You received the command from the executive committee, “All practice groups will submit a legal marketing plan by X date.” What now … delete the email, screen your calls and avoid the managing partner?
Why not follow these steps, which have proven to be effective for practice groups across a wide range of professional services firms?
Step 1 – Meet with senior management and learn first hand how they expect your practice group plan to mesh with the law firm’s business development plan.
Step 2 – Break into small working groups and:
- Audit all former and existing group materials – legal marketing plans, drafts, group meeting minutes, firm and practice brochures and other collateral materials, along with law firm SEO keyword lists, any PR, published articles, social networking efforts, etc.
- Review the group’s expertise, current business operations, existing client base, competition and current marketplace issues.
- Develop a list of legal marketplace needs and “demands.”
Step 3 – Using these group findings, develop a simple matrix linking group expertise to marketplace needs and “demands.”
Step 4 – Develop a realistic wish list of logical client types and make two lists of prospects … one of existing firm clients and one of others to whom you have some connection.
Step 5 – Develop goals for a certain amount of time for success and something else you can count … i.e., number of clients or dollars.
Step 6 – Create a plan for each prospect and “go for it.”
Step 7 – Monitor and evaluate the plan on a regular basis.
These simple steps will help you focus and create a marketing plan for your law firm that can be quickly implemented and show results. For more information on marketing planning, please contact Sue Remley at sremley@jaffepr.com at 804-304-2894.