Why proactive marketing is best for law firms and attorneys

The top common reasons why people hire attorneys or look for a law firm include business issues, family issues, and estate planning. That means if you’re a marketing professional serving a law firm, your target audience is wide and varied.

In many cases, people will consider hiring a law firm only after they’ve been served with a summons and complaint, which is definitely a wrong approach to take. Similar to healthcare, legal issues are much easier to solve if you invest in preventive measures rather than treating a problem that has already occurred.

What does it mean for marketing professionals in the sphere? It means that one of your main marketing tasks is proactively providing information and educating your potential clients even before they have an actual legal issue.

Why direct mail as a marketing channel?

Even though we’re living in the digital era, printed marketing is still effective and has great value for law firms and attorneys. In fact, direct mail is one of the most effective marketing channels for active outreach, especially in the sphere of law:

• While many people (almost 35%) start with asking a friend when they consider hiring an attorney, about 10% still look at the printed Yellow Pages for information as they trust the printed word more.
• Response rates for direct mail sent to prospect files were almost twice as high for oversized envelopes (4.9%) than they were for letter-sized envelopes (2.5%).
• Practically everyone checks their mailboxes every day. The studies show that 36% of people under the age of 30 look forward to checking their mailboxes every day.

What direct mail marketing campaigns are best for law firms?

After receiving initial information about a law firm, the majority of people will continue the research before they actually contact you. It means that though direct mail is a great first point of contact for your potential new clients, it’s recommended that you implement it as a part of larger, integrated marketing campaign with a consistent and well-thought-out message.

And don’t forget about your existing clients. Direct mail is among the best approaches for Account-Based Marketing to boost customer loyalty and retention.

Direct Mail for a Law Firm: Where to Start

Now that you’ve decided to launch a direct mail marketing campaign, whether to attract new leads or communicate with the existing clients, the first question is always: where do I start? As with any marketing campaign, identify your goals first, set your benchmarks, and move on to the message.  

Personalized Message

Personalization plays a crucial role in any direct mail marketing campaign. 70% of people say direct mail feels more personal than the Internet. There is more chance that people will open mail if packages are designed and customized to clients’ needs. If you’re marketing for a law firm and planning a direct mail campaign, don’t overlook the message and the design. When people are looking for an attorney, they want to partner with someone who will ensure a successful outcome for their business and family issues. A well-designed high-quality direct mail piece will create a positive brand image and invoke trust.

Before launching a legal direct mail marketing campaign, consider the following four points:

1. Type of direct mail piece (flyer or postcard)
2. Package – envelope (if needed)
3. Quality of paper
4. Quantity of direct mail pieces

Your message shouldn’t be a standard sales pitch, but rather focus on your reliability and professional reputation. Consider including the following details:

• Years of experience your law firm has
• Pictures of your law office
• Office location
• Client testimonial
• Pricing structure
• What you can help people with
• How your help right now will save them effort and money in the future
• Where people can continue their research on your law firm – a website address, a profile on the reviews site or your social media profiles

Attorneys need to build an emotional connection with their clients. Show them that you understand what problems they face and that you know what to do about them.

What to Send?

Let’s have a look at what types of direct mail pieces are the best for your law firm.

Brochures

If you have a small law firm or you are an attorney who begins his/her practice, a brochure can be a good way to introduce your services to the public. With Inkit’s template builder you can easily create an attractive brochure that will underline the benefits of using your services.  

If you have decided to choose a brochure as a direct mail piece, we recommend to insert a complete overview of your law firm:

• a brief bio or your firm’s history
• your practice areas
• office locations
• contact information
• benefits of working with your firm.

Postcards

Postcards are usually larger than brochures and one can use them to include more information. It is another type of suitable direct mail piece for law firms. Because of the size and postage as a standalone piece, it will definitely grab your clients’ attention. According to the DMA Response Rate Report, the response rate for postcards sent to a house is 5.1% with a Return on Investment of 29%.

In the case of postcards, you can include more information or add memorable call-to-actions.

• Expanded call-to-Action
• appealing image
• changes in laws or relevant educational information
• New services or lawyers introduction, company’s announcements
• Invitation to event (new office relocation, etc.)

Target the Right Audience with Relevant Messages

The law sphere is very broad and captures different topics from auto accidents to estate planning. That’s why you need to separate the services you provide for your target audiences. It’s better to make a few direct mail campaigns focused on different services your law firm provides.

The Right Time to Send

Timing is as important for legal direct mail as for the rest of the mail pieces. Everybody loves receiving discounts and special offers during the holiday season. But let’s think for a while – will people pay attention to a law advertisement mail piece among various retail sales and shiny Christmas postcards? Probably not.

So, make sure to choose the right time for sending out postcards about the services you provide. Otherwise, all efforts spent on your direct mail campaign will be lost.

A couple of additional direct mail marketing ideas

1. The packaging is the first thing that people see when they receive a direct mail piece. Sometimes even a plain white envelope without returning address can grab your attention if it includes a stamp with a special sign of importance or urgency. Try using different types or colors of packaging each time you are launching a direct mail marketing campaign.
2. According to a study by the Direct Marketing Association, oversized envelopes have the best response rate. You can invoke curiosity and create the impression that there is something special inside a bulky envelope by inserting business cards or separately printed testimonials from your clients.
3. Such elements as QR codes can bring more interactivity to your overall marketing campaign. QR code can lead to the website of the law firm or directly to the page which includes additional information you have delivered in the direct mail piece. To start incorporating QR codes into your direct mail, try Beaconstac. Beaconstac’s QR code solution allows you to create trackable, dynamic and customizable QR codes with online retargeting.
4. Improve your communication with customers by giving them a reason to come back to you and respond to your mail. You can offer to send them a free legal brochure or a first free phone consultation on their legal issue.

Conclusion

The legal sphere requires thorough attention to every detail, including marketing campaigns. A personalized approach to each marketing piece will bring you good response rates. Make your clients feel more confident about doing business with you. In this respect, direct mail is still one of your arsenal’s most efficient marketing tools.

Direct mail for attorneys is an excellent way to introduce services you have to offer to your new or existing clients. With Inkit’s automation software you can reach your customers offline, integrate your CRM systems or customer data services, and ensure same-day print to mail.