Marketing can quickly become a major expense for any law firm. The cost of getting your name out and keeping it in front of potential clients can painfully affect your bottom line. While most firms are consistently looking for ways to lessen their marketing expenses, a recent conversation with a group of niche practice attorneys opened my eyes to an interesting perspective.
We’ve talked before about the benefits of a niche practice, one where you focus on a specialized area of law. In this type of practice, you’re able to hone your skills and present yourself as an expert in a particular field, but there is another benefit as well. The very structure of a niche practice allows you to cut your marketing costs and present your firm in a more effective manner by targeting a very specific audience.
When you have a general law practice, you cast a wide net hoping to bring in the most lucrative clients. This can require a lot of marketing across numerous platforms. The niche practice attorney can use more precise methods of marketing to reach desired clients. Here are some examples:
- Adoption attorneys only target families that are in some stage of the adoption process.
- Commercial real estate attorneys specifically market to commercial clients with real estate matters.
Don’t assume that the development of a niche practice is just for new attorneys. In fact, the established attorney is probably better suited to start a niche practice, due to the experience you already have within your legal area. Analyze your current practice, and you will likely find a lucrative niche.
For example, you are currently a family law attorney. To say the least, you are in good company. There is absolutely no shortage of family law attorneys, so what makes you stand out from the crowd? Perhaps you have done extensive work with child support and you have a better understanding than most attorneys about how child support enforcement works. Okay, so maybe you cater your practice to child support. But let’s be honest. There are still a lot of child support attorneys out there. Why not get even more specific about your desired clients? How about a child support attorney specifically for noncustodial parents? Now you have a niche, along with a specific group of people to target and endless possibilities.
Now, go about establishing yourself as an expert in that particular area of legal service. Maybe write a book, create a webinar, or do some public speaking. Though the initial investment is likely to be substantial, just as it would in any practice, these costs will likely decrease over time. Once you do the work and establish yourself as the go-to-attorney for non-custodial parents with child support cases, you will start to see some serious results.
If you are a jack of all legal trades feeling the financial burn of marketing costs, why not try to be the master of one? You may even end up with more clients.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, The Legal Writing Studio, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.