How to get clients through local marketing efforts in your Elder Law or Estate Planning Practice
Are you spending too much time trying to find ways to boost your firm’s presence in your local community? You don’t know where to start or the proper steps to take. You think you’re not “tech-savvy” or don’t feel like you have the artistic talents to create ads or company flyers.
It’s frustrating when your competition seems to be the #1 law firm in the community.
Or worse, it’s downright overwhelming when you have all of these great ideas to market to your community but little time or know-how to execute those ideas. Sure, you could spend hours upon hours researching the most successful marketing techniques, but that’s a lot on your plate.
Luckily you don’t have to worry about committing that time and energy into the research because we’ve already done it. We’ve narrowed down the steps to take to boost your local law firm marketing.
Build a clear Brand and Story for your practice
Creating a brand story is essential for any business, whether a new startup or an existing company. Your brand story should be based on who you are as a law firm and what you stand for.
You should be teaching your customers about how your services work to solve their problems. The most effective way to do this is to pique their curiosity on how their situation could be better. Then, enlighten them about how you can solve their problem.
You can use The StoryBrand Framework as a guide to creating your brand story. The StoryBrand Framework, created by Donald Miller, is a popular marketing messaging tool that allows businesses to clarify their message using a seven part-process that leverages the power of story.
In addition, your brand story should be communicated clearly and consistently across all your marketing materials. The key is to make sure your story is interesting and relevant to potential clients.
There are many ways to tell your brand story, but some of the most effective methods include website content, videos, social media posts, and client testimonials. You can attract more clients and build a successful law firm by engagingly telling your story.
Define your audience
Think about your dream client:
- How old are they?
- What are their hobbies and interests?
- Where do they like to shop or visit in the community?
Once you have a very detailed “buyer persona,” use that information to target your advertising to those people.
When you create ads, think about what would catch your dream client’s attention. Get creative. Find ways to put your firm in front of these potential clients.
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Identify a gap in the market
Look at your competitors and figure out what methods they’re using to gain clients in the community. Then, once you see what they’re doing, find ways that you can do it better.
Now you can create your local marketing strategy
You’ve got your target audience and identified gaps in your competition’s marketing. It’s time to set up your strategy.
Sit down and create your marketing plan month by month. We’ll walk you through some of the best local marketing strategies for law firms.
Networking
Networking is one of the most important aspects of any business, and local businesses are no exception.
Getting involved in the community is an excellent way to network.
- Host events and sponsor clubs and events to get your name out there.
- Choose an organization that aligns with your values and interests, and donate money or services in exchange for publicity.
Be sure to have business cards and other marketing materials on hand to give out. Also, having a solid network of local contacts will help you attract new clients and grow your business. Attend local events, meet with local government officials, and get involved in any way you can.
Obtain client referrals
According to a study done by the National Law Journal, nearly half of all lawyers get the majority of their clients through referrals. This means that if you’re a lawyer looking to grow your practice, building a strong referral network should be one of your top priorities.
One way to encourage referrals is to offer discounts to clients who refer new business to you. Referrals can be a great way to show your appreciation for your clients’ loyalty, and they can also help you attract new business.
There are several ways to go about offering referral discounts. For example, you could offer a percentage discount off of the client’s next bill for every new referral they provide, or you could give them a free document review meeting or other special treatment.
Whatever you choose, make sure your offer is enticing enough that clients will want to tell their friends and family about your services.
Send targeted email campaigns
Email campaigns offer an effective way to reach a specific audience with relevant information. For example, law firms can benefit from email marketing to get potential clients in their area when targeting a local market.
There are several ways to target email campaigns to local residents. One approach is to use lists of local businesses or residents. These types of lists can be purchased from data brokers.
Another option is to use geographic targeting tools offered by many email service providers to ensure that messages are delivered only to recipients in a specific area.
When crafting messages for local audiences, it’s important to consider what might be of interest to them. For example, firms can highlight recent news stories or blog posts relevant to the community or promote special offers available only to those living nearby. Remember, it’s essential to use relevant keywords to help ensure that your message reaches the right people.
Using social media for community engagement at your law firm
Law firms should engage with their local audience to create a successful local social media campaign. You can find success in your social media efforts by creating and sharing relevant content, responding to comments and questions, and using location-based targeting. In addition, by engaging with their local audience, law firms can build trust and credibility, leading to more business opportunities.
