InsideLegal

LOMAP’s 5th Annual Super Marketing Conference To Be Held June 4th

The 5th Annual Super Marketing Conference 2015 - co-sponsored by Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) and the American Bar Association Law Practice Division (ABA) - will focus on the theme "Social Marketing Strategies" and will be held June 4, 2015 at MCLE, Milstein Hall in Boston. If you are in Boston, you can register now to attend this conference (online or as a walk-in) ($100-120 fee) that will feature nationally-recognized legal marketing experts, including:

• Kevin O’Keefe (@KevinOKeefe), CEO of LexBlog
  
• Larry Port (@LarryPort), CEO of Rocket Matter
  
• Leigh McMillan (@LeighMcM), Senior Vice President of Marketing at Avvo
  
• Ed Walters (@EJWalters), CEO of FastCase
  

Conference will focus on       (Download program brochure here)

Law firm marketing, in 2015, is a whole different ball of wax—especially compared to what it was, even five years ago. Before web-based marketing mastered the public consciousness, lawyers could 'hang shingles' and expect client traffic to commence; law firms could place advertisements in paper publications, without ever reconsidering self-publication alternatives; attorneys viewed websites as luxuries. The rise of the internet, most especially social media, has led to a sea change in the way in which professionals market their services. Traditional advertisements have morphed into two-way conversations; engagement is the new touchstone. Law firms no longer need to uncover publication sources, when blogs have become a standard medium in legal, and where the reach of those blogs can be expanded through leveraging social media accounts. The revised shop front is an effective website, buttressed by a robust, continually expanding social presence. Time was, lawyers could count their marketing efforts on one hand; but, modern law firm marketing is a Hydra. The question is how to master the beast, and convert it into an efficient selling machine.

Conference agenda

9:00 - 9:45 A.M.     What Works and Doesn't Work: Online Law Firm Marketing in 2015 

9:45 - 10:30 A.M.   Online Law Firm Marketing Panel Discussion 

10:30 - 11:00 A.M. Networking Break 

11:00 - 12:00 P.M. Top Tips for Marketing a New Law Practice Panel Discussion 

12:00 - 12:15 P.M. Lunch (Sponsored by the ABA Law Practice Division) 

12:15 - 1:00 P.M.   Lunchtime Speech: A Start-Up Marketing Success Story 

1:00 - 1:30 P.M.     Networking Break 

1:30 - 2:45 P.M.     Surviving and Thriving in Social Media 

2:45 - 3:30 P.M.     Panel on Social Media 

3:30 - 4:00 P.M.     Networking Break 

4:00 - 4:45 P.M.     How Blogging Will Help You Realize Your Dreams 

4:45 - 5:30 P.M.     Niche Marketing Panel Discussion 

Afterparty-Boston Solo/Small Firm Legal Meetup

If you are attending the conference (or not), you are also invited to join the Boston Solo/Small Firm Legal Meetup later that night hosted by Lisa Solomon and Carolyn Elefant. This event will serve as the ‘official’ conference wrap party, but it’s also open to any solo and small firm lawyers in and around Boston — regularly, or on that night in particular. The fun starts at 5:30 at Scholars on School Street.

Not able to attend?

If you aren't able to attend in person, you can follow the conversation through its hashtag #LHLM, through @InsideLegal or through LOMAP's social media guru @JaredCorreia.

 

[InsideLegal is a media sponsor of the 5th Annual Super Marketing Conference]

12 Rules of Law Firm-Client Relationship Marketing (Part Two)

Link to InsideLegal's Experience Lab Coverage on Storify

Link to All Presentations from One North's Experience Lab

 

[...This is Part Two of our Relationship Rules from One North's 2nd annual Experience Lab. Check out Part One here.] 

Relationship Rule #7:  Set the right tone for your relationships with trust & authenticity
We are in the relationship era. It’s not just our own experience anymore, instead we are going to Yelp, Angie’s List, Twitter, Trip Advisor and other networks for trusted advice and feedback. As stressed by presenter Sarah Levine Meyer, successfully selling a product or service is the result of something more and often includes the authenticity and passion associated with the mere item. Case in point ... successful product and services go beyond selling something customers need. They are relatable and convey trust and authenticity, characteristics that are critical in building long term relationships. Case in point, Proctor & Gamble has made the strategic move from merely selling ‘products’ to selling the ‘business of improving lives’. New Tide commercials for example, focus on the father-daughter experience as opposed to promoting a laundry detergent that cleans clothes.

