While the COVID-19 crisis is creating new challenges for law firms across the country, it’s essential to keep calm and plan intelligently for your law firm’s success. It can be easy to fall into the panic of, “I need to cut costs!” and eliminate essential services. But your law firm is kept together by a delicate balance of well-oiled parts, so don’t panic and abandon your marketing. Actually, right now is an especially important time to focus more on your digital marketing than before.
People aren’t driving around as much, so they won’t be looking at Billboards. They’re at home looking at their emails and searching the internet. Any attorney has the chance to thrive if they can take an adaptive approach to their digital marketing, and law firms will find that digital marketing is their lifeline to the external world. But the usual digital marketing approaches will have to adapt to today’s new challenges and your firm’s particular needs. Here are some tips for ways of approaching marketing decisions that impact your firm’s foreseeable future.
1. Narrow your focus, highlight parts of your practice most relevant to today’s issues
Show prospective clients the strength they are looking for. Narrow the focus of your digital marketing scope and eliminate the static that could be distracting to prospects. Depending on your practice area, you’ll know best which types of cases will start emerging more than before. You’ll know which of your practice areas will be in highest demand. Play to your strengths and help those who need your help to find you.
2. Be a leader
When people are scared and confused about what to do, they seek answers online. Meet them there by creating a content plan, including blog posts, social media, webinars, and/or videos, that address your prospective client’s needs and speak empathically to their difficult situations. By creating content that demonstrates your lawyers as thought leaders during this difficult time, present and future clients will have a greater sense of trust in your leadership. They can also get a sense of whether their needs will be met by your practice.
3. Stand out among the COVID-19 content and answer specific questions
Many law firms are, with good reason, posting content related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including helpful information that people readily need. However, your digital marketing strategy should involve the creation of unique, specific content that stands out instead of repeating the same general information found everywhere else.
You’re equipped to answer people’s biggest questions. Now is the time to answer them.
4. Focus on more consistent and timely social media and email campaigns
People are spending more hours on their email and social media than in the past. If you were posting a blog once a week, or a social media post once every other week, now is the time to double down. You will want to manage a focused and consistent stream of content that’s relevant to your target audience.
5. Make sure your website is at its best
It will be essential for anyone with hours to spend on the internet to land on your website and feel confident in your firm right away. First impressions are going to be key, and in our lived experiences that are becoming increasingly digital, your digital appearance and the content you provide will be essential in attracting new clients.
Client acquisition and marketing go hand-in-hand, and you don’t want to be left without a stream of quality leads under any circumstances, pandemic or otherwise. At Custom Legal Marketing, we are passionate about using our expertise to help our clients gain a steady stream of new leads throughout this crisis.
Cristina Fríes is a MA in English/Creative Writing from UC Davis (2019), and is a legal marketing strategist and content developer for CLM. Her interests include creating compelling marketing content, writing books, and traveling the world.