Contents
Bonus: Free PDF Download of this Law Firm Marketing Plan
Welcome to the only law firm marketing plan you’ll ever need.
More leads, more clients, more profit.
Use this lawyer marketing plan to create a powerful law firm marketing strategy.
You’ll learn about SEO, Google Ads, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, Web Design & more.
Find out what works and what doesn’t.
And discover where you’ve gone wrong in the past.
Let’s get started.
SMART Goals
I have a question for you:
What’s the purpose of your law firm marketing efforts? Goals? Aspirations?
Figure out what you want to achieve first. Be as specific as possible.
How to set goals
You’ve probably heard of SMART goals.
Why not give it a try?
SMART goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-Bound)
Learn more about SMART goals here
Determine your ideal clients
Want these types of clients?
- High-quality
- Relevant
- Profitable
Then it’s essential that you understand WHO your ideal client/s are.
This will make your law firm marketing strategy more effective.
Saving time, money and energy.
Please accept that your law firm probably isn’t for everyone. Nor should it be.
However…
Here is a very important note regarding your ‘ideal client’
Let me be clear…
You don’t need to define your ideal client to get clients online.
In fact, if your website isn’t generating leads right now, I encourage you to skip to the heading ‘Website’, and sort out the sections that follow.
Why?
It’s ESSENTIAL that people can FIND your law firm online. (e.g. Website, SEO, Google Ads, etc).
Profit matters.
If you aren’t getting clients, then what’s the point in brainstorming your ‘ideal’ client? Sort out your cashflow…then move on.
Yes, some ‘branding experts’ will HATE me for saying this. But I simply can’t see the logic in learning how to ‘run’ before you can ‘walk’.
Once you’ve done this, it’s time to figure out WHO your ideal client is and WHAT they want. This is the ‘secret sauce’ that will take your law firm marketing to the next level.
Here’s what you should consider.
Demographics
- Gender
- Age
- Location
- Profession
- Salary
- What do they look like? This will help you choose premium stock photography.
Go deeper…
It’s time to learn more about your ideal client.
This part is about understanding HOW you’ll meet their wants and needs (better than your competitors).
Consider the following:
- The main legal services they require
- The qualities they are looking for in their lawyer
- The main questions they need answered
- Their main problem(s), challenge(s), or issue(s)
- The information they’re interested in learning
- What may confuse them or be perceived as threatening
- What they want to achieve by engaging you
- How much they are willing to pay to hire you
- Any other factors that may be important to them
How to answer these questions
Contact your clients
Call up your best clients and ask them these questions.
Go through your online leads database.
You should have a database on your website that shows every online enquiry you’ve received. What questions are people asking? Which services are they interested in? What problems and concerns do they have? Where are they located? Your web developer should have set this up for you.
Consult your staff members
Ask your staff to answer these questions. Also, ask them to start writing down frequently asked questions from prospects who call & email the firm.
What if you’re a new law firm?
Start-up law firms will need to make some educated guesses and learn along the way. The more you work with clients, the more you’ll learn about what they need.
Build your brand with a clear value proposition
You’ve already figured out who your ideal client is and what their wants/needs are.
Now it’s time to clarify how you’ll solve their problems better than your competition.
This is achieved by building a brand with a clear value proposition.
Here’s the thing –
Branding isn’t just about getting a logo, expensive letterheads and business cards.
It’s more about defining your message.
Please follow these steps before moving to the next part of this marketing plan.
For example, at the time of writing this post, the Legalsites homepage hero has this value proposition:
‘More leads, more clients, more profit’
And below the hero, we’ve got 3 unique selling points:
The value proposition should achieve the following:
- Be clear and compelling for readers
- Relate closely to at least one of the main problems of your target audience
- Speak directly to the needs, wants, and desires of your potential customers
- Demonstrate how you help solve their problem
- Convince readers that they’re in the right place and that they need to dig deeper into your website or contact you.
Your value proposition may also relate to:
- The emotional value you deliver for clients
- Your experience in the field. Tip: quantify your experience. For example, if you have 30 years of experience, list a few things that you’ve done for your clients within those 30 years. This gives the time meaning.
- The unique personal qualities you bring to client cases
- The volume of criminal cases you’ve handled. Please be specific. Use numbers. And reference your sources (where possible).
- The testimonials and awards you’ve received
- The great service levels you deliver to clients
Please quantify your value proposition (where possible).
So, if you can refer to a source that backs up your claims, do it.
If you can use numbers, do it.
This will make your value proposition appear more authentic and meaningful.
Ensure your ideal clients can find you
Okay, now you know:
- Who your ideal clients are
- What they need
- How you’ll meet their needs
Now it’s time to learn how you’ll ensure they can find you.
First, I’ll outline the marketing channels you need to master.
Then I’ll explain how to do it.
You’ll need to cover the following:
- Google
- Website
- SEO
- Google Ads
- Social Media
- Where is your ideal client? In Australia, these 3 platforms will suit the majority of law firms:
- Where is your ideal client? In Australia, these 3 platforms will suit the majority of law firms:
- Content Marketing
- PR & Media Outreach
- Email Marketing
Website
Please don’t just have a website for the ‘sake of having one’.
