Spotlight Branding - July 2020
JULY 2020 (800) 406-7229 SpotlightBranding.com
MEET THE SPIDER IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR MARKETING WEB HOW THE RIGHT CONTENT STRATEGY Makes All of Y ou r Ma rketi ng More Effective
Let’s rewind to the pre-pandemic world. Back before air travel was rare, one of the business litigation lawyers I work with sat next to a stranger on a plane. The two men got to talking about their work as you do when your legs are cramped and you’re stuck breathing stale air. Eventually, they exchanged business cards and a handshake, then the plane landed and they went their separate ways. They expected to never speak again. However, the lawyer had hope! When he got back to his office, he added his travel companion’s email address to his newsletter mailing list. Every month, the lawyer’s blogs and videos showed up in this guy’s inbox. Months later, my client got a call out of the blue. The caller said, “I don’t know if you remember me, but a year ago, we sat next to each other on a plane. I’m starting a business, and I need an attorney. I’ve been getting your newsletter, and I think you’re the guy.” That right there is the power of content to close a client. In my experience, attorneys can market in a handful of ways: networking, email and print newsletters, pay per click, public speaking, ads on the radio, TV, social media … you get the picture. But if you were to map out all of the different types of marketing you do, then you’d realize that content is sitting at the
center like a friendly spider in the middle of a big, sticky web. If you set up your marketing correctly, then no matter where someone enters your marketing system, they should eventually end up engaging your content. Let’s go back to the airplane. When my client handed over his business card, he was networking. Then, he doubled down by sending his lead his email newsletter. But it was the content within that newsletter that convinced the entrepreneur he wanted to do business. The same is true in pay-per-click advertising. Once it drives a lead to your website, it’s your blog entries, videos, and social media posts that reveal your expertise and seal the deal. If you have the right content strategy, then even a quick skim is enough to make the difference. I’d say that 75% of your future clients will interact with your content before they make an appointment, and the other 25% will still check it out before coming into the office. That inevitability is the No. 1 reason content can enhance your overall marketing. Content itself doesn’t always create leads or potential new clients, but it’s the ultimate enhancer of everything else you’re doing. Great content is the middle and bottom of the funnel — it pulls leads in and brings them closer to a yes. There’s another reason content is the most effective tool in your arsenal: It influences what people think about you and your firm. The more content you have and resources you provide, the more reputable and experienced you’ll appear. Imagine you have a basic website, while the lawyer down the street has all of the content bells and whistles:
“CONTENT ITSELF DOESN’T ALWAYS CREATE LEADS OR POTENTIAL NEW CLIENTS, BUT IT’S THE ULTIMATE ENHANCER OF EVERYTHING ELSE YOU’RE DOING.”
a blog, FAQ videos (read more about those on Page 3), a newsletter, a free resource download, and more. Who looks like a more serious, reputable lawyer? The truth is that content builds and reinforces reputation and expertise. But what matters most is that it’s the spider in the center of the web: If your content is targeted and robust, then it will improve all of your other marketing efforts because they’re all connected. Content doesn’t live in a vacuum and neither does your other marketing! The improvement your content creates may not translate directly to more clients. Instead, it might mean more consults, or that your clients are more confident in you, or that the leads you close are worth twice as much. Whatever the specific outcome, though, it’s sure to be positive. I’ve seen this time and time again! If you want to hear some more examples, then give me a call. I’m happy to talk numbers and show you how a good content strategy can revolutionize your business. –Marc Cerniglia
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3 REASONS TO BE ‘BORING’ WHY REPETITION MAKES YOUR CONTENT STRONGER
2. YOU’LL CATCH THE VIEWERS YOU MISSED THE FIRST TIME.
One of the concerns we hear most often from clients is that they fear their content is becoming repetitive, boring, or monotonous. They’ll come to us wondering if it’s okay, for example, that the same blog appeared twice on their website, or that we linked the same video several times on their Facebook page. They’ll ask, “Don’t you think readers will be bored?” If you share those concerns, then it’s understandable, but the reality is that rather than boring readers, repetitive posts are actually key to getting them engaged! In fact, repetitive content is a proven digital marketing strategy that will help your firm succeed, net you more leads, and keep your practice areas top of mind. Here are three reasons why “boring” is the smart marketing move.
