In the past, the most effective way to market a law firm for most personal injury attorneys was simple—make a good sign, do some good work, and hope clients start showing up. While that may have worked for some, it left a vast majority of PI law practices sitting by the door, waiting for new clients.
Here’s the good news: things have changed. Consumers today are more engaged and more connected than ever (well at least they’re more connected with their laptops, tablets, and phones). They’re always listening and there are more ways than ever for them to hear your voice…which is great if you’re a personal injury law firm with a solid marketing plan (and less great if you’re a parent trying to talk to your kids over the dinner table).
The bad news is that your competition also has the same access. That’s why it’s important for your law firm to be proactive and have a marketing strategy to take advantage of this unprecedented attention. Accordingly, here are some of the ways you can connect with consumers and stand tall in a very crowded PI field:
Tidy up your website
First impressions matter and so do first clicks. Your law firm’s website is the modern day equivalent of a sign—it’s usually the first representation of your firm to the outside world; that’s why it’s important that you invest time and money into making it look great. Your website should be professional, aesthetically pleasing, mobile friendly and a reliable resource for all firm-related info. In other words, treat your site like a first date—if you’re interesting and don’t look like a slob, they’ll want to come back for more.
Don’t stop there
Your website isn’t just about the exterior…what’s underneath matters just as much. Make sure your search engine optimization (SEO)—i.e., how far up your site appears on search engines like Google—is up to snuff so you can reach a larger audience. And use Google Analytics to see how potential clients are getting to your site (and where they’re going once they’re there) so you can adjust accordingly.
Speak directly
Marketing to your clients doesn’t have to be a series of one-way conversations where you’re always in the driver’s seat. A 24/7 live-chat feature on your site will allow you to interact with prospective clients and let them take the wheel. This personal approach can set you apart from other firms and ensure your potentials get the answers they need (so they don’t end up lost and elsewhere).
Do the “write” thing
As evidenced by you reading this piece, blog posts are a great way to reach new (or old) audiences. Blogs allow you to talk about topics that matter to your leads, position yourself as an expert in your practice area, boost SEO on your site, and give you material for a newsletter that you can send to past clients…add that all up and your firm will be counting more than just words.
You might also like: Key in on Your Marketing KPIs and Unlock Your Personal Injury Firm’s Success.
Make a cameo
Don’t be shy to offer your PI expertise to third party outlets: appear on a local newscast; write for an industry-specific website or magazine; join a panel discussion on hot topics in your field. It will not only raise your profile, but it will also position you and your practice as thought leaders in the PI space.
Post, tweet, and comment
While you may have mixed feelings about social media marketing when it comes to your personal life, when it comes to your firm, it can be very beneficial. It’s a cheap and easy way to engage and update your “audience;” plus, with easy sharing available on most platforms, your digital marketing reach is truly limitless. So don’t forget to post consistently and include your social media links on everything you do…it’s like the new business card.
Put a face to your name
There are thousands of stars born in the galaxy every second—and that number has steadily increased since the arrival of YouTube. People like videos, and law firm marketing is increasingly pivoting towards “lights, camera, action” over the written word. That’s because (in addition to accommodating leads that are scared of reading) video puts a personal touch on your content marketing campaigns and online presence—instilling a sense of trust from the get go and giving your SEO a big boost.
Work your network
We know that talking about law may be the last thing you want to do when you leave the office, but networking events can offer big time rewards that go way beyond the free appetizers. Attending industry events and tradeshows can help you extend your reach to a larger audience, position yourself as a PI leader, and set yourself up for future partnerships and referral sources…all in a day’s network.
Tell your clients to speak up
Even in a tech-savvy world, word of mouth is still king—that’s because, with the rise of customer review sites, social media, and consumer culture, clients’ voices have become more amplified than ever. Positive reviews can bring your firm unprecedented new business, while a single negative review can threaten your livelihood…so make sure you continue to do exemplary work for your clients and encourage them to brag about your best successes.
You might also like: How to Exceed Your Clients’ Expectations and Avoid Bad Reviews
And we encourage you to check out our Next-Gen Legal Cloud®️ and sign up for a free demo so you can start bragging out about all our best successes (legal marketing and otherwise) for your PI law firm…see, we know how to market too!
