651%
INCREASE IN CLIENT INQUIRIES
934%
INCREASE IN ORGANIC TRAFFIC
500%
INCREASE IN CLIENT LIFETIME VALUE BY
Legal
Barr & Young Attorneys
Marketing plays a critical role in the success of any business, including law firms. The legal industry is very competitive, so those in this field need to focus on strong marketing strategies to convert prospects and website visitors into paying clients. Without marketing, law firms are missing out on many potential clients and cases. This is where a law firm marketing consultant can come in.
Marketing consultants use their expertise to analyze a company’s marketing strategy and update it or build a new one that helps them reach their target audience and actually convert them into paying clients. All of that is no small task, and many consultants make big promises with few results- so finding a good one is imperative.
The key is to take stock of the services that you need from a consultant. It is important to clearly define your goals and have a good understanding of what you are looking to achieve. Then put the opening out on your website, third-party hiring sites like the Legal Marketing Association (LMA), or social media.
Take the time to research potential candidates to ensure that you are selecting someone who understands your specific needs and has the experience necessary to help your law firm reach its goals. When researching potential consultants, start by looking at their previous work and asking for references.
Finally, make sure they understand the legal landscape, are familiar with best practices when it comes to marketing services in the legal industry, and have the required skills. In this article, we will discuss the skills needed for a legal marketing consultant, including must-haves and bonus skills.
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Delivering Business Results: Our Digital Marketing Case Studies
Must-Have Skills for a Legal Marketing Consultant
There are some really important skills a hiring manager or law firm should look out for when hiring a legal marketing consultant, and we’re breaking them down in this section.
The main skills in digital marketing for a legal marketing consultant
Experienced in WordPress
WordPress is a popular easy-to-use web builder and content management system (CMS). A marketing consultant with WordPress skills should be able to perform tasks such as website development such as building and customizing a website, managing plugins, optimizing page speed, and ensuring the site is mobile-friendly. They should also have knowledge of WordPress security and best practices to prevent hacking or data breaches.
WordPress expertise is crucial for a legal marketing consultant to create a professional website that attracts clients
Hiring a consultant with WordPress skills can provide several benefits for a law firm.
- It can help create a professional-looking website that showcases the firm’s expertise and services.
- It can also help improve the website’s search engine optimization (SEO), which can increase visibility and attract more potential clients.
- A consultant with WordPress skills can provide ongoing website maintenance and support to ensure the website is always up-to-date and functioning optimally.
To evaluate a consultant’s WordPress skills, you can ask them to provide examples of websites they have built or managed using WordPress. You can also inquire about their experience with specific WordPress plugins or themes, and ask them to explain how they would optimize the website for SEO.
Learn effective SEO techniques specifically for WordPress sites.
Basic SEO Knowledge
A consultant with SEO skills should have a good understanding of keyword research, on-page optimization, business development, and link building. They should be able to identify relevant keywords for the law firm and optimize the website content to target those keywords. Additionally, they should be able to build high-quality backlinks to the website to improve its authority and relevance.
SEO expertise is essential to attract more clients and optimize a law firm’s online presence
Hiring a consultant with SEO skills can provide several benefits for a law firm.
- Increase website traffic and attract more potential clients.
- Establish the law firm as an authority in their practice area.
- Improve the user experience of the website by making it easier for potential clients to find relevant information.
To evaluate a consultant’s SEO knowledge, you can ask them to provide examples of previous projects where they have optimized a website for search engines. Or simply ask them the basics of search engine optimization- if they don’t have the answers, don’t hire them!
Get your practice noticed online with effective law firm SEO techniques
High-Quality Copywriting
Copywriting involves writing persuasive content for marketing to drive website traffic, increase revenue, improve lead generation, and other sales tactics. A marketing consultant with copywriting skills should be able to create clear, concise, and persuasive copy for a range of marketing collateral, including websites, blogs, social media, and advertising. They should also be able to write in a style that is engaging and easy to understand, while still conveying complex legal concepts.
A legal marketing consultant needs compelling copywriting skills to attract and convert clients
The benefits of hiring someone with copywriting skills include:
- It can help create a consistent and persuasive brand message across all marketing channels.
- It can help to establish the law firm as an authority in their practice areas, which can help to build trust with potential and new clients too.
- It can help to create content that is optimized for search engines, which can improve a law firm’s visibility in search engine results pages.
You can ask to see writing samples or a writing portfolio to evaluate a consultant’s copywriting skills. It could be in the form of a Google Drive that holds the samples or a custom website with their writing samples. The samples need to be related to the legal industry- preferably to your firm’s practice areas. Additionally, you can give them test tasks to ascertain their ability to write for different marketing channels, such as social media or advertising.
Discover the secrets of effective legal copywriting that engages clients.
Graphic Design Skills
Graphics design involves the ability to combine art and technology to birth an image or layout revolving around a theme or topic. A marketing consultant with graphic design skills should be able to create eye-catching designs for marketing initiatives across a range of marketing collateral, including logos, business cards, brochures, and websites. They should have experience working with design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and have a good understanding of design principles such as color theory, typography, and layout.
