There Are So Many Choices When Marketing Your Law Firm – How Do You Choose the Right Agency?
How Do I Choose The Right Agency For My Firm? We Have The Answer
Did you know that there are nearly half a million law firms in the United States? The industry has been growing at a steady clip for the past decade and shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re a lawyer or thinking of starting a law firm, it’s a thriving market. But, it’s also competitive, meaning you need a robust marketing strategy to achieve success.
Few law firms are completely satisfied with their volume of leads and paying clients. Of course, more is better when it comes to business results. You already have enough on your plate delivering a superior client experience. So the solution is to find a partner that can help you get the results you want.
But which legal marketing agency is the right one to help you achieve success? And do you really need help anyway? Here are the answers to some of those questions so that you can advance your digital marketing efforts.
Why You Need a Law Firm Marketing Agency
There are plenty of click-and-publish website solutions online. And social media seems pretty simple, right? Why can’t you just take care of your own legal marketing and save some cash? This is a valid question and a fairly common one.
Most small businesses at least attempt the DIY approach to digital marketing. It generally doesn’t work. Online marketing is highly complex, and those insta-websites aren’t optimized for the search engines.
A lawyer who spent years studying to become a legal authority would probably advise against someone wanting to represent themselves in court. Likewise, a digital marketing professional has spent years studying and applying online marketing strategies to achieve positive results.
How to Choose the Right Law Firm Marketing Agency
Once you’ve made the decision to hire a digital marketing agency, how do you choose the right one? Here are a few tips to get you moving in the right direction:
- Establish Your Law Firm Marketing Goals
Before you hire anyone to help with your law firm’s marketing, take some time to evaluate your goals and objectives. Here are some questions you can answer to get started:
- How many new leads would you like to target in the next quarter or year?
- How many new clients do you want to covert over that same period?
- Do you have the capacity to convert those leads? If not, what do you need to do?
- How do you want your law firm’s brand to be perceived?
- What are your law firm’s revenue goals?
- What current digital assets do you have that can support your objectives?
- What additional content would you like to develop?
It’s important that you outline these goals thoroughly before you move forward. One of the critical pieces you’ll want to address is your capacity to handle new business once you get started.
- Investigate the Agency’s Track Record With Law Firms
When you develop a shortlist of marketing agency candidates, find out how much experience they have with legal marketing. Ideally, you want to avoid being an agency’s guinea pig for entry into this sector.
Target agencies that have a thorough understanding of law firm marketing. Make sure they are familiar with keyword targeting for lawyers, using the right legal directories, law firm website best practices, using paid ads, and getting high-quality backlinks for a law firm.
- Find Out Whether They Have the Ability to Achieve Your Goals
Just as you need to be able to handle any new business that comes in, make sure the law firm marketing agency you hire has the capacity to handle the work you’re giving them. Find out what sort of personalized service they provide. Ask them how many current clients they have and how they manage their deliverables. When the agency promises you something, such as a proposal, are they on time with the delivery? If not, this is a red flag.
- Ask About Their Work Processes and Reporting Procedures
Assuming you’ve found an agency that specializes in legal marketing that has the capacity to handle your work, dig a bit deeper to learn more about how they operate. Specifically, ask how they will communicate with you so you can decide if you are compatible. Some of the questions you may wish to ask include:
- Will you have a dedicated account manager?
- What level of contact can you expect from the agency?
- How will the agency track and report performance and results?
- What specific steps are they planning to take to achieve your goals?
- Carefully Review Fee Structures and Contract Conditions
You’ve made a good choice if you’ve decided to hire a digital marketing agency. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to get locked into a long-term commitment with hidden or exorbitant fees. As an attorney, you know how to read contracts. So make sure you read this one and ask some pertinent questions:
- What is the contract length?
- What’s the process for breaking the contract if things aren’t working?
- Are any KPIs built into the agreement?
- How are fees charged? Are they fixed or based on an hourly or “for-service” rate?
Getting the answers to these questions up front can help you avoid any surprises and disappointments down the road.
- Start Small and Scale Up Digital Marketing Services
No one says you have to commit to a major digital marketing agreement immediately. Unless you’re sure that you need a new website or some other services, consider dipping your toes in the water first. For example, you can start with a small campaign or some website content and scale up from there once you have a clearer idea of how well you work with the agency.
Call Sundown Marketing Group Today to Speak to a Law Firm Marketing Specialist
Sundown Marketing Group is a full-service digital marketing agency that helps law firms throughout the United States get more leads and unlock more revenue. We offer a full suite of online marketing services, including law firm website design, social media marketing for lawyers, legal SEO, and paid ads for law firms.
We customize our solutions for each client, so you only get the services designed to produce the best possible results. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and site evaluation. Our number is (800) 649-1764.