When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the U.S. earlier this year, it forced schools and businesses to close and people to shelter in place for weeks to slow the spread of the novel virus. As a result, everyone – from business owners to children – experienced the loss of community and belonging. But this loss can provide an opportunity for law firms to do some good for their clients in this new economy and help clients and referral sources in a meaningful way.

Today’s new economy is composed of tangible changes in our world, and of new, community-wide emotions. A law firm’s clients may feel that they have lost their sense of belonging, their sense of control, and their sense of community.

Marketing in the Old Economy

The old economy focused on logic – most lawyers did not incorporate emotion into their marketing or business development. But the new economy calls for using both logic and emotion in marketing for law firms.

 Logic can help with content for marketing, and it will drive how to educate clients and prospects. Emotion is needed for personal branding and deeper business development connections in the new economy.

Simply put, people today want logic and emotional support.

By the Numbers

When asked, “What type of content do you prefer from brands surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic?” Search Engine Journal reported:

• 64% of consumers said they preferred content about news or public service announcements.

• 56% said they preferred content about the “new normal” like tips on working from home or homeschooling.

• 52% said they preferred content about supporting the community.

• 46% said they preferred content about optimism, like feel-good stories.

What does this mean for your marketing? You need to find ways to link your personal brand to the emotions of your client. Share information about cases you’ve won or articles you’ve authored as well as articles or podcasts about the future to create a sense of security and social posts about your interests or hobbies to create a sense of belonging. 

Being in the midst of a global pandemic can make it a bit more challenging to market your practice, but it should not be a reason to abandon finding new business development opportunities. Turn your focus toward online marketing opportunities, such as your website, bio and social media. On the business development side, continue to seek out new connections and always remember to ask the people you meet how you can help them. This builds trust and creates a reciprocal relationship. 

Looking for Ideas You Can Do Today? Here Are 10:

1. Update your bio. Your bio provides a great opportunity to feel a sense of connection. Add a paragraph about you personally, a video, or photo gallery.

2. Share referral content. Look at your referral list and see who needs attention. Share a piece of their content on your social media accounts. They will likely receive a notification putting your name top of mind.

3. Share a cause you care about. Share, like, or retweet a post from a nonprofit that you care about. This allows you to build your personal brand online and provides an opportunity to find a shared value with a client or referral source.

4. Check your SEO. Make sure each page and blog post has its SEO description filled and that it still aligns with your brand.

5. Collect FAQs for blog posts. There is a chance that your clients don’t know what they need yet, or if they do, how to express it and search for it online. Look for common themes in your email or communications with clients. These themes can become blog posts and allow you to get ahead of what others will need while establishing your authority.

6. Create a client peer group. Bringing together three or four clients in a similar situation for a Zoom chat can be daunting, but by doing so, you create a sense of belonging and an opportunity to listen and serve.

7. Send a gift, via mail or email. Look through your referral tracker and see who you haven’t been in contact with lately. Send a small gift. It will especially stand out if it speaks to the interests of the person. If you don’t have their mailing address, send an e-gift card.

8. Co-host a webinar. Having a co-host allows you to combine audiences and cross-promote to each other’s audience via social media, blogs, and email. Post the webinar recording on your blog.

9. Start a Zoom affinity group. Use video conferencing to make connections that fulfill a sense of belonging. A few examples include starting a book club, cooking club, or yoga class.

10. Pitch a guest column or appearance. Ask to contribute to a specific, timely topic. If you have been listening to your clients and created a sense of belonging, you’ll know what topic or topics to cover. Once created, leverage it by posting a recap on your blog, promoting on social media, and adding it to your email newsletter.

Remember, people connect with other people. Your clients may not know what they need right now. Use your humanity to uncover opportunities and build meaningful connections in today’s new economy.

KSGilmore Consulting CEO and Founder Katie Gilmore gave a Zoom presentation on this topic for the Indianapolis Bar Association, entitled “Going the (Social) Distance: Marketing and Business Development in the New Economy.” You can view a recording of the presentation here.

Do you have questions about this presentation or how to market in today’s new economy? Contact us today to learn how we can help.