You’re not likely to find a law firm with flashy marketing, advertising or PR. It’s not in the sector’s nature to stray away from its uber-professional tone. And it’s easy to understand why the legal sector is so reluctant to stand out from their fellow competitors. They’re trying to encourage trust within their audience with their safe image.
Most modern marketing efforts are all about thinking outside the box and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. Crazy creative tactics are all over other industries at the moment, but not in the legal sector. The majority of law firms would hate to appear unprofessional with a more out-there approach to their marketing.
But that doesn’t change the fact that to win clients, your firm has to stand out from your competitors. So, what kind of marketing is right for a modern law firm that wants to make its mark but still appear professional?
The history of marketing for law firms
As a more traditional industry, the legal sector had historically been dominated by old-school marketing techniques. Word of mouth is overwhelmingly one of the most vital aspects of a traditional law firm’s marketing strategy. Your reputation as a firm has to speak for itself, and a gaudy advertising campaign might not create the desired effect on potential clients.
As such, most law firms have been afraid to deviate from the average tactics that every other firm uses in their marketing strategy. (And a lot of firms don’t even have any marketing at all!) Maybe they’ll use the blog section of their website from time to time and use their social media to promote those blogs – but that’s generally the extent of it. Aside from a fear of standing out, this lack of marketing could be due to a lack of budget from most firms. Statistically, it has been shown that the majority of firms in the UK are small businesses. As such, they don’t have access to the kind of cash needed for an entire marketing budget and rely heavily on positive reviews and word of mouth.
These traditional methods can work well for a time, but to really push your law firm above your competitors, you need a strong strategy and engaging content.
Marketing for law firms – Where are we now?
We’re starting to see law firms take their messaging and their marketing in exciting new directions that deviate from the traditional, safe methods of yesteryear.
This is an important evolution as, ultimately, law firms are businesses. And businesses should always be looking to expand and grow in all areas – including their marketing.
As the market gets more competitive, marketing for law firms is more important than ever to help firms win clients and gain a reputation of excellence. Carving out a competitive advantage with a unique niche and stellar messaging is essential to keep any law firm afloat in the modern age.
Here are three law firms that have the right idea when it comes to marketing their law firms creatively:
Colorado Legal Group
With a cheekier style than traditional firms, Colorado Legal Group uses engaging, and a little shocking, language to create a more personable feel with their clients. They understand their target audience and want to communicate in a way that makes them feel at ease.
Through their use of gated content, they’re providing value to any visitors whilst also establishing a relationship with their conversational tone. During a period that can feel vulnerable and frightening to people (aka finding a divorce lawyer), using humour creates a sense of ease within the client.
The Levoritz Law Group
It’s common for law firms to utilise the colour blue in their marketing to create a sense of calm and ease within their clients. The Levoritz Law Group certainly utilises a lot of blue, but not to create a feeling of calm. They’re reframing ‘shark’ lawyers – often a negative term to describe overly aggressive lawyers – and turning it into a strong message with engaging visuals. This marketing strategy engages their target audience and inspires confidence in the firm’s abilities to achieve their desired outcome – and that’s only after looking at their home page.
Matthew Foley, PLC
More in line with traditional marketing for law firms, Matthew Foley is deliberately attempting to create a sense of calm within any potential clients that click on his page. As a bankruptcy attorney, the most important thing to any potential client would be how they’re being treated (as they’re in a vulnerable situation) and costs (as they’re filing for bankruptcy.) Matthew Foley addresses both of these issues with their strong messaging. Not only are they highlighted as being the ‘nicest’ law firm but also have that eye-catching $0.00. Both issues are addressed immediately and engage potential clients with their unique marketing.
If you’re a law firm looking to engage leads with strong messaging and creative marketing, contact Boss Digital for a free consultation.
