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Law firm marketing used to be so simple. Slap up a few ads, buy up some television time, and call the Yellow Pages representative to pick up a fat check.
But somewhere along the line it got more difficult. Prospective clients started wising up and asking questions. They realized that there was no early way for them to differentiate between Lawyer A and Lawyer B based on a 30 second commercial spot or a full-page Yellow Pages ad. The problem was that they didn’t know exactly how to tell the difference.
So they did what we all do when we shop for a new car – we peek under the hood.
First they turned to the Better Business Bureau, not realizing that lawyers didn’t utilize that venue. So they moved onto Martindale-Hubbell, the grand-daddy of lawyer rankings. But M-H was stuffed to the gills with huge law firms that looked down on helping people with their problems in favor of billing big corporate entities.
Some lucky few could ask their friends and family members about lawyers, but when it came to things like bankruptcy and divorce it was a little stickier. Who wants to approach their uncle and say, “Hi Uncle Bob. I can’t pay my bills. Do you know a good bankruptcy lawyer?”
So they turned to the Internet. At first there was no way to find a reputable professional, so the public just bumped around in the dark. But eventually lawyers started getting websites, those online brochures with pretty pictures. Lulled into peaceful slumber, people started equating the best website with the best lawyer.
But something happened along the way. Blogging came around, and some folks started thinking that it was a darn easy way to add information to their website. It sure was a lot faster and cheaper than paying the web guru to update the site every month.
Blogging didn’t take off for lawyers for a long time. In fact, there’s a good argument that blogging still hasn’t taken off for lawyers. But with blogging evangelists like Grant Griffiths leading the way, inroads have been made over the past few years.
When you’re talking about blogging, you’re talking about the entire world of online marketing. Every industry has marching orders to get blogging and get it done now. Every media channel has a cadre of super-successful people who also happen to be blogging their brains out. You can’t get away from it.
Consumers have been trained to ask questions online, to query Google and Bing and the rest in an effort to get answers. The answers to their questions float to the top of the search engine results page and, in so doing, the site on which those answers reside gain the most loyal followings.
Follow someone long enough and you come to trust their intellect and insight. You rely upon them for good information. You get to know them to an extent, and feel closer to them. And when you need help, you turn to that person over all others.
Chances are pretty good that you’re not creating content and, in fact, don’t know where you’d put it or what you should do to get people to notice it. If so, you’re not alone. In fact, most of your competition isn’t doing anything either. They’re watching the world pass them by, caught up in the day-to-day grind of being lawyer and entranced by the notion of cutting a fat check to some “SEO Mastermind” to turn their 3-page website into a Google magnet.
Good luck with that.
So here’s what you need to do, right now. Take out a pen and a blank legal pad and start writing. Anything at all.
We’re going to keep talking about this. Because your future depends on it.
Photo courtesy of SPazzo_1493.
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Great article, but do you really think that all attorneys should write to attract clients? Aren’t most of them better off with other activities? Besides, how many articles do we need to announce some big amendment or rule change a month after it happens?
@Thorne – I think that's where the content comes in. Having a blog may be nice, but what I think Jay is advocating is having a good blog. One where an expert can talk about his or her favorite subject (hopefully their practice area). If the posts are just keyword laden filler, count me out. But an insightful analysis of a rule change or amendment in a topic of personal interest to me, that'll get me every time.
Exactly my point, Paul. Keyword-laden filler is useless, as is putting up a blog and letting it collect dust. Remember those old “Firm News” pages that contained 3 year-old press releases and nothing remotely useful or up-to-date? For many lawyers, blogs have become the new “Firm News” page.
As to the original comment, I'm not just talking about a post about a rule change or recent decision. Talk about your practice area, questions that people ask you, and your firm. Make the connection with your readers and prospective clients, and use the space as an active means of interaction. It's a wonderful platform, but one that works only if you're going to put your time, effort and passion into it.
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As prospective clients become wiser in terms of choosing or employing a lawyer, lawyers must also be wise in advertising their legal services. When competition gets stiffer, one should be a step ahead from the rest.
As prospective clients become wiser in terms of choosing or employing a lawyer, lawyers must also be wise in advertising their legal services. When competition gets stiffer, one should be a step ahead from the rest.