Personal Bankruptcy (Chapters 7 & 13) Attorney Marketing
Clients seeking the protection of bankruptcy are unable to pay their creditors and seek relief through a judicial division of their assets among their creditors. A Chapter 7 proceeding is a liquidation of the client’s assets, while a Chapter 13 proceeding allows a client to use future earnings to pay creditors. An effective marketing plan for building a bankruptcy law practice must use both the Internet and traditional media outlets. Bankruptcy law is one of the most competitive marketing areas on the Internet. To succeed, your website and blog must reach the first page of search engines.
Online Marketing Resources
1. Establish Your Authority: Start a blog that answers clients’ most immediate introductory questions. For example, “Will I lose my house?” and “Do I have to give up my IRA?” Add to this library of “helpful answers” questions and answers specific to your practice. Tackle one question per post.
2. Offer a Webinar: This is a digital version of the free-client seminar. A potential topic could be “How to Protect Your Home and Retirement Savings Through Bankruptcy.” 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.
3. Spread the Word: You need a social network presence. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow you to engage with debtors and promote your helpful resources, such as news, webinars and blog posts. Don’t be afraid to include some personality in these posts. Promote your Twitter and Facebook sites on your firm’s website and your blog.
4. Marketing via SEO and PPC: In short, SEO practices help identify your content to search engine visitors looking for 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, read up on it at Google Ad Words and start with a small budget.
5. Obtain a listing in Google’s local business directory. It’s free!
6. Purchase a listing on an on-line bankruptcy website.
7. Subscribe to an on-line data service such as ClickData, which provides daily listings of bankruptcy filings.
General Legal Marketing Resources
1. Advertise where your potential clients are. Bus lines, yellow pages, newspapers, billboards, radio and television each reach their own niches. Remember, this includes cultivating a good relationship with the media. Become the attorney that the local media go to when reporters need a quote.
2. Cultivate referrals from other attorneys.
3. Don’t forget your state bar’s Attorney Referral Service.
