Law Marketing

Published on: December 28, 2012

Law Firm Surveys and Rankings Discussed, Debated at New York LFMP Program

Last month, at the invitation of Joshua Peck and the Law Firm Media Professionals organization, I attended their monthly program in New York City, at the offices of Dechert. As always, the topic of “Surveys and Rankings” attracted significant interest (and conversation) from the many law firm communications and public relations people in Manhattan.

On the panel were Reena SenGupta, representing “FT Innovative Lawyers” for the Financial Times; Anne Szustek, Deputy Editor of the Benchmark Litigation survey, run by Euromoney; and Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers, which also publish the US News & World Reports “Best Law Firm” rankings.

The audience questions (and skepticism) reminded me that nerves are still raw when seeing the friction that exists between these businesses and the law firm professionals that choose to participate in them (or not). Everyone continues to preach “separation of church and state” as it relates to the editorial evaluation versus the advertising opportunities that are offered. I made particular note of the Benchmark folks reminding everyone that they are journalists and researchers, not lawyers. That just makes me give second thought as to how good they can be in evaluating the leaders in litigation. I can’t say that either FT or Benchmark did anything to increase credibility, based on their presentations. If you buy in, you are probably still in. But if not, I doubt opinion shifted at all.

Published on: December 19, 2012

WMT: Law Firm Sites Move to Mobile

by Micah Buchdahl

In this month’s Web Marketing Today column, I address the importance of having a proper mobile marketing plan to accompany your law firm’s Internet marketing efforts. Regardless of a law firm’s audience, practice groups, size or location–“mobile” is a critical component.

Some law firms are still at stage one–trying to get some sort of compatibility for an iPhone or Android device. Others have moved well past that toward development of applications that serve purposes ranging from “marketing” to uses for partner retreats, recruiting and access to files and billing.

The strategies, however, do differ based on a law firms’ audience and clientele. As is the case with a typical website–what you develop for a Baker McKenzie is going to differ from what you develop for Sokolove Law. Although as of today, a quick look at both of those websites on my Droid were not online presences built for mobile. This column features firms that built a solid online mobile presence. It also addresses related issues tied to SEO and online advertising considerations as well.

Published on: December 1, 2012

Of Cravath, Dewey…and the risks of playing “Follow the Leader”

by Micah Buchdahl

What is it our parents always told us? If your friend jumped off a bridge, does that mean you should do the same? In this case, it is more like “Match Game 2012” than it is about “follow the leader.” So the question becomes, how necessary is it for a law firm to match another’s year-end bonus? And in my business, what are the marketing implications for a law firm that does or does not choose to follow suit?

As reported by Peter Lattman in The New York Times this week, “Cravath sets the tone for law firm bonuses.” Law firms don’t have NFL salary caps or MLB luxury taxes to help keep things competitive. In many ways, Cravath is like the New York Yankees of law firms–old, venerable and wealthy. They generate a lot of revenue that others can’t, and can spend accordingly. But most other teams simply don’t generate the same revenue and can’t pay out the same amounts. Spending more does not mean you always win, but you are usually in the game.

If the process holds true that Cravath sets the scale, then you could argue they could do it to squeeze others as much as it might be to reward the associates that spend the year billing the night away. If you think about it, if they force less profitable firms to profit less, are they not creating an even stronger market advantage for themselves?

Published on: November 14, 2012

WMT: Blogging for Lawyers – Lessons Learned

by Micah Buchdahl

This month’s Web Marketing Today column discusses the good, bad and ugly in the world of law firm blogging. As the bumper sticker says, “If you can read this, you must be on my blog.” Anyway, that in itself highlights one valuable element of blogging–in cross-promoting other marketing and publishing efforts.

I’ve selected successful blogs in the small, medium and large law firm categories to highlight approaches and styles–from Silverberg Zalantis, Young Conaway and Reed Smith. In the world of blogs, they are all operating on an even playing field.

One of the ways I know that blogging is still “where it’s at” in cyberspace is simply following the steps of my long-time web collaborator Pavel Ushakov. Between Pavel and Justia’s Tim Stanley, much of the direction and advice I give myself (and others) comes from following their paths. Tim practically shamed me into getting back on the blog bandwagon. Pavel played a pivotal role in my original transformation from “marketing attorney” to an “internet marketing attorney.” We worked together on original website projects for law firms like Morgan Lewis and Simpson Thacher back in the 90s. Remember the 90s man? He was then instrumental in creating the Internet Marketing Attorney website, IMA reviews and Nifty Fifty awards for me. And in developing my original business website and blog. Of course, as one of the true web pioneers, he has bigger fish to fry than helping me–but always responds quickly whenever I shout out for help. But his focus now is on blog development and consulting with Blogconsulting.com–with “little” clients like Adobe, Time Magazine and the Harvard Business School. But he is one of the go-to guys for blogging, and knowing what will come next.

Published on: November 8, 2012

LP Magazine – Auditing Your Law Firm Marketing Efforts

by Micah Buchdahl

In the November/December issue of Law Practice, my marketing column is entitled “Auditing Your Efforts” and discusses the value and importance of a law firm objectively auditing its marketing and business development efforts. Read it to see how I compare myself favorably to Tom Cruise (although the editorial team deleted my reference to Scientology).