To take this further, a recent McKinsey Quarterly article and survey revealed how 'B2B companies talk past their customers'. Here's an excerpt of the findings: "Themes such as social responsibility, sustainability, and global reach, which many B2B companies cast in a leading role for brand imaging, appeared to have a minimal influence on buyers’ perceptions of brand strength. Honest and open dialogue, which customers considered most important, was one of the three themes not emphasized at all by the 90 companies in our sample ..."

Relationship Rule #8:  It’s all about making emotional connections … through design and visual appeal
One North Creative Director Nathan Denton introduced the concept of ‘attractionality’, the combination of attraction and personality. First and foremost, a website should be functional, reliable and usable before a layer of enjoyment is applicable. Once the core is defined it is the added ingredients that can trigger emotional responses. Add authenticity, quality, attitude, organization and visual language, and businesses have triggered an emotional response from their audiences using the method he dubbed attractionality.

Relationship Rule #9: How strong are your relationships when the going gets tough?
Ryan Horner, One North CTO, focused his discussion on the resilience of brands and companies. He emphasized the strength of client relationships and the importance of responsible and compassionate communications especially during crisis moments. You learn the most about a company when there’s a disaster or unforeseen issue. For example, Codero Hosting recently experienced a significant server outage leaving many clients without service. However, the company immediately took to Twitter to own the problem and provide answers to tough questions. Within four hours of the initial outage, the company’s CEO published a public apology via YouTube while the company continued to address customer issues. Within 24 hours, customers used Twitter to recommend Codero solutions and commend its above board handling of the outage.

Relationship Rule #10:  Good things come in small packages: Focus on design and technology details that create memorable client experiences
While understanding and executing on the big picture is critical, so is the focus on details. One North presenters Jessica DeJong and Pete Amundson introduced the concept of micro interactions, “the little details that separate something you tolerate from something you love”. They are the smallest common denominator that can ensure a consistent user experience, and with consumers experiencing upward of 20,000 ‘micro-moments’ every single day, they are worth prioritizing. Popular examples cited included the Facebook ‘like’ symbol which has become so popular it has morphed into the social network’s logo and adorns its’ campus signage.

Relationship Rule #11:  Serious about improving client relations? Build a client experience protocol playbook
The Experience Lab concluded with a panel discussion with Nat Slavin, Deborah Knupp and Dawn Michalak focused on best practices, tips and advice when it comes to relationship building between law firms (and other service providers) and their clients. The most practical take-away that really any firm can implement was shared by one of the panelists. Based on her extensive experience working with law firms and CEOs on building better relationships internally and with clients, Deborah Knupp suggested that companies establish a client experience protocol - a playbook of sorts - designed to differentiate a client’s experience with your company. She suggested 7 playbook 'chapters':

1. Client feedback: Are you asking for/getting feedback from your client at all times? Create a culture of client feedback and highlight the “voice of the client.”
2. Creating the client intake ‘wow’ factor’: Once the ‘ink has dried’ on a new relationship, what can you do enhance the client experience and make your client feel good about their business decision?
3. Know your clients’ business: What do you do to know your client business? Panelists mentioned companies like UPS or Waffle House who invite their outside counsel to deliver packages and work the line at the restaurant to get a better feeling for their business and culture.
4. Crisis protocols: Do you have a protocol for reaching your clients during a crisis and vice versa, similar to a BC/DR plan for client communications?
5. Client appreciation is vital: Keep track of personal milestones and go the extra mile when it comes to appreciating your clients. For example, an associate at Foley & Lardner hand-delivers books for his clients every Christmas based on topics they have discussed throughout the business year.
6. Client communication: Keep clients in the loop and tell them what you want to meet about beforehand. Consider using live chat on your site to answer simple questions.
7. Streamline the billing and invoicing experience: Nat Slavin cites the client invoice as the “single best marketing tool you have”. Show as much as possible to prove value.

