Hiring a Legal PR Team
While focusing on organic lead appeal is important, a lot of successful firms utilize the assistance of professional legal public relations teams — and it may be worth considering for your own firm, big or small.
While large firms can obviously afford major PR campaigns, lawyers at small firms and sole practitioners should understand that a public relations firm lawyers respect have clients of all different price points and appreciate that small firms and individual lawyers need public relations help, too.
With the right help from a budget conscious PR firm, even small firms can position themselves at the forefront of their fields. Opportunities are all over, and for small firms especially, having someone who knows how to capitalize on them can be incredibly beneficial for growing a business.
Attorneys at large firms can also utilize the knowhow of PR professionals to help delineate themselves, and become more visible amongst their crowd of colleagues. This is especially true if an attorney needs to take control of a situation and their firm is either unwilling or unable to address it. For example, a PR person can help an attorney get his or her client’s side of the story out to the public to garner more favorable media coverage..
Once retained, your PR team should be kept up to date on your practice and the kinds of cases you’re involved in. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn, or keep your PR person apprised of any negativity that may be headed your way. This kind of open communication also helps a PR team develop better, more effective strategies. A PR professional is most effective when he or she becomes essentially a facet of your firm. That said, ethical standards should always be considered and never broached to help a firm’s brand.
Success can be measured in a variety of ways. Don’t just look at the number of times you are quoted or paraphrased in highly respected news outlets, or think that likes on Facebook depicts a successful social media campaign. Other elements can be benchmarked and measure to show growth and brand improvement. It’s best to discuss both short and long term goals with you PR team, so they can effectively measure whether or not your co-developed strategy is working. In determining success, communication is key.