How much should you spend on marketing during a recession? Here’s what the research says

April 13, 2020

Image source: Vaile, Roland S., “The Use of Advertising During Depression,” Harvard Business Review, 5 April, 1927. 

As COVID-19 sweeps the world, our economy is quickly going down the toilet (along with stockpiles of toilet paper). Unfortunately, we are likely already in a recession. For marketers, recessions have historically been scary times. Often, marketing seems like the easiest thing to cut. But is that wise? 

As a marketer, if I wrote a blog post telling you to increase marketing during a recession, I’d look a little self-serving (to say the least). So instead, I decided to look at what the research tells us about marketing during recessions.

What I found is overwhelming evidence that it pays to maintain — and in some cases increase — marketing expenditures during an economic downturn. As Peter Fader of the Wharton School said, “As companies slash advertising in a downturn, they leave empty space in consumers’ minds for aggressive marketers to make strong inroads.”

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How law firms should communicate about coronavirus

March 14, 2020

Unless you’re living under a rock (which might be a good place to be right now), you know we are living through a global pandemic, as the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, spreads throughout the world

While this isn’t a time to panic, it is a time for thoughtful, deliberate action. While I can’t provide technology, human resources or other operational advice, there are some crisis communications best practices that are helpful to remember when considering your firm’s approach to communicating about the virus. 

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Four 2020 legal marketing trends we’re watching

January 7, 2020

Four 2020 legal marketing trends we’re watching

It’s hard to fathom that it’s 2020. Where the heck did a decade go? I guess it’s true — time flies when you’re having rum (maybe that’s just me). 

Four 2020 legal marketing trends we’re watching

And, yes, we know you’re just now recovering from the holiday season, which can be a blur of budget planning and executing holiday marketing ideas. But, as we jump start this new decade, it’s time to get ready for what’s next. 

For 2020 there are four trends that have caught our attention: the growth of niche marketing, an emphasis on consistency, the rebirth of LinkedIn and the continued dominance of email as an essential content channel. 

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13 blogs legal marketers should follow

July 2, 2019

13 blogs legal marketers should follow

I love a good Stephen King book — and not just because I’m into spooky stories and horror movies. The man can write. He knows how to develop characters, build suspense and illuminate intricacies of the human condition.

Like a lot of things in life, great writing comes with practice and learning from others.

King’s advice? “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

So, if you want to be a better legal marketer and produce results that get noticed by your supervising attorneys, don’t stop learning. Stay current by following thought leaders and reading blogs that share what’s new and what’s next in legal marketing.

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Differentiate your law firm marketing with personality and a unique voice

May 22, 2019

Differentiate your law firm marketing with personality and a unique voice

What does your law firm’s marketing content say? Does it have a voice? Is anyone listening?

Nowadays, all of us — yes, that includes your firm’s clients and potential clients — are inundated with emails, advertisements, notifications and social media posts around the clock.

That means standing out is more important than ever… but that can be hard for a buttoned-up law firm.

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Law firm diversity: How to showcase your efforts (and not be fake)

May 7, 2019

How to showcase your law firm diversity (and not be fake)

The issue of diversity in the modern law firm is a hot issue right now, and rightfully so: Recent figures from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) show that in 2018, just one in five equity partners were women (19.6%) and only 6.6% were racial/ethnic minorities.

And just earlier this year, the all-white partner class at an elite law firm stirred a national debate on law firm diversity, including in-depth coverage in The New York Times. (Yeah, you can’t exactly sweep them under the rug.)

This conversation has left numerous managing partners, diversity committees and legal marketers asking:

  • Just how diverse is our firm?
  • Do we do enough to showcase our diversity?
  • What does diversity truly mean at its core?

Spoiler alert: Simply having an inactive “diversity committee” isn’t enough.

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Lessons from the 2019 Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference

April 12, 2019

This week, more than 1,500 attendees gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 2019 Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference. I try to attend the conference every year, as it’s one of the best networking and educational opportunities in the legal marketing profession.

While I couldn’t attend every session (I’m good, but I ain’t that good), I wanted to give you a brief overview of three sessions covering three different, but critical topics: diversity, economic trends and marketing technology.

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The top 9 media mistakes lawyers make

February 12, 2019

The top 9 media mistakes lawyers make

A solid public relations strategy is an essential part of a savvy legal marketer’s arsenal.

PR is a unique and powerful tool unlike other marketing efforts because it offers third-party validation: When a lawyer is quoted in an online news story, appears as a pundit on a news show or publishes something in an industry trade journal, that establishes his or her credibility in front of potential clients.

A lot of effort goes into securing that perfect PR opportunity: targeting relevant media outlets, pitching an attorney as a knowledgeable source and landing the interview. So it makes sense for lawyers to be prepared every time they jump on a call with a reporter or sit down for a broadcast interview in order to get the most out of it. This includes knowing the most common pitfalls when attorneys interact with journalists.

Here are some of the top media mistakes we’ve seen lawyers make in the past, and how to avoid them.

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