Relationship Rule #12:  Don't overcomplicate the simplicity of communications, with your internal clients and well as your external ones
This was really my personal takeaway after partaking in nearly two days of relationship 'games'. It's all about communicating ... consistently, professionally yet candidly and in an unbiased fashion. For many legal marketers this starts internally. What is the relationship between you, your marketing group and the attorneys? Do you have their ear? Do they have your back? Do they even know what you do? Can you relate?

While being able to answer all of these questions might not be realistic, they should lay the groundwork for an open, honest dialog and the realization that all of you, regardless of title, pay grade or accomplishments, are dedicated to the same cause ... top notch client service based on meaningful relationships.

 

12 Rules of Law Firm-Client Relationship Marketing (Part One)

Link to InsideLegal's Experience Lab Coverage on Storify

Link to All Presentations from One North's Experience Lab

A couple of weeks back we were hyper-focused and engaged, playing 'The Relationship Game' with 115 other marketers as part of One North's 2nd annual Experience Lab. One North Interactive, a creative/ interactive agency focused on digital marketing for law firms and other professional services, organized the relationship-themed event with a detailed eye on  facilitating and encouraging relations and bonding between participants and presenters. There is no better way to start a relationship event than with a casual networking reception, in this case, with attendees and staff at One North's Chicago office over cocktails and hors d'ourves. In keeping with the relationship theme, One North set up a photo wall of their employees divided by account teams to help clients put faces to the names. Bonding continued with team dinners afterwards. 

The day and a half program was equally relationship-focused since a majority of the presentations, 8 out of 10 on day one, took up no more than 20 minutes, and post-session 'table talks' encouraged participants and speakers to further explore salient points discussed during the sessions.

So why hone in on relationships? Firm-client relation strain is at an all-time high, much of it due to firms simply not listening to what their clients are asking and, increasingly, demanding. Case in point, according to Altman Weil’s fifth annual "Law Firms in Transition Study", ninety six percent of law firm leaders say they believe price competition is a permanent reality, and 80 percent think non-hourly billing is here to stay. In contrast, only 29% of leaders report that their firms have significantly changed their strategic approach to pricing since the 2008 recession. Some GCs might argue relating with their law firm clients is like talking to a wall.

When asked "why do clients leave their outside counsel?" during a Lab panel discussion on day two, Wicker Park Group's Nat Slavin cited economic pressures (firms not adjusting pricing strategies!), new legal needs and service failures as three top reasons. Fellow panelist Deborah Knupp of Akina added that with all things equal, clients want the 3 Cs - caring, creativity (in providing legal solutions) and camaraderie (among their own). The bottom-line ... close interactions and the degrees of meaningful, trust and competency-based relationships that suppliers and clients have, greatly determine account longevity and how well both sides can endure a crisis and general 'growing pains'. Lastly, the ultimate strength of your client bond is demonstrated by you clients' willingness to refer and recommend you to others.

Consider this useful background information. Next, we decided to channel Dr. Phil and offer up some relationship rules based on the session topics and conversations during this year's One North Experience Lab.

Relationship Rule #1: The Network is Your Customer
“In customer networks, customers are no longer viewed as isolated individuals, but are seen as dynamic and interactive participants in a network. These customers are constantly responding, connecting, and sharing among themselves and with businesses they care about,” stated Experience Lab keynoter David L. Rogers. According to Rogers, executive director of Columbia Business School’s Center on Global Brand Leadership and author of “The Network is your Customer”, there are five customer network behaviors and corresponding value creation strategies:

