Making time for marketing amidst running your law firm might not seem like a top priority—but it can be one of the most critical things you can do if you want to distinguish your solo practice from larger competitors. 

To grow, it’s essential to understand how to tap into your firm’s strengths and existing resources. You can get a great deal of mileage from leaning into the basics and leveraging them to gain a competitive advantage—no fancy techniques or strategies required.   

Tip #1: Establish a robust online presence 

In today’s age of technology, not being online is a massive disservice to your firm. After all, the primary starting point for legal services is online—search engines, social media, and legal directories, to name a few. Developing an online presence is key to gaining new clients (and maintaining relationships with current ones). 

It’s important to have your bases covered. If you’re looking to get started online, make sure you have all three of the following:  

1. A user-friendly and informative website  

Your website is the digital hub for your firm. If all the information a potential client might need can’t be found in one easily accessible and comprehensive location, it might deter them from employing your law services.  

A visually-appealing, user-friendly, and optimized law firm website is the first (and most important) step to marketing yourself and your firm online.  

Building and maintaining a solid website includes: 

• Consistently branding your website  
• Optimizing your website for mobile 
• Providing a contact form for leads 
• Keeping your contact information up to date 

2. Social media profiles 

Social media marketing might have a reputation for being a time-suck, but it’s an important outlet for building an impactful marketing strategy.  

Choosing the right social media platforms for your law firm might be challenging, but Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn specifically are great platforms to connect with potential clients. With a business profile on these platforms you can showcase your firm, run paid ads, and connect with a wide range of potential clients.  

Prioritizing LinkedIn 

While each social media platform has its benefits, LinkedIn is the best platform for connecting with other attorneys and potential clients. As such, creating your social media content with LinkedIn top of mind (or a LinkedIn-first strategy) is highly recommended.  

Especially if you’re a newly-started solo firm, turning to LinkedIn to build up your network and credibility can deliver quick-yet-lasting results.  

LinkedIn enables lawyers and law firms to:  

• Create valuable and educational content 
• Establish themselves as thought leaders 
• Build referral networks 
• Increase brand recognition 

3. Online directory listings 

Adding your firm to an online directory helps more clients discover your services—especially since marketing power for solo law firms can be limited. Potential clients can search by geographic location or practice area and book an appointment with you instantly online. Claim your listings on databases such as Google My Business, Avvo, FindLaw, Nolo, and more.

Tip #2: Create a content marketing strategy 

Content marketing relies on digital content such as blog posts, articles, videos, and social media posts to attract clients and establish your firm as a credible, trustworthy resource.  

By publishing content that provides helpful information to potential consumers, you can build brand awareness, establish thought leadership, and create an online community that can generate leads and, ultimately, new clients.  

Blogging  

Blogging may seem like old news, but it’s never gone out of style in the marketing community. By publishing a consistent, high-quality legal blog, you can inform your audience of important news, updates, and regulations to establish yourself as a thought leader online.  

An added benefit: regular blogging makes your website—and your law firm—easier to find via search engines.  

Social media content calendar 

For solo and small law firms, it can be tough to find the time to create social media content.  

To make the best use of your social media platforms, prioritize consistent content. Distributing blog posts, company culture features, and important news and updates about the legal field can help build customer trust in your brand.  

Tip #3: Attend events and pursue speaking opportunities  

Though solo law firms increasingly rely on digital marketing strategies, don’t overlook in-person strategies. In-person networking efforts can drive referrals and create connections that have long-lasting effects.  

Check out your local state bar association to see what events or tradeshows are coming up, as this can be a great place to network with other attorneys and collaborate. You can grow your contacts and establish yourself as an engaged member of the legal community.  

Want to take it a step further? Take advantage of speaking opportunities at events, tradeshows, and even online webinars to gain exposure and demonstrate your knowledge about a particular practice area or field of law.  

Tip #4: Build your referral network 

Though it can be appealing to be on the constant search for fresh new connections, you may often find that the connections that yield the best results are the ones you already have.  

Communicating with your existing network is a great way to get referrals for more work, positive testimonials to use in your content strategy, and collaboration opportunities with other solo practitioners or small firms to provide clients with a wider choice of services.  

Tip #5: Measure your success with technology tools 

While not all marketing activities are measurable, tracking your progress will help you identify which strategies are working and which should be sidelined. Especially as a solo firm with a limited budget, tracking the successes of your website, online campaigns, and social media (as well as any print advertising) will help you see what is working to generate leads for your business. 

It’s essential to regularly check in with your legal marketing KPIs to ensure your marketing is successful, aligned with your firm’s long-term growth goals, and offering you the return on investment you’re hoping for.  

Use CosmoLex to enhance your marketing efforts 

With CosmoLex’s comprehensive suite of practice management tools, you can track new leads and business connections, and even the successes of your marketing efforts. CosmoLex CRM can also help streamline the intake process. 

To learn more about how CosmoLex can help you track your marketing efforts and drive law firm growth, schedule your free demo today.