I was a lawyer, not a marketer. But running a small law firm meant I had to become the marketing department. Like most attorneys, I received zero training on how to acquire clients during law school. No surprise: 88% of attorneys say their legal education taught them “nothing at all” about law firm marketing or management.
When I started my law practice, hiring a marketing professional wasn’t in the budget. So it was on me by default. It turns out this is extremely common. In about six out of ten law firms, the lawyers themselves handle all the marketing. Only about one-third of law firms have a paid marketing person. We also didn’t have a formal marketing plan or budget when we started. Fifty-four percent of law firms don’t. I dove in headfirst, clueless and optimistic.
At first, I figured, “How hard can this be? Post some stuff online, maybe run a Google ad, and the clients will come.” I was very wrong. What I did was scatter money and time across a variety of tactics with no clear strategy in place. Later on, I learned that the ABA’s TechReport has a term for this: “random acts of marketing.”
That sums up my early approach to the matter. I was doing a little of everything. Posting on Facebook here, running a local ad there, sponsoring a community event. Then I spent a week tweaking my website’s SEO, after which I dropped it. No consistency, no tracking, just hoping something would stick. I didn’t know what was working (if anything). I’ve since read that many lawyers feel only “moderately confident” that their marketing is effective, which was precisely how I felt at the time. Still, like 72% of those lawyers, I kept doing the same things and even threw more money at it, because I needed new clients. It was the definition of trial by fire.
Early Mistakes and Lessons Learned
I made plenty of mistakes in those early days. Looking back, many of my missteps were classic rookie mistakes that I now see fellow attorneys struggle with. Here are a few of the bigger screw-ups I had…
I was marketing to “everyone” in a broad sense. This really meant that I was reaching no one effectively. I hadn’t defined my ideal client or niche. For example, I’d run a generic Google Ad for “lawyer in Oakland California.” This was done without considering whether I wanted to work with family law clients or small business clients. This shotgun approach wasted money fast. I learned that knowing your audience and focusing on a niche is more effective than trying to appeal to the whole world. As one marketing veteran later put it to me, “There are riches in niches.” This is corny but true.
I treated marketing expenses on a case-by-case basis, never setting an overall budget or strategy. One month, I’d drop $2,000 on a print ad because a salesman caught me at a weak moment. In another month, I will sponsor a random charity golf tournament. There was no rhyme or reason.
I’ve since learned I wasn’t alone. Over half of law firms have no annual marketing budget. This explains why so many of us end up doing these one-off marketing splurges. Without a budget or plan, I was just doing ad hoc marketing and hoping for the best. In hindsight, I should have sat down and made a simple plan (even a one-page outline of targets, channels, and spending limits. This would have saved me a lot of grief.
Throwing Money at Shiny Objects
I fell for a few marketing gimmicks. I paid for a premium listing on a lawyer directory site without researching if my target clients even use it. (They didn’t. Not one call from it.) I paid a so-called SEO “expert” who promised to get me ranked #1 on Google. This didn’t happen, of course.
I even paid for an expensive billboard once, thinking it would give me a more legitimate appearance. Big mistake. These approaches may be practical for some personal injury law firms. But I didn’t conduct the necessary research to determine if they were suitable for my divorce law practice. I learned that just because something is flashy (or because a salesperson insists it’s the next big thing) doesn’t mean it will bring in clients to the law firm.
I created a simple website, but initially, it featured only an “About Us” section and a phone number. There was not much helpful information. I didn’t claim my Google Business profile for months. This meant I had zero Google reviews or local search presence early on. I also wasn’t consistent in following up with leads from the website. In other words, I had an online presence in name but wasn’t leveraging it.
This hurts me because many people who hear about you will research you online before contacting you, even if they received a referral. 46% of people who receive a referral still go online to check the lawyer’s website and reviews (Google Reviews and Clearway) before reaching out. That stat blows my mind now, but I was ignoring those online seekers in the beginning.
Slow Follow-Up (or No Follow-Up)
When the phone did ring or someone filled out a form on my site, I wasn’t great at responding quickly. Early on, I figured that if I called back later that day or the next day, it would be fine. This was a big mistake. I eventually discovered that most potential clients move on quickly. One legal survey found that 68% of consumers call a law firm first when seeking help. 42% ultimately hire the first lawyer who responds and makes a good impression. I missed out on leads because I was slow to respond.
I later found out that a few people who left voicemails ended up hiring other lawyers because my law firm didn’t respond to them quickly enough. That one stung, but I learned my lesson. If you don’t respond promptly, someone else will. I eventually started using an answering service to pick up calls I missed, which proved to be a huge help.
