InsideLegal

Replacing Legal Market Trends with Real World Realities

Welcome to the 'new (ab)normal'! When is the last time you were glued to the TV, social ... pick your media to figure out what's next, not only in your own life but with the economy, your own businesses and anything and everything you care about? Oh yeah and there's the working from home 'thing', 24/7, with or without a proper place or space to call your office.

While we are all looking to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and somehow come out stronger on the other side, the reality of what the legal community is going through is as many commentators like to say "fluid", at best. In other words, we have no idea what's next or what we are supposed to do, how we are supposed to act, and how aggressive we should be about business as usual without coming off as annoyingly tone deaf.

I was recently invited by Qorus Software (producers of sales enablement/proposal/RFP automation technology) to address the "how the hell should we market right now, what's our reality and how does this match up with 2020 marketing trends and developments." We decided to host a "10 Marketing Trends and Realities" webinar to drill-down further and provide law firm marketers with some guidance (and a sanity check) as to what they could/should be doing during this crisis.

In addition to the webinar (which in exchange for some contact info you are free to access here), Qorus also produced an easy to follow and practical to use eBook: Adapting to Change: Definitive Guide to Law Firm Marketing in 2020. The eBook includes 8 practical tips on how legal marketers can seize the moment and put their best marketing foot forward. If you don't have time to download the webinar or the eBook, check out the 14-slide PDF (with all ten trends and realities) from the program.

Here are a few of the trends (and realities) that legal marketers should not only acknowledge but consider acting on now:

Client-centric marketing: This might be a no-brainer ... "all marketing should focus on clients", but you'd be surprised how many campaigns miss the mark. Check out any corporate legal survey and you'll quickly realize how much outside counsel DO NOT listen to client challenges and demands. The current crisis gives you a 'do-over' of sorts when it comes to revealing your authentic marketing self. Your clients are swimming with you in the deep end so why not work together to your collective advantage

Strategic content marketing is king: Content marketing is nothing new. Devising a clever strategy of how to leverage and amplify hard earned content is still novel and not the norm in legal marketing circles. Spend some energy on "marketing your marketing" with a 1-4-7 approach. Focus on one concept; develop four related content pieces such as newsletters, webinars, eBooks, and whitepapers; and chose seven distribution channels for your content including online, social, communal and direct. 

Community building ... the new black: Acquiring new customers is 6-7 times more expensive than marketing to an existing community base. These days, word-of-mouth means engaging through social platforms, sharing educational resources while introducing clients to your network of subject matter experts and influencers. Legal communities are out there and waiting with open arms. Check out ILTA, LMA, ALA, and ABA Law Practice for starters.

We will be sharing more legal marketing trends and realities in future posts gleaned from legal marketing and business development experts.

Inside Legalweek 2019: Battle Tested Tips for Conference Survival

If you are looking for basic tradeshow tips such as "wear comfortable shoes", "plot out who you want to meet ahead of time" and "bring business cards", etc. this isn't the post for you. This is a post based on 19 years of attending Legaltech New York and most all other legal events and conferences. We make the joke annually that it's no coincidence that Legaltech is always within a few days of Groundhog Day. Legaltech's timing is unique in that it allows you to kick off the new year with a bang, however it can also make for a brutal week. With the morphing of Legaltech into Legalweek, this is even more so the case. Here are some Legalweek 2019 'coping' tips which will hopefully have you looking back at the week ahead with enthusiasm not vitriol.

1. There is no ‘cone of silence’!

You wouldn’t believe the things we’ve heard in the common areas of the Hilton over our 19 years attending Legaltech. Realize that the property is a ‘hot’ spot and that you never know who is at the table beside you in the restaurant or sharing the elevator with you, so be discreet!  Update: I'm going to extend this tip out two blocks in all directions. If you are at the Warwick or the Starbucks or the corner pub, it can still be full of Legalweek attendees or your competitors!

2. Multi-task

There is a lot to take advantage of at Legalweek, so often plans for the event begin and end with working your booth. To maximize your investment, take advantage of all the opportunities available to network and/or promote your brand including connecting with partners, media, bloggers but also take time to meet with legal associations on-site such as ILTA , ARMA, AALL or AECDS.

