When it comes to marketing for the legal industry, there are a lot of agencies to choose from. While the competitiveness of the space means there are a lot of options and specializations, it can also be overwhelming. Although there’s no one best marketing agency for law firms, these questions can help you avoid common issues and find the right option for your firm.
Working with the right marketing agency can make a huge difference in your business. Still, just because one agency has shown success for other law firms, it doesn’t mean it’s right for yours. Before you hire a law firm marketing agency, make sure that you’ve addressed the following considerations.
Before you start assessing marketing agencies, you need to determine what metrics you will measure success against. Be as specific as possible. Almost every law firm wants to get more new clients, but identifying particular goals will go a long way to ensuring that you pick the right digital marketing agency for you.
Do you want to reduce load time on your firm’s website? Increase organic search rankings and traffic? Start generating leads from a different audience? Coming into the conversation with measurable and specific SMART goals allows the agency to give you candid feedback. They may have opinions on how feasible goals are and make suggestions on how to prioritize and align your objectives. Additionally, it allows both your firm and the agency to come into the partnership with clear benchmarks on how to measure results.
While there are overlaps in best practices for marketing strategies in general, law firms have some special considerations. Highly specialized services and practice areas, confidentiality, and legal directory listings are just a few aspects you should discuss. An experienced agency should have familiarity with the following concepts:
Of course, all the experience in the world doesn’t matter if the agency doesn’t offer the service you’re most interested in. Just like when potential clients inquire with your firm, make sure that the agency “practices” in the areas that matter to you. Some digital marketing agencies focus on specific aspects of marketing services, while others are a full-service digital marketing agency. Your firm may want someone to assist exclusively with social media, SEO services, or manage PPC campaigns, or you may want to enlist an agency that can handle changing needs as you grow.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all option for law firm marketing, we do recommend working with an agency that can meet the majority of your needs. In order to effectively keep your marketing strategy aligned, you need to maintain a consistent multi-channel approach. That said, chances are that you don’t need to be on every single platform. A knowledgeable agency can help you determine which marketing platforms and tools make the most sense for your firm now and in the future.
Once you know that an agency can handle the services you’re interested in, inquire about the processes and policies involved in day-to-day work with them. Ask about how your digital marketing strategy is set up, as well as how communication moves after those initial meetings. Find out if you’ll have a dedicated account manager, dig into general processes and timelines for responses, and ask how they’ll work with your in-house people. Last but not least, find out how, and how often, results are reported back to you.
You probably don’t need to be told to read through a contract, but be sure to check in on the fee structures and terms of your agreement. Ensure that you’re comfortable with the minimum contract length, as well as the process for exiting the partnership if the agency doesn’t meet your expectations. Additionally, assess the breakdown of monthly fees and hourly rates, if and how you can scale services up and down, and what occurs if objectives aren’t met.
Once you’ve assessed that the agency can support your goals, make sure your firm can support them as well. Before you start marketing your law firm, you will need to ensure that you have someone in-house that can deliver the information that the agency needs to get started. To run a successful marketing campaign, the agency will want to know, at a minimum, about your clients, your firm’s story, and your successes.
Choosing the right marketing agency for your law firm can be a massive weight off of your shoulders. Want to talk more about what a marketing plan for your firm could look like? Get in touch with the experts at Front Porch Solutions. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you free up time to focus on the parts of your business that only you can manage.
The CPR® Cell Phone Repair Franchise, a Front Porch Solutions client, has been recognized as a top 10 leader in localized marketing in the 2020 Localized Marketing Benchmark Report (LMBR).
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