Marketing just washes over most law firms, like a gentle wave.
Ask a law firm managing partner about how they generate new clients, and about why business keeps coming in, and the answer is probably something along the lines of: ‘I don’t know, it just does’.
Well, that’s good, I suppose. But, if you asked a pilot how a plane takes off, and about why it stays in the air, and the same answer is provided, I’d suspect you’d be stepping back on the jetway right quick.
Always acting on the supposition that what has happened before will inevitably continue to happen has long been proven to be a losing strategy.
Part of the problem is that that line of thinking is untethered from anything real, so it floats and floats – until it doesn’t anymore.
Yes, you need past data, to acquire a better sense of the current position and future possibility of your law firm; but, you also need to be forward-thinking, and to tether your future performance to some objectives, as well.
So, if you’re not already doing so, build revenue projections at the start of every new business year. Do that, and you’ll know how many cases, and of what type, you need to meet your goals. Mix and match, and play with the numbers, until you get a workable formula you like.
Then (and, here’s the part even the most forward-thinking law firms miss), tie those revenue projections to specific marketing goals. So, you want 100 new cases this year? Where will those come from? How many generate from your website? How many from referral marketing? Will you start new marketing campaigns, that you suspect will generate a new pipeline? Set up the targets, and then see if you can match or exceed those, which adds an element of gamification to what you’re trying to do.
Humans are strivers. Goals are set only to be surpassed.
And, in this case, that leads directly to more dollars in your operating account.