A brilliant journalist once said to his recruits, “It’s only after we’ve written about a problem long enough to be sick of it that readers will finally realize it exists.” Like a good marketing company, he recognized that not everyone was reading his newspapers every day. Take our word for it: No one is browsing your social media feed as often as you. What’s old in your eyes will be fresh for them.
3. REPETITION SAVES YOU MONEY AND TIME.
We’ve shown you before how easy it is to turn one piece of content into 30. Yes, the pieces will be similar, but they’ll get you maximum impact with minimum input. By repeating your content or variations of it, your marketing company (and thus, you) will save money and time. For completely unique content, you’d have to pay through the nose to achieve the same results! There are more than just three reasons “boring” is best when it comes to content strategy. If you’re still not convinced, then call us today and we’ll talk you through the rest of them.
1. REPETITION IS THE BEST WAY TO DRIVE HOME A MESSAGE AND BUILD YOUR BRAND.
Think about the ending of a Nike commercial. It’s always the same: Fade to black, then the words “Just Do It” and the signature white swoosh. That’s the empowering message Nike wants you to get, and they’ve drilled it (and their branding) in with repetition. You can do the same by repeating your practice area-specific blogs, videos, and social media posts to drive home the message of what you do.
SUCCESS STORY BAKER LAW: DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION COUNSEL
Jeremy Baker held the dream of running his own law firm. After nearly two decades of “big law” practice, Jeremy finally made the decision to pursue that dream and enlisted Spotlight Branding for help.
We designed a premium website, helped to write social media and blog content that reflected his voice, and sent out newsletters to his email list. With his new firm up and running, we’re excited to watch Jeremy grow his business, and we’re proud to be at the top of his list for reasons why he was able to make his dream a reality.
Over the next few months as Jeremy worked to get everything in place to open up, he
also worked closely with us, staying in consistent communication with our team to create his new firm’s online presence that he said “exceeded my expectations.”
WANT MORE REFERRALS AND BETTER CLIENTS? Visit SpotlightBranding.com/NL to schedule a call!
More Referrals. Better Clients. Higher ROI.
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THE SHORTCUT TO A STRONG CLIENT RELATIONSHIP HOW TO MAKE THE FAQ VIDEOS YOUR LEADS WANT TO SEE
2. Press ‘record.’ It’s that easy! You’ll want to have a question or two in mind, but we don’t recommend
In the last few editions of this newsletter, we walked you through writing effective blog posts and dominating on social media with a minimum amount of effort and time. This month, we’re going to talk about another powerful tool every law firm should have in its digital marketing arsenal: FAQ videos. Videos are an ideal way to reach current and potential clients. According to WordStream, people spend about one-third of their time online watching videos, and Forbes reports that over half a billion people watch videos on Facebook every single day . In our experience, FAQ videos are the most effective at building relationships because they answer the questions your clients and leads are already asking. So, how can you make your own FAQ videos and cash in on that client-converting power? Well, you have two options. First, you could outsource the process by hiring a professional film crew to set up the lighting, shoot the footage, and edit it for you. We do this all the time for our clients. However, this is absolutely NOT necessary for success. The second option is to create your own FAQ video in three steps: 1. Gather your equipment. By “equipment,” we really just mean your smartphone. In this day and age, selfie videos with imperfect sound quality are ubiquitous, and you’ll even get points for being more real and approachable. That said, if you want to go above and beyond, then you can easily buy a smartphone tripod and clip-on microphone online.
scripting your videos. They’ll look stilted and you won’t be as relatable. Instead, pretend someone has just asked you the
question and give your answer casually. Don’t
worry about cuts or doing multiple takes. Aim for between 30 seconds and two minutes of footage. 3. Edit (or don’t). After filming, you
can upload your video directly to your website or social media. There’s no need to edit unless you want to! If you feel like adding graphics, though, then download a free video editor. How simple or complex your FAQ videos are is up to you. If this process stresses you out, then we’re happy to do it for you! Give our team a call and we can send a film crew to your office to knock out a whole set of videos in an afternoon.
