Law Firm Marketing Action Steps to Identify your Ideal Target Audience

As a lawyer in small or solo law practice, you face many marketing challenges, no doubt. Over and over again, small firms say their biggest obstacle is finding their real target audience. By setting goals and following a few guidelines you will be able to overcome that obstacle and begin to see immediate results; increasing the quality and quantity of clients and building a continual revenue stream.

Get Smart is not only the name of a popular TV show and motion picture; it is also very good legal marketing advice. What do we mean by getting smart? Get busy and start to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T goals are those which are:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed

There is no more important goal on which you can focus your legal marketing energy than in identifying your ideal target market (ITM). How do you know who to target? The following is a list of proven action steps to help you begin targeting your ideal client.

1. Interview current and former clients. Whenever possible, ask them probing questions such as: Why did they hire you instead of your competitors? If applicable, ask why they continue to work with your firm. Find out which of your services have been most helpful and how they helped. Ask what they like most about working with you. An important law firm marketing strategy you don't want to skip: Ask how you can improve your services and implement worthwhile suggestions.

2. Cast a wide net; don't underestimate just how many people you have access to. Make a list of friends, family members, relatives, colleagues and business associates. Then, ask what kind of people or companies they have access to and which they would refer you to. Many legal professionals forget to canvass the people they know and, consequently, miss out on business because they did not practice this important rule of law firm marketing.

3. You don't have to spend a lot of time or money when you conduct a basic market search. Start by simply asking prospective clients if there is a need and how they are currently meeting that need.

4. Marketing for lawyers can be as simple as using your local resources. For example, contact your local bar association; get the names and geographical locations of all attorneys and their areas of practice. Send out a letter of introduction and invite them to lunch.

5. Locate your base of operations in a geographical area that matches your likely prospects; tastes and requirements. For example, if you want to practice business law, choose an office in a busy office district. If you are targeting blue-collar workers, set up shop in an industrial area.

6. Cut down the amount of time you spend on the road. If you will be spending a good deal of time at the courthouse, rent office space no more than a 30-minute drive during rush hour. The less time, money and energy you put into commuting, the more you can focus on legal marketing techniques.

7. Speak to a cross-section of lawyers and ask them what types of practice areas are over and under represented.

8. Take a close look at your successful competitors. What markets have they been targeting? Determine, as best you can, how successful they have been using their current law firm marketing techniques.

Set aside a little time each day to focus on one or more of the above items. Marketing your law firm takes time. Using these strategies will be time well-spent; that's a guarantee!