3. "Social" networking

The first word in social networking is SOCIAL. In an industry with the staying power of legal - no one ever leaves, they just change companies/firms - it is just as valuable to make social connections with peers and contacts. During social events, stay social! Don’t start listing the bullet points for your product or bust out a laptop/tablet for a ‘quick demo’. Seriously… it happens all the time! Also bring your manners to the Twitter-verse and don't hog the hashtag. There are many people that participate in the Legalweek social media world so be respectful and don't hog the hashtag! If you are including the #Legalweek19 hashtag (which you should), don't send tweets from multiple company/employee accounts multiple times in a row. There are always a few people/companies that decide that social media success is based on the number of tweets they post. In fact, often those people are ridiculed and avoided, so don't be one of them! 

4. Meeting space hell

Unfortunately, one of the biggest challenges at Legalweek is finding a space to meet on-site, so prepare accordingly. All major events should provide ample space for their attendees to sit and network, but unfortunately, the main common area for meetings during the day is now rented out by ALM to vendors for their meetings during the day, so it's been closed off. We suggest you book a separate meeting space, locate a few off-site meeting options  beforehand or just direct all meeting traffic to your booth to collectively find appropriate space. We have managed to find a few choice places to meet, but then again, you don't expect us to publish those, do you? :-)  

However, we've found a couple of creative ideas from the suspended glass box meeting room above to the "portable chair" to the right (try at your own risk!). Next year, someone should give them away in the exhibit hall!  

5. Beware of the 'convenience' of the coat check

In the past, recovering from hypothermia because I walked to the Hilton without my coat was less annoying than standing in the coat check line. Seriously. (OK, obviously the photo is an exaggeration but you get the idea!)

6. Measure up the competition

If you are a technology vendor/Legaltech exhibitor in town for the week, this is the perfect time to 'compare and contrast'. What are companies in your application area promoting this week? How visible are they? How is their exhibit floor/booth traffic? What are they doing that you might be able to pull off better? Did you know there is a full schedule of demos and product pitches happening throughout the week? And, there's a new Legaltech Product Innovation showcase and award to check out and vote on via the app. Don't come to town solely focused on booth duty and the 'wine and dine'. Be aware, take notes, and share it when you get home. 

A variation from a post originally published January 20, 2015

InsideLegal Partners with ILTA to Produce the 12th Annual Vendor Education Program Onsite at ILTACON

We at InsideLegal have been partnering with ILTA to co-produce the Vendor Education Program at the ILTA Annual Conference since 2004. For our twelfth year anniversary, we will be offering our popular "InsideLegal Market Flash Course" that outlines the best tips and advice for promoting your company to the legal space as well as bringing back our very popular session, "Advice for Selling to ILTA Firms". Don't miss the opportunity to hear directly from ILTA members the best way to market and sell to them leading up to ILTACON and throughout the year. As always, the program begins with Peggy Wechsler's Vendor Business Meeting covering any conference announcements and tips on how to work with ILTA throughout the year and ends with the release of the 2015 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey covering ILTA firms' purchasing habits and trends for the upcoming year. Please get your booths setup early on Monday, August 31st so you can join us at 1:30 in the Anzio room of Caesars for the 2015 ILTACON Vendor Education Program.

Vendor Education Program
[Monday, August 31st, 1:30-4:00pm in Anzio (Promenade Level, 3rd Floor)]

1:30 - 2:00 p.m.: ILTA Vendor Business Meeting
This session will include an opportunity to meet the ILTA staff and Board, receive an update on conference activities, and learn additional ways to work with ILTA throughout the year.
Faculty - Peggy Wechsler, ILTA Program Director

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.: InsideLegal Market Flash Course - How to Promote Your Company Within the Legal Space
We know how valuable your time is on-site at ILTA, so this rapid fire session will pack in industry statistics and legal marketing information. The program will include topics such as: legal market statistics; the one thing EVERY legal vendor should do…and it's free; where to get marketing research; stats on purchasing budgets and trends; and working with the legal media. Walk away with tips, tricks and legal resources you can use immediately.
Faculty - JoAnna Forshee, InsideLegal CEO & Jobst Elster, InsideLegal Head of Content & Legal Market Strategy

3:00 - 3:30 p.m.: Advice for Selling to ILTA Law Firms
Priceless advice from ILTA members on how to reach out to them and what not to do.
Faculty - Kevin Sullivan, Cohen & Grigsby Director of Technology

3:30 - 4:00 p.m.: 2015 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey Results
Last but not least, we will be reviewing the results from this year's ILTA member technology purchasing survey conducted by InsideLegal. The report includes data from 184 ILTA law firms of all sizes including: what percentage of firm revenue they spend on technology; what they purchased last year; what they will be purchasing next year; did their budgets increase or decrease; what vendors gave exceptional customer service; etc. Session attendees will receive a hardcopy report. View the 2014 Survey.
Faculty - Jobst Elster, InsideLegal Head of Content/Legal Market Strategy

Complete your setup early Monday and make sure to join us for the program. Please RSVP to JoAnna Forshee with name, title, company and email address for each participant.

