Larry Bodine Law Marketing Blog : Law firm marketing, legal editor, legal marketing, attorney marketing, business development, marketing consultant, legal consultant, business development

I was at the PM Forum kickoff reception in New York yesterday, talking to Robert Algeri of Great Jakes Web Site & Design, and he reminded me of the following facts:

1) 73% of law firms acknowledge having generated new clients whose first awareness of their firm was through its website. --"Web-savvy Law Firms Get New Business from the Web" by Hank Brigman, Legal Marketing Technology, August 5, 2003

2) In recent studies, in-house counsel say that they turn to websites twice as often as printed marketing materials when selecting a law firm. --"Managing Outside Counsel Survey Report," ACCA/Serengeti, 2003

3) 38% of in-house counsel search the web at least once a week in search of outside counsel. -- "Best Practices in Legal Marketing: Effective Use of Web Sites," Touchpoint Metrics, Summer 2003

4) When selecting outside law firms, general counsel say that a poor website is a reason some law firms aren't considered at all. -- John Remsen's Managing Partner Forum, October 2002

I can affirm that this is all true. The only printed marketing materials I have are my business cards. The rest is online -- in Web sites, an e-Newsletter, Blog and Listservs. When I get a call from a firm that wishes to hire me as a consultant, I always ask how they found me. Invariably, the answer is, "I looked you up on the Internet."

Is your Web site bringing in business for you?

The economic recovery has arrived for law firms, and it's starting in New York, according to management consultant Ward Bower, an attorney who is a principal of Altman Weil, Inc. I just heard Ward speak the National Client Advisory Board meeting sponsored by Pitney Bowes Management Systems in Williamsburg, VA.

According to Ward, the recession lasted only two months in 2001 but law firms didn't recover during 2003. In the meantime there were a spate of mergers and law firm failures (more on that in a second). Here's what's coming up:

What with all the SPAM filters, firewalls, anti-virus software and corporate paranoia about getting a virus, it's really hard for marketers to get a legitimate e-mail newsletter delivered these days. I spoke at the Seatle Legal Marketing Associaton chapter on "E-Marketing in the world of SPAM."

The Wall Street Journal gave the example of the guy who applied for a job, noting he graduated "magna cum laude." His email was rejected for containing an obscenity. The stupid filter mistook "cum" as a porno word. Lots of people are using spam blockers, like the annoying Earthlink spamBlocker, which stops newsletters that people have requested to get.

It's too bad, because research shows that sending an e-Newsletter is a highly effective marketing technique, and is among the top 10 things that clients want from their professional service firms.

The good news is that marketers can maximize deliverability of their e-marketing, if they know the tricks:

VERY FEW PROFESSIONALS make the list of their clients' favorites, but the partner I was having lunch with did. He is an attorney at a major Chicago law firm where I had been the director of marketing for eight years. As was his style, he reached out to me and invited me to lunch just because wanted to see me. He had no other motive.

Over salads and club soda, he mentioned he had made the All-Star List published by BTI Consulting Group of Boston, which is composed of attorneys who were specifically named by clients for their outstanding service. The "BTI Survey of Client Service Performance: The Client Service A-Team ranks" more than 200 law firms based on client rankings of the 17 key activities that drive client relationships. It's an incredible honor.

It was easy to see why he made the list. I had always enjoyed working with him because of his ready smile, sincerity and appreciation of my efforts. Not only was he superb at his profession, be he also had an easy-going manner, asked me earnest questions about my work and listened to what I said. He even remembered the names of my family members. I enjoyed spending time with him.

I asked him why he thought he made the All-Star List. He responded immediately, "It's the personal touch. That's what clients want." He told me how he spent time with clients, went bicycling with some of them, returned their calls promptly and always made himself available no matter what the hour. I know that if I ever run a company that has complex environmental enforcement and litigation matters -- I'm calling him.

He also noted how his practice was thriving, he was billing tons of hours and he had all the business he could handle. This was no coincidence: if you as a professional can touch your clients personally and make an emotional connection, your clients will love you too. As they say, people like to do business with people they like.

He picked up the tab, telling me with a smile that it was my turn next time. Then we walked to an espresso bar and got lattes, which he also paid for. I'm certain he's just like this with his clients -- marketing at its best.