Those are just a few examples, but they highlight a theme. I was winging it and making avoidable mistakes. Each misstep taught me something and pushed me to get smarter about marketing.
Getting Serious About Marketing
After a year or so of stumbling, I hit a point where I realized I had to change my approach. I was spending a considerable amount of money and time on marketing efforts, but not seeing a significant return. It was humbling to admit, but I needed to start over and learn how to market like a professional. This was true even though I was just a lawyer figuring it out on the fly.
The turning point for me was when I started educating myself. I delved into blogs, webinars, and resources specifically designed for legal marketing. I read studies and reports from experts in this field. For instance, I came across a legal report which had some eye-opening data on how clients find and choose lawyers.
One statistic that stood out to me was that finding a lawyer is a two-pronged process. Approximately 57% of people search on their own (through Google searches, etc.), while 59% ask for a referral, with many individuals engaging in both. It reinforced that I couldn’t rely on just one channel. I remember thinking, “Okay, even if most of my clients come through word of mouth. I still need to look good online because even referrals will Google you.”
Refine my website and online profiles
That motivated me to refine my website and online profiles, finally. I added an FAQ section and details on what to expect when hiring me. I learned that many firm websites are unhelpful to consumers. A study found that only 30% of law firm sites clearly explain the hiring process, and just 14% list pricing information. This was a point I had previously omitted. I wanted to address common questions upfront, so potential clients would feel more at ease and informed.
It was also time to start paying close attention to my responsiveness. I already knew I had dropped the ball on follow-ups, so I implemented systems to respond more quickly. We set up notifications so that if a web contact form came in, I’d email or call back within an hour, ideally. If I couldn’t, my legal assistant or answering service would at least acknowledge the inquiry. Speed matters more than I ever realized. The timeliness of communication was rated the #1 factor (82% importance) for clients evaluating lawyers, above even cost.
By simply replying to people quickly and professionally, we started converting more leads. Just answer the phone and return calls promptly. Yet, so many law firms drop the ball here that it has almost become a competitive advantage to be accessible. The report even found that nearly 48% of the firms they contacted were unreachable by phone. Basically, this means that half of the firms tested didn’t respond at all. That blew my mind, but it also means an easy win for those of us willing to do better.
Tracking the sources of new clients
Another significant change was that I began tracking the sources of new clients. Before, I’d ask half-heartedly, “So how did you hear about us?” and never log the answers anywhere. I then created a simple spreadsheet and began categorizing every inquiry. Was it a referral, and if so, from whom? Did they find us on Google? Did they see our blog or a social media post? This was manual at first, but it helped me see patterns. I discovered that a considerable chunk was referrals from past clients. However, almost all of those people still visited my website or saw my Google and Clearway reviews before actually hiring me.
That realization pushed me to double down on encouraging happy clients to leave reviews and to keep my website updated and professional. It also showed me which of my marketing efforts were not yielding results. I noticed, for example, that not a single client came from Twitter, where I was spending a lot of time posting. That was an obvious channel to cut so I could focus on what was working. For me, that was improving Google search visibility and cultivating referrals.
Being a Legal Marketer
I began to think of marketing as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Instead of making sporadic, big pushes, I set aside a little time each week for marketing tasks. It could be writing a quick blog post, answering a common legal question, attending a local networking event, or simply checking the performance of my online ad campaigns. This consistency helped build momentum. Over time, the random peaks and valleys of my client intake smoothed out into a steadier flow. It wasn’t an overnight transformation by any means, but month by month, I could see improvement. Fewer dollars were being wasted, and more inquiries were turning into actual clients.
Advice for Lawyers Tackling Marketing Themselves
If I could go back and give myself (or any lawyer in my shoes) some advice, here’s what I’d say based on real-world experience…
Don’t just dive in blindly. Even if you’re a solo or small legal firm, take a moment to define who you’re trying to reach and how you plan to do it. Set a rough budget or at least a limit on your monthly spending. Remember, more than half of firms have no marketing budget, and those are usually the ones engaging in random, ineffective activities. By creating even a basic plan and budget, you’ll be ahead of many competitors who are just winging it.
Identify your ideal client and focus on marketing channels that effectively reach them. If you’re a personal injury lawyer, maybe Facebook ads targeting local accident victims could work. If you’re a business attorney, LinkedIn and industry events might yield better results. You can’t do everything, and you shouldn’t try. It’s better to have a strong presence in a couple of places than to spread yourself thin everywhere. I wasted a lot of time on channels that my target clients simply weren’t using. Go where your clients are.
