In this installment of our legal video marketing success stories, we sat down with Workers Compensation Attorney John Gibson to discuss the growth of his law firm, his decision to invest in videos with Crisp, and the results he’s seen after implementing his videos.
Attorney John Gibson serves the entire state of Texas in representing workers compensation cases. The Gibson Firm is committed to developing long-term relationships with their clients even after their settlement has been reached. In fact, The Gibson Firm prides themselves on giving back to the community with every case: for every dollar of punitive damages that a client donates to a charity of their choosing, John Gibson’s firm matches that donation.
We wanted to check in with John to find out more about why he made the decision to pursue video marketing, how his videos support his firm’s unique goals, and what life is like now that his firm is on the first page of Google.
Here’s what John had to say:
Why did you decide to produce videos for your firm? What challenges were you looking to solve?
The internet is the great equalizer. I can throw some videos on YouTube and get attention and SEO benefits. [Before I produced videos with Crisp] I found that doing it on my own wasn’t nearly as easy as it looked and my videos didn’t project an air of competence because the videos weren’t produced by someone with a lot of competence.
How do you compare in terms of size/market share/resources/marketing budget with your competition?
In Texas, workers compensation lawyers are the lowest paid lawyers in the state. We make all our money in volume but we don’t make enough money to compete in advertising with the personal injury firms. Thanks to Crisp, I have high-quality videos that I can put on my website and these videos get noticed. People are so tired of cheesy, poor quality videos. I get my videos in front of people and when I am head-to-head with the big-money advertisers, my Crisp videos sell me. And I win the client every single time.
What concerns did you have leading up to the decision to produce videos? Did you have any doubts about making the right choice?
Obviously, price. There is always that voice in your head telling you to save the money and just shoot the video yourself, or go down to the local community college and find someone.
I was concerned all the way up until I got an email from Crisp congratulating me for getting on the first page of Google.
I called several friends around the state and asked them to replicate the search terms and, sure enough, I was coming up on the first page of their searches too. Then, we started seeing an uptick in our calls and callers started specifically referencing that they chose to meet with us because we seemed so much more capable than our competitors.
Where were you at with your business one year ago vs. one year later?
I depend almost exclusively on internet placement and I had slipped to the third page of Google rankings. My calls were decreasing. I was not getting the statewide attention that I used to get because all I was getting were local word of mouth referrals.
Since engaging with Crisp, I am back to the first page of Google, I am getting calls statewide again, but I am also getting noticed by some of the firms that spend millions of dollars a year in TV advertising. They are calling and asking if we can work together. I attribute this to the confidence and ability that Crisp videos convey.
How has your video content impacted your firm?
Before I made the decision to invest in a Crisp Video package, our calls were dwindling and our bottom line was shrinking. I was seeing a day when we were going to start going into the red. Now, thanks to Crisp, we have a steady inflow of new clients and we are getting better cases leading to higher profit margins.
Can you put a monetary value/estimate on the impact your videos have directly or indirectly made on your firm?
In less than a year after releasing my Crisp video, my firm’s revenue has increased by 33%.
What advice would you give to attorneys struggling to differentiate themselves and grow their legal practice?
Pick a niche that no one else does or very few people do. Focus on that with laser focus.
Become an expert in the field. Refuse the temptation to take on other work just because it will bring in dollars in the short term because it will distract you from making even more money long term. Make sure other lawyers know you are the expert in your niche.
Don’t be afraid to go to legal conferences or bar meetings and while everyone else is dressed up, wear a shirt that says your name and “[whatever law you practice] Lawyer.”
Take plenty of cards because if there is a need for your niche, you will get lots of referrals. Then, make sure you are visible and easy to find on the internet so that if people forget your name, you will be easy to find with a little bit of searching.
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?
First impressions are of prime importance, and perception is reality. Do you want people’s first impression of you to be some low budget video that they stop 5 seconds in? If so, those 5 seconds could be more costly to you in the long run in terms of poor reputation.
Why did your clients choose you over any other attorney/law firm?
My clients tell me they chose me because they perceive me as being the best at what I do.
Has your investment in your video marketing improved your life? If so, how?
It has significantly increased my caseload and increased my visibility with fellow attorneys.
What the best part of owning your own law firm? And, what’s the biggest challenge?
The best part of owning my law firm is that I make all the decisions. The biggest challenge for me is overseeing the non-lawyer tasks. I love practicing law. I love trying cases to juries. I hate the management side.
Do you believe the “why” is more important than the “what” when it comes to attorneys growing their business and marketing their firm?
I practice in the lowest paying practice area for attorneys in my state. I do it because I believe in what I do. I am passionate about helping people. I hope that translates to effectiveness in all other areas of my practice. People tell me it does. That passion helps make me successful and brings in business that I might not otherwise get.
There are a number of video companies out there, why did you choose to produce your videos with Crisp Video Group?
Crisp’s videos were the only ones I saw where the consumer wasn’t just watching a talking head for minutes on end. The videos incorporate action and sound while imparting information. They convey a level of authenticity and competency that you don’t get in a normal “talking head” video.
What do you see as the future of legal marketing?
The days of putting a sign on the door and handing out business cards are gone. I think more and more attorneys are going to look at the success of catchy gimmicks like, “Law Hawk, The Hammer, The Gorilla, The Strong Arm” etc. and decide that they need to go that route. The result, I think, will be an oversaturation of gimmicks and create an opportunity for those willing to differentiate themselves through the quality of their marketing.
Attorneys have to offer an experience to legal consumers and that experience begins before the client ever walks in the door and continues throughout the representation.
The gimmicky firms tend to offer a less personalized experience. If millennials are after authenticity and personalization, then savvy lawyers need to know how to harness the power of advanced technology to make their firms attractive. Attorneys will have to focus more on how to offer that experience-encounter so that people feel “good” when they leave your office and not just that they feel like their questions were answered.
Utilizing the power of legal video
The Gibson Firm is the perfect example of a small firm that was able to leverage legal video to compete against the larger firms in John’s market. Many solo and small firm attorneys know they’ll never be able to outspend the huge firms in their market, but John’s approach allowed him to invest in a marketing strategy that paid dividends regardless of the size and budget of his competition – John was able to not only generate a 33% revenue increase using Crisp videos but also get his firm back on the first page of Google.
Struggling to compete in the legal PPC competition is an all-too-common occurrence for many attorneys, but fortunately, video has been proven time and time again to have substantial SEO benefits.
To see what else John has to say about his experience with Crisp, check out the video below:
Crisp Video Group is proud to work with ambitious attorneys to communicate their unique story in a saturated market by creating engaging video content that humanizes their firm. Our videos differentiate attorneys from their competition and allow them to attract more discerning clients (higher-value cases) who seek value over price — making them the obvious choice in their market.