Graphic design skills are crucial for a legal marketing consultant to create captivating visuals
What are the benefits of hiring a consultant with graphic design skills?
- It can help create a strong visual brand identity that is consistent across all marketing channels.
- It can help create compelling marketing materials more likely to attract and engage potential clients.
- It can help save time and money by creating high-quality designs in-house, rather than outsourcing to a graphic design agency.
To evaluate a consultant’s graphic design skills, you can ask to see their portfolio of previous design work. Look for a range of designs that showcase their versatility and creativity. You can also ask them to provide examples of how they have helped clients to create a consistent brand image or improve the effectiveness of their marketing materials.
Discover the key elements of successful law firm website design.
Comrade Digital Marketing Agency can help you with the above if you’re unsure how to go about it. Schedule a free consultation.
Understanding of Google Analytics
A consultant with Google Analytics skills should be able to set up and configure Google Analytics, create and analyze reports, and use the data to identify opportunities for improvement. They should be able to track and measure key performance indicators, such as website traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rate, and provide recommendations based on the data.
Google Analytics is key for a legal marketing consultant to track and improve website performance
Hiring a consultant with Google Analytics skills can provide several benefits for a law firm.
- It can help to measure the success of marketing campaigns and make data-driven decisions to improve performance.
- It can help to identify opportunities for improvement in website design, content, and user experience.
- It can help to optimize the marketing budget and spending by identifying the most effective channels and campaigns.
To evaluate a consultant’s Google Analytics skills, you can ask them to provide examples of previous projects where they have used Google Analytics to measure marketing performance. Look for evidence of their ability to set up and configure Google Analytics, create and analyze reports, and use the data to identify opportunities for improvement.
Uncover valuable insights with digital marketing analytics for your law firm.
Social Media Marketing Skills
SMM expertise is essential for legal marketing to engage on social media
There are so many social media platforms out there- from the popular, like Facebook, to the more professional, like LinkedIn, to those focused on aesthetics, like Instagram. A marketing consultant with social media marketing skills can help a lawyer or a law firm to establish a strong social media presence and engage with potential clients. Examples of social media marketing skills include content creation, community management, social media advertising, and analytics.
You can ask for a previous experience in SMM to know their strengths and weaknesses in the field.
Boost your online presence and engage with clients through social media marketing for lawyers.
Proven Success with Email Marketing
Email marketing proficiency is vital for a legal marketing consultant to reach and nurture leads
Email marketing allows law firms to send tailored messages to potential or existing clients. A marketing consultant with proven success in email marketing strategies can help a law firm to create compelling email campaigns, improve open and click-through rates, and generate more leads. You can verify their competence through their portfolio or give them a task to perform.
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Bonus Skills to Look for When Hiring a Marketing Consultant for Law Firms
Aside from the skills mentioned above, there are other complementary skills you can look out for when hiring a consultant.
Frontend Web Development (HTML/CSS/Javascript)
Frontend web development skills can be useful for a marketing consultant when making changes to a law firm or legal marketing association’s website. Skills in HTML, CSS, and Javascript can allow a consultant to make website updates and improvements without relying on a developer.
Optimize your law firm’s website for technical SEO to improve its performance.
Google Advertising
Google advertising can be an effective way for law firms to target potential clients who are searching for lawyers using relevant keywords. A marketing consultant can help incorporate Google advertising into the law firm’s marketing strategy to create effective ad campaigns, improve ad relevance, and maximize return on investment.
Drive targeted traffic and generate leads with Google Ads for lawyers.
Facebook Ads
Facebook advertising can be a cost-effective marketing option for law firms to target potential and prospective clients, based on their interests and demographics. A marketing consultant can use Facebook advertising to help a law firm create effective ad campaigns, improve ad targeting, and generate more leads.
Unlock the potential of Facebook marketing to grow your law firm’s clientele.
Video Editing
Video content marketing can be a powerful way for law firms to engage with potential clients since people prefer moving images over still ones. A marketing consultant with video editing skills can help a law firm to create compelling video content that showcases their expertise and highlights their services.
Engage and connect with your audience through compelling video marketing.
Attract more leads to your law firm“>Attract more leads to your law firm
Hire the Best Legal Marketing Consultants to Grow Your Law Firm Brand
You need to find the right consultant for your law firm because they will be responsible for developing and implementing your marketing strategy. Don’t rush the process, take your time and find the best consultant for your needs. It is important to evaluate their skills, experience, and track record to ensure they are the right fit for your firm. The required and bonus skills you should watch out for have been explained above- don’t forget them!
You can also hire external help or a third-party agency for legal marketing consulting tasks. Comrade Digital Marketing Agency has a team of experts who will work with you to develop and implement a customized, marketing plan and strategy tailored to your specific needs and goals. With all of the skills mentioned above, Comrade Digital Marketing Agency can help you take your marketing efforts to the next level and bring your firm’s revenue up.
About the Author
Ivan Vislavskiy is Comrade Digital Marketing’s co-founder and fearless leader, spearheading the agency’s production department.
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