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Running a law office is about helping people, but it is also a business. Businesses have overhead and people's livelihood's to support. A law office, analyzed like a business, is much like any other business. The firm must bring in enough raw material, and produce enough product, to maintain profitability. For a law office, new cases are the raw material and settled cases, are the final product. Settling or closing cases is the easier of the two functions. Getting the cases signed is the hard part.

There are restrictions on what lawyers can do to advertise their product. the Texas State bar has rules regarding required content, and requires the ability to review all advertising material before it is published. Aside from this regulatory problem, there is the problem of what method is the best way to secure new cases. The methods available to a firm like mine fall in two broad categories, networking and advertising.

Networking involves getting word out to relatives, friends, former clients, and other people of the services you offer, why you should be considered as the first choice for the kind of law you practice, and the re-reminding them on a regular basis. The hope is that they will continue to spread the word to their contacts, and that you will establish a widespread net of people advocating your services. This kind of marketing is very cost effective. For the price of a few business cards, some lunches and time visiting with people, you stand a chance of getting a few cases. The downside of this kind of marketing is that it s passive marketing. It is a net, waiting for something to blunder into it. Networking carries little negative impact. If a friend refers your services to another friend, the attorney is not seen as a shark or scum. The attorney has the advantage of being recommended.

Advertising can be passive or active. Unfortunately, advertising can become quite expensive. Advertising also ha a tendency to create negative impressions. Television advertisements for attorneys have become a source of ridicule among the public. These television ads seem over the top, aggressive, and to promise a get rich from your misery scheme that offends people. This kind of advertising has the advantage of reaching a large number of potential clients, but the costs can be outrageous. Radio advertisements reach fewer potential clients, are less expensive, and somewhat less effective than television advertising. Yellow page advertising was the lest cost effective method of reaching potential clients twenty years ago, before the Internet existed. I imagine Yellow Page ads are now nearly defunct as a advertising tool. Internet advertising is comparatively cheap, but is like trying to shout to a friend across a major football stadium at kick-off.

The problem for attorney's is finding the mix of price, media, potential audience with a current need, and the tone of the message. To be effective, an attorney's advertisement needs to reach a person who needs the service at that time with an informative and persuasive message that compels the person to contact the lawyer immediately. I struggle often with trying to find new way to get the word out only firm and its services.

I have tried keyword advertising, but was dismayed at how many pay-per-click costs seemed to be going to my competitors looking to see who I was. I continue to think about ways to increase the marketing presence of my firm in a positive way. If you have thoughts or insight as to marketing that has been effective in your business, please let me know.