Law firm advertising is changing at breakneck speed. If you blink, you might not catch up. According to a recent study by Adobe, 76% of marketers say marketing has changed more in the last 2 years than the previous 50.
As tides change, tried and true legal marketing strategies like TV advertising and word of mouth referrals are giving way to new inbound kings. They still play a major role, a healthy marketing mix is the backbone of any solid marketing strategy, but they’re not the same titans they once were.
- 96% of people seeking legal advice use a search engine. (Google Consumer Survey, Nov. 2013)
- 74% of prospects beginning a search online end up contacting a law office via phone. (FindLaw U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey 2014)
- 62% of legal searches are non-branded (i.e., generic: “Washington DUI attorney”). (FindLaw U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey 2014)
- 25% of people researching legal topics visit YouTube during the process. (YouTube Internal Data 2012)
- 74% of consumers visit a law firm’s website to take action. (Google Legal Services Study Sept 2013)
As law firm advertising becomes more digital, video consistently proves itself to be the highest driver of online engagement. By 2019, Cisco projects that 80% of the world’s internet traffic will be video. In the U.S., video is predicted to account for a whopping 85% of all internet traffic.
As the market changes, forward-thinking attorneys look to the future to position their law firms for success. One such firm is Corpus Christi, Texas Personal Injury practice, Herrman & Herrman.
A top firm in the Corpus Christi community, Herrman & Herrman partnered with Crisp Video Group to devise the law firm’s video strategy. To achieve the firm’s goals, we created a 26-video approach to brand the firm, establish thought leadership, and rank higher via search engines.
To learn more about the firm’s challenges, goals, and legal marketing successes, we spoke with Managing Partner, Gregory Herrman, to gather his thoughts and advice for other attorneys.
Here’s what Greg had to say:
Can you describe your firm?
Our firm focuses on injury cases resulting from vehicle accidents, work accidents, falls, wrongful death, and product liability. Our clients are anywhere from 18-70 years old with the majority of them being in their late 20’s and 30’s.
Why did you decide to produce a video for your firm? What problem were you looking to solve or improve?
We wanted to explain to people what type of firm we are, what we practice, and how we treat our clients. We wanted to get the video out to a larger audience and improve the thoughts and ideas people may have about attorneys.
There are a number of legal video companies out there, why did you choose to produce your videos with Crisp Video Group?
We saw examples and success stories and determined Crisp Video Group does really great work.
Where were you at with your business one year ago vs. one year later?
Our business has seen about a 35% increase in cases from one year ago to today.
What concerns or hesitations did you have leading up to this decision? Did you have any doubts about making the right choice?
Just concerns on the price. We knew sooner or later video was going to be preferred over reading.
Of the various marketing investments you’ve made in your firm, what hasn’t worked?
PPC campaigns.
What would you rank as the top 3 investments you’ve made in your firm?
- TV advertisements
- Emphasizing and being proactive in asking clients to leave reviews (Google reviews)
- Web marketing
What is the best decision you’ve ever made for your firm?
Getting involved and learning how to market the business.
Do you believe investing in video for your firm was the right thing to do?
Absolutely.
What advice would you give to attorneys struggling to differentiate themselves and grow their legal practice?
They need to find ways to get in front of a bigger audience with internet marketing. Being active on social media can lead to relationship building and also gives you interaction with your potential client base.
What would you say to an attorney who believes that professional video marketing is “too expensive” or is doubtful of the impact it would make on their firm?
I would say that most people are no longer taking the time to read and would prefer to watch a video. You can clearly explain your message without it being misinterpreted or not read at all.
Why did your clients choose you over any other attorney/law firm?
We have been a name in the community for over 20 years and have worked hard to establish a great reputation with our current and past clients.
What is the best part of owning your own law firm? What’s the worst part?
Helping injured people, being able to give back to the community, and being able to help provide jobs to almost 50 people. The worst part is the very little time spent not working or thinking about work.
What are some of the biggest challenges you run into on a day-to-day basis?
Not enough hours in the day. Managing people.
What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in your business?
Not focusing on internet marketing years ago.
What piece of advice do you wish you would have been given when you first started your law firm?
Stay on top of marketing. If you’re not out there marketing your firm, you’re invisible. You could be the greatest attorney in the world, but if no one can find you, it doesn’t matter how good you are.
What do you see as the future of legal marketing?
Everything is going online. Google, YouTube, videos, Google reviews, etc. For us, probably within the next few months, we will start getting more leads and cases on the internet than from TV. Focus on where things are going.
