How can a law firm stand out from the crowd in a highly competitive environment for legal services?
In a commentary piece for The Daily Record, Toni Bianco, marketing manager at Adler, Pollock & Sheehan, discusses input offered by general counsel at Fortune 500 companies who sat on a panel at the Legal Marketing Association annual conference. Here’s what they said about getting a GC’s attention:
- Firm Website: Panel members said they don’t make decisions based on it, but a site that includes key components such as a firm’s approach to solving problems is a big plus. If, on the other hand, a website is difficult to navigate or poorly organized, they will move on to another firm’s site.
- Firm Brochures: Most make the trash. Panelists said if you must send one, make it digital. They also noted that an email highlighting a recent win is more effective than a general brochure.
- Holiday Cards: Don’t send them. Try a personalized email, or better yet, food.
- Client Alerts and/or Blogs: Both are highly read because they reveal expertise in a specific area and clearly demonstrate a firm’s capabilities.
- Speaking Engagements/Webinars: GCs say they have hired attorneys just from seeing/hearing them speak. Webinars are preferred, but lunchtime seminars at their offices also work. The topic must be relevant and compelling and the seminar not more than an hour long.
- Directory Listings: GCs say they’ve never hired an attorney based on a listing on a site such as Super Lawyers.