There was a time when spending money on an audit would have been borderline crazy–since so little time and effort was being invested–what did you really have to lose anyway? Today, however, law firms are investing heavily in these endeavors and often find that efforts are often…overpriced, ineffective, or simply off the mark. A proper audit is an important accompaniment to a strategic plan and a budget. The time has come where ROI needs to be measured, and a firm’s marketing foundation solidified. It is not all that different from the recent energy audit conducted on my home–imagine how much I would save with the right equipment and resources in place? If your law firm has never conducted a thorough marketing audit, talk to me about it. Year-end and the start of a new year are perfect times to evaluate. As I like to say, stop throwing good money after bad.

Published on: October 31, 2012

Law Firm Branding – Take my conflicts, please!

by Micah Buchdahl

It is not Henny Youngman, but Stoll Berne managing partner Scott Shorr.

With the tagline — Take your conflicts. Not your clients. — the Portland, Oregon law firm of Stoll Berne got some nice play in the Portland Business Journal for its advertising campaign focused on getting lawyers to send them conflict work. When Journal reporter Andy Giegerich called me to get my take on the uniqueness of the campaign, it highlighted once again some greater lengths law firms are going to these days to find additional revenue streams.

Advertising in legal publications for conflict work is certainly not new. I’ve worked with law firms on such ads in the past–albeit with minimal success. As an attorney with a small niche practice, I end up with referral situations practically every week. It would never occur to me to send the work to anyone that I did not personally know. But, again, not every lawyer has a go-to person for every practice and jurisdiction. But I also know that the nature of conflicts in my business development business takes on much the same take as a legal matter. Because I won’t work with competing firms in a market (sometimes geographic, sometimes practice-driven), I often need to send work elsewhere. I’m looking at the same issues–will this person or company steal my client, and/or am I putting them in a better position to compete against me. And, oh yeah, I almost forgot–they need to be good lawyers who will represent the client well. It comes down to relationships, one hand washing the other, and trust. And the old adage, “burn me once,” certainly fits in the world of conflict work.

Published on: October 16, 2012

The Value of a Website Video – or how not to do one

by Micah Buchdahl

In an upcoming column for Web Marketing Today, I am going to discuss the value of videos in law firm marketing, focused on internet marketing efforts. I’ve had the opportunity to work with people that know how to do them, such as my friends at TheLaw.TV. Last year, as chair of the American Bar Association’s Law Firm Marketing Strategies Conference, we held the first Golden Gavel Awards, recognizing the best law firm and legal industry videos. Nick Gaffney of Infinite PR organized the video awards and panel, with the end result being some phenomenal videos used by law firms on web sites.

This brings me to my own recent work on redevelopment of the HTMLawyers website. I wanted an effective welcome message, but ended up with something that looks like a bad local business ad on cable television. You won’t see this on the business site, but I did marvel at how my eight year old daughter Lily watched me sweat, flub lines and deliver a mediocre performance–only to have her show me how it is done. I’m not sure if she is showing me the way or mocking me, but I enjoyed her performance far better than mine. Lily first appeared on this blog–in the fourth post–when she was born in May 2004, so this is her triumphant return.

Published on: July 23, 2012

Print Makes A Comeback! Wait…Did YOU just say print makes a comeback?

by Micah Buchdahl

A law firm marketer from an AMLAW 200 firm called me after reading my marketing column for Law Practice, the ABA Law Practice Management Section‘s bi-monthly print publication. In the July/August 2012 issue, I discuss the revival of hard copies. “You, the Internet Marketing Attorney, wrote about going back to print?” Yeah, I said, but it is true. And he said, “yes it is.”

Like it or not, lawyers are screaming for print stuff. And I’ve found they are not in the wrong. Much like a handwritten thank you note stands out so much more in an e-mail world; strong “handouts” are also standing out as well. We can talk from now until the end of time about electronic this and that, but the truth is that the biggest deals still come through most doors the old fashioned way–in-person communication, networking and meetings. In a world where many large firms are using the same digital proposal systems, a carefully and cleverly crafted print piece (you can still use a computer, feather pen and ink are not required, nor is carbon paper), will go a long way. So, the next time you (the attorney) or you (the marketing team) find yourself racing to put together a hard copy print piece, think of me. The concept won’t sound so ridiculous.

Published on: March 13, 2010

U.S. News Law Firm Rankings Are Poised to Change the Ratings Game

by Micah Buchdahl

ABA Law Practice Today Webzine – March 2010 – Marketing

Chair’s Column

By Micah Buchdahl

Published on: February 13, 2010

Free Online Marketing: Billable hour cost – $468.75

by Micah Buchdahl

A quick look at my blog will confirm to you that I need to practice what I preach…and that I’m a terrible blogger. The problem with playing in the online world of blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn and their brethren is that they do not work for a lot of people like me–that have no billable time left in the day for business development.

Of course, I basically teach business development for a living. So you would think that after a day of yelling at the attorney who tells me he or she can not find the time to market that I might set a better example.

So while preparing a law firm’s lesson plan for a how-to on utilizing social networking effectively, I decided to try and set a better example. First, I negotiated with the wife to take the kids out of the house on a Saturday for a few hours. Second, I in turn had to trade off a weekend visit to the gym to conduct this bold experiment.