January 20, 2016

5 Legal Marketing Resolutions for 2016

2016 is well underway, and the start of a new calendar year is the ideal time to evaluate what the firm has accomplished so far and discuss what changes can be initiated in the upcoming year. Here are several New Year’s suggestions that can improve a law firm’s chances of achieving its marketing and strategic planning objectives.

Get organized
Legal marketing involves managing multiple, integrated channels, staying on top of related communications and PR activities, and countless other responsibilities. Consequently, organization can be tough. Specifically mapping out attorney business development activities and what the firm wants to accomplish increases both accountability and the likelihood of success.

Be realistic
Going to the gym six days a week looks good on paper, but chances are you’d be taking on more than you can handle. Don’t plan on tackling too many major marketing goals at once, and prioritize them to make sure that the firm’s plan is something realistically accomplished. Consider a business development and marketing audit to find out if you are efficiently doing all that you can with your budget.

Have a smart budget
Setting a carefully-planned marketing budget is vital for a successful campaign. Prioritize your objectives and make sure the firm has the basics— a solid plan and website, for example—covered before it branches out to invest in additional marketing objectives.

Be social
Building new relationships and developing the ones you currently have are key to a law firm’s platform growth and individual attorney business development. Reaching out to old contacts you haven’t chatted with in a while and arranging the occasional lunch or two goes in a long way in establishing a valuable network.

Learn something new
Strongly consider implementing emerging trends into your marketing campaign. For example, video is only one of the latest content platforms that law firms are beginning to utilize. Embracing new trends can be a major differentiator for legal practices, and adventurousness is often rewarded.

Marketing takes a lot of commitment, but don’t abandon your law firm’s New Year’s goals by the time early-February hits. Sticking to planned, attainable resolutions will only help lay out the foundation for a great year ahead.