Building a
Marketing Plan
From the Ground Up
Purpose of this Workshop
 Introduction
 Need
 Solution
 Conclusion
“What is the % of the
LRIS annual budget
devoted for
marketing and PR?”
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No Budget
Less than 10%
11 - 20%
21 - 30%
31 - 40%
41 - 50%
over 51%
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41%
26%
20%
7%
3%
1%
Marketing methods
used ….
 Yellow Pages (97%!)
 Internet based ads or web pages (63%)
 Advertisement in broadcast media (32%)
“Yellow Pages
ads Rule!”
Despite:
No Staff
No time
No Budget
LRIS MARKETING
MAKES A
DIFFERENCE!
Step 1: Define your Audiences
Internal
Primary
External
Secondary
“Who do I need
to reach?”
Step 1: Define your Audiences
Focus on consumer subgroups as
they relate to specific areas of
legal advice
Examples:
 Small business owners
 The elderly
 Homeowners
Step 1: Define your Audiences
Target Marketing
Specialty Store vs. Department Store
Step 1: Define your Audiences
Study Community Demographics
Yellow Page Directory (front section)
U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov)
Search by city, state
(Internet)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
East
West
North
Step 2:
Define
Your
Messages
Step 2:
When you need
a Lawyer,
call
Lawyer Referral
Lawyer
Referral
“The
Right Call
for the
Right Lawyer”
Step 2: Define Your Messages
 Simplicity
 Keep messages simple and concise
 Consistency
 Have one key message
 Frequency & Repetition
 Be in many places, multiple times
Step 3: Consider the Tools and
Tactics
Step 3: Consider the Tools and
Tactics
Print:
Newspapers
Dailies
Weeklies
Specialty
Step 3: Consider the Tools and
Tactics
Print:
Magazines
 National consumer & specialty
 Regional consumer & specialty
 Local consumer & specialty
(i.e. Chicago Magazine, Crain’s Chicago Business,
Chicago Parent)
Step 3: Consider the Tools and
Tactics
Print:
Brochures, Fliers
 General
“When You Need a Lawyer”
 Specific Topics
“Finding the Right Real Estate Lawyer”
“The Senior Citizen’s Will Program”
Step 3: Consider the Tools and
Tactics
Broadcast:
Radio
 Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
 Paid radio advertising
 Call-in programs
 ABA radio PSAs; custom taglines
Step 3: Consider the Tools and
Tactics
Broadcast:
Television
 Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
 Paid TV commercials
 Interviews with spokespersons on news/talk
 Sponsorship of PBS or other cable programs
 Development of own cable show
(network TV -- PBS/cab/e -- cable access)
Step 3: Consider the Tools and Tactics
Alternative Media & Events
 Billboards, bus signs, movie theater ads
 Community outreach/events
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“Ask a Lawyer” clinics
Business law workshops
Team sponsorships (bowling, softball)
“Lunch & Learn” programs
 Networking
Examples of Networking
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Cable TV
Chambers of Commerce
Community centers
Corporations
Government, county, &
city agencies
 Local congressmen,
state reps
 Military bases
 Newspapers
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Park districts
Public library
Radio stations
Real estate brokers &
firms
School districts
Senior citizen centers
Shopping malls
Small businesses
Step 3: Consider the Tools and Tactics
Rely on the ABA and other resources
Marketing Materials:
 Publications
 PR & Marketing Guide
 PR Tools, Tips & Timesavers
 News Releases
 Radio PSAs
 Official Logo & Slogan
Lawyer Referral conferences: network, share ideas
Step 4: Create a Marketing Plan
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Determine budget
Determine tools
Set reasonable goals
Assign tasks
Create campaign
calendar
Step 4: Create a Marketing Plan
 Determine budget
 Determine tools
Utilize campaign budget worksheet from
PR & Marketing Guide
Step 4: Create a Marketing Plan
 Set reasonable goals
 Do your homework
 Understand the
marketing environment
 Start small
Step 4: Create a Marketing Plan
 Assign tasks
(Who does what?)
Step 4: Create a Marketing Plan
 Create a campaign calendar
 Keep up with current events;
be aware of national and local
news/events
 Note cyclical nature to the
news; influenced by seasons
and events
 Consider “seasons” of
opportunity
Step 4: Create a Marketing Plan
 January – February
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The New Year; planning for the future
March – April
Tax Time
May: Law Day
June
Weddings and home-buying
July
4th of July; freedom issues
August
Back to school; planning/saving for college
September
Labor Day; business law issues
October – November – December
Winter holidays; fraud, theft, bankruptcy
Step 5: Implement the Plan
Remember these basic fundamentals:
 Keep it simple
(Message should be short, memorable)
 Respond to a need
(Snow a benefit of your service)
 Be consistent
(Stick with the same message)
 Be in many places, many times
(Frequency is key)
Step 6: Evaluate
 Often difficult to determine success of PR
 Usually mix of tools and techniques
 How ABA and LRIS offices evaluate:
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Ask “How did you hear about us?”
Software that tracks calls
Follow-up letters to referral clients
Toll-free number with special promotions
Electronic encoding of radio/TV PSAs
Press clipping service
Building a
Marketing Plan
From the Ground Up