Ask Attorney Jennifer B.: Marketing Your Practice During Times of Uncertainty

One thing we have all learned during this past year is that nothing is for certain, and work as we know it has probably changed forever. Let’s face it, few of us had even heard of Zoom, and now it and other platforms like it, have become the norm for meetings, court hearings and even networking events.  While marketing through the use of the internet and social media was developing in popularity, it is now the primary way most lawyers are marketing their practice, simply because all of us are tied to our electronic devices as a matter of not only convenience, but necessity.

Since none of us are certain that the world will resume to the pre-pandemic norm, we have no other choice but to adapt to the times as they are now and work to develop new ways to market our practice in this ever-evolving legal landscape.  To do so, it is worthwhile to embrace all the technology available and use it to our advantage.

More than ever before, marketing a law practice today requires a stellar website and online profiles. Potential clients are surfing the internet for lawyers or, even if you  are recommended to them by friends or family, the first thing they will do is to look you up.  This is why it is critical to keep your website and online profiles up to date.  If you have written an article or obtained a significant legal victory, add it to your website and profile immediately.  If you don’t have the time to keep your website up to date, it is a worthwhile investment to hire someone who will do it for you, with the understanding that you will review and approve any content before it is added to make sure it is accurate and that it reflects the message that you want to portray.  Your website and online profile provide an initial introduction to clients.  If they are dated, clients will keep searching.

The same holds true for client reviews. Be sure to have recent ones displaying.

Using social media to market your practice has also taken on an increased level of importance.  People are spending more time than ever looking at social media, so use it to relay helpful information that will have prospective clients thinking of you when they or their contacts need assistance with a legal matter.  Keeping your posts timely and related to current events will convey to prospects that you are keeping up-to-date and that your practice is adapting to the times.

Be sure, as part of your marketing strategy, to convey to prospective clients that your law practice is positioned to take on their matter.  Can you accommodate meetings that are virtual, rather than in-person?  Are you comfortable in handling litigation over the computer rather than in the courtroom?  If your office is open, have you developed safety protocols to make prospective clients feel comfortable in entering your space?  These are all additional considerations that consumers are thinking about today in deciding which lawyer to hire, so pshow prospects that you can competently and safely handle their matter.

Understandably, the legal profession changed as a result of the pandemic.  Legal marketing has also evolved, and in some ways, with all the technology available, it has become easier to connect with prospective clients.  What has not changed is the fact that marketing takes a commitment and willingness to find a strategy that works best for the lawyer and their legal practice.