Check out our monthly social media content for Elder Law & Estate Planning practices. We provide you with daily fresh, new content every month. Set it and forget it!
There are several ways to engage with local audiences on social media. One way is to create a Facebook page specifically for your law firm and target it to people in your geographic area.
You can also use location-based targeting on other social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. This targeting will ensure that your content is seen by people who live in or near your community.
Another way to connect with local audiences is through guest blogging. Find blogs and websites that cover topics related to law and offer to write guest posts for them.
With the increasing use of social media, law firms can connect with potential and current clients in their local community more quickly and effectively than ever before. Additionally, law firms can use social media to communicate with other businesses in their area, leading to partnerships or collaborations.
Run local ads
Law firms can increase their local visibility and get more cases by using local advertising. Local advertising can include:
- Online ads (like Facebook or Google Ads)
- Placing marketing collateral in public places
- Printing ads in the local newspaper
- Running local TV ads
Online ads are a great way to target potential clients in your area specifically. For example, Facebook and Google both allow you to target people by location, which means you can show your ad to people who live near your law firm.
Another great way to market your law firm locally is by getting marketing collateral in public places, such as coffee shops and libraries. This type of marketing could include flyers, stickers, or even a banner outside your office. These methods are cheap and effective, and they can help you reach a larger audience.
Focus on Local SEO
Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves optimization techniques that are specific to your geographic area. By using local keywords and including relevant information about your location on your website, you can reach more people in your area and generate more leads.
You can also use local SEO to gain traffic through the search engine results pages. This way, if a person was looking for a local attorney using Google, your firm will be on the first page. Local SEO primarily consists of reviews, content, and having an up-to-date Google Business Profile.
(Check out our Bambiz Local SEO offerings for attorneys here.)
Reviews
Increasing your positive reviews and engaging with each person who has left your business a review shows potential clients that you strive for a positive experience with each client you’ve worked with. Good reviews communicate to Google that your company is trustworthy.
Create good blog content
The blog article content on your website is a huge factor in getting maximum exposure in search engines.
For example, you could write an article called “5 Important Steps For Building An Estate Plan in (Insert your City and State)”. In this article, you could link out to other local businesses and use keywords that signal to Google that this is the area you market to.
Claim or Create your Google Business Profile
An up-to-date Google Business Profile (formerly called Google My Business) presents the most important information about your firm in a single search.
Your address, phone number, website, operating hours, reviews, etc., are all located on your Google Business Profile. Google’s algorithm aims to provide the most relevant and helpful information to the person submitting the search query. Providing Google with accurate business information, is better for your local SEO.
Optimizing your website for local business
When you have a law firm, it’s essential to optimize your website for local customers. Consider the keywords that people in your area are likely to use when searching for legal services. Below are a few ways to optimize your website:
- Create content about locally relevant news
- Provide local governing body information
- Add local markers to your page titles and headers
- Tailored content to your geographical area
- Adding local maps to the courthouse
Another vital thing to keep in mind is the design of your website. Make sure it’s easy to navigate and that the information is easy to find.
Reporting and measuring your success
When it comes to your law firm’s marketing efforts, how do you know whether or not they are successful?
One way to measure your success is by tracking how many new clients you acquire from your local marketing efforts. Create a system for tracking leads that come in from your local marketing sources.
Another way to measure success is by monitoring your website’s search engine rankings. You can use online tools such as Google Analytics to track how much traffic your website receives and where that traffic is coming from. If you see that your website’s ranking has improved or that you are receiving more traffic from specific sources, then you can attribute that success to your local marketing efforts.
If you can consistently generate new business from your local marketing efforts, you’re on the right track. But if you don’t see the results you want, it’s time to reevaluate your strategy and make changes accordingly.
The Key
Local marketing is the key to attracting more local clients to your firm with less time, money, and effort.
You can become the local expert in your community by creating custom content. By demonstrating credibility, authority, and capability, you can position your firm as the go-to choice for individuals in your area. So, if you’re looking to attract more local clients, consider using local marketing techniques.
To learn more about how we can help with your Elder Law or Estate Planning firm’s marketing, schedule a free 15-minute call with us.
