How,Choose,Legal,Marketing,Con marketing How To Choose A Legal Marketing Consultant

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Normal 0 0 1 870 4961 Paula Black & Associates 41 9 6092 11.1287 0 0 0 While,in the end, legal marketing success is very much dependent on the actions ofthe attorneys (or firm) involved, there are great benefits to working with anoutside consultant. Not only can a marketing consultant bring you the latestideas in the industry, they can help you focus, get you on track and putsystems in place to help you create a marketing habit that will become part ofyour daily life.  They can help youbuild the business relationships you need to grow your practice. As amarketing consultant for over 25 years, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting somewonderful colleagues, and of hearing stories from clients around the globeabout their experiences in the legal marketing field. My take? It’s all aboutfinding the right consultant for you and matching not only personalities, butgoals, strategies and even energy. Below are my best tips for hiring (andworking with) a legal marketing consultant. Doyour research. Google them. Read their blogs. Order their books. Get to know theirideas and strategies. This may all sound like common sense, but you would besurprised how many potential clients come into my office with no knowledge ofmy repetoire. If you’re going to take advice from someone, know who that personis and how he or she gets their points across. Do you like their tone? Doeswhat they preach make sense to you? If not, keep looking. Remember, you’reentering into a relationship. Lookinto their background. Do they specialize in legal marketing or marketing ingeneral? How many lawyers or law firms have they worked with? While they don’tneed to have a J.D., it is a good rule of thumb to stick with people who havestrong knowledge of and experience with attorneys and law firms. Marketingattorneys isn’t the same as selling cars or other consumer products, it is acategory all its own. It’s about nurturing and building relationships.Furthermore, you may want to look at the types of firms the consultant hasworked with. Someone who specializes in large firms may not truly understandthe needs of a solo practitioner, and vice versa.  Evaluatetheir services and relationships. Look into exactly what it is you’re getting forthe money. I offer clients the options of both branding (with an in-housegraphic design studio) and consulting, as I believe they work hand-in-hand.Others may see themselves only as coaches. Still others may offer publicrelations or advertising services as part of their firm. Think about what youneed and how all aspects of marketing work together. If they don’t offer aservice you think is important, ask them if they have outside companies theywork with regularly. My own firm has solid relationships with everyone from PRfirms to printers—and because of that I can often not only offer clientsspecial deals but also oversee those additional aspects of their planfirsthand. Listento what they’re asking YOU. Every client is different. Each has their own way ofhandling marketing and business development depending on who their clients are,what they’re comfortable doing and where their interests lie. Before embarkingon a plan, your consultant has to know you inside and out. In your first fewmeetings listen carefully to what they’re asking you. Are they asking the rightquestions to understand your daily business life? Are they delving into yourclients, your referral sources, and your hobbies and interests to see wheregrowth can be accomplished? Or are they simply skimming the superficial? Monitortheir discretion. While you should always look at samples of their work (especiallywith regard to branding and positioning or website development), thinkcarefully about how much these consultants value discretion. Do they have a listof clients readily available? Do you want people to know that you’re workingwith a consultant? Most good consultants would be hesitant to name nameswithout the consent of their client, but be sure to take stock of theinformation they hand out willingly when it comes to their other clients.  Gowith your gut. As I mentioned above, you’re entering into a relationship, and aswith any relationship… you have to trust your instincts. Beyond the pitches andthe samples and the strategy—do you LIKE this person? More importantly, do youTRUST this person with your business development future? If not… walk away. Youmust be completely open with your consultant… comfortable collaborating anddiscussing your everyday business life. You have to be willing to commit totaking advice and guidance before you can enter into a successful partnership. Overall,hiring a legal marketing consultant can be a great boon to your businessdevelopment. They can train and guide, strategize and even act as an adjunct CMOwhen you need one. They can motivate your staff, objectively evaluate yoursystems and practices, and oversee and execute programs and ideas that you maynever think of. They can make your marketing and business development lifeeasier. But simple as it sounds… it all comes down to choosing the rightperson.  Onelast piece of advice? Once you find the right person, give it time. I would sayat least six months to build, formulate and nurture a strategic plan and get itgoing. Consultants aren’t magicians… they need time and effort from clients tohelp you see results.