Running a business is isolating and lonely. Charting unknown territories, solving unique problems, and facing uncertainties can feel deeply personal and overwhelming. Throw in a competitive industry such as legal marketing, and the pressure could bring the most thick-skinned to their knees.
Over my 30 years of speaking with business owners I’ve noticed a significant contributor to the isolation – the lack of a team in place or an equal to share experiences with. In most cases, when the company is young, the owner wears all the hats and bears all the responsibilities and is often alone.
From a marketing agency perspective, it’s difficult hearing the plight of a law firm owner wanting to advance their marketing efforts but is overworked or too strapped to do so. After many of these conversations it was time to do something. With the knowledge, skills and unmatched experience my career has provided me, I launched a marketing advisor program, custom built to support law firms that need the guidance to get their marketing into shape.
Similar programs exist from many sources and are worth investigation and consideration should you find yourself feeling isolated or overwhelmed. To help determine if such a program could be beneficial to you and your law firm, the following is an outline of the areas a marketing advisor covers, and the role they play.
While the perfect marketing advisor program should be customized to fit your needs and that of your law firm, the below six sections are a pivotal starting point for a great program:
- People – Arguably the most important part of a successful marketing program, the perfect team is the true magic. However, getting the right people on the team, in the right chairs, with the skills needed is challenging. The right marketing advisor program will reveal who is needed, in what order of hiring, and which skills they should possess or a program that offers suitable development.
- Systems & Infrastructure – Regardless of industry, systems and tools are a necessity. Advisor programs audit the systems, look for gaps, and open doors to the right tools perfect for revealing powerful information that leads to smart decisions.
- Strategy – Businesses grow because they solve a problem or fill a need. Strategy uses position and purpose to be that solution, and a reason potential clients should care about your firm. Strategy is a cornerstone to marketing and will be a significant chapter your marketing advisor will focus on.
- Analytics – You cannot manage what you cannot measure. A byproduct of systems & infrastructure, analytics is the foundation to clarity on performance, ROI and making smart decisions with your firm’s precious budget.
- Marketing & Advertising – The most effective way to grow your monthly case volume is through marketing and advertising. At the heart of marketing advisor programs is the design and execution of high-performing, accountable advertising that converts prospective clients to cases.
- Management – Running such a marketing initiative is not easy and requires a significant portion of your law firm’s time. Marketing is a living, breathing entity that needs care and attention, optimization and fresh creative. The ins and outs of advertising campaign management is learned early in the advisor program, paying dividends near the beginning of engagement.
The above may sound like a massive undertaking. When structured correctly, and driven by an experienced advisor, the heavy lift is manageable, and your firm will see progress in short order. As a vital role, an advisor brings tremendous knowledge, skill and leadership to the relationship. Within my program, the following are a few interaction philosophies that chart the course for powerful marketing initiatives:
- Lead all areas of program to start conversations and extract assessment from team
- Challenge and encourage honest and deep reflection
- Share examples of best practices for PEOPLE, SYSTEMS, ANALYTICS, MARKETING, ADVERTISING, MANAGEMENT
- Provide connections to necessary resources, tools, training
- Initiate discussions on structure and share expertise of marketing programs and applicable components (media channels, creative messaging, production)
- Support marketing team and leadership through consultation, advice, recommendations from 30+ years of marketing, advertising, campaign, and agency experience
For even the smartest, seasoned attorney, running a law firm is challenging. And the complexity is multiplied when going at it alone, wearing all the hats. If you find yourself feeling isolated or not sure where to turn, or if the above resonated with you, it might be time to consider a marketing advisor. Contact me to discuss such a program and how it could be the guidance you’ve been looking for. Happy to talk.
About Roux Advertising
Eric Morgan is the President of Roux Advertising, a full-service agency that specializes in increasing law firm case volume through distinctive marketing and media campaigns. Roux employs a strategy-first approach to position law firms uniquely in the marketplace, crafting ad messaging, media buying, and analytics to generate brand awareness and drive qualified cases. Contact him at eric@rouxadvertising.com or visit rouxadvertising.com to learn more.
