I’m a visual learner. I process information faster and more efficiently when I can see it. Apparently, I’m not alone. According to the Social Science Research Network, 65 percent of us are visual learners. Perhaps this is why we all love a good infographic, especially if it explains in a clear and concise way some of the complex data that law firms collect.

What Is an Infographic?

An infographic is a visual image, such as a chart or diagram, used to represent information. But it’s not your mom’s stodgy old bar graph. It’s more of a loud picture chart with a graphical user interface (GUI) design that tells a compelling story. Some great examples include:

What Is the Value of an Infographic?

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, an infographic hits the marketing lottery. As a standalone piece, an infographic tells a story that is easily shared across all forms of media. Several infographics have gone viral, including this one, which tells the story about what happens in your body one hour after drinking a can of Coke.

Whether that data is meant to promote the firm – such as an infographic of rankings achievements – or provide thought leadership – like a visualization of Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) statistics, you can leverage infographics through a number of channels.

Articles: A law firm infographic can be incorporated into editorial pieces to help buoy the message. The visual aid can explain and break down complex data that accompanies a larger, more in-depth article. It provides a visual break from all of that heavy text and clarifies the message.

Presentations: The data behind the infographic can also be retooled into a larger presentation on the same subject. The infographic is already a basic outline of the presentation. Further its use by creating a printed version of the infographic as a handout that summarizes the crux of the talk.

Advertisements: In many markets, traditional advertising is not dead – far from it. Regional law firms enjoy a bump in brand awareness when they place an ad for a particular achievement, award won, client saved or charity cause. Instead of the traditional law firm logo and text box, consider using an infographic in its place. It’s helpful in driving engagement with that local, target audience.

Media Pitches: Anticipating breaking news is difficult. While most reporters have a good sense of what is about to happen in the space they cover, they may not always have the inside track on the latest developments in the same way someone on the front line might have. Given your attorney’s personal involvement with the reporters’ areas of focus, you can anticipate a certain amount of coverage, especially when it concerns a specific legal decision, regulation or new rule. When such a development occurs, have your infographic ready to go and share it with the news media, along with a compelling pitch describing what your attorney can address. This gives reporters a sense of how your spokesperson would be a good and reliable source.

No matter how you turn your data into a picture, there is no doubt about its value.

As for creating a law firm infographic, that’s a multistep process for another blog, but it usually requires a researcher, a writer and a graphic designer. You can also use an online service like Piktochart that can allow you to create infographics for free or a small fee.

For more tips on law firm PR strategy, please contact Vivian Hood at vhood@jaffepr.com.