Flying Solo: How To Market Your Law Firm When Starting Out
There are many aspects to starting a new business – especially in law. You need to form an entity, sort out your financial accounts, get insurance and find the right corporate structure, but that’s only half of it. Marketing yourself is crucial too. Without it, you may never attract the number of clients you need to stay afloat.
Even if you have a solid network already, you can’t build an entire marketing strategy on word-of-mouth alone. As a new law firm, you must diversify your strategy to give yourself the best chance of success. Here are some steps to get you started.
1. Find a trustworthy name for your firm
When choosing a name for your law firm, there are a few things to consider, such as your area of law, your target market and your firm’s brand. Will you be offering your advice and expertise to private clients, or are you hoping to take on high-profile corporate lawsuits? Identifying the right name starts with knowing your sector – and after that, it’s brainstorming time. Some may simply go for their own name, but with many firms out there, it’s not always an option. That’s why using a name generator is a good shout.
2. Tailor content towards your target market
As a law firm, you might be quick to dismiss the power of content. Some may even think their services sell themselves, but as a new business – legal or otherwise – content is vital for building trust and connecting with potential clients. It’s a way of giving your firm credibility and showing your target audience that you understand their needs. Follow legal news to stay attuned to what moves within your sector and hire professionals to help you shape and tailor your content to your chosen market and most suitable platforms.
3. Show off your sector-expertise
Depending on what area of law you practice, the sector will have its own set of rules, legal jargon and players to be aware of. Since new law firms are often small, it, therefore, pays to get to know them and become an expert in your specific field. Being the biggest doesn’t mean being the best. If you look at Financial Times’ recently published list of small, successful European law firms, you will see that specialising and being entrepreneurial often outsmarts cold cash. For this reason, sector insight should never be taken for granted.
4. Build strong relationships
Finally, there is the personal angle: relationships and people-skills. It’s essential to nurture your network and build sustainable relationships, with clients as well as the professionals who are working with your business in some shape or form. You can do this the old-fashioned way – in person or on the phone – or you can show up online. Depending on your speciality, this could be as modern as live streams and podcasts, or it could be newsletters and emails. Adapting to whoever you are communicating with is the key to successful business relationships.
