Public Reputation Tip of the Week - February 3, 2010

You know you’re truly a law firm marketer - signed, sealed and delivered - when you anticipate the AmLaw 200 survey on law firm financial information this time of year, sometime after the recovery of the holiday season and before the reality that February has already set in.

You know the survey: the e-mail has already been forwarded and cc’d so heavily that you have to scroll down for 5 minutes to reference the original note from the reporter. For those who have responded to it in the past, you may already have a system in place. If your firm falls below “the reporting line” for AmLaw lists, your financials and any related stories are still important to understand in order to address any Public Reputation issues head-on: So read on!

Here are some tips on how to manage the process:

• Set an internal deadline for the numbers that allows for revision cycles. Though the note may not have come directly to you, track it down and take ownership.
• Understand what is being asked. While the survey looks cut-and-dry, we all know that the numbers are usually not. Ask the reporter for clarifications as needed, and use last year’s survey response as a guideline for your firm’s reporting consistency.
• Most importantly, get the story behind the numbers. Sit down with your financial officers and leadership, and understand what the numbers mean for the firm. Maybe you didn’t hit the budget mark, but there could be a positive story that can be cultivated.
• Prepare the firm with strategic key messages to help you and your spokespeople talk meaningfully about the numbers if asked by other media outlets or clients.