Establishing yourself as a lawyer is not an overnight process. Doing so requires a great deal of time, effort, and strategy. Most lawyers get their start working for someone else’s firm and then begin their own after accumulating some experience.
Are you striking out on your own? Wondering how to grow your law firm? Here are a few tips to help you do so.
Here’s How to Grow Your Law Firm
Growing a law practice is all about putting in the effort. You’re not going to pick up new clients by sitting on your hands. When trying to nab new clients, these are the strategies to utilize.
Utilize SEO
In the digital age of marketing, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) reigns supreme. SEO is a process wherein you get your website to rank high for specific keywords on search engines such as Google. Those websites which rank the highest for their specific keywords end up reaping substantial web traffic.
The key to beating out your competition is to focus on specific keywords and to use them regularly on your website. In the case of lawyers, this means offering specialized services. You may have knowledge in several different types of law, but, for SEO purposes, you would be wise to focus on just one or two types.
For instance, if you have knowledge in both estate and business law, you might consider marketing yourself online as only an estate lawyer. By doing so, you allow yourself to use keywords such as “estate lawyer in [your location].”
That way, when a web user types in, let’s say, “estate lawyer in Topeka,” your website has a better chance of ranking on the first page of results. On the other hand, if you were to use the keyword “estate and business lawyer in Topeka,” you would have a challenging time being noticed by those who are looking for estate lawyers.
Be Active on Social Media
In this day and age, a social media presence is vital. This is true whether you run a restaurant, a law firm, or otherwise. By being active on social media, you become better acquainted with potential clients, allowing them to become more familiar with you and your firm.
The more that potential clients see you interacting on social media, the more they will trust you. This is because you will have built up credibility with them as an authority in your particular form of law. Once they trust, they will feel comfortable utilizing your services.
Leave no social media avenue ignored. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn should all be frequented and utilized on a daily basis.
Make Use of Email Marketing
Growing a law firm is not only about picking up new clients but about retaining past clients as well. After all, if you’re only seeing clients once, your numbers will stagnate, regardless of whether or not you’re attracting new clients.
How can you retain existing clients? While there are a number of methods at your disposal, perhaps the best method is email marketing. Email marketing is a form of marketing in which businesses keep in touch with their past clients via email.
By consistently reminding past clients of your law firm’s existence, you will lead them to think about you the next time they need legal services. Not to mention, you will maintain a sense of credibility among your client basis.
Create Videos for YouTube
Another way to attract clients to your law firm is to make informative YouTube videos. By providing helpful legal advice online, you not only make yourself visible to potential clients, but you designate yourself as an authority in your legal specialty.
Making good YouTube videos is fairly simple. You don’t need a great deal of equipment in order to do so. A standard webcam and microphone will generally provide the quality needed.
Once you have the proper resources, you can simply film yourself answering questions, discussing topics, and engaging with viewers. Over time, as you consistently churn out videos, you will build a subscription base. And while not all of your viewers will pay for your services, a decent enough chunk of them will to make it worth your while.
Buy Paid Ads
While free marketing can be very successful, you should still consider shelling out some money for ads. TV commercials, paid social media posts, radio ads, and other such marketing devices will receive a great deal of exposure, spreading your name and your firm to a wide variety of potential clients.
Facebook ads are particularly useful, as they allow you to target individuals who live in your geographical area. All you have to do is pay the fee, create the ad, and allow it to spread with the use of Facebook’s algorithm. By doing so, you’re bound to pick up at least a few new clients.
Focus on a Specialty
There are some law firms out there which focus on all legal specialties. Note, however, that these firms have typically been established for decades and have a great deal of credibility attached to their names.
As the head of a small law firm, you are not going to have credibility attached to your name. Instead, you’ll have to appeal to potential clients in other ways. In particular, you’ll to have to specialize.
By specializing in a particular form of law, you’ll show your firm as an authority in that particular form of law. For instance, if you market your firm as a business law firm, clients will trust your ability to lend sound business advice. On the other hand, if you practice business law, but don’t market yourself as a business law firm, potential clients will doubt your expertise, and will likely turn to a firm that does specialize in business.
In essence, a specialty is important. It lends credibility and helps attract the right types of clients.
For example, this law firm specializes in accident and wrongful death law. In doing so, it attracts clients embroiled in such matters.
Find More Tips for Your Law Firm
Now that you have some ideas on how to grow your law firm, you might be on the search for additional law firm tips. If so, you’re in the right place. At Your Business has you covered.
We have articles on everything from advertising to law specialties to firm growth and more. Browse our list of lawyer-related articles now!