Additionally, InsideLegal has added a link that pulls all their exhibitor resources and articles. Check it out! 

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]

LegalTech New York 2015 Agenda Word Cloud (& Comparison to Past Years)

In a few weeks, a few thousand people will convene at LegalTech New York (LTNY) for 3 days of exhibitions, networking and legal technology sessions. To give an overview of what will be covered in those sessions, we have again created the LTNY agenda word cloud, visually displaying the words/themes included in the event's agenda of sessions (minus days, times and people's names). FYI ... the size of selected words dictates how often they have been mentioned or referenced within the agenda (aka, how popular they are). [Click on image to enlarge]

 

This is the fifth year we have used the event program to create a visual snapshot of the main content themes and discussion topics. How does this compare to previous years? What topics made headlines in our word clouds for 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (shown below)?  Here are some musings on 2015 and past year comparisons:

• Content wise, LTNY 2015 is heavily focused on information governance (IG), risk and compliance... particularly as it relates to eDiscovery, corporate security and information management. We heard it last year but this year it is loud and clear.. IG is no longer a sideline, add-on activity but a broader strategy of managing information overload. The time to simply check off IG and compliance tasks is over.
• So what happened to big data? I thought it was bigger than ever? Yes, but we are seeing two distinct trends ... 1) Big data is being rolled into IG, risk management and information management themes as opposed to positioned stand-alone and 2) analytics, a hotter than ever topic, is essentially a big data off-shoot. Case in point, the 2014 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey revealed that over 50% of responding ILTA member firms would use analytics as a primary big data technology. 
• Considering privacy and security are on everyone's 'major challenges' and 'top priority' lists, the topics themselves are somewhat downplayed. We suspect these topics are central to most information governance discussions which seem to be dominating this year.
• Last year we asked "where did the big pricing discussion go? Remember AFAs?" Session wise, LTNY seems to have moved on, although we did notice an increase in cost-related themes and sessions.
• Based on our five year comparison, the 2015 LTNY cloud has by far the most government focused content. IG, information management, compliance and increased regulations are all intertwined with government so this trend adds up. 

As a comparison, we have included the LTNY Agenda Word Clouds from 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011.

 

 

Subscribe to InsideLegal for LTNY updates and market information and follow us on Twitter at @InsideLegal for timely updates. 

 

The word cloud was pulled from the agenda listed in the LegalTech NY Show Brochure from www.LegalTechShow.com.

ILTA/InsideLegal 2014 Conference Onsite Vendor Education Program

InsideLegal is working with ILTA to produce the 11th annual Vendor Educational Program at this year's ILTA Conference. Below are the details for the 2014 program being held at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, on Monday, August 18th. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to JoAnna Forshee with name, title, company and email address for each participant. Space is limited.

What:     11th Annual ILTA/InsideLegal Vendor Education Program
When:    Monday, August 18th, 2-5pm (feel free to attend entire program or a portion)
Where:   Gaylord, Jackson C (Presidential Mezzanine | Level M)

Here's a detailed description of the program:

2-2:45p        ILTA Vendor Business Meeting 
This session will include an opportunity to meet the ILTA staff and Board, receive an update on conference activities, and learn additional ways to work with ILTA throughout the year.
Faculty - Peggy Wechsler, ILTA Program Director 

2:45-4p   InsideLegal Market Flash – 25 Tips in 75 Minutes
We know how valuable your time is on-site at ILTA, so this rapid fire session will pack in industry statistics and legal marketing information. The program will include topics such as: legal market statistics; the one thing EVERY legal vendor should do…and it’s free; where to get marketing research; stats on purchasing budgets and trends; and working with the new legal media landscape. Walk away with tips, tricks and legal resources you can use immediately.
Faculty - JoAnna Forshee, InsideLegal CEO & Jobst Elster, InsideLegal Head of Content & Legal Market Strategy

4-4:30p   2014 ILTA/InsideLegal Technology Purchasing Survey Release - Purchasing Trends of ILTA Law Firms
Last but not least, we will be reviewing the results from this year’s ILTA member technology purchasing survey. The report includes data from 281 ILTA law firms of all sizes including: what percentage of firm revenue they spend on technology; what they purchased last year; what they will be purchasing next year; did their budgets increase or decrease; what vendors gave exceptional customer service; etc. Session attendees will receive a hardcopy report. [View the 2013 Survey here]
Faculty - Jobst Elster, InsideLegal Head of Content/Legal Market Strategy 

4:30-5   Networking Reception
Stick around to network with the ILTA Board & Conference Committee, ILTA staff, your peers, legal media and other influencers.