FEATURED EPISODE THE VERY BEST EPISODES OF ‘THE LAW FIRM MARKETING MINUTE’ PODCAST
RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
A FREE (AND GREAT!) SPREADSHEET APP! DITCH EXCEL AND NUMBERS FOR SOMETHING BETTER!
If you’re looking for more great resources to drive your business forward, then take a look at this episode from our industry-leading podcast, “The Law Firm Marketing Minute.”
Why pay over $100 for a license to use Microsoft Excel when there’s a free spreadsheet app out there with just as much functionality, if not more, and is easier to use? That’s Google Sheets. Google has taken everything you’ve come to rely on with Excel (and Numbers if you’re a Mac user) and put it into an easy-to-use application. (Also, if this reads familiar to you — yes, it’s just like Google Docs from a couple of months ago!) Google Sheets has a similar look and feel to Microsoft Excel and even allows you to save your documents in an Excel, Numbers, or CSV format if you need to send something to someone on a specific platform. However, Google’s sharing settings allow total collaboration, so all people need is a Google email and they can view and edit documents you send them.
‘THE LAWS OF CONTENT MARKETING PART 1: CONTENT IS KING!’ – LFMM 307
Have you heard about our laws of content marketing? Marc recently came back to the show to outline each of these four laws and explain what they really mean. This episode covers the first law of content marketing, which states that content is king! If you want More Referrals, Better Clients, and Higher ROI on all your marketing, call us today at (800) 406-7229 to schedule a consultation!
Listen to this episode and find even more at LawFirmMarketingMinute.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
We use Google Sheets internally to organize data, manage our budget, and so much more!
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THIS ISSUE INSIDE
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The Spider in the Middle of Your Marketing Web
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3 Reasons to Be ‘Boring’
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Success Story
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The Shortcut to a Strong Client Relationship
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Spotlight Branding’s Industry-Leading Podcast
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Are You Tracking the Right Metrics?
HOW WELL ARE YOU TRACKING YOUR BUSINESS? 3 KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO WATCH
In the last fewmonths, the coronavirus pandemic has forced businesses across the country to tighten their belts. Odds are your company is among them, but even if you’re doing well, accurately tracking your business’s performance is more vital than ever. Of course, this is easier said than done. Even in good times, it’s difficult to know which key performance indicators (KPIs) to track daily, weekly, or monthly to get an accurate picture of how your business is doing. However, many successful entrepreneurs report that three KPIs rise to the top: churn, pipeline revenue, and average annual revenue per employee. CHURN If your law firm supports a recurring payment model (i.e., something subscription- based), then this metric will tell you howmany
pipeline revenue 20 days into the month when you should be at $67,000, then you’ll know that you’re falling behind and need to make adjustments. AVERAGE ANNUAL REVENUE PER EMPLOYEE (RPE) Most companies with over $1 million in revenue make a minimum of $100,000 in average annual RPE, and it’s not uncommon to see small businesses making $125,000, $150,000, or $200,000-plus per hire, depending on the industry. The higher your RPE, the more effective your business is at maximizing its greatest resource: the people who work there. This number can become skewed or decrease if you’re growing quickly and hiring or if you’ve recently laid off staff. If you haven’t made changes and your RPE is under $100,000, you’re either overstaffed or facing a struggle ahead.
customers leave your business in any given month, which will then tell you howmany new customers you need to bring in the following month to break even. If you track this KPI weekly and monthly, patterns will start to emerge, and you’ll be able to find holes in your systems and processes more easily. Then, you can take proactive steps to reduce your churn. PIPELINE REVENUE Your pipeline revenue is the total sales volume you’d have if you won each and every piece of business you quoted over a given period of time. When compared with your actual sales volume each month, it becomes an incredibly valuable number for setting goals and tracking. For example, if you need to produce $100,000 in new pipeline revenue to close your goal of $30,000 in sales each month but are only at $54,000 in
More Referrals. Better Clients. Higher ROI.
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