Client relationship management and prospecting is becoming more and more a technology-aided process and in many cases, entirely automated. Finding and connecting with a market is the fundamental and often the most difficult task for most businesses, law firms included.
Luckily for modern firms, long gone are the days of cold calling and constant schmoozing. A tremendous amount of interacting with and providing value to clients can be done via distance. Below are some of the most important avenues and tools law firms can explore to better connect with their clients.
TEXT
Text messaging for law firms is an often neglected but nonetheless powerful form of outreach and marketing that professional services such as law firms can use to prospect new clients and maintain and cultivate relationships with existing ones. SMS messaging is regulated by the government to ensure that it does not become invasive or obnoxious, but it is a great way for law firms to update clients on new laws and regulations that might affect them; send reminders for meetings, hearings, and fees; and to let me know that you have published new content to your website. It is an especially effective method for less tech-savvy older clients who may rely more on SMS than email and social media.
Email list software that allows you to stay in touch with current and potential clients is another great form of client outreach for law firms. Email tools like Prospect.io, Snov.io, and PitchBox allow you to send out email marketing and update campaigns en masse to clients and prospecting lists advertising your services, showcasing testimonials and recent rulings in your favor, and also directing people to your website and social media channels.
A good way to sign people up for your email lists is to have not only a button on your landing page that prompts them but an exit-intent message that encourages them to do so when they navigate away from your page or are dormant on it for some time.
SOCIAL MEDIA
A law firm’s social media channels are an important part of its brand image, relationships management, and prospecting. Having professional Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin profiles that are regularly updated, regularly post, and which quickly respond to questions and queries is vital.
Another important social media technology that law firms should be incorporating into their social media marketing and PR management is a social media analytics tool like Hootsuite, which allows you to monitor your social media mentions and stay on top of your public relations. Letting negative comments and reviews linger on social media can result in significant damage to your firm’s goodwill and tools like Hootsuite provide easy ways to keep track of brand mentions across the web.
CONCLUSION
You don’t need to increase your budget by tens of thousands of dollars in order to better connect with your clients using technology. There are affordable options available to firms of all sizes that can help you stay present in the minds of your target market and provide constant value that will make choosing your firm a no-brainer.
