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How to Create a Six-Month Law Firm Marketing Action Plan – Part I
Added: (Fri Aug 22 2008)
Phoenix, AZ, August 19, 2008, Lawyers who are committed to attracting quality clients must also be committed to developing a six-month law firm marketing action plan. This may appear to be a labor-intensive and time-consuming venture; but developing an action plan is critical to the success of a firm’s legal marketing efforts. Expending the necessary time and energy to develop an action plan will pay off in the long run by increasing clientele and the law firm’s revenue stream.
Stephen Fairley, CEO of the Rainmaker Institute, the nation’s largest law firm marketing company specializing in helping small law firms and solo practitioners, has helped thousands of attorneys learn how to create an effective law firm marketing action plan. In addition, Mr. Fairley recently launched a new website, www.LawFirmMarketingMistakes.com, where attorneys can download a free law firm marketing special report titled “Top 10 Marketing Mistakes Attorneys Make and How to Avoid Them.”
In Part I (of a two-part series), Fairley walks legal professionals through the first five steps necessary to develop an effective law firm marketing action plan.
Executive Summary and Company Overview- While listed first; this is actually the final step of writing a six-month law firm marketing plan. It is wise to begin compiling a complete overview of the law firm at the beginning of the process; so the list can be adjusted throughout the process. The overview should be simple and direct; readers must understand precisely what the firm does, what the Ideal Target Market (ITM) is and how the firm can (specifically) help the reader.
Services – It is imperative for a law firm to take the time to list all services offered, in detail. Things to include: why a firm has chosen to offer particular services to a specific target market. This section should outline benefits offered to the firm’s niche clients. Focus on benefits, not on features. Features typically are a list of services, while benefits tell clients what value the firm’s services have to the client. Legal marketing consists of convincing prospective clients a firm has the solutions to their unique problems. While developing this phase of the legal marketing plan, legal firms must focus on the needs and “pain” of clients. Prospective clients are looking for assistance in relieving this pain by working with a trusted advisor.
Identifying an Ideal Target Market (ITM) is absolutely critical to the success of a law firm marketing action plan. Not identifying a market at all, or identifying the wrong target market can cause legal firms to fail. For more detailed information about identifying an Ideal Target Market, visit www.RainmakerRetreat.com.
Understanding the Competition – Law firm marketing stands little chance of succeeding if the main competition is not studied and understood. Knowing the competition allows attorneys to compete by offering better services, varying service packages and free (and better) giveaways to entice clients to contact the firm.
Conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis – It is essential to any legal marketing plan that a firm understands their own areas of strengths and weaknesses. By building on strengths, eliminating weaknesses, taking advantage of opportunities and avoiding threats, legal firms stand a greater chance of prospering.
The above represent five of the ten components necessary to create a six-month law firm marketing plan. The next five components will be detailed in an article entitled “How to Create a Six-Month Law Firm Marketing Action Plan – Part II.”.
These legal marketing strategies have proven successful for attorneys across the nation. To learn more about the Rainmaker Institute’s legal marketing programs, attorneys are encouraged to download Stephen Fairley’s free, detailed report at www.LawFirmMarketingMistakes.com.