Law firm marketing strategies: Why collaboration with stakeholders matters

Marketing in the legal industry is a constant tightrope walk: balancing innovation with tradition, attracting new clients while upholding your firm's reputation. To succeed, you need a powerful marketing strategy, but crafting one that satisfies everyone's needs within the firm can feel like an impossible feat. Collaborating with stakeholders is your not-so-secret weapon that ensures you and the entire firm are on the same page to drive client engagement and future business growth.

Why collaborate?

Stakeholders - from partners and managing directors to external board members - aren't just passive observers. They are individuals with unique perspectives and vested interests in your firm's success.

By involving them in brainstorming, you gain:

• Comprehensive Insights: Diverse viewpoints lead to better solutions and uncover blind spots you might have missed.
• Buy-in & Alignment: When stakeholders feel heard and involved, they're more likely to support your plan and champion it internally.
• Streamlined Implementation: Identifying potential conflicts early avoids roadblocks and delays later.

Who are your stakeholders?

Anyone impacted by your marketing is a potential stakeholder. Start broad and consider:

• Internal: Partners, Managing Directors, Sales & Business Development, Finance, Operations.
• External: Board Members, Clients, Industry Peers, Referral Sources.

Remember, too many voices can overwhelm. Refining your list as you progress is key to making sure each person is heard and their needs are met.

Informing vs. Collaborating

Simply notifying stakeholders about your marketing plan isn't enough. Active collaboration is key. Many roadblocks within legal marketing occur because of a lack of awareness around digital marketing in general and the reasons that marketing is crucial to a firm’s success.

We’re here to clear confusion up for everyone involved. Below are a few key words to bring to stakeholder conversations to make sure everyone is on board with a tactfully executed, cost-effective marketing strategy:

• SEO & Local SEO: Search Engine Optimisation is crucial in a law firm marketing strategy. The firm needs to be easy to find and localised to your desired clientele. Increasing your website’s position in search results on sites like Google will drive more visitors to the website. Local SEO means people in the area will get your firm when they search, for example, “Law firm Surrey”.
• PPC: Setting up a pay-per-click online campaign is a great way to increase web traffic but does cost money for each click. Consider geo-locating when setting up PPC and explain to stakeholders that this reduces costs and ensures that any clients are local to the area you are advertising. Clicks are expensive, so make sure everyone understands the costs and strategy.
• Google Local Services Ads: Local Services Ads are a pay-per-lead system, matching potential clients with relevant businesses in their area. Because law firms can be location-specific, this can be an excellent tactic for your marketing strategy. Explain to stakeholders that using this service means you only pay when you get a contact from a lead – this is sure to generate interest.
  
  

When getting involved with paid ad campaigns, it’s important to manage them effectively as some clicks can cost hundreds of pounds. It may be advisable to recommend an external agency to your stakeholders to manage campaigns appropriately and ensure that they are delivering results if your internal marketing team is not large enough to handle this task.

Encourage stakeholders to:

• Ask questions, challenge assumptions, and share ideas.
• Articulate their goals and desired outcomes.
• Identify potential roadblocks or conflicting interests.

How do I create authentic and credible content?

Who better to showcase your firm's capabilities than the people who live and breathe its culture? By involving stakeholders in content creation, you gain authentic, industry-specific insights that resonate with potential clients. When marketing involves the people behind the product or service, it generates more interest and establishes trust amongst your potential clients.

Including compelling blog posts written by your legal experts or client testimonials gathered by your stakeholders in your strategy can improve your firm’s image exponentially.

Why involving stakeholders leads to amplification and advocacy for your firm

Empowered stakeholders become your firm's biggest advocates. They can share marketing content on their social media networks, recommend services to their professional circles, and even participate in marketing events. This organic reach and word-of-mouth promotion are invaluable assets in today's digital landscape.

For example, if one of the managing directors at your firm writes a blog post for your website, you can 1) use this as marketing collateral and boost it in web search, and 2) encourage them to post the article to their LinkedIn or other social networks with their by-line attached to it. That way, their network knows their involvement in the firm, and people feel more comfortable engaging in content when it has a persona attached to it.

Understanding expectations

Before the brainstorming session, set expectations with three key questions:

1. What are your desired outcomes for this strategy? This helps address concerns and prevent unrealistic ideas.
2. How will a successful strategy benefit you? Understanding their needs allows you to tailor your approach and build empathy.
3. Are there any anticipated conflicts with other stakeholders? Address potential friction early to avoid future headaches.

Conclusion

Bringing a law firm’s digital presence to the next level can seem like a daunting but crucial task. One of the main hurdles in modernising websites is encouraging members outside of the marketing team that it is necessary to drive business in a digital age. By following these steps, you'll turn stakeholder collaboration into a powerful tool for crafting a marketing strategy that propels your law firm to the top.

About Novicell

At Novicell, we are not just another digital consultancy. We seamlessly integrate into your team like an extension of yourself: We collaborate with key stakeholders and understand your goals and challenges, then apply our diverse expertise to craft bespoke solutions that propel your firm forward. Our team are experts in all things digital, from front end to back end, and we are ready to become your ultimate strategic partner. Ready to ditch the conventional and embrace exceptional? Together, we can bring your firm to the next level digitally. Contact us today.