Integrity Marketing

Strategic Business Planning Impacts Law Firm Growth

Estate planning attorneys and elder law firms face a competitive market for legal services. How can you rise above your competition? In order to succeed, you must use strategic business planning to grow your practice. This includes eliminating barriers, creating high client value and being consistent about all activities, from how the phone is answered to the legal product itself.

Strategic planning was a hot topic this year at the Florida Bar Elder Law Section's Annual Update in January. IMS CEO Jennifer Campbell Goddard outlined the steps to identifying your current strategy, mapping strategic activity in your firm, and how to make changes that will better align marketing and strategy. She also introduced the concept of a Blue Ocean Strategy as it applies specifically to estate planning and elder law firms. Here is a brief clip introducing the topic. 

Integrity Marketing was also behind the scenes of the Florida Bar event, re-branding the event marketing with sound strategies to maximize attendance.

Here is what the Florida Bar Elder Law Section had to say about their experience working with Integrity Marketing Solutions:

“Our attendance at this year’s Elder Law Section retreat more than doubled from previous  years, and we believe that was in large part a result of  the marketing support we got from Integrity Marketing Solutions. They created a strong brand identity for the meeting, a website that makes it easy to see what a great group of speakers we had, and an engaging email marketing campaign that got a strong response from our  members.  They were easy to work with, listened to our requests, generated top quality work, and we are really pleased with the results.”

- Arlee J. Colman, Program Administrator of Professional Development for The Florida Bar

If you want to learn more about law firm marketing strategy, join us in Kansas City, April 20-22, for the Evidence-Based, Data Supported Strategies to Grow Law Firm Profitability workshop. At this highly interactive workshop, you will map a strategy to guide every member of your team and every aspect of your practice – from marketing and sales to staffing and performance management. Successful marketing today requires more of everything: more strategy, expertise, creativity, time and money. But the investment is vital to generate a steady stream of new clients.
Learn more about the workshop online, and register today! 

Marketing to Subcultures: Tell Me about Your High School

As a St. Louis, MO native, I’m very used to people asking me, “So, where did you go to high school?” While the question might seem off-putting to visitors, the question is asked with the best of intentions. St. Louis has an unusually high number of private and parochial schools in addition to an extensive public school system, so each high school has a very distinct culture and set of traditions, which often span generations.

The answer to “Where did you go to high school?” reveals a great deal of information about an individual. That answer can give you a sense of the person’s religion, economic background, friends and acquaintances, and the neighborhood in which they grew up. While many of these identifiers are based on stereotypes, they still reveal a great deal of true information about the subculture they were raised in – if you are familiar with the different high schools and their reputations, that is.

Marketing and Subcultures

Every city has a subculture, a set of quirks and traditions that makes it unique. In the same way that St. Louisans identify themselves by their high school alma mater, residents of other cities claim these regional traditions as part of their identity. This kind of inside knowledge can really make a marketing and branding campaign truly unique and effective. Knowing the economic background of your target audience, the kind of people they are acquainted with, and the quirks of their neighborhood can help your marketing team design a campaign that more effectively meets them where they are and addresses their specific concerns in a way that is comfortable to them.

The problem is, as much as I love to travel and explore new places, it just isn’t possible for me (or the rest of the IMS marketing team) to know the nuances of every Essential Attorney’s hometown. Online research has helped a lot, but, even so, that information is limited to the facts that are posted online. It is often difficult to find information on the “unofficial” culture, so-to-speak. So we need your help.

Where to Start? The Design Consultation

The design consultation meeting is a great time to tell us what you love about your target area. Tell us about the iconic landmarks and the things that everyone in the area “just knows”. What is your city’s equivalent of the high school question?

I love creating a truly personalized design for our clients. With your inside knowledge, together we can create a marketing system that really speaks to your local audience.

Don’t Fall for These Email Marketing Myths

Remember back in the day when social media was coming onto the scene and some marketers thought email was on its way out? Well, surprise surprise … email marketing is not dead! In fact, email is still one of the best ways to reach your audience as each subscriber can access email through a variety of devices (thank you smartphones). In our WiFi world, users can easily check their email in one swift swipe of a screen.

So if email is still relevant for marketing, have the rules changed?

Actually, yes. Many email standards remain unchanged, but there are some so-called rules out there about email that don’t really apply anymore. Here are a few important ones to recognize.

Email Marketing Myths:

1. Frequent emails will bother my subscribers. Not so. In fact, people sign up for countless email communications and receive messages in their inboxes daily. It’s very easy for them to forget about your business if they don’t hear from you on a regular basis. The exact frequency for sending email is different for each industry and type of business though, so just be careful. For instance, retail companies can get away with sending emails daily. They often market different sales and offers, and readers don’t seem to mind getting those messages each day (who wants to miss out on a big sale?!). Service-oriented professional businesses such as law firms and medical practices couldn’t get away with sending emails as often as retail businesses, but they still need to get in front of their readers consistently.