Or because you want to look ‘legit’.
Times have changed.
A website is so much more than a place on the internet that has your contact information.
Your law firm website is the hub for all your marketing activities.
So it’s essential that you get it right.
A law firm website needs to:
- Get clients from Google
- Provide the information that your prospects want
- Capture leads
- And more…
Essential law firm website requirements include:
- Responsive design ( e.g. looks great on mobile, desktop & PC)
- Fast loading speed
- Lead gen tools (e.g. click to call buttons, online enquiry form, chatbot, etc)
- Easy navigation
- Homepage with a ‘hero’ that includes: a clear value proposition and a ‘call to action’ with a clickable button. This should allow the prospect to contact you.
- Onsite SEO fundamentals (e.g. e.g. meta description, title tag, headings tags, keyword optimised copy, fast loading speed, keyword in URL, short URLs, alt tag in images)
- Keyword research
- Practice area pages
- Social proof (e.g. client reviews, awards, media features, stats, case studies, affiliations, accreditations etc).
Learn more with these law firm website resources:
Service: Law Firm Website Design
The Better Law Firm Marketing Podcast
Law Firm Website HOMEPAGE QUIZ
3 quick steps to a better law firm website
SEO
This is how your website gets found on Google, without paying for ads.
93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. But 75% of people never go past the first page.
Search engine optimization (SEO) matters for every law firm. Especially competitive marketplaces and locations.
SEO is a HUGE topic. Fortunately, it’s explored through the Legalsites website. Specifically on our blog and podcast.
Law Firm SEO Resources
The Better Law Firm Marketing Podcast
Law Firm SEO by Legalsites (Services)
In summary, SEO is mostly about 2 things:
- Providing useful & relevant information
- Providing an outstanding user-experience
If you get these 2 things right, you’ll do great!
There are over 200 ranking factors.
So, if you want to become a pro, just check out the resources listed above.
Or considering hiring Legalsites to manage your SEO.
Google Ads (PPC for Lawyers)
Taken from this article: Does AdWords work for lawyers? (PPC for lawyers)
How PPC for lawyers can get your law firm clients
Google Ads is probably the most effective law firm marketing strategy.
Yes, organic search (SEO) does drive traffic to your website. But it takes time.
Here’s the thing –
A steady flow of highly targeted and qualified leads will start coming your way if you are running an effective Google Ads campaign. It’s that simple. You just need to get a few things right and keep the campaigns running.
But there’s more…
Google Ads now cover as much as 85% of the space ‘above the fold’ on the SERPs (search engine result page).
Plus, when someone searches for “best criminal lawyer in (insert location)”, their intent to hire is likely high.
Compare this to Social Media Advertising.
People on Google are showing their intent through their search phrases. Whereas social media users could be using the platform for a variety of unrelated reasons. While it’s possible to estimate the intent of a social media user, it’s much easier to do it with Google users.
Just imagine the immediate flow of emails or calls from people ready to hire you.
Sound good? Okay, let’s keep moving.
Common mistakes law firms make when trying Google Ads
Some law firms question the return on investment provided by AdWords.
This is generally because of a poor experience in the past.
It’s often due to:
- “DIY” campaigns not being managed correctly
- Not targeting the right keywords
- Costly mistakes – like not stating negative keywords, which exclude irrelevant searches.
- Campaigns not being run within pre-agreed spend guidelines
- Not budgeting enough for effective campaigns
- Not hiring AdWords specialists to optimize performance
- Not sticking at campaigns for long enough – giving up after a month
- Focusing on the ad only – and not the landing pages
- Poor copywriting
How your law firm can succeed at PPC for lawyers
Here’s what you need to do:
- Hire experienced and professional AdWords specialists to set up, run, and test campaigns – mistakes are costly
- Focus on targeting long-tail (niche) keywords
- Use dynamic keyword extension in your ad copy to match customer’s search terms
- Use ad extensions – to help your ads stand out and increase click-through rates
- Go local with your search ads – and attract more of your target audience from a defined geographical radius
- Target zip codes and postal codes – not just cities
- Request an agreement with your AdWords professional. E.g. no leads = no fees
- Insist on regular reporting from the agency you hire
- Budget for at least $1000 per month spend
Additional Learning Resources (PPC for Lawyers)
The Better Law Firm Marketing Podcast
Services: Google Adwords for Lawyers
The #1 Reason Why Big Money Doesn’t Equal Success With Google Ads
The Beginner’s Guide To Law Firm Google Ads
Creative Marketing Ideas fo Law Firms (‘Jumpstart’)
Law Firm Marketing Blog by Legalsites
Google Ads Resource Centre by Google
Takeaway: Does AdWords work for Lawyers?
Of course! Just follow the steps in this guide and the additional resources.
Please contact us if you’d like to learn more.
Bonus: Free Case Study Download
Discover how we helped a law firm increase website traffic and leads by over 400%
Social Media
Most law firms should focus on Facebook. Some law firms will also benefit from LinkedIn and Instagram.
