Newsletters can be a useful marketing tool for law firms as a way to connect with current and potential clients. But it’s not enough to put out a newsletter and hope for the best. Firms should also take steps to ensure that their newsletters leave a lasting impression with their readers.
Before starting a newsletter, there are several aspects you should consider:
- What resources (time, money, and experience) do you have to support a newsletter? It can be a heavy chore to establish content and layout a newsletter on a regular basis.
- What are your goals for the newsletter? Are you trying to attract new clients or keep in contact with current clients?
- What type of content do you want to include? Do you want to speak about various practice areas or focus on one specific area?
- How frequently will you deliver your newsletter? A weekly newsletter can quickly become overwhelming, but a monthly or quarterly option may seem much easier to handle.
Now that you’ve decided to create a newsletter, let’s take it to the next level. Here are 13 simple strategies to take your newsletter from good to great:
- Focus on Education. Not Promotion.
Your newsletter recipients do not want to be inundated with messages to buy, buy, buy. Instead, they want information that educates and informs them about various subject matters. Instead of focusing on constant self-promotion, seek to provide your subscribers with relevant and timely information.
- Creative Email Subject Lines
Having email subscribers is only one part of the puzzle. You also want your subscribers to open and read your newsletters when they arrive in their emails. Make the effort to create engaging and interesting subject lines that entice recipients to open your newsletter.
- Know Your Audience
To create a good newsletter, you need to understand who your ideal recipient is and what type of content they will find interesting. Maybe you are looking to reach clients in a specific industry or people who are going through particular legal issues. It’s important to nail down your ideal reader, so you can be consistent in offering them content they will appreciate.
- Add Some Personality
While you want to keep your newsletter concise and to the point, you also want to give it some personality, so it stands out as unique. Whether you accomplish this with the design, the content, or both, make sure the newsletter reflects your law firm and its message.
- Shape Expectations
Use your newsletter to not only share what your firm has accomplished but also what you hope to achieve in the future. For example, if you are working to open a second office location, share the journey with your readers. Get them excited about what your firm is working towards.
- Give Back
You can also use your newsletter to promote other relevant businesses or causes that you care about. Think of it as an easy way to give back. For example, if you are a domestic relations attorney, maybe there is a family therapist in your area that has impressed you. Why not highlight that business in one of your newsletters? Readers will appreciate your referrals and enjoy learning about the organizations you support.
- Usesection Headings
Content and headings are equally important. Section headings are useful for keeping your newsletter organized and easy to read. They can also draw your readers’ attention, enticing them to read the section content. But remember that headings need to be thoughtful and interesting in order to be useful.
- Use Images Wisely
A newsletter filled with rows of text can quickly become a bore, but you can avoid this problem with the use of images. Whether you use pictures of staff members, office events, or just generally relevant images, they can all go a long way to keeping readers interested and making your newsletter more visually appealing.
- Encourage Reader Feedback
Your newsletter does not have to be a one-sided piece of communication. With digital newsletters and virtual communities, lawyers can encourage feedback from readers. Consider asking for feedback on a particular matter or adding a poll to your newsletter. Over time, you can strengthen your firm’s online presence and community.
- Be on the Lookout for Content
You can find inspiration for your newsletter in a variety of places, so it’s important to always remain on the lookout. Save stimulating pics, bookmark interesting web pages, and take note of great quotes. Any of these small things can be a huge start to great newsletter content.
- Tell Interesting Stories
Readers connect with compelling stories. Sharing stories about your firm and its members can be powerful, compelling readers to be part of your story by retaining your firm’s legal services. Make your newsletter stories interesting and genuine. If you don’t believe in what you’re writing, your readers won’t believe in it either.
- Be Consistent
When you deliver a regularly timed newsletter, readers will start to expect it. Whether you choose to send out your newsletter on a monthly or quarterly basis, stick with your plan. Delays and missed editions can leave subscribers disappointed, so make sure you stay consistent in your delivery.
- See it From the Reader’s Perspective
You want to make sure you are happy with the newsletter as your readers will see it. So, before sending it out, send it to yourself. See how it arrives in your inbox and what it looks like when you open it. If possible, view it on different browsers and mobile devices. Take note of any errors, from wording and grammar to technical problems. That way, you can fix the issues before your readers see them.
A newsletter can be a powerful marketing tool for law firms, but you want to make sure yours stands out from the competition. With these tips, law firms can create informative and interesting newsletters that leave a lasting impression.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, Personal Touch Edits, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.