In today’s marketplace, law firms and other businesses must identify target markets, establish key performance indicators, and implement strategies that lead to lasting results.
But not all law firms are created equally. They specialize in different practice areas that require unique ways to reach their prospective clients and grow within their industries.
Knowing why different practice areas need different types of marketing is the first step to creating an effective marketing strategy for your law firm. You’ll achieve better results, reduce your marketing spending, and gain more visibility for your practice.
Specializing in Today’s Marketplace
Law firms that have niched down their services are more likely to achieve success from their marketing efforts. Specializing in a practice area sets your law firm apart from its competitors.
Personal injury, intellectual property, and estate planning law firms have specific needs when it comes to selling their services. Prospective clients look for legal services when a specific need arises.
Marketing your practice area and avoiding generalized marketing messages makes it easy for prospects to find and hire you. You can get even better results from specializing within your practice area by further narrowing down your services.
Search Marketing
Different practice areas have different keywords that are relevant to their target audiences. Law firms must understand which keywords provide the greatest return on their marketing investment.
When using Google AdWords or other paid advertising, you must tailor your keyword use and ads according to your practice area. This is a result of having an understanding of the words used by prospects looking for your legal services.
Your law firm should avoid using general keywords. The more specific your target keywords, the more successful your advertising campaigns will be.
List Building
Capturing emails, phone numbers, and other contact information from prospects gives you an opportunity to build the relationships that grow your client base.
Law firms must consider how prospects hire them for their services. The sales process may be long when prospective clients require more information before deciding to hire you for your legal services.
In some cases, the need for your services may be urgent, and prospects may decide to purchase your services based on your location or experience.
Building a list requires you to segment that list so that you can reach prospects at the right time with the right message.
Consider the services you provide and the needs that they address. Use this information to nurture prospective clients through the sales process and achieve higher conversion rates.
Website Design
Your website’s design depends on your practice area. A website serves many functions including educating and influencing its visitors. It supports your branding efforts so that your practice is easily recognized among its competitors.
Your site’s pages should be specific to your area of practice. It should serve as a valuable resource for those individuals who need your services.
Offering valuable and relevant content can only result from a marketing strategy that’s aligned with your legal services. Other elements of your design including logos, headlines, taglines, and layout are also influenced by your specific area of practice.
Different practice areas need different types of marketing. Although law firms share many business objectives, the strategies used to achieve them will depend on their specialties, expertise, and target markets.
What practice area does your law firm focus on? Let us know how you’ve tailored your own marketing strategies to align with your needs in the comments below.
Creating a customized approach to marketing your services leads to success in your industry and a growing client base for years to come.
