Obviously, your marketing should be focused on potential clients, right? Sure. Some should. But where does your work come from? Your marketing communications should be targeted at the sources or likely sources of the work that you want.
We have talked about why we need to do marketing and what we need to be communicating with our marketing efforts. Today, we focus on the targets of those efforts.
When you identified the type of work that you wanted, you also, at least partially, identified the type of individuals who will want or need those services. Even if it is corporate work, marketing should be focused on individuals – the individuals who will make the hiring decision and those who may influence the decision maker. Your marketing must target those individuals. But they aren’t the only ones.
Surveys reveal that close to 70% of individuals looking for a lawyer first ask friends, family and coworkers (business associates) for recommendations.
The people asked are influencers. So, some of your marketing efforts should target those individuals as well. Who are they? You should try to identify them. Brainstorm through it. Ask questions. Do some homework. You may not be able to identify all of them. So, what do you do? You must broaden your targeting.
Many lawyers are right when they say word-of-mouth advertising is where most of their work comes from. But they are wrong to think that means they don’t need any marketing.
You want to be in the minds of those influencers, so that the words that come out of their mouths include your name. That means that they must know you, remember you, and know what you do. Thus, you need to direct marketing communications and efforts to them. So, who makes up this broader group?
Leverage your existing relationships.
They already know you, and thus, hopefully, would be more likely to remember and recommend you. They are your friends, family, clients, former clients, business associates, spouse, law partners, etc. Those individuals must be educated on the work that you would like and must be reminded of your desire for it.
How many have heard or experienced that oft-repeated lawyer story about a long-time client whose family experiences a catastrophic injury or death and then stands idly by while the family consults some other lawyer whom no one knows? “Oh, I didn’t know you did that sort of thing,” they say when we ask them about it. Whose fault is that?
If you study your case history, you will realize how much of it has come from these sources. And once you begin to assemble a list of these influencers, you will be astounded how extensive it is.
But you are probably not engaging with them in any systemic and regular way. This is low-hanging marketing fruit! Our clients moan when we suggest that they generate a list of these potential resources, but they get it. Think how many people you can potentially reach through your extensive list. You never know when or where your influencers may have the opportunity to share your name. Yes, it will take some time. But, if you work on it a little every day, before long, you will have created a valuable and target-rich list. It’s easier than you think.
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