The Key to Success in Legal Marketing
by Susan Avsec
It's not about you; it's about them.
Over the last decade, law firms have had to evolve from being legal service providers to becoming value providers due in large part to the demands of its customers – in-house counsel. In response, law firms’ marketing efforts have transitioned.
Proactive efforts to gain new clients, as well as maintain a firm’s established client base, have brought firms to realize the value of client relationship management. More and more firms are conducting client satisfactions surveys and establishing internal client-relationship management protocol. Worldwide, firms have successfully utilized client satisfaction surveys to progress and enhance their service offerings by
(a) understanding, responding and managing expectations of in-house counsel,
(b) improving internal firm operations, and
(c) delivering on client needs – all beneficial to the client as well as the firm.
Even with technological advances in communication, lawyers have learned that leaving their offices to conduct more face-to-face meetings not only shows clients that they are valued, but the information learned from clients contributes to the firm’s growth and development.
Feedback has become an important part of the legal profession. Law firms and their marketing departments find themselves busy managing and leveraging the various forms of feedback, from client surveys to testimonials to peer reviews. This feedback is used by marketing departments to market and differentiate the firm, by recruiting departments to lure candidates, and by lawyer-rating organizations such as Martindale-Hubbell, Best Lawyers®, and Super Lawyers®.
As value-providers, law firms, lawyers and their marketing departments have taken a proactive approach to assisting clients in their day-to-day operations. Electronic newsletters, alerts, webinars, and videos (to name a few) make it easy for firms to keep clients informed of developments in their industries and the law. Most of these forms of communications have replaced hard-copy mailings.
To add value, lawyers need to be genuine in their marketing and client-relationship efforts.
- Give clients straight answers so they can evaluate their options and make decisions leading to better results.
- Listen first to understand the client’s objectives, then deliver solutions that focus on optimal results for the client.
- Provide effective legal advice and services.
Maintaining these principles in your practice and marketing efforts will define a firm’s premier value offering, client satisfaction, and a client’s bottom-line difference. This same philosophy guides the actions of each attorney at Buckley King and is a distinction that makes all the difference for our clients.
About the Author: Susan Avsec is the Director of Marketing for the law firm of Buckley King LPA headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. She is responsible for the entire operation of the firm’s online and offline marketing programs. She develops and implements strategies for achieving marketing and business objectives, oversees corporate communications, and supports individual attorneys and practice teams to enhance marketing and business development efforts firm-wide across seven offices in four states. Prior to joining the firm, she was part of the national marketing team for CBIZ, Inc.
