In a recent blog post, I talked about the importance of understanding the difference between marketing and advertising. However, even more important is to understand why you’re doing either one. What is your end goal in marketing and advertising?
If you answered with “branding,” you’re missing the point. Obtaining name recognition for your law firm is only part of the objective, and name recognition won’t make you any successful unless you’re giving people a reason to care about your name. The goal of marketing is not branding; it’s lead generation.
Generating leads through incentives
As I explain in my e-book The DNA of the Autonomous Attorney, lead generation isn’t just about issuing a call to action (i.e., “Call our office today”). It’s about creating an incentive for people to call. I’ve found one of the best ways to do this is through promotional and informational tools–such as e-books and special reports only available if customers add themselves to your email list or call your office to request a copy. Once you have their names, numbers or email, you’ve generated a new lead that you can keep reaching until you’ve converted that person into a client.
Tracking your leads
Generating your leads is still only half the battle. The other half is tracking. Specifically, you need to establish a system to track two key pieces of data:
1. Where the lead originated. (In other words, which advertising source generated the lead.)
2. Your R.O.I. for every lead source (i.e., how many leads come from dollars spent on each source).
Once you know how where leads are coming from, and how much they cost to procure, you can hone in on those outlets that yield the best return.
For more advice on tracking your leads, check out my e-book The DNA of the Autonomous Attorney.