2. You can’t use the same subject line. This is debatable depending on the goal behind your email, but it’s not necessarily true. In fact, if a reader is signed up to receive a regular communication from you, they actually look forward to seeing that email subject line in their inbox. An example of this would be a weekly digest of your blog posts. Let’s say your subject line is “Your Weekly Blog Digest from XYZ Firm.” Each week your subscribers will see that same subject line knowing they can access all of your blog posts for the week from that one email, making it easier for them to sift through their inbox to find the information they are interested in. Typically, this works better for emails that are not sales-oriented but information-based. Using the same subject line can also work for promoting events, serving as a reminder for subscribers.

3. If subscribers aren’t opening your email the day you send it, then your email failed. If you check your email campaign report right after you send your message, you’re going to be very disappointed. And extremely misinformed! Give your email 24-36 hours before you even look at the reporting, and don’t assume that is the best result you’ll get. According to Alchemy Worx as reported in Business 2 Community, 85% of emails are opened two days after they go out. Even more interesting is that 32% of purchases (or actions) take place two weeks after the email was sent. It’s normal to feel like your subscribers must have sent your email to the trash, but don’t count them out too soon. Get back into your reporting a week or so down the road to check on open-rates and click-throughs.

These are just a few email marketing myths that are floating around, so be sure to check back with the IMS Blog for more updates on email best practices!

Reference: Business 2 Community (September 14, 2014) – “Demystified: Top 7 Email Marketing Myths [Infographics]”

5 Reasons to Remove Your Slider

About a year ago, we talked about how sliders would be a declining trend in 2014. While this is true to a degree, sliders still seem to be a popular choice. I still stand by the idea that a slider is not necessarily the best option. If your website features a predominant slider, here are five reasons why you might consider replacing it: 

1. Everyone has one.

If you have looked at web designs in the past few years, you’ve noticed that sliders seem to be everywhere. Indeed, they have been a pretty popular trend over the past two or three years. In the same way, now that sliders are commonplace on the web, they are no longer cutting-edge or innovative.

2. It distracts from the call to action.

Let’s say, for example, that your slider has four different slides, each leading to a different primary practice area. If your web visitors wait and watch the slider go through the entire cycle, they now have six choices of actions to take – they can go to any of your four practice areas, they can scroll down the page to view even more choices of links to follow, or they can leave. Oftentimes, that last option is the easiest. We don’t want leaving your site to be the easiest option! The most effective websites feature one primary call to action, making the viewers’ choice simple.

3. A powerful message in a desktop slider does not usually translate well on mobile screens.

I often find sliders with large, impressive images and an intense but beautifully arranged tagline mesmerizing. But imagine shrinking that down to fit on a smartphone. While it is true that smartphones are getting larger every day, the strength and impact of that large image and text do not translate the same way on a handheld device.

4. Sliders hide crucial information.

I get it. You want to make sure that your web visitors see everything you want them to. So you want to fit all of that crucial information into the top of the website. After all, what if they don’t scroll? Or click on the link you want them to? While this might make sense at first, this line of thinking is going to result in an ineffective website design.

5. Sliders are ignored.

Tests have shown that user interaction with sliders is surprisingly low. In fact, viewers have become trained to ignore them in a phenomenon known as “banner blindness.” As we spend time browsing online, our eyes get used to ignoring the flashing advertisements on the top and sides of many websites and blogs. While our Essential Attorney websites do not feature these types of ads, the motion of an automatic slider can still remind viewers’ eyes of banner ads, resulting in low user engagement with those sliders.

There are plenty of other design techniques that are more innovative and will capture your audience’s attention that can be used in place of a slider. One of my favorite substitutions for a slider is a single, beautiful photo with an impactful statement that leads directly to a powerful call to action. Think that it might be time to rethink your slider? Contact the IMS team today!

Reference: ConversionXL (September 27, 2012) "Don’t Use Automatic Image Sliders or Carousels, Ignore the Fad"

So, How Do I Get Started with a Google AdWords Account with IMS?

Last week, we answered the question about specific review sites offering Sponsored local business listings and if that was worth spending your ad money.

IMS finds that a balance of organic and paid advertising does provide the best platform for a strong marketing campaign.

Fun Facts:

• 35% of website visitors coming from a paid ad are likely to become new clients
• 37% of all traffic in the legal category is paid search
• 90% boost for organic listings click-through rate can be attributed to paid ads

Jennifer C. Goddard, IMS CEO, outlined a bit of the Customer Journey and identified that Google AdWords is the best bang for your buck for estate planning and elder law attorneys.

