Integrity Marketing

IMS Client Spotlight - Attorney Sandy Ard

Our Client Spotlight this week is Sandy Ard from Dickinson, TX (near Houston).

Sandy puts a lot of effort into her social media management and marketing. She does an excellent job mixing business marketing with a personal touch. All her friends, family, and online acquaintances are aware of what she does, and they respond socially to the news she posts about her law firm.

Likes, Shares, and Comments on her blog posts and links back to her website all count as a ‘vote’ in the eyes of a search engine, and she is likely to rank higher because of it. Sandy already ranks Google Page One for local search in Galveston, Dickinson, Houston, and Lake Jackson.

Nice work Sandy!

www.ardlawfirm.com

Five Characteristics of a Good Logo

A company logo is a hard-working and, oftentimes, under-utilized marketing tool. Very few marketing or branding projects can be completed (or even started!) without one. With your logo in so many places, make sure it’s as effective as possible.

Here are five characteristics of a good, effective logo:

1. Appropriate

A good logo needs to fit the company appropriately. For example, a logo with a whimsical font and primary colors would
be more appropriate for a daycare center than an estate planning attorney’s office.

That being said, a logo does not always have to show exactly what a company does.  Take a look at the IMS logo for example. The “quill and column” (as it is affectionately known around the office) does not describe all of the marketing services we provide, but it is still an appropriate representation of the company.

 

2. Versatile

The best logos are easy to use across a wide range of mediums. How effective is your logo on a business card? What about on a billboard? Good logos should be designed in vector format – meaning they can be scaled to any size and still look good.

Imagine that your firm was asked to sponsor a local event and your logo was to be featured in a publication – a publication printed only in black and white. Would your logo still look good? Gradients and other special effects often don’t translate well when printed, especially in black and white. Make sure that your logo will be effective, even when only one color is available.

3. Timeless

A good logo will stand the test of time. Trends come and go, but a good logo will still be effective years down the road without having to undergo a major redesign every five years or so. Avoid picking the newest, most popular font or the design motif you’ve seen on everything from clothing to tissue boxes. Those will soon be out of style. Instead, select elements that have been proven to be elegant, legible and effective.

4. Simple

The best way to ensure that a logo is versatile and timeless is to keep it simple. A simple logo is easily and quickly recognized. Simplicity, oftentimes, also ensures versatility. An over-thought logo with too many elements and a complex design usually takes too long for viewers to see, understand, and associate with your firm.

5. Distinctive

Lastly, a good logo is distinctive, or memorable. We are inundated daily with brands, logos, and information. Make sure your logo stands out in the crowd while still maintaining its simplicity and versatility.

Think your logo might need a refresh? Contact the IMS team today, we’d love to help!

Is Your Business Card Current?

Ask yourself these questions about your business card:

1. Does your business card contain all of the pertinent information for a referral source, client or prospect to contact you?
2. Does it complement your branding without being a mini-billboard?
3. Is it enticing and professionally designed?
4. Is it accurate and current?

If you answered "No." to any of the above, contact your team at Integrity Marketing Solutions and request a quote for a new business card OR a whole stationery set.

Whether you need a complete brand overhaul or an updated logo – we can extend and build your law firm branding to ensure a cohesive professional image and tell your brand story.

Have a great week!

- Apr

Getting Found: Yellow Pages to Online Search - WhatTheyThink

What did a local business have to do to get “found” in the Yellow Pages? Once a year you had to submit the listing, validate your local address, and potentially invest in an advertisement in the category for “printers”. This was easy to understand and the decision making process worked at what we would now consider glacial speed (once per year).

If you have not noticed, the Yellow Pages are irrelevant. This whole model is gone.

So what have you done to assure your company/products/services “get found” in the new online world?

via whattheythink.com

Follow the link for a brief article outlining the evolution of "local search" from Yellow Pages to online. Worth a quick read.

I’m a New IMS Client … Now What? (Part 8!)

Integrity Marketing Solutions offers numerous marketing techniques that culminate in an effective overall marketing strategy, from posting blogs, to sending out newsletters and also helping you learn when and how to share updates across your social media accounts.

