Marketing Is Not A Four-Letter Word
As attorneys, we often act like marketing is a four letter word, something to be afraid of or avoided at all costs. Yet, if you are a solo or small firm practitioner, you are also a business owner and marketing is the life-blood of your existence. We have to market or perish, like it or not. If people don’t know you exist, know what you do or know what makes you unique, you can’t thrive and grow. But… marketing doesn’t have to be all work and no play, it can and should be part of your daily practice habit.
Marketing should not be confused with selling. Marketing is so much more. Marketing is everything you do or say. It is your online presence. It is your visibility in your community. It is your website, your promotional materials, and even your business card. It is the impression your office and your team create when a client enters the door for the first time. It is the way you follow up with referral sources and prospective clients once they leave your office. This list could go on and on.
Do a marketing audit. What are you doing now? Make a list of every possible thing you can think of that looks or feels like marketing to you. Start with you. How do you dress to greet your clients? What do you say? Are you punctual? Friendly? What is the client or prospective client’s first impression of you? What can you do to improve? If this is hard for you, ask someone you trust to help you do a self-evaluation. Ask them to be brutally honest and take their criticism, if any, as constructive. We can all improve. You don’t have to incorporate all of their suggestions at once, try one a week until you notice substantial improvement.
Take a hard look at your office. What does the client see or experience as they are approaching? Is there onsite or offsite parking? Does your office pay for parking if a fee is required? Does the client know this in advance? What do the parking facilities look like? Are they clean, well-lit and safe? What does the client see as they approach your front door? Is the building appealing to the eye? Are the lawn and gardens well kept? Is there garbage lying around? What about cigarette butts and the people who put them there? Do you have team members or others standing near the door who are smoking? What kind of impression does this give? Evaluate your office and its impression as if you were going to interview a new trusted professional for your own needs.
What does the client experience the moment they walk in the front door? What do they see? Is the décor inviting? How are they greeted? Are they immediately seated or expected to wait? What does your waiting room look like? What do they smell? Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies or leftovers from lunch? Are they offered something to drink while they are waiting? How long do they have to wait? What happens if you are delayed?
As you can see, this inquiry can go on and on and we haven’t really gotten beyond the front door. It should. I would suspect most attorneys have not done this level of evaluation and introspection. Your success, both now and in the future, depends on how each of these questions is answered. You might be experiencing a level of success you are comfortable with or you might be brand new to the practice of law. Do you want to take your practice to the next level? If so, start with the basic first impressions you, your team and your office are projecting. How can you create a memorable experience for your client that will permanently establish in their mind your ability to meet their professional legal needs?
There are significant resources available to assist you. First, look to the Florida Bar—both LOMAS (Law Office Management Assistance Service) and of course, the General Practice Solo and Small Firm Section. They offer people, systems and continuing legal education opportunities to assist you in putting your best foot (and face) forward.
For more information, questions or to request a copy of a Marketing Audit, please contact Peggy Hoyt at Peggy@HoytBryan.com.
Kudos for having the courage to say publicly what too many lawyers suffer in silence over: Believing that there is something “wrong” with marketing a law firm.
To the contrary, all of the most successful lawyers throughout history have all been great at law firm marketing. How else can you get great cases you can learn & grow from personally and professionally.
Unfortunately, too many lawyers believe it when we are told by professors in law school and even by other attorneys once we get out and start our own law firms when they say in essence, “Don’t worry, if you’re a good lawyer the clients will find you”.
I say unfortunately because believing this to be the case (it’s not) too many good lawyers begin to doubt themselves due to the mistaken belief that their marketing problems are a reflection on their competence as a lawyer.
And also because, believing this to be the case, too many lawyers waste too many years of their lives sitting around waiting. When instead if they had heard or read some encouraging words like you’ve shared here they may have taken a more pro-active approach to supplement their legal training with law firm management & law firm marketing training much sooner.
RJON ROBINS
Yes! Peggy you have hit the nail on the head. For so many attorneys, marketing is a dirty word! And if you can begin to think of marketing as simply: building relationships, your life and your law practice will grow in ways you can’t even imagine now.
And remember, everything you do matters. Everything. From the experience people have when they come to your office, to the shoes you wear, to how tidy your car is, to how your receptionist answers your phone – it all matters. It’s all marketing – and it’s not a dirty word.
So get comfortable with marketing your practice. As the old saying goes – you’re all you’ve got! And if you market right, you’re all you need!