Winning More Clients: How Do Law Firms Market?

Competition in the conveyancing industry is intensifying. It’s imperative, therefore, to have a robust marketing plan in place. Traditionally law firms have relied heavily on referrals, but many savvy property solicitors know that this alone is not enough to stay ahead in today’s market.

When it comes to marketing, some property solicitors find themselves out of their comfort zone. Others are not keen on promoting themselves as there is almost a stigma that marketing somehow detracts from the legal aspects of the profession.

Law firms that do embrace marketing are reaping the rewards. In this blog, we will take a look at ways in which law firms can market their services to boost their business and keep ahead of their rivals.

“Whilst repeat clients and word of mouth recommendations remain key sources of new instructions, this is not proactive marketing and leaves firms exposed to fluctuations in the property market as a whole. Taking a planned approach to marketing and business development will provide multiple channels of work and enable the firm to control the volume of instructions they receive by managing their marketing activity.”

-Paul Coombes, Director, Legal Marketing Works

The benefits of marketing

Marketing is a proven lever for growth for all businesses. Traditionally, law firms have relied on recommendations to drive business. This isn’t a bad strategy as according to Smoove's Home Mover Report, the majority of homeowners relied on a friend or family recommendation for finding a conveyancer (33%). That was followed by estate agent referrals at 31% and a mortgage broker recommendation at 23%. Referrals are clearly big business for law firms. The problem is that referrals alone are not enough. We live in a world where people make decisions based on internet and social media searches. So, if your marketing plan does not include digital marketing, you’re lagging behind.

With such heavy workloads, many law firms simply do not have the time nor resources to market themselves effectively. According to Chronic Law, law firms spend between 0.5-5% of their overall revenue on marketing, yet Hubspot found that the average marketing spend for all industries was much higher, at 9.1%. So, it seems that there is a need for law firms to expand their marketing efforts. And with 11,226 property solicitors in the UK competing for business, a robust marketing plan that will help you stand out from the crowd is essential. Conveyancers need to embrace marketing or risk losing out to more forward-thinking marketing-focused competitors.

How can a law firm market?

• Offer exceptional customer service

Referrals have worked well for conveyancers thus far, but they only materialise if you provide a stellar service. In fact, referrals are the number one way a law firm finds leads.

Buying a home is hugely emotive. It’s not just a transaction to a client. Their home is their sanctuary, it’s where they raise their children and it’s where they create memories. Conveyancers need to spend more time forming a bond with their clients to build up trust. They need to find out why the client is moving and what timescales they’re bound to. This shows you care, and you’ll discover exactly what’s worrying your clients. Be approachable and communicative. People will pay more for handholding, particularly during the legalities of property purchasing. Go above and beyond to meet your client’s expectations. A simple gesture like sending a ‘welcome to your new home’ gift can go a long way.

• Don’t rely purely on referrals

Can a legal firm survive from word of mouth alone? In a country where people spend on average six hours per day accessing the internet and research companies online, the answer is surely no. A lack of online presence is a red flag to a consumer.

• Reviews

Your online reputation is just as important as your offline one. The Legal Consumer Panel surveyed consumers and 82% stated reputation was important. Thus, reviews are a key marketing tool to focus on. Reviews provide social proof of a business's quality and reliability, helping to build up trust and credibility. According to Statista, 90% of people check online reviews before buying from a business and 85% trust customer reviews according to Smart Money People. Power Reviews also found that 46% of UK consumers won’t buy if there are no reviews available. It’s clear that people are hugely swayed by social proof.

If your law firm has no budget or resources to market, reviews are the best form of promotion as they don’t cost a penny. Work on building up reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp or TrustPilot to boost your online reputation. Never miss an opportunity to ask clients for a review. If you have a CRM, set up automatic emails to request a review when the case has been completed. Smart Money People found that 39% of people will leave a review simply because they were asked by the company to do so - it’s that easy to build up your reviews.

