Many people confuse marketing with advertising. While both are important, marketing covers many different areas from advertising to public relations to promotions to sales. Marketing combines all of these fields in order to introduce your services to your potential clients. As attorneys, you may be caught up in actually running your practice and let marketing slip by the wayside because time is so important to you. While it is true that running your practice is so very important, you still want to have your name out there, insure that you have new clients and keep your cash flow going.

This is a list of successful marketing techniques which will help you attract and retain new clients.

1. People are more likely to hand out business cards with their own names on them. Give every employee his or her own business cards with their name along with the name of your law firm.

2. Write an article for your local newspaper and include the name of your firm and your email address in the byline. There are many topics you can choose from such as why you should have a will or questions to ask a contractor.

3. Cross-sell. Remind existing clients that you handle other matters as well. Let them know you would like the opportunity to serve them, their friends, relatives, etc. It has been said that your current clients are your best marketing tools. It doesn’t hurt to ask them to recommend you to friends and family.

4. Send a congratulatory note to local businesses in the news.

5. Volunteer to speak to community groups, senior centers and even your local high school about law-related topics. Not only might the students become clients, but their teachers and parents just might too.

6. Remind clients of obligations, such as lease renewal dates, business name registration dates and other important dates. Get to know your client’s business. Showing interest reminds clients that their success is your success.

7. Have lunch or dinner frequently with attorneys who practice in other areas and have plenty of cards for referrals. Network, network, network.

8. Make sure everyone at your church or synagogue knows that you are an attorney and has your business card, and advertise in school and church newsletters as well as local newspapers.

9. Donate slightly outdated law books with your name and firm name to your local library and magazines to your local jail, nursing home or school leaving your business card when you drop them off.

10. Send congratulations to clients for any life event, such as the birth of a child or a graduation.

These are all small inexpensive steps you can take to boost your marketing skills and get your name out there.

More News >>