Business Strategy & Development, Digital Marketing
As the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or Marketing Director of a law firm, your role is both exciting and challenging. Whether you’re a solo practitioner wearing multiple hats or a paralegal tasked with marketing activities, you’re responsible for driving the firm’s growth, enhancing its brand, and ensuring that all marketing initiatives align with the firm’s strategic goals. One of your most valuable assets in this journey is your relationship with your marketing agency partner. The right partnership can not only alleviate some of the day-to-day pressures but also exponentially increase your firm’s market presence and client acquisition.
1. Have a Beginner’s Mindset
Having a beginner’s mindset can be a game-changer when it comes to standing out in the crowded legal services industry. Bringing a beginner’s mindset to work is about staying curious, embracing continuous learning, and being open to new strategies and technologies, no matter how experienced you are. In a field where algorithms shift, and client behaviors change rapidly, approaching challenges with fresh eyes allows you to innovate, adapt, and discover untapped opportunities. By maintaining a beginner’s mindset, lawyers and their marketing teams can stay ahead of the curve, delivering campaigns that resonate deeply with their target audience while driving measurable growth.
Value Alignment: At Postali, we pride ourselves on our collaborative nature and demonstrate a willingness to adapt. We value our clients’ input and are ready to collaborate on creating a plan that aligns with your vision. In this article, you’ll learn how your law firm can optimize its relationship with your marketing agency to make your life easier and maximize the value of your marketing efforts.
2. Establish Clear Goals and KPIs from the Start
The first step in ensuring a successful partnership is setting clear, measurable goals. Whether your firm is looking to increase lead generation, enhance brand visibility, or dominate specific practice areas in search engine rankings, communicating these goals to your agency is crucial. By aligning on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), you ensure that both your team and your agency partner are working towards the same objectives. This clarity not only keeps everyone on the same page but also makes it easier to track progress and make data-driven decisions.
Value Alignment:
At Postali, we’ve embraced the SMART goal-setting process to manage our clients’ workflow. The onboarding of a new client or the arrival of a new marketing professional at a law firm is an ideal time to revisit and realign on goals. This realignment should ensure that the marketing agency’s objectives are in sync with the vision for the law firm. This might involve updating key performance indicators (KPIs), setting new targets, or shifting focus to different marketing channels. Clear alignment on goals will set the foundation for a successful partnership moving forward.
3. Leverage the Agency’s Expertise in Legal Marketing
You’ll want to choose a marketing agency that specializes in working with law firms and can offer insights and strategies that are tailored to your firm’s unique needs. As a marketing professional at a law firm, it’s important to find a partner that you can rely on for expertise and be open to their recommendations. This means embracing innovative strategies like thought leadership, content marketing, public relations, direct mail, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Google My Business, and search engine optimization (SEO) that may differ from traditional marketing tactics. By leveraging the agency’s specialized knowledge, you can position your firm as a leader in its field and stand out in a competitive local or national market.
Value Alignment:
In many cases, small and mid-sized law firms hire marketing professionals who don’t have legal marketing experience. This is okay, but there will always be a learning curve with new employees. At Postali, we only work with law firms and by being fiercely focused, we provide immense value to our local partners. If a new marketing strategy is working within a geographic test market, we can quickly roll this out across similar practices in separate markets. As the agency, we bring valuable industry knowledge and insights, and share recent trends, competitor analysis, and any data-driven insights that could inform their strategic decisions.
4. Embrace Candid Communication
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful partnership, but it’s candid communication that truly elevates the relationship. Being open and honest about what’s working, what isn’t, and where there’s room for improvement can make a significant difference in achieving your goals. Candid communication involves not just sharing successes, but also addressing challenges head-on. This level of transparency builds trust and fosters a collaborative environment where both the law firm and the agency can work together to overcome obstacles and drive growth.
