Think of a legal newsletter as a chain letter with a purpose. Plenty of businesses have newsletters, but it’s not something you see a lot in law firms. With our advice and tips, your law firm can break the mold and take advantage of the benefits of untapped client retention tools.
Forming relationships
Most business models will tell you that the No. 1 rule of good business is to focus on growth. Attain, attain, attain and your business will grow exponentially. Hopefully, you already see the flaw in the logic: What good is attaining a client base if you don’t work to hang onto it?
The real question law firms should be asking is, once you attain all of these clients, how do you keep them in case they need legal services again? To attain isn’t really the answer; to retain is, and a newsletter is one way of doing just that. We’ve answered the question of why you should create a newsletter. Now, let’s focus on the construction and creation process.
Tips for Finding a “Newsworthy” Voice
Even if you’re not a natural writer, our tips can help you unlock the benefits of taking on this project. All it takes is investing a few hours every month, and the benefits are yours for the taking.
Tip #1: Write in plain English. Your firm’s newsletter shouldn’t read like a legal brief or treatise. It will be too confusing and dry, resulting in a lost readership. Find a straightforward, relatable style and stick with it. Your readers will follow an informal conversation, not a stuffy one.
Benefit: Marketing experts say that up to 60% of your revenue comes from your existing client base. By staying at an 8th grade reading level and producing an electronic version of the newsletter, you’ll reach more readers faster; especially on mobile and social media.
Tip #2: Write consistently. Treat your deadlines like your court dates; don’t miss them. We respond best to the people we hear from the most. To get returns, you have to give time and fresh content.
Benefit: Producing content for your newsletter gives you plenty of fodder to re-purpose for your blog.
Tip #3: Say something useful. A newsletter isn’t a sales pitch or a closing argument. Use your legal experience as a springboard, but always write about issues that are relevant to your readers. For example, the holidays see one of the higest rates of car accidents throughout the year. Send out a relevant newsletter around Christmastime offering driving safety tips and steps to take in case you are in an accident.
Benefit: Include an invitation for your readers to contact the law firm. Making your availability explicit will help increase the returns from the newsletter.
Start focusing on ways to engage and serve your existing base, like newsletters. Gather your clients' emails and set up an email list. When you have something of worth to offer your clients, send it to them via email in a newsletter. Connect with them. Form a relationship with them. Do all that, and by reputation alone, your practice will grow.
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