The are two digital marketing trends that solo attorneys need to know about that make your marketing budget stretch and deliver real value in the form of authority building, reputation building, and generating leads for new clients while offering added value to your current clients.
Video for solo attorney marketing
Video isn’t just an emerging marketing technology, it is here to stay! Video enables both broadcasting possibilities and interactive uses. Let’s look at ways solo attorneys can use videos.
Video Content for Law Firm Inbound Marketing
While attorneys tend to keep a professional distance, professional services including law firms and collateral services you offer separate from your legal practice, are fundamentally about people. Video is a great way to build rapport. In addition to communicating with non-client members of your niche, some other uses for video include:
- Overview of your law firm
- Introduction to your legal practice area
- A welcome video explaining aspects of the firm-client relationship
- Video case studies discussing a recent change or explaining a judicial decision
- Video blogging to raise visibility as a solo attorney
- A “meet the team” video interviewing attorneys. Paralegals, and administrative staff.
- Repurposing a blog post or article by creating a video presentation.
You could embed this video on your firm website or distribute through a platform like Youtube or LinkedIn. There are pros and cons in this decision and a communications strategy can help you make a decision that makes the most sense (and produces the highest ROI) for your law firm.
Video Consultations with Law Firm Clients
An alternative use for video that is not about marketing is video consultations.
Using secure video as a live communication tool with potential clients or law firm clients can be a great way to build trust and rapport. Secure platforms exist – and will likely only proliferate.
Video conferencing tools can enable face-to-face interactions that can promote healthy working relationships. It is always helpful to see if a client is understanding what you are trying to explain – the movement of their eyes, their facial expressions, and their body language. Rapport is essential to the attorney-client relationship.
Attorney created “Signature Content”
What are you known for?
Signature content is a major trend in 2018.
Signature content is another way of describing having a particular subject area (or niche) that you are best known for. Developing credibility as an expert in this subject area can significantly help you build your solo and small firm practice. Your clients want to work with someone who knows what they are talking about – that has the expertise to get the job done. Many times, this is not strictly about black letter law, rather it is about whether they think you can speak their language – that you understand their industry and the questions and concerns they have.
While a book is often considered the most widely recognized and effective form of signature content, it is not the only approach you could take. This is about clearly identifying your sphere or spheres of expertise and influence.
The publication of an anchoring work (whether in print or in another media format), distinguishes some of the most successful solo attorneys who are also considered as an authority in their field.
Other forms or media include: a podcast series, a research study that is published and then cited by others, a practice guide, or a white paper offering commentary on significant decisions relevant to your niche.
It is important that the content is 1) original and 2) significant.
For signature content to have a positive impact on establishing or reinforcing your reputation, your clients must find substantial value in the information you are sharing and the services you provide.
These are just 2 digital marketing trends
Your time is valuable. These are just two digital marketing trends I think are most relevant for solo attorneys working in 2018.
To learn more about Anna Blanch Rabe & Associates and our content creation services for law firms, communications consulting for small law firms and solo attorneys, please contact us.