Value Alignment: At Postali, we emphasize the importance of candid communication from day one. We understand that not every strategy will be a home run, and that’s okay. By having honest conversations about what’s working and what needs to be adjusted, we can pivot quickly and keep the focus on achieving your law firm’s strategic objectives. This approach not only strengthens the partnership but also ensures that we are always aligned with your firm’s needs and priorities.
5. Empower Your Agency with the Right Resources & Information
For your agency partnership to deliver the best results, they need access to the right tools and information. Provide them with detailed insights into your firm’s target audience, key practice areas, and any recent market research. Additionally, ensure that they have the resources they need, such as high-quality content, access to subject matter experts (public relations), and data from previous marketing efforts. By equipping your agency with these resources, you enable them to create more targeted and effective campaigns.
Value Alignment:
New marketing professionals often bring fresh perspectives and may want to change or refine existing strategies. At Postali, we are open to new ideas and demonstrate our willingness to continuously improve. We value their input and are ready to collaborate on creating a plan that aligns with their vision. This approach will help build trust and establish your agency as a flexible and supportive partner.
6. Foster a Long-Term Partnership Mentality
The most successful agency partnerships are built on trust, collaboration, and a long-term mindset. Rather than viewing your agency as just another vendor, we hope to be viewed as an extension of your team. Invest time in building a strong relationship, and be open to feedback and new ideas. A long-term partnership mentality encourages our agency to go above and beyond, as they become more invested in your firm’s success. This approach not only leads to better results but also reduces the stress of constantly searching for new partners. Turnover of employees and vendors is never a good thing, but sometimes difficult decisions have to be made.
Value Alignment: A strategic roadmap outlines our recommendations for the next 3, 6, and 12 months. This roadmap or customer journey reflects our client’s priorities and includes actionable steps to achieve them. By providing a clear and well-thought-out plan, we demonstrate our agency’s commitment to driving results and supporting the law firm’s strategic vision. Furthermore, we take the time to get to know our client’s leadership style, communication preferences, and professional background. A good personal relationship can foster better collaboration, trust, and open communication.
7. Continuous Improvement: Evaluate and Adapt
Finally, regular evaluation is key to ensuring that your agency partnership remains effective. Assess the success of campaigns, review performance against KPIs, and solicit feedback from your agency. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to pivot. A good agency will appreciate your proactive approach and work with you to adapt strategies as needed. By continuously evaluating and refining your partnership, you can ensure that it remains a valuable asset to your firm.
At Postali, we don’t believe in a “set it and forget it” approach. Instead, we are committed to ongoing optimization and innovation. This involves regularly assessing the performance of your campaigns, identifying areas for improvement, and making the necessary adjustments to maximize your return on investment. For example, if a specific SEO tactic isn’t yielding the expected results, we’ll pivot quickly, experimenting with new keywords, content strategies, or technical adjustments until we find what works.
Continuous improvement also means being proactive in our approach. We don’t wait for issues to arise; we actively seek out opportunities to enhance your firm’s online presence and overall marketing strategy. Whether it’s adapting to a new algorithm change or exploring a new social media platform, we are always looking for ways to give you a competitive edge.
Value Alignment: Postali prepares a comprehensive review of the current marketing strategies, campaigns, and performance metrics when onboarding a new client or bringing a new stakeholder up to speed. The goal is to give the new client or marketing partner a clear picture of where things stand and the progress made. Be transparent about what’s working, what isn’t, and where there’s room for improvement. This review should also include a summary of key accomplishments and any challenges the agency has faced.
What’s Next?
Whether you are a solo practitioner wearing multiple hats or a CMO of an international law firm, your relationship with your marketing agency is a critical component of your firm’s success. If the new client or stakeholder expresses concerns about current marketing efforts or the agency’s approach, we address them proactively. We are responsive, adaptable, and committed to meeting their needs. This could involve revisiting strategies, offering additional support, or providing more detailed reporting.
By setting clear goals, maintaining open and candid communication, and fostering a long-term partnership, we hope to make your life easier while driving significant results for your firm. Remember, a strong partnership is a two-way street—when both parties are aligned and working together, the potential for growth and success is limitless.
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