LEVERAGING YOUR LEGAL ACCOLADES

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters

YOU’VE EARNED THE LEGAL ACCOLADE. NOW WHAT?

Consider for a moment, you’re new to a city and looking online for a contractor to do some home remodeling. The first person you find is qualified enough and seems reputable. The second candidate you research has similar qualifications, but you notice he has an Angie’s List logo on his website. You also see he mentions his favorable rating on the company’s Facebook page and links to his Angie’s List profile so consumers can read testimonials about his work.

Which contractor would you feel more comfortable with? Chances are you’ll hire the one with the positive Angie’s List rating. He consciously leveraged that third-party validation on his website and spent a little extra time self-promoting.

The same goes for the ever-changing legal arena. Firms are spending more time than ever marketing their services to stand out from their peers. One of the strongest and least expensive ways to increase your firm’s visibility is to promote legal achievements and accolades.

Chances are you have recognitions to tout such as certifications, selections to top attorney lists, recommendations, scholarly writings and awards. You’ve earned them, but are you promoting them? You’ve done the hard work to be recognized, now it’s time to spread the news and create brand awareness for your firm.

YOUR LAW FIRM IS A BRAND A brand is simply an identity–an image your clients and prospects have of you. A logo design is part but not all of it. Branding is also everything people think about, feel and experience with your firm. It’s a promise you make. It says who you are, what you do, what you stand for and what clients can always expect from you.

It may seem strange to think of your practice in that way. Brands are often associated with consumer goods, like smartphones or soft drinks. But branding is critical for professional services, too. Every business wants to leverage past success for future growth and defend its market position against competitors. Taking some time to promote your legal achievements will make branding and reputation management easier.

Highlighting achievements are a sure-fire way of creating buzz around your firm and enhancing your brand. Legal accolades, such as selection to a Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list, are among the preeminent ways of getting great publicity. Consider these five reasons you should add legal accolades to your marketing efforts.

WHY ACCOLADES ARE IMPORTANT

1. Influence a consumer hiring decision. Any consumer or business in need of legal representation wants to be associated with a reputable firm. When prospective clients see that you’re actively honing your craft, it can sway them to choose you over your competition, because they see you as a high-quality firm.

2. Establish trust and credibility in your brand. Leveraging this distinction reaffirms who you are, what you do, what you stand for and what clients can expect when working with you.

3. Grow your attorney referral network. When it comes to generating business through referrals, most attorneys have a pecking order in mind. In a competitive market, spreading the word about your legal accolades will keep you at the top of the list.

4. Be associated with the elite. When you win an award or speak at a high-profile event, you’re connected with great attorneys and exceptional leaders. Be sure to use this to your advantage when networking because you have something in common with this group of selected lawyers.

5. Contribute to an admired work environment. When employees feel proud of their company’s achievements, they act with a certain confidence and will advocate for their firm. These actions can attract new employees and make them feel comfortable in their decision to work for the firm.

Recognitions and honors are what the marketing world calls third-party validations, and they can be extremely valuable marketing tools for attorneys. They make you stand out in an increasingly competitive legal market. However, these benefits mean more when you promote them. To succeed in your marketing strategy, take every opportunity to tout your firm through communication with your audiences (employees, customers, potential clients, related industry associates, etc.) to inform them about the recognition. The key is to share the achievement in a way that showcases your firm without coming off as self-serving.

BE YOUR OWN LEGAL MARKETER

YOU’VE EARNED IT, NOW PROMOTE IT:

• Issue a press release • Highlight accolades on your website• Create an email marketing strategy• Include achievements in your print advertising• Make awards visible in your office• Use online directories to your advantage• Stay active on social media• Start blogging• Ask clients for testimonials

28% of consumers consider expertise to be an important factor when selecting an attorney.2014 FindLaw U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey

ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE Press releases are traditional but still useful, particularly to reach media organizations. They can produce major benefits in marketing and public relations, even if they don’t receive placement in major media outlets. The main advantage of disseminating a press release on the Web is its ability to build on keywords, links, tags and meta-tags—which contribute to the traffic on your website and your website’s ranking.

HIGHLIGHT ACCOLADES ON YOUR WEBSITE

This might be a long list, but it’s worthwhile for promoting your reputation to potential clients. Devoting a section on your firm’s website to achievements and accomplishments is an excellent way to honor hard work and build morale. Shining light on these successes with testimonials from prominent attorneys also provides valuable content that potential clients will appreciate.

Whether it’s case results, state bar certifications, scholarly writings or court admissions, make sure you place them prominently on your website.

CREATE AN EMAIL MARKETING STRATEGY

Be sure to focus the content on all of the various people who made this accomplishment possible. If that’s not an option, little things like adding relevant certifications or top list selections to your email footer can go a long way in building rapport with potential clients.

Include the news of legal accolades and achievements in your email newsletters to share the full story of your honor.

We are pleased to announce that Jane Smith, partner at Smith, Jones & Chin, LLP, has been named to the 2015 Kerrigan Foundation Advisory Board. This board consists of 15 members ranging from corporate employees to community volunteers to nonprofit organization leaders.

