There are plenty of clever marketing people out there who will prey on struggling or unsuccessful lawyers—and one stock response they offer when an expensive marketing campaign fails to hit pay dirt is that its success consists of “intangibles.” Ideally, when you spend tens of thousands of dollars to promote your firm, you want to see solid returns in the form of new, paying clients. In the absence of this result, these marketing firms will claim “success” because your campaign:
- Increased your “name recognition” in your geographical area (a conclusion that's often drawn from dubious or fuzzy polling techniques)
- Generated “positive responses” from viewers of your YouTube video or TV commercial (but not enough to make them actually pick up the phone)
- Won an award for “innovation” or “creativity” from some trade group or professional association, probably based on dubious criteria
- Created “buzz”—whatever that means—around your firm, which will translate any day now into inquiries from potential clients
If you ever hear excuses like this from your marketing company, you should run for the door as fast as possible. You're not advertising your law practice to create “buzz” or win awards for innovation; your sole goal is to attract paying clients, in the absence of which you might as well throw your money down the toilet.
Questions? Call the law firm promotion experts at Great Legal Marketing (888-791-2150) to learn what we can do for you!
