All businesses need an advertising program. This is as true for attorneys as it is for any other business entity. However, many attorneys and law firms do not necessarily adhere to this idea until they see what a solid public relations program has done for an associate or competitor.
Competition, along with public perception of the firm, is actually a major driver in making the decision to embark on a thorough advertising program. But, the truth is that many of these legal professionals are not trained in the potentially intricate process of establishing an effective advertising plan, as a skilled public relations firm trusts might explain.. A solid media company does much more than merely buy ads from designated media outlets such as television stations.
Improve Public Perception and Awareness
A positive reputation is important for a law firm’s long-term growth. For the short term it can also increase the client base and generate revenue, especially when representing high dollar cases.
A comprehensive marketing plan is vital for any legal firm, and an experienced and established media company fully understands this. A successful media campaign leverages a law practice’s core strengths and expands its visibility into new markets.
Employ Multiple Promotion Platforms
Attorneys who handle their own advertisement rotation usually focus on television or newspapers and buy minimal time slots and page listings. While this may work for some legal firms, those that are focused on building their clientele should be using all available platforms. Sometimes less ads with proper positioning results in a much better ROI. Platforms that are commonly used with great success are:
- A professional, robust, and interactive website that is insightful, provides fresh content, and is easily navigable.
- Television ads
- Radio ads
- Print ads
- Online news sites, aggregators, forums, blogs, etc.
Optimize Time Management
A PR marketing plan will almost always require a time investment. A reputable media company can analyze a legal firm’s goals and provide an estimated, but accurate, forecast of how long it will take to reach them.
Time is money in all businesses, and this is certainly also true for the legal world. The return on investment for hiring a media company can result in an increased clientele.
While the media company focuses on increasing the law firm’s clientele, the law firm can focus on representing their clients.
Leverage the Power of Media
There’s a misconception that media companies are appropriate only for the largest legal firms. This just isn’t true. Even attorneys in small or medium communities can see improved business by working with an established PR media company. Not only can this grow revenue, it can also provide opportunities to help as many people as possible who need legal assistance and do not realize they may have a legal claim.