Reviews aid in more informed consumers too. You can use them on your website or social media channels to promote your services. What about negative reviews, you may ask? The key is to always respond but do so in a professional way, even if the review is unfair. Keep in mind that potential clients may read this response, so you want to continue to sell your service and show that you always aspire to provide a high standard of service. Negative reviews may not make for nice reading but remember that they are free feedback on how you can improve your practice going forward.

It's important to note that insurers will also look at these reviews so they can affect your insurance premiums. The bonus of having a strong bank of positive reviews is that you can use these to justify increasing your price.

What else can you do to promote your law firm?

• Establish an online presence

Create a professional website that is both mobile and user-friendly. Include clear information about your service, fees and contact details. Showcase your awards, accreditations or affiliations with professional bodies. This demonstrates your commitment to quality and industry best practices.

• Social media

Social media is a powerful avenue for building brand awareness. Maintain active profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Regularly share informative content related to your industry and engage with your audience. Don’t fear platforms like TikTok. Many mortgage brokers go live on TikTok answering people’s mortgage queries and receive business off the back of these live streams. Similarly, a family law solicitor called The Legal Queen spends time answering viewers’ legal questions and has amassed 500K followers. Social media is a powerful tool to generate conveyancing leads and boost brand awareness. With 60% of people in the UK oblivious to what conveyancers actually do, according to a study by the HomeOwners Alliance, this type of advertising could be a key way to promote industry awareness.

• Content marketing

Showcase your expertise and build trust through content. Start a blog, publish informative articles, and create downloadable content such as e-books and guides. This will get people talking about important and interesting topics in the industry and provide valuable information and education for clients. Through content creation, you can become a thought leader in your field. Thought leaders are credible and become a go-to resource in the industry. This will indirectly bring in business.

• Search engine marketing (SEM)

Consider targeted pay-per-click ads (PPC) that appear at the top of results on search engines. Use keywords such as ‘conveyancer near me’ or ‘property lawyer [your town].’ Choose terms people will be likely to type in to find a property solicitor. The more visible you are on search engines, the more conveyancing leads that will come your way.

• Local SEO

Improve your visibility in local search queries. Ensure your website is optimised for “conveyancer in [your city/town]. Build separate pages for each town you want to target with fresh copy. This type of activity will put you higher up on organic search engine result pages.

• Videos

The way we consume content has changed. Videos are now the preferred medium for many. Create video guides on YouTube or video intros on your website to make your law firm more approachable. People will connect with your team on a more personal level, fostering trust.

What else?

• Network

Networking is key. Build relationships with estate agents, mortgage brokers and other professionals in the field. Attend industry events and participate in the local community. Become that go-to property solicitor for your area.

Conclusion

Referrals are great but you need to ensure you’re engaging in other marketing techniques to keep ahead of the competition.

According to The Law Firm Marketing Club, when consumers were questioned about whether they use the same law firm again, 47% said they had only used them once. Why are these clients not coming back? Did they find them ineffective, or did they just forget which law firm they used previously? With nearly half of former clients going elsewhere, marketing is clearly lacking. TwentyConvey has a tool called ConveyAlerts. We know when your former clients have instructed their homes for sale again. We can put you in touch with these homemovers so you can try to win back their business. Marketing is all about keeping close to the client and making sure they remember you for all the right reasons.

A LexisNexis Bellwether Report 2023 found that 81% of small law firms and solo practitioners stated attracting new business was a challenge, with 81% stating that they plan to invest more time and money into marketing activities. This was up 24% from 2022’s survey. If you don’t follow suit, you risk being left behind in the dust. Law firms with a forward-looking approach are adopting marketing strategies, and the pandemic highlighted those who thrived thanks to their increased marketing efforts. Once you begin reaping the benefits of an effective marketing strategy, you’ll see why it’s essential to invest in. The bottom line is that if you’re not upping your marketing game, you can bet your competitors are.