BUILDING YOUR STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN

Youre already doing i positioning your law firm for new business growth. Perhaps you find
networking at community events beneficial, or have created a knockout Web site, or maybe you use an
online listing to target potential clients. So marketing your practice is already in progress.
This Strategic Marketing Plan shell! is designed to support and strengthen your marketing efforts. "ill in
this structured outline to formali#e your plans for growth. $y setting clear ob%ectives, e&pectations, and
the course of your marketing program, you'll be able to %udge the effectiveness of your marketing
investment and recalibrate as necessary.
To use this Strategic Marketing Plan document( simply add or cut and paste your specific firm and market
information. Whether you work on this plan alone or as a team, it's a good idea to distribute to key
members of your law firm in order to ensure consistency in your marketing approach. )efer to this
document on a regular basis as your marketing plans evolve.
$est wishes as you map your continued success.
Sraegi! Mar"eing Plan
Your Firm Name Here
*ate(
+uthor( ,our -ame .ere
Strategic Marketing 0
Ta#le o$ Conen% Page
&inan!ial Su''ary ( Mar"eing Budge................................................../
Siuaion Analy%i%.......................................................................................0
Sraegi! O#)e!i*e.....................................................................................0
Mar"eing Sraegy.....................................................................................1
Pro'oional Mar"eing Mi+........................................................................1
Strategic Marketing 1
&inan!ial Su''ary and Mar"eing Budge
La, &ir' &inan!ial Ouloo"
)eview and summari#e your past, current, and planned law firm financials. 2&plain reasons for growth or
decline. What internal or e&ternal factors are contributing to your situation3 *o you re4uire additional
resources or human capital to achieve your goals3
&ir' Tra!"ing -../ -..0 -..1 ./2.0 CAGR3 .02.1 CAGR3
)evenue 566.66 566.66 566.66 667 667
89+:) 9ompounded +nnual :rowth )ate
La, &ir' Mar"eing Budge and Re%ul%
$riefly summari#e your current marketing budget. .ow do you determine your spend on marketing
programs3 ;s current<level spend appropriate or is additional marketing funding re4uired to meet your
business development goals3
Summari#e financial results from current marketing programs and set return on investment =)>;? goals.
;s your return greater than your total investment3 *o you have a formal way to track and report in<coming
cases as a result of your marketing programs3 .ow can you improve your internal process for collecting
information about the way new clients have located your practice3
Mar"eing Tra!"er ( ROI Cal!ulaor -../ -..0 -..1
Total Marketing Spend
=2.g.( Print +dvertising, Web Site, >nline Marketing, 9lient
Seminars, *irectory @istings?
566.66 566.66 566.66
A -ew 9lients
="rom Marketing 2fforts?
66 66 66
Total -ew 9lient )evenue
="rom Marketing 2fforts?
566.66 566.66 566.66
)eturn on Marketing ;nvestment
=Total -ew 9lient )evenueBTotal Marketing Spend?
6(C 6(C 6(C
Strategic Marketing 2
Siuaion Analy%i%
A%%e%% your !urren 'ar"eing %iuaion4 Try to answer these 4uestions by focusing on any key
trends, market opportunities, or lessons<learned that might help shape the direction of your marketing
plan.
O*er*ie,
What are you doing now to generate new clients3 .ow well it is it working3 What are you doing well3
What needs improvement3 .ave you achieved the goals you've set for your firm so far3
Co'5eiion
What is the competition doing3 .ow is the competition affecting your business3
Cu%o'er%
+re you landing the types of clients that you want3 What could you do to better reach the types of
prospects that you are most interested in3
Sraegi! O#)e!i*e
Se o#)e!i*e%4 + clear vision of your goals and ob%ectives will give you more than %ust direction. ;t will
give you a marketing framework that you can build your law firm around. $e clear, be specific, and set a
time frame for implementation.
Think about the following items as you construct a strategic marketing statement for your firm(
What business goals are you working to achieve3
What is your timeframe to meet specific milestones3
Samplesthese are just starting points, feel free to expand explanations to several paragraphs as
necessary:
Scenario 1: +t the Miles D Summer law firm we primarily handle divorce cases. We aim to shift and
e&pand the structure of our practice in order to take on an additional 067 of cases based in real estate.
We anticipate that this will be a two year processEgrowing the number of real estate cases steadily over
that period.
Scenario 2: We have recently added two new associates at the Miles D Summer law firm. +s a result of
the additional manpower we are e&pecting a 167 boost in law firm revenue over a three year period. ;n
year one, we e&pect to see a C67 lift as the new associates become acclimated, in years / and 0 we
envision steady growth to reach the 167 mark.
Strategic Marketing 3
Mar"eing Sraegy
Deer'ine your 'ar"eing %raegy4 "ocus on details as you summari#e your marketing strategy. Who
is your target market3 .ow will you distinguish your firm from your competitors3 What type of brand will
you have3 .ow will your firm be positioned3 9onsider the following(
Targe Cu%o'er%6 Who are your new business targets as you strive to reach your strategic
marketing ob%ective( new clients, current and former clients, other attorneys in and outside of
your practice area, or other professionals, contacts and centers of influence within your
community3
Brand Po%iioning6 *ecide on the nature of your brand. What kind of personality will you
present to the world3 .ow do you want clients to feel emotionally when they relate to you3 .ow
will they recogni#e you3 .ow will they remember you3
Co'5eii*e San!e6 What ;s ,our Fni4ue Marketing +dvantage =FM+?3 >ne of the most
powerful forces in marketing is the ability to differentiate yourself from your competitors. ;n a
sentence or two, state a compelling reason why a client should hire you instead of going to the
firm across the street. That becomes your FM+.
Key Iniiai*e%6 What are the top five key initiatives that you must implement this year to drive
your law firm business growth forward3 These initiatives can include your branding direction,
marketing outreach, pricing positioning, new directions for the law firm like adding additional
lawyers or paralegals, or a shift in location.
Pro'oional Mar"eing Mi+
Ideni$y your 5ro'oional 'ar"eing 'i+4 Specifically, what methods will you use to grow your firm3
Some e&amples are advertising, ;nternet, public relations and seminars. .ow will these tactics tie directly
into your marketing strategy and key initiatives3
74 Online 'ar"eing =such as Web site content or upgrades, search engine optimi#ation, online
banners and sponsorships?
-4 Prin or online legal dire!orie%
84 Prin or online yello, 5age%
/4 Clien 'eal% and enerain'en
04 E*en %5on%or%9i5%:!o''uniy e*en%
14 Gi*ing or 9o%ing %e'inar%
;4 Pu#li! relaion%:'edia ourea!9:,riing ari!le%
<4 Lo!al or oudoor ad*eri%ing =such as local billboards, print ads, TG, or radio ads?
Strategic Marketing 4