Track and Measure
This sounds boring, but trust me, it’s a game changer. Keep track of how clients find you. Use a spreadsheet, a CRM (such as HubSpot), case management software, or even a legal pad (not ideal). The key is to link your efforts to results. I learned that if you don’t measure, you’re just guessing. When you see that, say, 70% of your clients came from referrals but 0% came from that expensive magazine ad, you’ll know where to focus and where to cut back. Data doesn’t have to be high-tech; it just has to be tracked.
I can’t stress this enough. Reply to that inquiry email. Return that phone call asap. If you’re too busy to handle it, consider delegating it to someone or using an answering service. First impressions are gold in this business. A significant portion of clients will opt for the first lawyer who responds and engages with them appropriately. And beyond acquiring the client, it’s about providing good service. People remember those who react quickly to them, and that reflects positively on their reputation.
On the other hand, if you ghost a potential client, not only do you lose them, but you also lose any future referrals they might have given. For context, one study’s “secret shoppers” found 73% of people who reached out were unlikely to recommend the law firms they interacted with. This was primarily due to poor communication and customer service. That’s a significant amount of lost business from individuals who had a poor experience.
Build Your Online Presence (Especially Reviews)
Even with referrals, most clients will Google you and read reviews before contacting you. So put some love into your website. Ensure it appears professional, is easy to locate the relevant information, and addresses fundamental questions (such as what you do, where you are, how you can help, and what it might cost, etc.). Claim your Google My Business page, Clearway profile, and any relevant attorney directories, and encourage satisfied clients to leave honest reviews. I know asking for reviews can feel awkward, but people do read them (nearly half of consumers rely on online review sites when researching lawyers). A strong online presence can be the difference between someone actually contacting you and simply moving on to the next name on the list.
It’s also important to diversify your marketing a bit. The data shows consumers find lawyers through multiple avenues. Focus on referrals, search engines, websites, reviews, and other relevant factors, often in combination. If all your eggs are in one basket (for instance, if you only network for referrals or rely solely on Google Ads), you could be in trouble if that source dries up.
Consider incorporating content marketing strategies, such as blogging or creating short videos, as well as networking, speaking engagements, and online advertising or listings. You don’t have to do everything everywhere, but have a presence in a few places that make sense for you. This way, potential clients are more likely to encounter you through at least one of their preferred research methods.
Learn the Ethics Rules (Seriously)
Make sure you’re familiar with your state’s ethics rules on advertising. The ABA Model Rules and state bar rules provide guidelines on what lawyers can say in advertisements, including the use of testimonials and claims to be an “expert.” Early on, I almost ran a Google ad that said “#1 Family Lawyer in Oakland, California!” which would have been a big no-no (misleading and not verifiable).
Thankfully, I caught it before the marketing team ran it. Please be mindful that our marketing efforts must still adhere to the ethics rules. It’s mostly common sense (be truthful, don’t make false promises), but always double-check. The last thing you want is a bar complaint over a Facebook post.
Know when to seek help. I’m glad I learned to do many of these things myself, as it made me a better-informed consumer of marketing services. But if you hit a wall, there’s nothing wrong with hiring a consultant or agency for specific tasks. This even works on a limited basis.
Manage a Google Ads campaign
That could mean paying someone to optimize your website or manage a Google Ads campaign, while you handle the rest. Many firms eventually bring in professional help once they have the budget. Even in small doses, an expert’s guidance can save you money by avoiding trial-and-error. Just vet them thoroughly and ensure they understand the unique ethical landscape of legal marketing (and avoid trying to sell you snake oil).
Diving into legal marketing was a challenging yet rewarding learning experience. It was frustrating at times (okay, most of the time), but it forced me to think about my law practice as a business, not just a profession. I learned to appreciate the hustle it takes to generate business and the strategy behind it. The biggest takeaway was that marketing isn’t magic or luck. It’s a skill you can learn and get better at with practice and the correct information.
A lawyer becomes the Legal Marketer
If you’re a lawyer wearing the marketing hat like I was, know that you’re not alone and that feeling overwhelmed is normal. Start with the basics, learn from your mistakes and wins, and continually refine your approach. Over time, it does pay off. My firm is in a much healthier place now, and I’m even a bit of a data nerd about our marketing stats these days. Who knew?
Anyway, that’s my story. I hope it helps someone avoid a few of the pitfalls I fell into. If you’ve been down this road or are just starting, I’d love to hear about your experiences or share some tips. Marketing a law firm is not one-size-fits-all, but we can all learn a little from each other’s struggles and successes. Good luck out there!
Author: Rachel L is a legal marketing strategist and former attorney with a background in business development, helping law firms grow their client base through innovative digital marketing strategies.