But how can you be sure that it is all working?

Knowing the Numbers: Marketing Report

While weekly meetings will phase out, please know that your account manager is still constantly monitoring your overall marketing success.  Once your initiatives are “up and running,” the tracking codes we have added begin collecting actual data of the activity of your site!  For more information, Google Analytics Certified staff member Brandi Campbell recently wrote a blog post about the aspect of “Analytics” for Lawyers to check out.

Each month, your account manager will analyze the information to assess for trends over time and compose an overview summary.

Your summary can include things like:

1. Completed action on your page, including video views, phone calls and contact forms
2. Blogging assessment and how it significantly impacts your site’s success
3. e-Newsletter open rates and list growth
4. Social Media successes, include increasing “Likes” on Facebook, manual posts and client reviews

What Next?  Now that you know the numbers, you may also like more information about what they mean or how to improve some of them!  You are welcome to request a call with your account manager to review the Marketing Report and discuss ideas for continued growth and success of your firm.

Review Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, and Part 7 of the New IMS Client Series.

IMS Client Spotlight - Attorney Marsha Tesar

Our Client Spotlight this week is Marsha Tesar from DeForest, WI.

Marsha’s website is soaring in the search rankings and shows up for several Google Page One terms like DeForest WI Estate Planning Attorney, Madison WI Elder Law Attorney, and Waunakee WI Estate Planning Attorney.

She’s had over 500 visits to her website in the past 30 days and has received multiple "Contact Us" request forms generated right on her website. We are thrilled to see these great results!

Marsha blogs regularly and keeps her e-News and social media up-to-date.

Great job, Marsha!

tesarlaw.com

Get the 411 on Google Analytics for Lawyers

Does the very mention of the word "analytics" make your eyes glaze over a bit? I don't blame you if the thought of sifting through tons of numbers and metrics makes your brain hurt before you even begin. Me too, I'm with you.

So when our team had a full day of Google Analytics Bootcamp this past week to prepare for a certification exam, I was a little apprehensive to begin.

A full day of instruction, review and 90 minute exam later, I am just blown away at the information available from Google. Overwhelming? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely!

What Is Google Analytics?

Wikipedia definition:

Google Analytics is a service offered by Google that generates detailed statistics about a website's traffic and traffic sources and measures conversions and sales. It's the most widely used website statistics service.

So in a nutshell, Google Analytics shows you who is interacting with your website, how they got to your site, and what they did when they got there. Good information to have, no doubt.

If you know the potential that this tool can have for your law firm, you'll start to get excited when those Marketing Performance Reports hit your email inbox each month. 

Google Analytics - What You Need to Know

• Know Your Audience: Everything from the location of your visitors, to the way they got to your website, to what they did when they got there is captured in Analytics. Understanding the demographics and behaviors of your audience will help you build a marketing strategy to target the audience you really want.
• Know Your Traffic Sources: How are people finding you online? Knowing which traffic sources visitors are using will help you determine if you online marketing efforts are paying off and how to switch things up if not. Examples of a traffic source are an organic Google search, a social media account, or an email newsletter that brings visitors to your website.
• Know Your Mobile Users: In our tech-savvy world of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, information is only a screen-swipe away from users on the go. So don't miss these stats! There could be a large population of your online visitors that are accessing your site from a mobile device, which can change how you think in terms of site design and functionality.
• Know Your ROI: Determining your Return on Investment (ROI) of your online marketing dollars is key! You need to know which efforts are paying off and which ones need a boost. What good is a website if you don't even know if it's working? Diving into Analytics can give you a clear picture of the revenue generated from your marketing efforts.

There are countless other things to learn about Google Analytics. It really does take a professional team with the right certification to handle these metrics for you. Lucky for our Essential Clients, the IMS Team has four staffers and counting that are Google Analytics Certified. We've got you covered!

I’m a New IMS Client … Now What? (Part 7!)

Over the last few posts, I have walked you through what to expect when you join with the IMS team.

We start with a design consultation with your account manager and our Vice President, James Campbell, then work through signing up for and updating your blogs, newsletters and social media accounts.

