually get sidelined.
For that reason, it’s usually best for firms to either hire a dedicated marketing manager or outsource the marketing function. In either case, make sure the individual or firm has the depth of experience working in legal marketing today - not just old-school (and now less effective) blogging, newsletters, etc. but also across modern digital mediums.
The formula is simple. The right plan + the right resources + consistent execution = success.
Now it’s your turn.
If you’d like to discuss what a custom law firm marketing solution looks like - one created specifically for you by a marketing firm that’s for lawyers, by lawyers, request a consultation today.