1. Access: There are no more ‘store hours’ - no more ‘9 to 5’. Companies need to be faster, everywhere and ‘always on’. [Example - Delta and other airlines are now offering gate-to-gate media connectivity.]
2. Engage: Become a source of valued content. [Example - value-added content provided by McKinsey and other management consultancies; specific blog content by Amazon Web Services and others]
3. Customize: Make your offering adaptable to your customers’ needs. [Examples - Lancôme’s ‘magic mirror’ virtual makeup tool and My Affinia customized hotel room/guest experiences.]
4. Connect: Become part of your customers’ conversations. [Example - SAP’s Community Network, developed by SAP AG, is used by software users, developers, consultants, mentors and students to get help, share ideas, learn, innovate and connect with others. There are currently over 2.5 million members who create over 3,000 posts a day.]
5. Collaborate: Invite your customers to help build your enterprise.A great way of engaging clients-ask them what you can do to improve. This can lead to valuable new products/services. [Example - Doritos asks customers to create Super Bowl ads each year. Doritos Snack Attack was most viewed TV ad ever.] 

Relationship Rule #2: Build digital relationships by focusing on experience-rich interactions
This sounds sort of counter-logical but during his session, One North CEO John Simpson shared the premise that our current relationship era demands personal interactions versus a focus on 'generic service delivery' and hiding behind the traditional 'shouting your message' approach. After all, the best form of marketing is the kind that does not feel like marketing. He noted that today, "your brand is your client's experience" and shared an unscientific yet effective test demonstrating brand relationship loyalty. Google "I love Apple" and find 828 million search matches; 152 million for "I love Starbucks"; 88 million for "I love United Airlines" (and bizarrely, 106 million for "I love Satan"). The point is that brands like Apple have made relationships - digital or otherwise - fun, rewarding, interactive and enjoyable resulting in the impressive 'I love' loyalty quotient.

As mentioned in a previous Experience Lab post, one of the biggest takeaways from John’s session, and really the central theme of the entire Experience Lab, was the introduction of the relationship cycle, a representation of how law firms and professional services organizations can engage their clients to build long lasting relationships that build trust and – over time – advocacy. One can argue that it is extremely impersonal to capture our client relationships via a static and sterile graphic but when you hear statistics like “57% of purchase decision are completed BEFORE a supplier is contacted”, you realize it is worth 'theorizing' our client relationships before we practice what we preach.

Relationship Rule #3: Pay attention to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs when striving for transformational client service: Segment your clients in order to promote client satisfaction, loyalty and evangelism
BTI Consulting's latest 'Client Relationship Scorecard' states that 87.1% of clients today admit they will replace their current primary law firm if given a compelling reason. And, of those who did so, 60 – 80% said they were satisfied or very satisfied before defecting. Presenter Alyson Fieldman suggests to avoid the 'shock and awe' of losing work this way by identifying and segmenting your clients (a la Maslow) from the 'naysayers' to the 'raving fans'.

Relationship Rule #4: By better understanding digital marketing metrics and data, you can create actionable information ... and a better understanding of client relationships
A recent Adobe Survey revealed that only 9% of surveyed marketers think their company's digital marketing efforts are working while 75% concede they are concerned with marketing ROI and campaign effectiveness. One could argue that given the proper statistical insights and metrics (derived through the use of services like Google Analytics), marketers could pinpoint which digital marketing efforts are working and where they are failing. One North presenter Chris Wrigley proposed using analytics to not only gauge marketing effectiveness, but really understanding client engagement and the overall relationship. If site visitors spend an average of 5 seconds on your 'About' page versus 30 seconds on your other content, there's obviously a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.

Relationship Rule #5: Relationship marketing is about context and timing
As thoroughly researched and then detailed by One North presenter Jen Bullett, professional services firms need to understand the different types of ‘context’ that should be considered when communicating with clients. "When are they most motivated to listen to you? How should you communicate so they will listen? What specifically are they looking for and how can you deliver on that?" The bottom line: You need to do your homework and get to know your audience on their terms, based on their likes and dislikes, not based on your ability to easily Google information and scan their social networks.

Relationship Rule #6: Calling all storytellers ... a good story can break any ice
Storytelling connects people and if done right, can provide magical moments. Firms can combine different media to create an immersive story telling experience for clients and build stronger relationships. According to speaker Kalev Peekna, effective stories have context, are authentic and leave an impression.

[...Tune into our Part Two Post for the remainder of our Relationship Rules from One North's 2nd annual Experience Lab.]