The Kerrigan Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering low-income people to become self-reliant through integrated services. They work with lower-income individuals and families to achieve greater self-sufficiency through housing, employment training, support services and education.

For over 40 years, The Kerrigan Foundation has created housing and stabilized neighborhoods by working with nonprofit partners, neighborhood groups, and agencies to build or renovate nearly 2,000 affordable housing units.

Please join us in congratulating Jane Smith on her selection.

For more information about The Kerrigan Foundation, go to www.kerriganfound.com

PARTNER AT SMITH, JONES & CHIN, LLP RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS HONOR

Honored to be selected to the 2015 Kerrigan Foundation Advisory BoardSMITH, JONES & CHIN, LLP

Wednesday, July 15, 2015 4:15 PMJohn Brown

Securing print advertising to promote your accolades contributes to a well-rounded marketing approach. Use any logos, badges or branding elements that accompany your achievements. Be sure to put them on your direct mail pieces and include them on your business cards. The more prominent you make them, the better your firm will look. They tell consumers that an established entity vouches for your firm.

INCLUDE ACHIEVEMENTS IN YOUR PRINT MARKETING

Michael A. CaldwellDeLong, Caldwell, Bridgers & Fitzpatrick LLCAtlanta, Georgia

Super Lawyers Magazine has, by far, been the best business-attracting publication that I have ever tried. I’ve received numerous calls that have become new clients, and current clients tell me they saw me in Super Lawyers. It is an honor, and it is a marketing golden apple!

Whether it’s a recognition plaque on your wall, or a video playing in your firm’s lobby, be sure to exhibit your accomplishments for all to see. Ensure that employees and customers see your awards by framing them, displaying them on a stand or putting a decal on your window. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just prominent. Showcasing these achievements provides instant credibility to clients and builds a sense of trust that they’ve come to the right firm for their legal needs.

MAKE AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS VISIBLE IN YOUR OFFICE

USE ONLINE DIRECTORIES TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Legal directories such as FindLaw.com and SuperLawyers.com are great places to increase your brand awareness and grow your attorney referral network. You should also establish a presence on Google and Yelp and select the categories that best represent your firm. If you do business out of more than one location, create listings only for offices that physically exist and are staffed during listed hours. And remember, getting online reviews from former clients can influence future clients and help local results perform better.

73% of people will lose trust in a brand if the business listing is not accurate. FindLaw White Paper - Are You Ignoring a Third of Your Firm’s Business Potential?

STAY ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Make sure to share your successes on all of your social media accounts. If you have the access or budget, video can be an effective and engaging way to spread the word about your accomplishments via YouTube or subscriber video services like Vimeo. A well-rounded video marketing strategy will give you the opportunity to answer frequently asked questions and promote your practice area. Make sure to also list your awards on your LinkedIn and Facebook company pages.

Engage your audience by posting links to case results, pro bono efforts, top list selections and bios of attorneys at your firm.

START BLOGGING

A blog is a powerful tool. Blogs can help you land new clients, promote your personal and professional endeavors, and expand your sphere of influence. Blogging can also usher in new opportunities such as case leads, networking contacts, and writing and speaking engagements. A high-quality blog allows you to showcase your technical knowledge, awareness of your clients’ needs and concerns, and commitment to client service and long-term relationships.

The first step to promoting your own content is to promote other people’s writing. Specifically, share blog posts, content, etc., in your niche.

ASK CLIENTS FOR TESTIMONIALS Not only will client testimonials help with your marketing efforts, but they will keep you “top of mind” with consumers should further legal needs arise. Testimonials are amazingly persuasive: they touch on both the facts and emotions that drive people to make decisions. They reaffirm that your claims are credible and that your services are the real deal.

J.D. CargillDirector – Marketing and CommunicationsThe Lanier Law FirmHouston, Texas

There is no greater compliment than to have a client offer an accolade or positive testimonial. It tells us that, through an often long and arduous process, we were able to walk our talk and provide them with the utmost legal care that we promise in our brochures and presentations.

*Review state bar rules on legal advertising

MAKING IT WORKAt the end of the day, legal achievements offer you and your firm an excellent way to differentiate yourselves in the marketplace. In all of your marketing efforts, take the time to promote the accolades that come your way.

Taking advantage of these honors is crucial. In a world where consumers have countless options to choose from, you need to make the strongest case for why you should be the go to attorney.

At Super Lawyers, we take pride in our patented selection process, which produces a credible, com prehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attor neys and consumers searching for legal counsel. For the most diligent approach to selection, we take into account everything from independent research to peer evaluations.

Our goal is to make sure every lawyer selected to our list knows the value of this distinction and the unique ways to spread the word.

To learn more about sharing the Super Lawyers honor with potential clients and receive our complimentary promo kit, contact your Associate Publisher directly or call 1-877-787-5290.

Join our social network!SuperLawyers.com/Social

For more information, contact your Associate Publisher or call 1-877-787-5290

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters