The Hidden Marketing Power of Community Service for Law Firms

When you think about effective legal marketing strategies, your first consideration may be what each strategy does for you. Service-driven legal marketing for law firms flips the script, asking instead what you can do for others. Engaging in community service and pro bono work can strengthen your law firm while building up the people you serve and securing the connections you have worked so hard to create.

Benefits of Cause Marketing and Service-Driven Marketing for Law Firms

While service-driven marketing can be much more time-consuming than other marketing strategies, it offers substantial benefits to law firms. Benefits include:

• Improved reputation in the local community. A firm’s charitable giving can impact how potential clients view you. Generally, about 84% of consumers say it is important to them that companies support meaningful causes.

• Networking opportunities that connect you to potential consumers. The more positive connections you foster within your community, the more likely it is that your law firm’s name will come up when people are looking for the legal services you provide.

• Strengthened CV, especially for those who are just getting started. Service-based work is a great resume builder, particularly if you are still trying to build up your legal experience. Work in the community also shows your commitment to giving back, a trait that can help you shape your professional reputation.

• Loyalty from those who benefit from the services you provide. When you give back through service, countless people benefit. Those people will remember how your law firm helped them when they need the type of legal support you provide.

Service-driven legal marketing connects you to the community and has the power to grow your professional network. Check back for our next blog on how attorneys can use it to engage. 

6 Great Ways Attorneys Can Implement Service-Driven Marketing

How do you take advantage of these benefits? There are many ways to engage in service-driven legal marketing. Consider these options as you begin structuring a plan.

Educational Seminars

Hosting free educational seminars is an excellent way to connect with people. While many people would love to know more about the law, they are often intimidated by the dense language of legal documents and are unsure about how to get information they can trust. By positioning yourself as an expert and educator, you establish yourself as a leader. Seminars can help community members feel comfortable coming to you when they need legal advice or representation. Consider offering benefits like on-site childcare or a free meal to make it easier for people to attend.

Cause Marketing

There are countless good causes in any community, but many lack the funding or outreach to be able to make a difference. Partnering with organizations that advance these causes can benefit both parties. With 78% of Americans believing that companies should address social justice issues, your choice to give time and money to a meaningful cause could help your law firm. Additionally, Cone Communications reports that 87% of people are more likely to buy a product because a company advocated for a cause they believe in. For maximum benefit, consider aligning with a cause that is directly relevant to your area of practice or the target audience that you serve.

Pro Bono Work

Pro bono work is a crucial part of many lawyers’ careers. The American Bar Association indicates that 81% of attorneys have done pro bono work at some point. While almost everyone can benefit from representation when facing legal struggles, a substantial amount of people and organizations cannot afford to retain counsel. For example, s an immigration attorney, perhaps you work extensively to make sure that those who desperately need your services are able to access them. Pro bono work strengthens your body of experience while benefiting those you serve.

Fundraising Events

Whether you contribute to a fundraising event or run your own, getting involved in fundraising efforts can give your reputation a significant boost. If you are involved with an organization through your cause marketing efforts, running a fundraising event takes your efforts one step further. Fundraising nights are often attended by business owners, local officials, and others who are important in the community. This lays the groundwork for you to make connections while directly assisting an organization for the right reasons.

Outreach Programs

There are numerous ways to engage in community outreach. Perhaps you connect with students who have the potential to succeed in law but not the resources. Maybe, as a criminal defense attorney, you connect with those at highest risk of committing crimes and you create programs to get them on track. Engaging in outreach is all about connecting with those who are unlikely to get the opportunities they need to succeed and giving them a hand up.

Free Legal Nights

People often avoid reaching out for legal assistance because of the perceived cost, even if attorneys provide free consultations. Free legal nights are an invaluable resource for community members, giving them access to top-tier legal assistance with no strings attached. For an attorney, these nights give invaluable experience working with many different types of clients, many of which will turn to you down the road if they need more in-depth assistance. 

The Best Time to Start is Now 

Regardless of what goals you have for your law firm this year, service-based legal marketing can help you achieve them. Now is the perfect time to get involved with a cause that both connects with your expertise and provides solutions for people in need. 

Consider using these tools and strategies to strengthen your brand, become an important part of your community, and use your knowledge and experience to improve the lives of those around you.