Niche Marketing for Lawyers and Law Firms
Niche Marketing is the process of taking a large market (in this case legal consumers) and breaking it down into smaller groups with similar needs, characteristics, and demographics. Since none of our law firms serve all legal consumers, we must segment our services to those who want what we offer. In general, the more targeted you can be, the more successful your marketing and advertising efforts are likely to be. We know we need to be laser focused to compete in this competitive marketplace, but how?
Figuring out where and how-to market is at the crux of many of the decisions we are asked to make as law firm owners. There is no shortage of options. You can spend money on online directories, website design, pay per click, social media, networking, writing a book, the list is literally endless and there are vendors calling every day with “new opportunities in your area.” Once you decide where you want to spend your advertising dollars, then you have to decide what to say. Do you change your message depending on where you are advertising?
Define Who You Are.
The first step in market segmentation or niche marketing is vision. Who are you? Who are you today and who do you want to be tomorrow, or in five years? What are you trying to accomplish with your company and as a lawyer? These questions are not easy. They take time and discovery. But the answers to these questions will make it so much easier to decide where to advertise and what to say. Once you discover who you are and what you are trying to accomplish on a broad level, you can write your law firm constitution, or define your vision and values. This exercise will help clarify your audience, your purpose and set your goals. Without taking the time for this step, you will do what most of us do, spend a little money in a lot of places and have no idea whether any of it is working.
Communicate Who You Are, Specifically.
Take your law firm constitution and tell your clients what you stand for and why you exist. Tell your clients who you like to work with, and more importantly, who you don’t want to work with. It’s remarkably effective to tell the wrong clients you don’t want to work with them. We started telling people who wanted to burn their spouse and use the system to inflict pain not to hire us and we started attracting all the right clients. Clients who share your values will like you more, send more clients your way, and make your job easier and more fun.
Use Your Clients Language and Study Their Background
When in doubt, ask you clients what they like and what they don’t. If you are feeling stuck, check out your online reviews and read about what your clients have to say about you. What do they value? What do they like? If you use the same language of your best clients, you can attract similar clients. Ask your best clients how they chose you or found you. Study the demographics of your best clients. Start by identifying a list of the clients you enjoy working with. Cross reference that with how much revenue they generate. Find out where they live, shop, work, and play. How old are they? Do they have minor children? Consider making a mock ideal client and writing to that person.
Start with Why
Simon Sinek’s best-selling book “Start with Why” explains that starting why instead of what or who is the best way to gather a tribe and attract people to you. I’m advocating the same approach. Figure out your why. Take ample time and energy to figure it out, define it and write it. It will become your foundation for marketing segmentation, hiring and more.
The smaller your niche the more likely your success. For more information, make sure to contact us or subscribe to our you tube channel.
