I’ve been told by some that today’s competitive environment for new clients is among the most challenging some attorneys have seen in their career. I am asked daily “what’s working for others?” Like legal advice, there often isn’t an easy answer since each client’s business has as many variables as their clients’ cases! Here’s the irony which never fails to amuse me. When business is rocking, as it was in the last 5 years or so, most will believe they don’t need to marketing becausethey have “all the business they can handle.” When things slow, as it has in 2010 for somelaw firms, they now want to ramp us new client intake. Unfortunately they don’t have the excesses money in their operating budget they did when business was better.
What’s a lawyer to do?
- Don’t let the economy determine for law firm’s success. Your marketing efforts will determine what market share of the available case you retain and the timing of the rebound your firm will experience in the future when things turn around. Yes, it will turn around. Business is cyclical.
- When things do turn around, market for the next down turn in the economy. When your competitors start pulling back you’ll create the greatest advantage your law firm will know in “top of mind awareness.”
- Don’t take tainted advice. To qualify that statement, your competitors are not giving you good advice. Even if you’ve known them 20 years and your kids grew up together so you call him/her “your friend,” they are still your competitors. Expecting them to honestly tell you what’s working for them when to do so would hurt their business and their ability to provide for their families is not realistic. You wouldn’t do it, would you? If they are not competing for the same clients, their experience is not going to be on point for your issues.
- Do something! General George Patton once said a good plan executed today is better than a great plan executed tomorrow. The practice of law has taught attorneys time is on their side; however, time is NOT on your side in the business of a law practice.
To that end I offer you the following good advice. Below you’ll find some of the search volumes on Lawyers.com for towns I serve. A survey revealed that 78% of people searching for a lawyer on Lawyers.com plan to hire an attorney they found on the directory in the next week. They are not on Lawyers.com for fun… they are seeking help! Using Greensboro Divorce as an example, ask yourself this simple question:
If you were the first law firm these potential clients reviewed, how many of the 1,439 potential new clients do you think would choose you?
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Divorce 1,439
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Divorce 1,264
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Bankruptcy 1,174
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Divorce 945
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Labor and Employment 898
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Bankruptcy 885
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Traffic Violations 811
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Labor and Employment 808
GEORGIA AUGUSTA Divorce 734
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Criminal Law 733
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Real Estate 722
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Labor and Employment 718
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Family Law 708
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Family Law 702
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Child Custody 684
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Family Law 678
SOUTH CAROLINA SUMMERVILLE Divorce 672
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Immigration 637
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Child Custody 634
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Real Estate 634
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Traffic Violations 632
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Criminal Law 589
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Real Estate 589
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Criminal Law 585
NORTH CAROLINA SALISBURY Traffic Violations 568
NORTH CAROLINA KENANSVILLE Traffic Violations 555
SOUTH CAROLINA LEXINGTON Divorce 537
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Divorce 502
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH POINT Divorce 497
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Real Estate 494
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Bankruptcy 479
GEORGIA AUGUSTA Bankruptcy 470
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Wills and Probate 470
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Labor and Employment 424
NORTH CAROLINA LEXINGTON Traffic Violations 421
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Child Custody 410
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Wills and Probate 409
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Criminal Law 404
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Immigration 401
GEORGIA AUGUSTA Labor and Employment 399
GEORGIA AUGUSTA Criminal Law 395
SOUTH CAROLINA NORTH MYRTLE BEACH Real Estate 393
SOUTH CAROLINA CONWAY Divorce 386
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Personal Injury 358
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Wills and Probate 356
SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT Divorce 350
NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL Traffic Violations 349
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Wrongful Termination 349
GEORGIA AUGUSTA Family Law 346
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Family Law 345
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Wrongful Termination 339
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Traffic Violations 331
SOUTH CAROLINA CHARLESTON Personal Injury 330
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Business Law 324
NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL Family Law 324
SOUTH CAROLINA HILTON HEAD ISLAND Real Estate 321
SOUTH CAROLINA NORTH CHARLESTON Divorce 317
NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM Bankruptcy 311
NORTH CAROLINA WINSTON-SALEM Personal Injury 308
NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO Child Support 307
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH POINT Family Law 300
