CRM & Marketing Series: Part 1 | Why Market to Current Customers?

That’s a great question. The best answer I can give you is that it costs 3-8x more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. In today's competitive marketing environment, business owners and managers need every advantage they can get. Customer relationship management and marketing (CRM&M) keeps your business on the top of the mind of your customer. By doing so, customers are more likely to buy again, or upgrade to the next level, and the ‘reminder’ encourages them to be your advocates, and can generate referrals as your current customers recommend you to their friends and families.

There are both newer and tried and true methods you can utilize to stay top of mind with your customers. The channels you use will vary depending on your audience and what products or services you provide. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Newsletters – newsletters are a popular way to educate and interest your clients. You may want to alternate printed and email versions. Read the full article...

Power of Positive Press

Guest blogger Lauren Black Currin is the President of Lawyers Marketing Agency. While this post talks about law firm marketing, it is relevant to almost all businesses.

Did you know that March 6-12, 2011 is National Consumer Protection Week? So, you run a law firm; why am I telling you about a nationally sponsored campaign run by the U.S. government and various non-profit agencies?



There are hundreds of annual community-focused events just like this one that present a great opportunity to promote your law firm through your participation. These events run the gamut from National Safety Awareness Month to Perennial Gardening Month. Choosing and supporting an event that works for your law firm and staff gives you the opportunity to promote a cause and garner positive publicity for your law firm.

Many of the sponsors of these national “event days” will have press kits that you can utilize to showcase your efforts. For example, National Consumer Protection Week offers press release templates, re-usable social networking content, free flyers and even web buttons and banners you can use on your website to spread the word. In another great example, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides planners, brochures, research data and video clips to help you promote their Share the Road (www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/Motorcycles) motorcycle safety program (a great idea for you PI attorneys out there).

The first thing to do is decide on a cause to support. Get buy-in from everyone to build the “buzz”, and then start planning. Allow 60-90 days to plan and implement, just to be safe. Things to consider:

• Website content and updates
• Publications you might use, i.e., links you can place on your website, a downloadable “tips” PDF or a printed brochure you’ll distribute
• Include information about your event in your newsletter and blog
• Involve your clients and those on your prospect list
• Plan related seminars or other events
• Write one (or more) press releases to be distributed and add them to your website
• Include a link to the event page on your website everywhere possible
• Make it meaningful and have fun

Finally, use your employees and their networks to promote your sponsorship of the event by having them comment on their Facebook and Twitter pages so their friends, family and other contacts all hear about it. If all goes well, this can be an annual event that your staff and clients will look forward to! This type of human interest story and positive press allows people to get to know you and builds that all so important connection. Need more ideas? Just give us a call!

How to Approach a Magazine Editor

I was recently asked to submit a tip for approaching a magazine editor. Editors are beseiged with input on a daily basis, so you really have to get creative to be noticed and recognized as having valuable information. Find some great tips (including #47 - mine) by visiting The entreprenette Gazette.

If You Build It, Will They Come?

An article I had written a few months ago was just posted on the B2C Marketing Insider site. This article speaks to some of the changes in marketing best practices - especially related to online marketing. Hope you enjoy it!

Make Your Booth Stand Out at a Trade Show

I was recently asked to add a tip for an a blog on trade shows. The article offers some great advice on ways to really stand out and catch attention when you are competing against so many others for the conference attendees' time. I thought you might find these tips useful. My tip is #47: "Woo the Senses". Enjoy!

Should Video Be Part of Your Firm's Marketing Efforts?

The marketing channels available to you to market your firm continue to expand. From blogs to social media websites to e-marketing to old fashioned direct mail or television ads, you have many options. Video offers a flexible option to reach and educate prospective clients. While you can spend a large portion of your budget on professional videos, they are not always necessary. A January 2010 Nielsen survey showed that YouTube had over 100 million visitors who viewed over 6 billion videos. Google Places (formerly Google Local Business Center) links YouTube video to your Google listing so that web visitors can learn more about you through video.

But isn’t video pricey? I’ll give you my favorite answer: “It depends.” Done properly, video can position you and your firm as the subject matter expert in the eyes of the viewer. Done poorly, you can position yourself as untrustworthy just by not having fine attention to detail. Proper planning, knowledge and doing it right the first time will help your return on investment. As an example, if you are an estate planning/elder law firm in a highly competitive market and are looking to be noticed, you might choose to professionally produce an educational video in a news program format. This video could also be made available to interested groups, giving them permission to run the program at a group meeting or event. On the other hand, many subjects lend themselves to a less formal video format. You might choose to create a short video (1-4 minutes) in your office with home equipment on a tripod that presents one of your attorneys offering “need to know” points on workers’ compensation in your state. Any video could be posted on YouTube (make sure to include appropriate keywords) and on the appropriate practice area page on your website. It should also be promoted through your other marketing channels.

