Legal Marketing Articles

Archive for June, 2009

Blogging

Friday, June 26th, 2009
Man speaking with his hand

The Power of a Blog

It’s no secret that blogs are getting more and more play in the internet world, and if you take a look at some popular law firms’ online presence, you’ll notice countless professional attorneys are picking up on the trend and using it to their advantage. There are so many rewards for lawyers who get on-board with this cost effective marketing tool, which this post will explore in more detail.

You Don’t Have to Be a Writer

First and foremost, don’t be put off by blogging if you’re not the novelist type. You probably know your field of law like the back of your hand and understand very well the needs of your clients as far as the information they require and the concerns they have about your area(s) of practice. Understanding your audience and what they’re looking for is half the battle; the other half is being able to provide the information they require in an accurate and consistent way.

If you want your blog to have that special touch and really draw in readership, consider hiring a professional marketing firm who will have writers at their disposal who are experienced in your area available to produce blog posts that read well and provide precise information. These writers will not only be able to produce great copy on the subjects you want, but your entire marketing efforts will be tied in and promoted with your blog.

Reputation Management – Online and Offline

Having a blog associated with your firm puts the management of your online and offline reputation in your hands and allows you the opportunity to personally establish yourself as a resource and authority on your area of law. You can build a virtual rapport with your potential clients via this simple web tool.

Things to Know Before You Commit to Blogging

To have a really effective blog and ensure you reach the maximum target audience, there are some other techniques that are employed as standard by marketing professionals who utilize blogs, such as search engine optimization and link exchanges. This can be time consuming and may be best left up to internet marketing professionals who can devote all of their time to establishing and promoting your online persona.

If you keep up a good level of informative, helpful and new content, you will gain loyal readers and law clients. Applying other promotional techniques to your blog and tying it all in with your firm’s marketing efforts will ensure success and a wider reach for your practice.

Tools on the Horizon

Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Send icon and cursor on monitor, close-up

Online Document Management Systems

When your firm is busy, do you feel more like a secretary than a lawyer? Many firms are taking advantage of online document management – a space and time saving tool that not only makes your life easier, but impresses your clients and keeps them recommending you to friends, family and business partners who need legal assistance.

There are a few areas that are covered by popular electronic document management systems that also provide all-encompassing firm management:

• client information,
• project documents & notes,
• scheduling,
• standard document organization,
• billing, and
• letters and e-mails.

The advantages of adopting such a service are many – your client benefits with the easy access it provides to a variety of documents, from invoices to court forms to copies of lawyer-client correspondence. You and your administrative team will see a noticeable cut-down in the amount of information requests they receive, and you’ll save on the postage costs and demands associated with needing to repeatedly mail copies of various documents. You’ll also save on sometimes huge storage costs for your paper documents by switching to an electronic system.

Documents are hosted securely, and can be indexed and searched for quick referencing. Some companies offer customization of the entire software package to exactly suit your firm’s needs.

As you are likely aware, the federal court system rolled out a PDF-based system (CM/ECF) in 2001, so electronic document sharing should certainly be a focal point of any firm wanting to stay ahead of the curve and further streamline their practices.

The accessibility aspect of online document management a great marketing tool – clients will respect your technology-savvy approach to what some outsiders consider a difficult-to-approach subject (law). Offering this option to your clients will open new doors for a more collaborative approach to legal cases and the sharing of information.

Latest Tech Tips

Thursday, June 25th, 2009
computer animation

Latest Tech Tip on Call Tracking

Lawyers understand the advantages of technology in the day-to-day running of their firms, and you probably have plenty of top software packages and communications gadgets that help you do your job and handle clients more efficiently.  From a marketing perspective, one particular tech development is getting notice among legal firms, and it’s something you might not have heard of or considered.

Most lawyers with a web presence provide a toll-free 800 number for prospective clients to call for more information or to set up a consultation.  There’s a marketing resource to be had with distributing this information via web that many have left un-tapped: online call tracking.

Effective Lead Tracking Technology

When a client calls your 800 number, call tracking captures a wealth of useful information you can use to determine the effectiveness of your online campaigns.  The information will also help you to target specific demographics from whom you might be getting lots of attention, or you can utilize the demographic info to figure out which important markets you just aren’t reaching and re-evaluate your strategies.

How it Works

When you opt to use call tracking, you’ll need a unique phone number that will only be used on particular marketing materials – this way you can track which pages and materials are the most effective, and what demographic your information is reaching and enticing (don’t worry, the numbers are for tracking only – all calls will be routed to your normal firm line).

The software you choose will provide you with reports that include caller demographic information such as location and name, along with other details.

Online call tracking is a valuable tool that allows you to determine where your marketing efforts are paying off, where they need to be boosted, and what kind of leads they’re generating for you.  You’ll save money by not wasting time on strategies that just aren’t working or aren’t getting you the clients and leads you’re looking for.  Best of all is the high level of insight the technology offers into your existing and potential client markets.