While your firm’s online SEO strategy is certainly important, offline marketing still matters. In the incredibly competitive legal industry, it is vital that law firms have a successful multifaceted marketing strategy that integrates well with their online marketing strategy. There are several different types of offline marketing that your firm can engage in. Your firm can network, participate in speaking engagements, pay for print and broadcast ads, and more. Read on to learn more about the offline marketing tactics your firm needs to employ to get a leg up on the competition.
Networking at Local Business Events
Networking at local business events is a tried-and-true marketing tactic that is vital in many industries. It has been an important marketing tactic for so long that some people may view it as being outdated. However, taking part in local business events, like those offered by a local Chamber of Commerce, can offer valuable networking opportunities that can bring significant business into your firm. You can be sure that the largest and most established law firms in your area are taking part in these networking opportunities, so you’re losing ground if you are not also networking.
Speaking Engagements
Many highly successful and famous lawyers make great deals of money from speaking engagements. Lawyers that aspire to this level of success may think it’s a waste of time to do speaking engagements for free. However, speaking engagements, like giving speeches at charity events, can also be great ways to network. Also, significant charity events and other events that include speaking engagements are often written up in the local media. Taking part in these speaking engagements is a great networking opportunity for you and your firm.
Print Ads
Print ads are another area of offline marketing that many firms, especially those with younger partners, feel are outdated. However, a significant portion of American consumers still spends little to no time on the internet. These consumers are primarily elderly people, so if your firm is in elder law or estate law, print ads should be an important part of your offline marketing strategy.
Billboard Advertisements
Billboard advertisements are often associated with large law firms, especially personal injury law firms. However, smaller law firms and firms in other areas of the law can also benefit from billboard ads. While billboard ads can be prohibitively expensive, this is only the case for ads on major highways and packed city streets. By choosing the location carefully and negotiating with the ad company, you can land your firm a great deal on a well-placed billboard ad. While a billboard shouldn’t be the centerpiece of your firm’s marketing strategy, it can be the icing on top of the cake. Your billboard should use the same copy and art as your online ads, and it should include the URL of your website. It is also a good idea to include your firm’s Twitter handle.
Broadcast Ads
Broadcast ads include both radio and TV ads. Many large law firms purchase ads on TV and even radio. When smaller law firms may think this isn’t an efficient way to use their money, or they will not be able to afford such ads. However, TV and radio still have large audiences among middle-aged and elderly consumers. Also, prices for broadcast ads are more affordable than you might think, as radio and TV networks have to compete with the relatively low prices offered by internet providers. An integrated ad campaign should include radio ads, TV ads, and Internet ads that all work together to drive traffic to your website. It may be difficult to successfully integrate campaigns in so many different areas of media yourself, so it is best to hire an agency that specializes in legal marketing.
Your Offline Marketing Strategy Should Integrate with Your Online Marketing Strategy
Many firms pursue an offline marketing strategy as well as their online marketing strategy. However, it is common for law firms to make the mistake of not integrating their offline marketing strategy and their online marketing strategy. Your offline and online marketing strategies should use the same slogans, copy, and color schemes. This will help you present a cohesive brand across all types of media. It is also important that your offline ads, such as your print and broadcast ads, drive traffic to your website by prominently mentioning its URL and encouraging people to go to the site for more information. This will help you get a higher conversion rate from your integrated marketing campaigns.