Who’s using video? Many businesses and organizations are utilizing video to promote their messages. YouTube is a favorite place to post these videos. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has posted a number of boating safety videos on YouTube and promotes these videos on their website. The National Transportation Safety Board has also used YouTube to post informative video clips on such topics as how to choose a motorcycle helmet. That particular video was used as an integrated part of the May 2010 Share the Road motorcycle safety campaign. The campaign included a press kit with free photos, resources and links that supporting organizations could use on their own websites at no charge. And don’t forget—you may want to have your video set up in a loop on a screen in your waiting area for visitors to watch.

CNN’s Twitter posts recently showed that for the first time ever more viewers get their news online than from radio or newspapers . As peoples’ use of online media continues to increase, providing information in a video format will become even more commonplace. If your firm has not yet considered how video will play into your marketing mix, it’s time to do so.

When you’re ready to add video to the mix, here are some things you need to know:

• Videos must be educational – consumers can spot a sales pitch a mile away. View some sample videos done for law firms.
• The style, message and “look” of your video should support your brand
• Determine your audience before you begin – audience should determine the presentation style, language and the content
• Choose your presenter with your audience in mind – you want to find a good “match”, so that the viewer feels a comfort level with the presenter but still views your presenter as the subject matter expert
• The length is not as important as content – when you watch the video, does it provide value to the audience? Keep in mind though, attention spans tend to be short, so lead with the important information.
• Choose one topic for each video (or segment of a show) and provide a mid-range of data – you want to educate and add value but not so much that the viewer feels they don’t need you!
• Make the video part of a multi-step marketing plan – if you do a monthly e-newsletter, add a link to the video and promote it; if you print your newsletter, provide the URL so interested viewers can watch it. Promote the video on your blog. And make it easy for readers to forward the link to their friends!
• There are options to promote your video via paid advertising. The effectiveness will depend upon your market and the subject matter. You may wish to try a short test to see if it is effective.
• Consider also using a dedicated phone number or website landing page to track business coming from the video.

Using video to market your company can be a great option to reach and educate potential new clients and to position yourself and your firm as the experts. It should be a part of your firm’s long-term marketing strategy.

Jeanne Frazer is a well-known marketing speaker and author. She is the President of vitalink® (http://www.vitalinkweb.com/), a creative and strategic marketing think-tank, and partner with Lawyers Marketing Agency (http://www.lawyersmarketingagency.com/). Jeanne has many years of marketing experience marketing in a variety of industries and has just launched a new innovative educational television news program to market law firms, Spotlight on the Law. She can be reached at jfrazer@marketingspeakerauthor.com or at 919.850.0605.

How Sneakers Lead to Free Publicity

Did you know that September 17, 2010 is annual Sneakers at Work day? Seriously! I hadn’t heard of it either, but after doing some research I discovered that this “event” really does exist. Sneakers@Work is a fund-raiser sponsored by the American Prostate Cancer Initiative that runs each year during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

And why am I telling you this? Because there are tons of events that are recognized each year on a national basis that you can use as a tie-in to promote your company. Some of these events are charity-focused, while others promote an interest or lifestyle. The type of business you run and the interests of you and your staff will help you decide which events to support. As an example:

Your Business Type/Options:
If you are an Injury Law Firm, search for National Safety Awareness (June)
If you are a Garden Center, search Perennial Gardening Month (June)
If you are a Conservation Group, search National Rivers Month (June)
If you are an Optometrist, search Eye Injury Prevention Month (July)
If you are a Flag Center, search Flag Day (June)

Let’s use National Safety Awareness Month and our PI Attorneys as an example and come up with a plan:

• Get new content ready ahead of time to post on your website. Include links to any sites (include useful videos) you find valuable.
• Write and publish (downloadable PDF or printed versions) safety tips – you might have a couple of versions: one for parents with small children; one for parents with new teen drivers; and maybe a safety around the home version. Make these available on your website.
• Plan a seminar to talk about safety or set up a booth at an existing event. Give out copies of your tips.
• Involve your employees by allowing them to “buy” a casual Friday dress down day for a contribution to a local burn center or similar.

Finally, you’ll want to make sure to let everyone know what your firm and employees are doing to support the event—put out a press release and add it to the news section of your website. And don’t forget to talk it up to everyone you meet! Make it fun and meaningful to all who participate. If all goes well, it can become an annual event that can generate buzz about your business!