Our Essential Clients have a terrific competitive advantage in the AdWords arena: their websites rank high in organic (non-paid) Google search, they have compelling content and professional design, and their social media and blogging is already in place. Integrating Google AdWords can open the floodgates, getting you more results, faster.

You can visit our website to learn more about incorporating AdWords with the Essential Solution marketing program.

Should I Invest in Paid Advertising on Review Sites?

You may have recently received an e-mail from Avvo inviting you to consider a location-based Sponsored listing.  Are you wondering if you are missing out on potential clients if you pass up this opportunity?

According to a FindLaw Survey, those potential clients are probably going to use online resources to learn more about you before they call.

However, most consumers rely on Bing or the powerhouse Google to find facts fast.  In the spring of 2014, Software Advice found that among the few people who did utilize review sites, Avvo had tough competition in Martindale-Hubbel, Super Lawyers and Yelp!

“But, wait, as an Essential Attorney™, my account manager helped me update my Avvo profile and added my excellent rating badge to my website – is this a waste of time?”

As Blumenthal’s local search survey confirms, “a website and online reviews play a critical role,” in your marketing program.

IMS CEO Jennifer Campbell Goddard commented on the customer journey:

If you were to invest in paid advertising, you would expect the ad to help you generate leads because paid advertising captures potential clients that are searching.  These consumers are in the “awareness” stage of the customer journey.  Paid advertising will be most effective where it can be seen by the most people, which is on platforms where the most searchers go.  Think search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.

Once a potential client is aware of you and your company, and maybe a few others, they are looking for a reason to choose one attorney over another or confirm the choice they have tentatively made.  This is the “evaluation” stage of the customer journey.  It is at this point that online reviews are most helpful.  The online reviews give them reassurance and build credibility. Paid advertisements now are of little use: the consumer is already looking at you so you don’t need to advertise to them. Consumers tend to be skeptical of paid advertising during the “evaluation” stage, but highly value the experience of your previous clients with your practice.

Avvo creates a (free) profile page for members of each state’s bar association.  It is very important to, at a minimum, claim your profile and make sure the information provided is up-to-date.  This will validate credibility for you and your firm. 

Since consumers place a high value on the experiences of others in their intent to purchase, having as many peer and client reviews available online as possible is very important to your marketing strategy. Your account manager will help you set up the platforms to host reviews, including Facebook, Google+ (Google Plus) and Avvo.

To confirm, your marketing plan will perform at its best with a good balance of organic and paid advertising.

We find Google organic search to be the #1 source of website traffic overall.  Therefore, Integrity Marketing recommends investing in Google AdWords as a great complement to your website.

References:
FindLaw (April 17, 2014) "Internet is Now the Most Popular Way to Find and Research a Lawyer, Says FindLaw Survey"
Software Advice (May 28, 2014) "How Clients Use Online Legal Reviews"
Blumenthals.com (December 4, 2012) "Consumer Survey - Where do Consumers find Specialty Lawyers? Not on Facebook"

Pantone Color of the Year 2015: Marsala

Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2015 and the winner is … Marsala! Marsala is a warm, earthy reddish-brown tone. The color has been described as rich, warm and sophisticated.

On their website, Pantone describes how versatile this shade can be. It’s a powerful, dramatic color without being too bold or aggressive. Marsala is also a pretty gender-neutral color, meaning it is equally attractive to both men and women. ­

I think Marsala is a great choice for estate planning and elder law attorneys! A sophisticated shade, it communicates a sense of knowledge and expertise without looking too dated. Its warmth is comfortable, a great quality which will make your clients feel at ease.

Want some inspiration for using Marsala? Check out the palettes below, provided by Pantone.

Owned, Paid, and Earned Media: Which One Is the Most Important to Your Marketing Strategy?

The simple answer is all of them!  It is best practice to have an integrated marketing strategy that includes a good balance of owned, paid, and earned media types. 

As we all know, the marketing industry is constantly changing due to advancements in technology (right now, particularly mobile).  And media types are evolving due to how people are consuming information.  Paid media, for example, is not what it once was.  The main outlets for paid media used to focus primarily on is still a major player in paid media, but a lot of this traffic has moved online to paid search, display banners, and video ads. 

Let’s take a look at what owned, paid, and earned media consists of today.

Owned Media

Owned media consists of properties that your brand controls.  This may include your site, blogs, e-Newsletters and possibly some direct mailers.  This is managed directly by the company which can be time consuming, but there are benefits to utilizing this type of media.  For example, nearly half (46%) of people say a website’s design is their number one criterion for determining the credibility of a company (business2community).  Content marketing through blogs and email campaigns appeal to today’s consumers, and it is in your brand’s best interest to incorporate video.  65% of today’s audience are visual learners, and visual data is processed 60,000 times faster by the brain than text (business2community). 