LMA 2013 Conference Revisited: Marketing Take-Aways from a Non-Law Firm Marketer

Click for InsideLegal's LMA 2013 Conference Photo Album

We have spent the last 14 years working within the legal community and a central connection point has always been attending industry events ranging from LegalTech to ABA events and legal administrator programs as well as technology conferences such as the annual ILTA educational conference. For some strange, ‘bad timing’ reason, we have never participated in the Legal Marketing Association’s (LMA) Annual Conference so when we spoke with LMA's Executive Director, Betsi Roach, and discovered the 2013 conference was directly after LexThink.1 and the ABA TECHSHOW, we decided to join 1,200+ legal marketers and law firm marketing-specific vendors at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, flying directly there from Chicago.

We thoroughly enjoyed the high caliber educational sessions and numerous networking and collaboration opportunities. In the spirit of voicing our 'clean slate' opinion, and with the intention of ‘keeping the marketing innovation ball rolling’, we are sharing our 2013 LMA Conference session take-aways and marketing observations:

• Be proactive and timely with marketing outreach & client communication: One of the big themes all week was the heightened expectations general counsel and corporate legal departments have when it comes to the marketing and content efforts put forth by law firm subject matter experts and legal marketers. The two biggest ‘must provides’ focused on timely and relevant content—new case rulings; relevant legislation; opinion and thought leader pieces by law firm leaders; and email alerts with dynamic, real-time content versus static, re-packaged dated information. As stated by a few panelists during InsideCounsel’s General Counsel Panel, law firms need to be their corporate clients' ‘eyes and ears’ in their particular practice area of expertise: “Before we give you our business, make it yours to know ours, inside and out.”
• Share + inspire: We left LMA inspired to implement what we learned and share lessons learned and examples with our community. Not everyone was so lucky as to attend the annual meeting, but thanks to social networks and tools everyone can benefit from the output of the various sessions. Case in point, we have seen several top notch LMA recap/follow-up blog posts and articles so simply search for #LMA13 on Twitter to view some of these. As you are reading this post, we encourage you to share your ‘take-ways’ not only with other marketers and business development folks, but with lawyers who might wonder why you are out of the office and in Las Vegas. It is your job to share this information and inspire your colleagues to try out new marketing efforts and at a minimum be open to you initiating new marketing programs that could benefit your firm. Also, the best way to ‘share and inspire’ is to get out of your office. Marketers need to proactively engage their attorneys – schedule some visits, take your partner out to lunch and find out what their biggest pains are and how marketing can help. Take this a step further and get involved in the next business pitch, be it by lending creative expertise, statistical and business analysis, a social media primer or something else your attorneys will value and want you to share.
• Bet on big data: While several LMA Conference sessions touched on how legal marketers can make better use of the client data they already have to provide better communication, Wednesday’s final ‘Leveraging Big 4 Consulting Best Practices to Bolster your Business Development Strategies’ session really drove home the big data mining point. As featured in BTI Consulting Group’s session wrap-up, the Big Four accounting firms have long been using aggregated client data and client preferences to determine which content, educational sessions and special programs their clients and prospects might be interested in. Keeping clients looped in on timely information and relevant educational opportunities not only helps marketers standout in the era of the ‘exploding’ inbox, but let’s clients know they know their business and needs as intimately as they do. Our Head of Content Jobst Elster was recently interviewed by ABA’s Law Practice Today - Digital Edge podcast's hosts Sharon Nelson (Sensei Enterprises) and Jim Calloway (Oklahoma Bar Association) on ‘Big Data for Lawyers’ and much of the discussion focused on law firm marketing’s role in pushing the big data envelope. In fact, a recent Gartner survey revealed that by 2017, marketing will have a larger technology budget focused on big data mining and analytics technology than IT!
• Manage + measure: We’ve all heard ‘you can only manage what you measure’ (and vice versa), so prioritize establishing metrics for your marketing efforts. This has many benefits beyond being able to determine the return of your marketing spend and efficacy of your marketing tactics. For one, being able to scientifically prove that a marketing effort works or doesn’t can empower you to experiment more and show your attorneys that say their ‘tried and true’ brown bag sessions are really not adding new clients. LMA Conference presenters mentioned several useful free tracking and measurement tools including Twitter (track new followers and popularity of specific content and call-to-action messages); bitly (provides custom shortened links for blog posts/articles/content that can be tracked revealing click-through rates and popularity); Google Analytics (to track website traffic and online content and link popularity); and Google Alerts (to keep track of legal issues, competitors and trends).
• 

