Criminal Defense Marketing
Criminal defense clients are being investigated or prosecuted by federal, state, or local government for allegedly committing a crime. The prosecutions range from parking tickets to homicide. Marketing strategies need to reach these people at home, at work, where they are being held in custody, or through community or social networks. They need an attorney to counsel them regarding their rights, advise regarding pleading, negotiate plea-bargains, defend, and if necessary, appeal convictions.
Online Marketing Resources
1. Establish Your Authority: Start a blog that answers clients’ immediate questions. “What should I do if I’m arrested? or “Should I ever agree to a search without a warrant?” or “Should I ever refuse to take a sobriety test?” By answering these questions, you establish yourself as a resource and worthy of consideration should they need representation. Add to this a library of “helpful answers” targeting questions specific to your practice. Tackle one question per post.
2. Explain the Criminal Courts and Their Procedures: Use your blog and website to explain items like criminal statues, the process or arraignment, and how bail works.
3. Become a News Source: Use your blog to track recent case decisions including your successful results. By tracking news that’s relevant to your clients, you establish another touch point that could transition into new business.
4. Spread the Word: You need a social network presence. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow you to engage with potential clients and promote your helpful resources, e.g., news, and blog posts. Twitter allows posting of mini-updates on favorable case decisions, TV and radio interviews and other useful client information. Don’t be afraid to include some personality in these posts. Promote your Twitter and Facebook sites on your website and blog.
5. Marketing via SEO and PPC: In short, search-engine optimization practices help identify your content to search engine visitors looking for your specific information or keywords. Pay-per-click advertising is the business of purchasing ads that appear to visitors who search these specific keywords. If you’re unfamiliar with paid search, you should read up on Google Ad Words and start with a small budget.
General Legal Marketing Resources
1. Advertise where clients are like bus lines, yellow pages, park benches, papers, billboards, radio and television. Cultivate good relationships with the media. The more you are interviewed, the more potential clients see you.
2. Obtain court appointments and referrals from other attorneys.
3. Use Direct mail to DUI/DWI defendants from police department lists.
4. Hand out business cards at court, jail, police stations, etc.
