Providing top-notch professional and competent legal service is essential for the success of every law firm, but to get the word out and increase your client base, you’ve got to do some marketing as well. There are many law firms out there, and the goal is to get current and potential clients to notice and feel good about your company. That way, when the need for legal services arises, there’s a strong chance they’ll recognize your brand and turn to you for help.
Law firm giveaways are a popular marketing tool. They’re a fun and easy way to get your firm’s name out in the community and attract positive publicity. They build trust in your brand name, generate leads, and reach potential clientele. In addition, giveaways can benefit a worthy cause and create positive feelings about your firm not only in the community, but among the employees who work for you.
Many giveaways coincide with the winter holidays, though they can be done anytime throughout the year. The end of the school year, the start of summer, and 4th of July celebrations are other popular times. All opportunities to sponsor a giveaway can energize your staff and boost morale. For now, let’s focus on a year-end law firm giveaway.
Whether you’ve already established your firm’s online presence or are just starting a new marketing campaign, a giveaway requires careful planning. Here are some steps you can take to help make your giveaway a success:
Besides getting your firm’s name out there and increasing brand recognition, is there a particular charity or cause your law firm wants to support or develop an association with? Do you want to help your community schools, support research for a particular disease, or sponsor an event for handicapped children, such as Special Olympics? Is there something that is especially meaningful to you, such as benefiting the national Juvenile Diabetes Foundation if you have a child with this disease, or helping the local Humane Society if you love animals?
Look around your local area and make inquiries to find out where the needs are and find out which causes are under-funded and which ones speak to your heart.
In addition, think about how you want the event to benefit your firm. Will it bring out potential clients to participate, and can you set up the event so you will have the opportunity to interact with and speak to them at the event? Will you be able to engage with past clients and promote the chance to get client testimonials or let people know about an expanded service you are launching? Will you be able to advertise the event in a way that increases traffic flow to your website? Your specific goals will help you design and steer the direction of your giveaway.
Giveaways should be customized based on your budget and targeted outcomes. It’s wonderful to be able to give away an all-expenses-paid cruise around the world, but not at all necessary. You can build goodwill by choosing more budget-friendly items, such as branded items – T-shirts, baseball caps, pen or marker sets, etc. — or items that anyone can use, such as gift cards to local restaurants or tickets to entertainment or sporting events. You can use holiday-themed items, such as Christmas trees, winter coats, or passes to the local ice-skating rink. Having several less expensive items (rather than one expensive prize) makes it possible to reach more people, as long as the items are attractive enough to potential participants. You may want to offer a raffle for a few more expensive items, such as a new TV. And don’t forget prizes that are directly connected with your firm and don’t cost anything but time, such as a free one-on-one consultation with a partner in the practice area of the winner’s choice.
Some giveaways by Gladiator Law Marketing clients that have helped build goodwill in their communities include:
Analyze your individual situation and your community’s needs, plan a budget, determine the attractiveness of various items to your participants, and choose your giveaway accordingly.
Your event should not only serve to benefit a charity or your community, but it should obviously provide opportunities to market your firm. For example:
One caveat: Aside from identifying the platform most appropriate for reaching your audience, be mindful of the specific promotional guidelines set by social media sites. Some platforms allow you to ask participants to like, comment, and share your content, but others enforce stricter standards. Be aware that some social media platforms have strict guidelines for promotions, so be sure to check them here:
Your giveaway is a great opportunity for team building, bonding, and promoting your brand values in your firm. Encourage participation from every level of your legal team and support personnel. Some things you can do are:
Once your giveaway concludes, evaluate whether your outcome was worth the cost and effort. Consider your initial goals and recognize that it may take time for the goodwill you build to show up in your client base and your bottom line. Identify successes and failures and track progress toward future goals.
Some of the benefits of giveaways include:
Results don’t happen overnight. They’re cumulative over time. Be consistent in your efforts, even if you think your giveaway did not produce great results the first time. Consider tweaking your methods and try again to increase participation, name recognition, and awareness over time. Let your giveaway be a learning experience that can set your law firm up for future giveaways or other promotions as you gain goodwill from your community and build morale and camaraderie by having your team members work together for a good cause.
With these recommendations in mind and a willingness to experiment, you’ll be enjoying the hard-earned fruits of your giveaway labor soon. Remember, people like doing business with people who care.
Need some help with your law firm branding, online marketing, and SEO performance? Gladiator Law Marketing can help. Our award-winning team can create a customized marketing strategy for you that helps increase your online presence and attract new clients. Call us for a free consultation at 859-203-5850.