While it is very exciting to have so many new opportunities to connect with potential clients branded to your company in a way that is attractive, effective and informative, you may also feel a bit overwhelmed and wonder, “What do I do now?,” especially when it comes to social media.

Not to worry – your account manager will explain and demonstrate the best practices for posting interesting content that will ultimately drive clients to your website (and office!).

Social Media Training

We will review a sample agenda of ideas you could post each day of the week and show how to schedule the posts in advance, allowing you to spend more time with your clients.

Finally, your account manager will provide you with a monthly “checklist” of services you receive through The Essential Solution® program and highlight deadline dates to watch for (like when to submit your e-Newsletter welcome message, etc.) to get you started off on the right foot.

What Next? Our mission is to help estate and elder law attorneys have a more profitable and enjoyable legal practice with proven, effective and affordable marketing solutions.  You will begin to receive a monthly marketing report that will explain how well your marketing plan is working for you.  Your account manager will be able to point out areas that are really successful and also, if needed, discuss areas to ramp up.

Review Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6 of the New IMS Client Series.

IMS Client Spotlight - Attorney Ken Vanway

Our Client Spotlight this week is Ken Vanway from The Vanway Law Firm in Lakeway, TX.

Ken is a longstanding friend and client of IMS. Ken has put forth the effort over the years; updating his website, shooting video, sending e-News, and posting to his blog and social media.

Ken’s beautiful website ranks Google Page One for Lakeway, Texas estate planning attorney; Lakeway, Texas wills & trusts and Lakeway, Texas probate.

Way to go, Ken! Keep up the amazing work!

www.kenvanway.com

October Marketing Plan for Your Law Firm

Fall is in full swing! In the midst of pumpkin patches, colorful leaves, baseball playoffs, football season and the end of another tax deadline (Oct. 15th!), it can be difficult to carve out time for your marketing plan. But failing to plan is planning to fail, so let's set aside some time to review where you stand and what lies ahead.

Ask yourself these questions about your October Marketing Plan:

• What did you accomplish from your marketing plan in September? Look over your September marketing to-do's, review your "wins" and evaluate the results. Want to reward your staff for a job well done? Surprise them with something fun, like Pumpkin Spice Latte's or a half day of vacation.
• What fell through the cracks? If there were marketing tasks that did not get done, it's time for a staff meeting. Figure out what went wrong and how you can fix it going forward. You may be able to move the task into a different month of your plan or assign it to someone new.
• Budget check! How does it look? We've entered the last quarter of 2014. You will likely be able to predict where you will end the year for your budget. If you are short and still have a lot to do, think of ways you can scale back elsewhere or perform tasks without a lot of expense. If you are dollars ahead, it's time to decide what to do with the extra budget (postcard campaign? holiday cards? workshop?). If you aren't sure if your marketing is working for you, it's time to contact your IMS Team for a marketing review.
• What October topics will you use for social media and blog posts? October has a lot to offer! Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Halloween, fall sports, fall harvest activities, end-of-year planning and many more seasonal topics will be appropriate.
• What's next? Holiday cards. Too early? Not at all. Planning your holiday mailings can easily slip by with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching faster than you think. So plan ahead! Check your schedule for November and December, make the appropriate arrangements, and contact your IMS Team for all of your year-end marketing needs.

The start of a new month is also a good time to review your website content to ensure that everything is accurate and up-to-date.  If you need to make a change, you can use our online Support Ticket to submit your request.

Upcoming Events for IMS

• IMS Speaking at Massachusetts Forum Annual Practice Management Summit
  IMS CEO, Jennifer Campbell Goddard, will be the kick-off speaker for the Massachusetts Forum Annual Practice Management Summit, on Thursday, October 16, and Friday, October 17 in Boston. Jennifer will be leading attorneys in the Strategic Planning process. The Forum Summit is open to all, not just Forum members. If you are in the vicinity, this is a terrific opportunity to collaborate, exchange ideas and learn best practices. This meeting will focus on practice management, marketing and drafting techniques and offers two separate tracks to help you make the most of your practice.