We are thrilled to invite you to The Practice42 Summer Marketing Series Webinar 7: Building Your Law Firm Strategic Marketing Plan for Success! In this final webinar, we’ll bring everything together, helping you design a comprehensive marketing plan that aligns with your firm’s objectives and drives measurable success. You may not be aware that Audrey Ehrhardt, Esq., CBC, teaches an innovative course for our Premier Practice Institute Members called Practice42’s One Year of Marketing in One Day and, in this webinar, she will share the key components you need to master!

In this session, you will be able to dive in and learn more in key areas including:

• The essential elements of a law firm marketing plan.
• The critical tie between marketing and your legal services.
• How to align your marketing strategies with your practice’s growth goals.
• Developing a budget and timeline that works for your firm.
• Continuous assessment and adaptation of your plan.

By the end of this session, you’ll have a clear roadmap for building a sustainable and results-driven marketing plan tailored to your law firm. When it comes to how to get the most out of your strategic law firm marketing and developing solutions in each of these key areas, whether you are a veteran law firm marketer in your practice, just starting out, or looking for how to make the right change to get the results you need for your law firm, you won’t want to miss the last session of Practice42’s Sizzling Summer Marketing Series on October 10th at 1 pm ET. Space is limited! You can use this link to register right now.

You know that an efficient client intake process is crucial for converting leads into clients and providing a seamless experience from the first interaction. In this brand new Practice42 Webinar series we will be showing you the best practices for identifying your ideal client and tailoring your intake process to meet their needs. 

You’ll learn not only how to attract the potential clients you want to work with but  how to create an intake pipeline that is both efficient and effective, ensuring no potential client slips through the cracks. We’ll also discuss the importance of a user-friendly intake form and how to design one that captures all necessary information without overwhelming the client.

Law practice management technology can significantly enhance your client intake process, making it more streamlined and efficient. In this session, we’ll explore various intake tools and technologies that can help manage client interactions and automate administrative tasks PLUS how to eliminate redundant data entry and more throughout the client journey. You’ll learn how to implement and utilize these tools to track leads, automate follow-ups, and convert prospects into clients. We’ll also discuss how to integrate intake tools with other systems and software to create a cohesive and efficient workflow. Space is limited for our Practice42 Webinar on Thursday, June 20th at 1 pm ET. Register now!

In our legal world, first impressions are crucial. As we all know, increasingly these first impressions are being made online, long before a potential client ever steps foot into your office. Your website, and particularly your blog content, often serves as the introductory handshake, greeting, and initial consultation all rolled into one. Research tells us that over half of your potential clients are doing their own investigation into the attorney they need, and drawing their own conclusions! 

Knowing this, are you putting your best foot forward?

Let's delve into how the content of your blog, and your website, can set the tone for meetings with potential clients and why it needs to be a living, breathing component of your client-acquisition strategy.

First, we want to discuss the power of first impressions. The content on your blog is often the first substantial interaction a potential client has with your law firm. It reflects not just your knowledge and expertise but also your approach to clients and cases. It should not be overlawyered, in fact most search engines read at a 3rd grade level, and quality, informative, and engaging blog content can take critical actions including, but not limited to, the following:  

• Establish trust. When readers find your content helpful and informative, they are more likely to trust your expertise and consider your services.
• Showcase expertise. Your blog is a platform to demonstrate your knowledge and experience in specific areas of law, setting you apart as an expert in your field.
• Set the tone for client expectations. The tone and quality of your blog content sets client expectations on multiple levels. You can demonstrate not only your understanding but demonstrate you understand the challenges your clients face, which creates connection. Further, clear, jargon-free content makes you seem more approachable, suggesting that meetings with you will be understandable and client-friendly.

The topics you cover in your blog can also influence what potential clients want to discuss in their initial meetings. Well-crafted posts can guide the conversation. For example, if you write about particular legal issues, clients may come to meetings with those topics in mind, allowing you to prepare more effectively. You can also discuss various services or successful case strategies, so you can steer clients toward considering these services for their needs. Your blog's content can enhance your credibility and increase the comfort level of potential clients by allowing you to explain complex legal processes or potential outcomes demystifying the legal process, which can reduce anxiety and make your potential new clients more comfortable in meetings.

We know you may have questions on how to ensure your blog effectively sets the tone for potential client meetings. When it comes to creating a marketing blogging plan that you can follow consider these tips:

• Post consistently. Regularly post new content to keep your blog fresh and engaging.
• Ensure you are relevant. Write about topics that are relevant and interesting to your potential client base.
• Use a call to action and suggest an action. Encourage readers to contact you for more information, subtly guiding them towards booking a consultation.
• Find your voice. Unique content matters today. Find your voice, or help your copywriter find your voice, and discuss things as you would in a first client meeting. While the tone can be friendly and approachable, maintain a level of professionalism that reflects the serious nature of your work.

