Marketing is a vital part of running a successful business as a sole practitioner, but with a law practice to set up and run, finding the time to market effectively can be difficult. We take a look at the essentials and consider how adequate marketing can be fitted into a busy schedule.
Your legal sole practitioner logo and brand
The starting point for setting up on your own will usually be settling on an identifiable logo and brand. Visual representation is very powerful, and you should incorporate this across your website and all of your business materials, to include letterhead, business cards and promotional items.
Your brand will include not only your values and strengths, but also your tone of voice and the way in which you deliver your message. For example, a corporate lawyer may have a formal, business-like tone to their communications while a family lawyer may opt for a more friendly, relaxed approach.
Designing a website for your legal practice
A good website is vital. It is the first place most people will encounter your brand and it needs to make the right impression.
You should choose and purchase your domain name yourself to ensure you have full ownership of it, rather than leaving this to your web designer. Try and align it with your business name so that there is no confusion when people search for you. A shorter name is better, and try and avoid difficult spellings, double letters and hyphens.
Your website should be cleanly set out and easy to understand. While it doesn’t have to be overly complex, there are a number of basic pages that you will need.
The home page should clearly show the client who you are and what you do so that they know almost at once that they are in the right place. Try and focus on what you think they need from you and anticipate and answer the questions they will have.
For more tips on creating a strong home page, see our article, Critical Elements Every Legal Website Homepage Must Have.
Your ‘About’ page is your chance to really connect with potential clients so that they identify with and remember you. You can introduce yourself and tell the reader a little about your background, your achievements and your values. You should also include information about the type of clients you help, what you have done for them and why you focus on this area of law. If you have experience or qualifications that set you apart from other firms, include this too.
Other important website pages are ones detailing the services you offer, a contact page and an insights or blog page where you can publish articles of interest.
Make sure you claim your ‘Google My Business’ page once you have your website up and running so that people can see your information at a glance when they are using the search engine.
Helping your website rank well in search results means dealing with search engine optimisation, or SEO. You can seek help with this, but it is worth doing, because the majority of client contact comes from an initial online search.
Content marketing for your sole practitioner legal brand
Regularly adding fresh content to your website is incredibly helpful when it comes to Google rankings as Google prefers sites that have new pieces added on a regular basis.
Research from Demand Metric has shown that good quality content provides a higher return on investment than traditional forms of marketing, costing 62 per cent less and generating around three times as many leads.
Content on your website should address your clients’ problems and steer them towards your business to provide the solution. It is not sales-heavy copy, rather it should be of interest and value. For example, if you are a family law practitioner, you can answer the questions that your clients may be asking, such as, ‘What payments am I entitled to after a divorce?’ As well as providing them with information, you can remind them that you can assist them if they need legal help and representation.
Getting marketing help for your legal practice
Marketing often slips down the list of priorities, but by outsourcing some tasks, you can be sure that your marketing isn’t forgotten.
Seeking help to optimise your website for search engines is always a good idea, and it will pay dividends by improving your ranking.
Using an expert legal copywriter to provide articles is also beneficial. Google looks for sites where new content is added regularly, so it is important to stick to a schedule of publication rather than adding several pieces all at once, then adding nothing new for months.
At Orion Legal Marketing, we can discuss your marketing needs with you and help you put an effective but manageable marketing strategy in place.
We can offer help with branding and design, business development, copywriting, social media, written promotional materials, websites and video marketing.
Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, but by making sure you have a good idea of how you will attract new clients, you can set up your sole practitioner business knowing that it has a good chance of success.
Contact us
If you would like to discuss how we can help you with promotion and marketing ring us on 0118 380 5980, email us at enquiries@orionlegalmarketing.co.uk or fill in our CONTACT FORM. We’ll be happy to offer you an initial free consultation to discuss your needs and the strategy that would best suit your practice.