Complete your setup early Monday and make sure to join us for the program. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to JoAnna Forshee with name, title, company and email address for each participant. 

 

 

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.]

Can We Talk About Our Relationship? ... One North's Experience Lab Primed to Tackle the Tough Questions

This week, we head to Chicago for One North's 2nd annual Experience Lab (The Lab), an invite-only event designed to "create moments of inspiration for leading marketers and technologists." The concept is straight-forward: unite legal marketing and business development innovators for an interactive experiment in new ideas, best practices and innovation. Last year, the Experience Lab focused on a differentiated client experience with a vision on what client interactions might look like 10 years from now. According to Experience Lab hosts, One North CEO John Simpson and his 70+ employee team, the 2013 edition is focused on "The Relationship Game" during which 'players' will examine strategies, tactics and trends designed to develop and nurture client relationships that stand the test of time. 

The relationship theme makes sense. Look at any recent corporate legal client survey and you'll see a glaring disconnect between what GCs want from their clients [transparency, competitive pricing, strategic counsel and overall value add] versus what they are actually getting. Steven J.Harper's recent Belly of the Beast post, "As Clients Speak, Who's Listening", cites BigLaw M&As as another prime example of this disconnect. "Growth for its own sake gets protective cover in false rhetoric about serving clients ..."

Going back to the basics of paying attention to the true needs and wants of your clients and delivering value in a variety of digital and collaborative ways sounds sensible ... and full of promise. 

To that end, Experience Lab participants, ranging from Am Law 100 CMOs and marketing directors to digital marketers and marketing technologists, will participate in 8 interactive sessions, 15 minute TED-style presentations, and collaborative 'table talks' designed to drill down on specific topics and create actionable ideas and 'leave-behinds'. David Rogers, Executive Director of the Center on Global Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School and author of "The Network Is Your Customer: Five Strategies to Thrive in a Digital Age", will kick-off the Experience Lab with a discussion on how firms can use digital technologies to transform the relationships they have with clients and prospects. A quick glance at the full agenda reveals that the Lab goes beyond paying mere lip service when it comes to better understanding relationships between law firms/other PSOs and their clients. Here are some session themes that caught our attention:

• "Mirroring Maslow: The Client Service Pyramid": How can firms segment their clients in order to create and promote client satisfaction, loyalty and evangelism?
• "Analytics": Gain a better understanding of client relationships through analytics
• "Telling Stories": How firms can combine different media to create an immersive experience for clients and build stronger relationships
• "Creative + Technology = Victory": Partnerships That Inspire Innovative. Notable leaders from different groups routinely join together to create, extend and inspire new ideas and possibilities.

The 2013 Experience Lab, hosted by One North (clients of our partner agency), will include 115 law firm marketers and innovators, and takes place in Chicago, November 6-8. Look for our recap posts, thought leader follow-up, as well as live tweeting through @InsideLegal and through hashtag #1NLab13.

ILTA 2013 Conference App Is A Must Have

If you have attended the annual ILTA Conference before, you know navigating the 'chock-full' schedule can be quite daunting, not to speak of keeping track of all the educational and networking opportunities the conference provides. Again this year, ILTA is providing a free app, ILTA 2013 Conference App, to help you with this organization & planning challenge. The 2013 edition is being made available for Apple iPhone/iPad, Android and a mobile web version. There is no BlackBerry version this year, but BlackBerry users can use the mobile site. Find it here:

• iOS - Search in App Store for "ILTA 2013 Annual"  AVAILABLE NOW
• Android - Visit Google Play on your device and search for "ILTA 2013"  COMING
• Mobile web version - http://m.iltanet.org  COMING

The app provides access to the conference agenda, speaker details, the attendee list, conference Twitter feed, exhibit hall directory, Caesers info, new product announcements, latest ILTA news and more. For the past couple of years, we have praised ILTA's IT Director/guru Clay Gibney for this app and this year is no different. New features include the ability to email your notes to yourself; tweet directly from the app with hashtags automatically added; add sessions to your device calendar; see where a session is with the "map" button (helpful in Caesers!) and access to session handouts/slidedecks from within the app.

The app was widely used during the 2012 conference with more than 3,200 installations - 81% Apple devices; 14% Android devices; and 5% BlackBerry devices. The app was opened more than 91,000 times and 3,100 online session evaluations were submitted.