On January 12,2020, Meranda Vieyra, Jessie Bower, and Kimberly Beck of Denver Legal Marketing presented “Top Tips for 2021 Digital Marketing & Business Development forSmall Law Firms” with the Colorado Bar Association’s Modern Law Practice Initiative. They covered various legal marketing topics such as social media, email marketing, digital advertising, and business development.
Social Media Marketing for Lawyers
Meranda Vieyra, CEO of Denver Legal Marketing, began the presentation on how smart law firms are engaging more with social media. From the start of the pandemic, there has undoubtedly been an increase in monthly usage and continues to grow. Connecting and maintaining engagement on at least one social media platform is vital. Stay relevant to the needs of current and past clients, as well as identified referral sources.
LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are all viable social media platforms for small law firms. All signs point to Facebook for connecting with potential clients, whereas LinkedIn is better suited for connecting with referral sources. Remember that authenticity matters. Showing your value and let your audience see the real people at the heart of your firm.
Get the most out of your Facebook business page by going live or hosting events. Whatever you do, always start with your audience – what will help them? Facebook Shop can be a great opportunity for some firms: flat fees, packages, gift cards, 1-click purchasing.
How Email Marketing Can Be an Effective Tool for Small Law Firms
In the second part of the presentation, Jessie Bower, Marketing Manager at Denver Legal Marketing, explained how email marketing is still a powerful tool for staying at the forefront of your clients’ minds.
Jessie emphasized the importance of law firms integrating their platforms, making sure email campaigns, social media, and website are all on message, and speaking with one clear voice. She suggested hiring a copywriter to save time and money but make sure the message is talking to the target audience.
Jessie also shared a few tips on growing email lists by using gated content. Gated content is valuable information that can be exchanged for opting in the email list. A couple examples of gated content could be hosting a webinar, helpful guides, or a recently published whitepaper.
Lastly, Jessie covered monitoring the ways people act and respond in your emails in order to build a good sender reputation. If you send an email and it bounces, remove those emails from your list as you move forward; that way, your success rate will stay high.
A Healthy Balance of Digital and Traditional Advertising
Kimberly Beck, Project Manager at Denver Legal Marketing, covered the advantages of digital advertising compared to traditional advertising. In order for small law firms to grow, they should always be evolving and making sure that advertising channels are optimized for mobile. Digital advertising has real-time trackability, an advantage over traditional marketing in how efficiently a firm can target the most receptive audience. However, Kimberly said it is essential to have a healthy balance of digital and traditional marketing strategies. to stand apart from the competition.
Kimberly then turned her attention to business development for small law firms and shared a few important points. Zoom meetings can be exhausting and stressful, so people will know if you do not enjoy them. Checking in on the well-being of other participants says a lot and builds relationships. She shared a story about a gift campaign by traditional mail done by a bar association in Nevada. It was effective because it was surprising and created a real connection in the virtual world.
Kimberly closed the conversation with the idea of teaming up with each other. Divorce lawyers can team up with criminal defense and personal injury lawyers, who should then refer to each other. Make sure those referrals reciprocate. Developing a mini referral network this year is an easy and great way to grow your practice.
Interested in Denver Legal Marketing Presenting to Your Law Firm or Group?
Our hour-long, professional presentations are designed specifically to support your law firm’s goals of business development through marketing, branding, and reputation management. Learn more about our Legal Marketing Lectures here.