In conclusion, the content on your law firm's website blog is a powerful tool that can significantly influence potential client meetings. It sets the tone for your firm's image, demonstrates your expertise, and begins the important work of building a relationship with clients before you ever meet them. By strategically crafting your blog content, you can ensure that this first impression is a positive one, laying the groundwork for successful and fruitful client interactions. If you have questions about your blog, or any part of your law firm marketing plan, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session to discuss your practice needs.

In the competitive field of law, having a streamlined process for client intake and engagement is not just a luxury - it's a necessity. 

And two of the vital tools you need in alignment within your arsenal are your website and your law practice intake software. Let’s face it, as attorneys, we understand the importance of precision and efficiency. Just as you plan forward to advocate for your clients or strategize to win cases to achieve the results they need, your approach to client intake and ongoing marketing engagement should be equally methodical and efficient. This is where the combined approach of building a robust website and optimizing your law practice management software come into play.

Before diving into the how, let's consider the why behind the importance of a streamlined process. Streamlining your client intake and engagement processes will allow you to:

• Increase conversion rates with your potential clients. There is no question that a smooth, hassle-free intake process reduces barriers for potential clients, making them more likely to choose your services.
• Improve client satisfaction. Efficient and effective communication from the start sets a positive tone for the client relationship, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates.
• Enhance team productivity. Automating and optimizing routine tasks not only takes back your time and eliminates the potential for error, but frees up your team to focus on more complex, billable work.

Your website is often the first point of contact between your firm and potential clients. You need for your website to be easy to navigate, accessible, and able to provide a clear path to action. Whether that's filling out a contact form, scheduling a consultation, or accessing resources; you want to show your potential clients the next step to take.

Many attorneys miss out on the fact that they are in a key position when a potential client is searching for information to provide informative content that establishes your expertise and encourages visitors to reach out. This might include blog posts, FAQs, or downloadable guides. It could also include interactive features such as chatbots, interactive forms, and appointment scheduling capabilities to engage visitors and prompt action.

While it starts with your website, it does not end there. The simultaneous step is to optimize your law practice management software. This is the backbone of your firm's operational efficiency. We know you may have questions on how to leverage its full potential and want you to consider:

• Integration with your website. Ensure that your software seamlessly integrates with your website. For example, when a potential client fills out a contact form, their information should automatically populate in your client database.
• Develop your automated workflows. Use the software to automate routine tasks such as appointment reminders, follow-up emails, and document requests. This keeps the client engagement process moving smoothly without unnecessary delays.
• Consider the use of client portals. Offer clients a secure portal where they can view case updates, share documents, and communicate with your team. This not only streamlines communication but also gives clients a sense of involvement and control over their case.

Don’t forget that this is not a “set it and forget it” process. To make the most of these tools for your law firm, you want to ensure that every member of your team is well-trained and that you regularly review and refine your processes. As technology evolves and client expectations change, so too should your approach to client intake and engagement.

In a world where clients expect speed, transparency, and convenience, streamlining your client intake and engagement processes is not just about staying competitive, it's about redefining the standard of service in the legal industry. By effectively leveraging your website and law practice management software, you can transform these expectations into opportunities, building a more responsive, efficient, and client-centered practice. 

As you reflect on your firm's current processes, ask yourself: are you streamlining your client intake and engagement for success? Do you need help?  If you have questions about your marketing and your law practice management technology, we encourage you to contact us and book your free 30 minute Strategy Session to discuss your practice needs with our expert team!

Most attorneys we talk to spend an average of 90 minutes per legal blog post. First, let us say there is nothing wrong with this strategy.  Second, we encourage well-researched, in-depth blogs. The problem is, however, that this amount of time spent on a law firm blog post significantly limits the amount of content the firm can publish in a month, let alone a week.

Over the last year, we’ve been working with some of our favorite lawyers to develop a law blog style that both fits their marketing needs and works for them. Blogs are a great platform to get the law firm's message out there and we guarantee that you can find the time to write them over the lunch hour.

Let us share with you Practice42’s 9 Minute Guide to Writing Great Blogs.

Minute 1
Brainstorm as many topics as possible. Record them so you have all your terrific ideas on file.

Minute 2
Pick one topic. For that topic only, develop three bullet points.

Minutes 3 – 5
Write two sentences per bullet point, spend one minute per bullet point.

Minute 6
Give each bullet point a one sentence call to action. (Think: What do you want your reader to do?)

Minute 7
Read your law blog backward to proof it.

Minute 8
Make corrections and format.

Minute 9
Create a title and post your custom blog.

Try this out this week and let us know how it goes. Need help getting started or simply don’t have time?  Let us know – we can help.

Happy writing!