  LMA Conference Keynote
  Professor David Wilkins, Harvard Law School
  Kiss the ‘traditional’ sales process goodbye: We are all too familiar with the age old sales funnel concept which starts with a large number of prospective contacts on top, continues with a handful of qualified leads further down the funnel, and ends with one client or new customer at the bottom. The idea is that sales is a ‘numbers game’ and the more you pour in the top (unqualified prospects) the more will eventually come out at the bottom (even if not your 'ideal' client). This is conducive to mass marketing and cold-calling centered lead generation all of which have proven to not work within the realm of law firm business development. New attention must be given to client relationships, client loyalty and influence, and the establishment of trust and advocacy. We have seen this before of course but have noticed creative interactive agencies like One North Interactive increasingly advising their clients on how they can establish greater client influence, trust and loyalty leveraging personalized website content and customizing the online user experience based on preferences and real time needs. Client feedback and client loyalty were also central themes of Wednesday's final session moderated by BTI Consulting's principal Marcie Borgal Shunk and highlighted research findings reiterating how far ahead of BigLaw Big 4 Accounting is when it comes to client feedback and satisfaction. It boils down to knowing your clients and what they expect of you. This point was hammered home by LMA Conference keynote speaker and Harvard Law Professor David Wilkins and is clearly articulated as part of the ACC Value Challenge which goes far beyond improving legal spending and is focused on the entire law firm-corporation relationship.
• Thought leadership ... is NOT dead: While it might be an overused and tired buzz word with much promise but lacking content substance, law firm thought leadership remains one of the top criteria GCs look at when engaging potential outside counsel. Your firm leaders not only need to know what they are talking about (subject matter expertise) but display leadership and a ‘voice of authority’ when it comes to their legal expertise. If your traditional thought leadership outreach is falling flat, explore new avenues of reaching your clients and prospects such as concise videos, webinars including actionable intelligence and content, and intimate client events.
• Don’t give up on social media, just ‘spoon feed’ it: While ignorance might be bliss, there’s nothing blissful about avoiding or ignoring social media for your law firm. While your lawyers may not yet see the light when it comes to leveraging social media tools to participate in the online legal conversation, chances are the competition does and within the next few years there will be no alternative. It’s sort of like the proliferation of smartphones these days, everyone has one; the only differentiation is the preferred mobile platform and scope of use aka which apps are you using. With that said, its legal marketing’s job to know which social tools are out there and which ones the firms should consider and vet. Based on what we heard this week, the two pieces of social media ‘low hanging fruit’ are blogs and Twitter. Both can be gradually rolled out and in the case of Twitter, research gathering and content aggregation can be a major firm benefit without actively tweeting or growing your Twitter presence. This week's InsideCounsel 'In-house New Media Engagement Survey' findings revelaed that 74% of all corporate respondents are so called 'invisible users'; they use LinkedIn and other social media tools but mostly to listen in and receive information versus actively participating and sharing. Equally intriguing is the statistic that 55% of GCs read attorney-authored blogs as frequently as blogs authored by professional journalists and 53% of counsel envision a future in which a well executed blog will influence hiring decisions.

While this is not an exhaustive list of ‘lessons learned’, we hope it will inspire and motivate to keep on pushing the envelope when it comes to your firms’ marketing effort. Stay tuned for our next post on ‘No Regrets Marketing … Vegas Style’.

Legal Marketing Association 2013 Annual Conference Photo Album

We recently returned from the 2013 Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Conference in Las Vegas. We will be posting our coverage of the event, but in the meantime, below is our photo album from the event. If you have problems viewing the slideshow or prefer to view the album, visit the album directly here.

Thanks to LMA Executive Director Betsi Roach and the Conference Committee for an incredible event.