Written by Eleni Chalkidou, Director of Strategic Communications.
In the dynamic world of legal marketing, it’s absolutely essential to explore every avenue to stay competitive. Lawyers and legal marketers, do a superb job at publicising the latest win, showing off a new hire and even getting expert pieces published.
So, why do I still feel that Public Relations (PR) is still an often-underestimated tool?
PR can make all the difference in shaping your law firm’s public image and enhance your overall marketing success. At Nishlis Legal Marketing, we witness daily the transformative power of PR, and we want to share with you why it really matters.
Put your trust in the experts!
Trust is the bedrock of the legal world Clients put their trust in the lawyers they hire to handle their most sensitive matters, making trustworthiness paramount. Clients trust firms to maintain confidentiality. It’s all built on trusting professionals who are experts in their field.
PR experts are skilled at managing your firm’s reputation. It’s their bread and butter to ensure that your strategically planned messaging aligns with your values and the work you undertake to highlight positive news while efficiently managing any negative publicity.
Poet Thomas Carlyle was wrong, when he said: “Speech is silver, silence is gold.” Client testimonials are gold. PR professionals can collaborate with your satisfied clients to share their positive experiences, which can serve as powerful endorsements and win over potential clients. But, what’s even more valuable is asking them to truly dig deep for some constructive feedback that can help you improve in a targeted way.
Experts know, that positioning not just your top lawyers as thought leaders but promoting your rising stars, is another PR strategy often overlooked. By contributing articles to legal publications or speaking at industry events, PR can bolster your firm’s credibility, introduce new names to the legal arena and build trust among potential clients. It shows them, “here is a firm of experts, who is not afraid to embrace new ideas by promoting their younger, up-coming lawyers.”
I see you…
In the overwhelming world of legal marketing, breaking through the noise can be a huge challenge for lawyers and legal in-house marketing teams. That’s where effective, strategically applied media relations can help you stand out in a big way. PR experts are wordsmiths who can craft engaging press releases to announce vital developments like case wins, mergers, or new hires. It’s not just about getting the release out though, it’s what you do after that counts. How else do you publicise it? Having a plan and going about it in a methodical manner will mean, not only will you generate media coverage but also enhances your firm’s visibility.
Becoming a go-to source for media outlets seeking legal expertise can boost your firm’s exposure. PR professionals can connect your lawyers with journalists for interviews, op-eds, or expert commentary on legal issues.
And let us not forget the digital world. A well-planned PR strategy also extends to your online presence, ensuring your firm actively manages its website, social media profiles, and online presence and reviews.
It’s not a crisis if you have a plan of action…
A crisis isn’t something that happens to other people! It can hit any firm, from ethical breaches to legal disputes involving the firm itself, it often is unpredictable. Managing and dealing with these effectively, can mean make or break for the firm and the individuals involved.
PR experts can help your firm respond swiftly and effectively during crises, minimizing reputational harm. They can develop crisis communication plans, ensuring your team knows how to handle sensitive situations.
We have all seen it, when crises happen, the media can be relentless. The biggest mistake you can make, is to think, “if I ignore it, it will go away.” It won’t. Bring your comms team on board and consider PR professionals who will act as intermediaries between your firm and the press, helping control the narrative. This will ensure accurate information is disseminated in a more managed manner.
Beyond crisis management, PR can assist in rebuilding your firm’s image after a crisis has been resolved. This involves ongoing reputation repair and strategic messaging and there are ways to go about this, but this would be a different blog.
Just reiterating…
So, what does this tell us? It’s simple really, in today’s competitive legal field, integrating focused, targeted PR into your marketing strategy isn’t just a great idea – it’s a must. Trust me when I say, at Nishlis, we’ve seen how planned, strategic, and well executed PR can transform public perception and drive success in BD and marketing. By building trust, increasing visibility, and with effective crisis management, legal PR can help your firm outshine the competition and establish a strong, credible presence in the legal arena. Consider it your (not so secret) weapon for legal marketing success.
