Bonnie J. Longbotham, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Longbotham Strategic Marketing, recently addressed attorneys from around the country at The American Association for Justice (AAJ) Convention. The topic? Law firm marketing. The annual event was held in New York City, New York, on July 12, 2011.
During a presentation of her Seminar titled, “Branding: The Most Important Element of any Marketing Plan”, Ms. Longbotham explained how legal marketing has evolved over the last few years. She discussed the importance of branding to a law firm’s marketing plan and how it can positively impact a firm’s financial well-being. Ms. Longbotham asserted, “As marketing and advertising channels continue to fragment into smaller and more targeted categories, it’s more important than ever that a law firm be thoughtful and cohesive in adherence to their branding strategy. When we work with O’Malley & Langan P.C., in Scranton, Pennsylvania, using radio, television, billboards, web banners, print and online video – or any other medium for that matter – consistency in color, logo, fonts and corporate attitude is reinforced across all media. Successful law firm marketing depends on it.”
After taking questions from the audience, Ms. Longbotham participated, along with a number of other marketing professionals, in a larger panel session that addressed questions from lawyers on numerous facets of legal marketing. They discussed various marketing strategies for law firms.
According to Ms. Longbotham, “Today, the fields of marketing and advertising exist in a state of technological flux. With Google regularly changing their rules and social media exploding, it’s genuinely challenging for a legal firm to know which steps to take and which options to ignore. Business owners would do well to either educate themselves or rely on professionals to help them successfully navigate this changing environment. Lawyers who view advertising or marketing as ‘beneath them’, or those who are worried about being perceived as ‘ambulance-chasers’, need to sit up and recognize that targeted marketing and aggressive advertising play critical roles in keeping a law firm strong and viable. Sitting back and waiting for clients to randomly walk in the door is no longer a valid tactic.”
The American Association for Justice is the world’s largest trial bar. Through a worldwide network of members, AAJ promotes justice for injured persons, safeguards victims and strengthens our civil justice system through education and the disclosure of information deemed critical to public health and safety.