Generally speaking, LinkedIn is best for b2b
Instagram is great for developing a personal brand. So, it’s less effective for marketing a law firm. But it can be great for marketing a lawyer.
Facebook is generally the best ‘all-rounder’.
Social Media Marketing Basics for Law Firms
Get the following things right:
- Professional headshots of the team
- Engage in consistent content marketing. And promote it on social media.
- Boost/Promote/Advertise posts that perform well organically
- Install a Facebook pixel on your website. This will allow you to set up a retargeting campaign. For example, have you ever visited a website and received an ad for it on Facebook? You’ve been retargeted.
Content Marketing
There are many reasons to engage in content marketing.
What might these be?
Answer client questions, become the expert in your field, drive traffic to your website, improve your Google ranking, get more referrals, attract clients to your law firm, develop trust & credibility, etc.
Either way, it’s an essential component to your law firm marketing strategy.
Types of law firm content marketing
Law firms have many options for content marketing.
Here are some of the more popular ones.
Video
The use of video marketing by law firms can increase organic traffic from search engines by 157%, according to hitsearch.
And you’re 53 times more likely to feature on the first page of Google if you include video, according to this infographic from Filmora.
In fact, by 2020, it’s estimated that video will make up 82% of all consumer internet traffic.
You can use video to answer FAQs, provide how-to information, introduce your team, feature client reviews & provide a general overview of your law firm.
It’s an incredibly effective way to build trust, communicate with a new audience and stand out from your competitors.
Webinars
Let’s look at why and how…
Benefits of Law Firm Webinar Marketing:
- Reach out to potential new clients
- Educate the target audience
- Answer questions
- Start conversations
- Generate engagement and leads
- Position the firm as a leading authority
- Improve existing client relationships
The Best Law Firm Webinar Software Options Include:
Podcasts
Lawyers are usually great communicators.
So why not start a podcast?
It’s easy, cheap and fun.
Related: Check out the Better Law Firm Marketing Podcast by Legalsites
Social Media Posts
Engage directly with your audience, answer common questions, share blog posts and build a community.
Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are popular options.
Why not follow Brendan Kelso on LinkedIn?
He’s the principal and manager of Legalsites.
Resources page with articles, links, and downloads
This is a great place to build your email list.
How?
Offer people ‘lead magnets’ in exchange for their email address.
e.g. checklists, guides, how-to’s, e-books, etc
FAQ page
Answer frequently asked questions.
Promote this page on your social media posts, emails and other content marketing channels.
It will drive traffic to your website, save time and build trust.
Blog posts
This is our most complete guide on blogging for lawyers.
You’ll learn everything you need to know.
Bonus: Check out this podcast episode on Content Marketing
Should law firms bother with content marketing?
It covers a lot of useful information, such as:
- How does it make your law firm money?
- What types of law firm content marketing work best?
- How to stick to a release schedule and routine.
PR and Media Outreach
Law Firm PR remains a great way to enhance your firm’s profile, become more visible, and drive traffic and leads.
Benefits of PR & MR Outreach for Law Firms include:
- Writing articles for publications and sharing your knowledge gets your name out there and people talking about you. Specifically, it allows you to reach the media outlet’s audience base.
- Mentions in leading media outlets and legal publications can generate huge authority, credibility, and interest in your law firm
- Your firm or your lawyers may get mentions in legal news aggregation websites or backlinks from authoritative media sites. This will improve your Google ranking and drive more traffic to your website.
- You can feature press releases as fresh content on your website
- Social proof: being featured in well-known media outlets will make your law firm look more credible. Add the logos of these media sources on your homepage. For example: ‘featured in’ or ‘trusted by’ (add logos….)
Build relationships with the media using the following strategies:
Developing relationships in the media may take time.
But it’s worth it.
Here’s how:
- Network and cultivate closer relationships with key players in your local press – offer them your expert advice.
- Customise all correspondence with the media outlet – tell them why their audience will benefit – make it about what they can get out of it rather than you.
- Ensure it’s easy for them to contact you when they need an expert
- Send out professionally written media releases
- And don’t forget to engage in consistent content marketing
Email Marketing
Most people who visit your website ARE NOT ready to become a client.
They’re not even ready to contact you.
That’s where email marketing comes in.
How law firm email marketing works
- Prospect visits your website
- You offer them something of value (aka ‘lead magnet’) in exchange for their email address (e.g. a downloadable pdf checklist)
- They receive this thing of value through an automated email marketing platform
- You send them emails that are designed to nurture them into becoming a client
What your need to start law firm email marketing
- Lead magnet
- E.g. checklist, guide, ebook, case study, etc
- It just needs to be something of value which can be obtained in exchange for an email address
- Email Marketing Platform
- E.g. Mailchimp, Convertkit, Infusionsoft, etc
- A series of emails that will nurture your lead and hopefully turn them into a client
- https://legalsites.com.au/law-firm-marketing-blog/
Law firm email marketing learning resources
Email Marketing services by Legalsites
Need more help with your law firm marketing plan?
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