You need marketing help. Whatever reason brought you here, you know you need help. So you Google “marketing agencies near me.” Or maybe even “legal marketing agencies near me.”
There are a few problems with this method.
- If you are “feeling lucky” as Google likes to say, please for the love of marketing, search “legal marketing agencies near me.” Because you’ll at the very least pull from a group of people who’re familiar with the legal industry.
- Marketing agencies run the gamut – from mom-and-pop companies to salesy-marketing-mills who offer you a one-time deal if you sign on right now! Do your research before setting up a call. Be sure to read more than just their website and posted reviews. Actually look into them outside of the information they push out to the world.
- Do you really need one “near you”? Are you going to meet with your marketing people in person? The most effective marketing is going to be done by the team who is right for you – not necessarily the ones around the corner.
Here are the top 5 things you should look for when hiring a marketing agency for your law firm.
- Does the marketing company, or your marketing rep, understand the legal industry? Do they understand your practice? Have they worked with other law firms?
- If a marketing agency does not ask what your goals are – revenue goals, types of clients, types of matters, geographic reach, etc. – run for the hills. They should not kick off the meeting telling you what they can triple your revenue if they don’t understand what type of work you are looking for.
- Are they collaborative and available? Many of our clients tell us they paid their previous marketing company a monthly retainer but had no idea what was actually being done. The marketing agency you hire should include calls in their retainer. We suggest monthly, if not weekly, calls. Make the time for these calls. Even if they are 15 minutes. Your input on trends you are seeing will help your team create the best messaging. Those calls keep everyone accountable to the dollars you are shelling out.
- Are you receiving tailored services, or does the marketing agency use the same approach for every client – from gyms to banks to coffee shops to law firms? Not only is every industry different, every law firm and lawyer is different. You should be receiving tailored services, not a one-size-fits-all marketing plan.
- What are their fees? Will they customize their services for your needs? Do they charge a set-up fee? When you receive the proposal from the marketing company it should spell out what you will be receiving. The marketing agency should give you all the time you need to read it, digest it, and they should welcome your questions and concerns about the proposal. The proposal, or offer, should not expire.
Investing in a marketing agency is an important business decision. Find the marketing company that respects that. Do not simply rely on “marketing agencies by me.”