Family law attorney marketing
Family law attorneys assist their clients with issues arising from divorce, child custody and child protective proceedings. Child protective proceedings result when the state seeks to place children in foster care and/or terminate parental rights. State statutes govern family law, so knowledge of local courts and their procedures is of prime importance. Therefore, any marketing strategy should be designed with a specific geographical area in mind.
Online marketing resources
1. Establish your authority: Your Web site must portray you as a knowledgeable and successful family law attorney. Answering potential clients’ preliminary questions such as “How does joint custody work?” or “Can I visit my children?” is the best way to do this. Add to this library helpful answers targeting questions specific to family law. Tackle one question per post.
2. Offer a webinar: This is merely a digital version of the old free client seminar. One potential topic could be the effect of divorce on personal income taxes. Offer to e-mail those who register the login information for the webinar, thereby capturing a contact for future reference. Online services like Microsoft Live Meeting, Webex and Adobe Connect Pro are affordable options to set up these webinars. Again, you establish yourself as an authority and then provide the means to contact you for further information.
3. Become a news source: Use your blog to track recent legal developments, such as alimony awards, including your successful results. By tracking news that’s relevant to your clients, you establish another touchpoint that could transition into new business. Also take the time to explain various court conferences and procedures that your clients will experience.
4. Spread the word: Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow you to engage with people in need of your counsel and promote your helpful resources, such as news, webinars and blog posts. The risk for divorce is highest among 25-year-olds, according to the Pew Research Center. Parents involved in child protective proceedings may also be younger. This is how you reach them. Be personable. Your client is experiencing a period of emotional turmoil and likely needs emotional as well as legal support.
5. Marketing via SEO and PPC: In short, search engine optimization (SEO) practices help identify your content to search engine visitors looking for your specific information or key words. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is the business of purchasing ads that appear to visitors who search these specific key words. Check out Google Ad Words and start with a small budget.
6. Obtain a local listing from search engines like Google. It’s free!
General legal marketing resources
1. Get referrals from other attorneys, probably your most important source.
2. Advertise where your potential clients are. Yellow pages, newspapers, local magazines, radio and television each reach their own niche.
3. Don’t forget your state and county bar association’s attorney referral service.
4. Get court-ordered assignments for indigent clients.
