The recent Legal Marketing Association’s annual conference shed insights on troubleshooting for small firms and offered guidance on achieving success with client teams. While numerous educational sessions focused on areas like AI and Google Analytics, a couple of key panels took a real-world approach to problem solving and client service. These panels emphasized that effective marketing technology solutions require a solid foundation of firm diagnostics and nurturing client relationships. This reflects the larger conference theme of commitment to the core values of legal services.
In the course of the conference, several lessons stood out for law firm marketers. The conference emphasized the importance of being able to speak ‘non-marketer’ to communicate effectively with lawyers, who may not value marketing jargon such as “engagement” or “click-through rate”. Conversely, using attention-grabbing language and metaphors to contextualize tactics can be much more effective.
A robust system for tracking metrics was also deemed vital, with particular attention needed towards consistency across different sectors of a firm. Anecdotes from the conference included a case where inconsistent data tracking methods led to inaccurate data collection, underscoring the need to establish firm-wide metrics.
Further discussion pointed to the usefulness of objective data for informing marketing strategies. Such data could range from straightforward metrics to more indirect indicators like courtroom records. Decisions based on hard evidence, the conference argued, are likely to be more effective than those based on assumptions. This concept extends to understanding fluctuations in workload – it’s crucial to investigate whether a drop in work is due to increased competition or broader industry trends.
A specific panel focusing on deepening relationships with key clients offered tips for creating and implementing client teams. Start with simple plans, establish clear goals, and consistently measure what matters, advised Kelly Harbour, Chief Business Development Officer at Goulston & Storrs PC. The panel also cautioned against rushing the implementation of client teams. Instead, a slow, quiet start with a few test cases was recommended, allowing for adjustments and refinements.
Finally, the focus on client teams underscored the importance of establishing and fostering a law firm culture that supports teamwork. Compensation structures, for instance, were identified as key to promoting cooperation among team members. Client teams shouldn’t be imposed on the client; instead, clients should be central to all actions, allowed a voice and a sense of ownership.
Katherine Hollar Barnard, Managing Partner of Firesign | Enlightened Legal Marketing, offered a draft meeting agenda for running a client team, including regular interactions with the client, tracking of personnel changes, and scanning for meaningful touch points.
These insights offer a glimpse into the evolving landscape of legal marketing, emphasizing the importance of concrete strategy and client-centeredness above all. You can find out more about the discussions and findings from the panels in the full article.