Much has been written about niche marketing, to the point that it has become something of a marketing buzzword. But, overused or not, the concept of niche marketing is still very relevant to attorneys.

Technically defined, niche marketing is marketing that is targeted to focus on a sub set of potential customers or prospects. Finding your law firm’s niche and using it wisely has many advantages, particularly in a down economy. Attorneys can benefit from niche marketing because it helps them offer unique and distinct reasons why prospects should choose them. On the other hand, the strategy of trying to be all things to all people can water down your message and may not bring in the type or volume of cases you require.

Specific advantages include:

Firms can position themselves as leaders and experts, giving them a distinct competitive edge.
Firms can offer prospects a greater value because of their specific knowledge and expertise.
Firms can communicate directly with prospects and offer relevant information that helps connect with their needs.
A targeted focus creates a more efficient use of marketing resources and higher conversion from prospects in need of your services.
Focusing on quality instead of quantity can help grow your practice with a higher volume of good cases.

Finding your niche is as easy as understanding your firm’s strengths and studying the types of cases you handle most frequently. This goes beyond just generalized practice areas like Elder Law of Personal Injury. Your competition is advertising precisely the same things.

For example, perhaps your firm takes a lot of Business Law cases. Is there a subset of that area your firm can claim as a specialty, like entity formation or financing of green technologies? If you are an immigration attorney, do you handle cases involving certain types of visas more often than others? Are there cases you take within any practice area that are more profitable and desirable?

Answering these questions is key to carving out a niche that can help you distinguish yourself from the competition and grow your firm. When clients ask you why they should hire your firm, you will have a ready answer in your unique offering. You will be able to provide value and land new, higher value cases.