| Law firms that lack a sound public relations strategy | | | | Trend commentary is a frequently-employed method |
| are missing valuable opportunities to represent clients | | | | for generating visibility and increasing exposure for |
| who are enmeshed in the most important and | | | | your firm. To generate trend commentary, PR |
| impactful legal issues of the day. To secure such | | | | practitioners collaborate with executives to identify key |
| clients effectively, smart law firms know how to | | | | thought leadership platforms that traverse both current |
| engage and leverage the media effectively. | | | | business trends and the law firm principals' own |
| The most effective public relations strategies for law | | | | expertise. The platforms are then shaped to cater to |
| firms are founded upon a keen understanding of the | | | | the target segment and then pitched to the media. |
| issues. They entail the effective positioning of the law | | | | Tip #4: Represent yourself to the media as a resource |
| firm as a credible resource offering valuable insights | | | | offering substantial, well-articulated insight: |
| into the issues and problems their clients face. | | | | The final secret to success in media placements is |
| Here are 5 tips for conducting effective and efficient | | | | approaching a topic with an insightful, well-articulated |
| public relations for law firms: | | | | perspective. It is important to reach out to the right |
| Tip #1: Know your audience: | | | | reporter(s) with relevant information. The main goal |
| It is essential that law firms identify the key spheres of | | | | here is maximum reach and clarity, which can only be |
| referrals, relationships and prospective clients in their | | | | possible with effective and lucid channels of |
| field of specialty. Each time the firm initiates a media | | | | communication. The law firm's presentation must be |
| outreach campaign, it should be sculpted to speak | | | | eloquent, refined and precise. This is crucial in terms of |
| directly to one of a set of clearly-defined target client | | | | the portrayal of the firm's image vis-à-vis the |
| segments. The most commanding strategies are those | | | | media. |
| that seek to inform audiences while highlighting key | | | | Tip #5: Author expert articles: |
| issues that personally and directly affect those target | | | | Another facet of a thought-leadership campaign is the |
| clients. | | | | authoring of in-depth, by-lined, expert articles. These |
| Tip #2: Intersect your firm's expertise with real pain | | | | articles, often written in partnership with public relations |
| points: | | | | professionals, have the power to go into specific |
| Showcasing your firm's true talents and specialties | | | | details that highlight trends, problems and solutions. |
| entails first understanding the real pain points of your | | | | Expert articles can be developed for specific industry |
| target client segment. Fostering a relationship with | | | | trade segments or for general business magazines. In |
| clients that is conducive to trust and loyalty increases | | | | some cases, they are developed to articulate detailed |
| the likelihood that they will approach you in a reliable, | | | | trends to other expert audiences. Articles and other |
| confident manner. If you are unclear as to which issues | | | | literature often receive coverage in local publications |
| to specifically address with your target client group, | | | | such as newspapers, journals and newsletters, which |
| ask yourself: what is an issue or cluster of related | | | | in turn can create a potential gateway to national and |
| issues that are important to lives of my target client | | | | possibly international exposure. |
| segment? How might the resolution of these issues | | | | When launching a PR campaign for your law firm, the |
| increase their upside (e.g., income, happiness, peace of | | | | end game involves knowing your audience, identifying |
| mind) or decrease their downside (e.g., expenses, | | | | their pain points, and effectively positioning your firm as |
| stress, health problems, etc.)? | | | | a thought leader who holds a substantive, insightful |
| Tip #3: Understand current trends: | | | | position on the issue or topic. |