Paid Media

Paid media is placed and bought, and requires an investment.  Mobile has definitely changed how we approach paid media today.  If a consumer owns a smartphone, and over 60% of Americans do (ABCnews), then they literally have an abundance of information at the palm of their hand.  This makes contextual and “in the moment” advertising very appealing.  Users want a personalized experience, not an ad that is displayed to the masses.  And with all the data that is available to marketers, we can give consumers a more personalized advertising experience in their path to purchase through paid search, video advertising, paid social media, and retargeted ads.   

Earned Media

Earned Media is referral based and mainly consists of engagement on social media channels.  Not only has social media taken over the internet, but it has taken over the way many companies market their brand.  As of January 2014, 74% of online users use social networking sites (PewResearch) and this continues to increase.  With so many consumers on social media outlets, companies are doing their brands a disservice by not being present on any social media channel, particularly LinkedIn for the legal industry since it is the social network for white-collar professionals to network, and its audience is highly desirable since it is a high-income and highly educated user base (BusinessInsider).  Organic social media has also in a way become the new “word of mouth” advertising with many consumers relying on Facebook posts or Pinterest pins of family members and friends as recommendations for products and services.  A great way to boost your brand’s earned media is to incorporate paid social media advertising with your organic social media.

It is always best to combine parts or all of these media types when creating an effective marketing campaign.  Together they can increase brand awareness and drive conversions.  Contact Integrity Marketing Solutions today and request a complete review of your brand’s marketing strategies.

Knowing the Numbers: Your Marketing Report

Did you know your estate planning or elder law firm’s website may not be the only place a potential client reviews information about you and your company online?

If you “Google” your firm or yourself, from what other websites do results appear?

The overall message conveyed across the web should be consistent, engaging and guide visitors through the steps of becoming a client.

Social Media Overview

Our Essential Solution clients will have a meeting with their account manager specifically dedicated to social media.

The account manager will provide resources for Essential Solution clients to reference during the week – an agenda of how many posts to be sharing and where, how to find interesting information to share and even completing a couple posts to help attorneys get started off on the right foot!

The agenda provided is a sample. Each practice is welcome to mold it to fit their specific processes as well as slowly build up to the expectations listed.

It is worth noting that Essential Solution clients are also provided blog content for each business day of the month.  For more reach, attorneys may set up an account that will automatically share blog posts to social media accounts.  However, while blogging is important, the automatic sharing of blog posts cannot be the sole social media engagement if an attorney wishes for the full marketing plan to be effective.

In regards to the marketing report, account managers will check in on social media accounts at least once a month to see how well Essential Solution clients are doing meeting the sample agenda expectations.

Account managers will outline what may be working well and areas to focus on and improve – including inviting past, current and some potential clients to “Like” the business page, leave reviews, or join a company’s “circle.”  Only visitors who complete these types of actions will receive the updates added to a company’s profile or page.

For some, social media can be a completely new concept, so please know that it is not unusual for additional social media calls to be required.  It will be important for attorneys to carve out time to work with their account manager to complete their social media profiles as well as directories like Avvo and Yelp. A consistent online message that is optimized for search from the get-go will certainly help overall online performance.

Learn more about our Essential Solution® marketing system.

The New Customer Journey

How involved is your practice with your client’s journey to “yes”?

If your practice needs a steady stream of new clients – and we don’t know a single practice that doesn’t – you need to be engaged with potential clients on every step of the path to purchase – also known as the Customer Journey. Successfully guiding prospective clients along this journey requires a multi-channel approach that connects with clients at every important touch point along the way.

Your best prospect might not be tweeting, but they may be heavy Facebook users because that’s how they stay in touch with their grandchildren. They may not be using social media – but they compare notes with friends and family members and learn that someone read an article “somewhere” about their exact situation and had some good recommendations. It may be that this article was actually a blog post, a website page, or an email newsletter that came from your office and their friend will send it to them – and they may find themselves in your office.

We know, without a doubt, that keeping your appointment calendar filled requires an ongoing flow of compelling, relevant interactions.   

That’s the topic of CEO Jennifer C. Goddard’s presentation at the Local Search Today! conference, taking place in London on December 16. Jennifer joins top executives from leading companies like Google and MakeBuzz as she explores Digital Brand Strategies for the New Customer Journey and how to make that journey end at your office door.

Not going to London? No worries! You can join Jennifer and the entire IMS team of professionals this spring at the New Strategies workshop here in Kansas City.

But that’s not all…..we want to let you in on a little secret….

Our company is gearing up for a big anniversary celebration in 2015.  In preparation, we are digging into a big project – analyzing performance and user analytics from hundreds of legal websites.  Much of what Jennifer is presenting in London is gleaned from these insights. We will be sharing this information with you throughout the coming year.