It is obvious that to gain competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded market, law firms need to focus on customer experience. Events have a part to play in this.
Historically, firms have relied on expertise to entice prospects and advocates into a room. But times have changed. Post-Covid, many of us opt for cost-effective, wide-reaching virtual events like pre-recorded videos or live webinars. While using technology in this way is helpful in allowing time-poor decision-makers and clients to access content, it takes away opportunities for firms to demonstrate how they are different and what added value they offer. And the chance to have those important relationship-building conversations – as we all know, people buy from people.
Clearly, law firms still need face-to-face events. They play a vital role in deepening client relationships, driving client conversions and delivering sustainable business outcomes. But many people are now less keen to travel, and hybrid working makes it harder to predict who will be in the office on a certain day. Also, will anyone actually have any enthusiasm for attending an extracurricular event?
Back to face-to-face events
Encouraging people to return to events will need outside-the-box thinking. Consumer marketing teams understand experiential marketing, the creation of an unforgettable interaction: think Coca-Cola’s Christmas truck; Nestle’s levitating commuter; and Nutella’s interactive advertising panel giving compliments to passers-by. Modern law firm brands would be wise to take a similar, if perhaps more conservative, approach.
Instead of focusing on directly selling a legal service as a seminar would, experiential marketing creates an experience that can align with the culture of the firm, leaving a lasting memory of the firm for those attending. This encourages attendees to relate their experience to others, ultimately driving reputation, the strength of the brand and, in turn, client loyalty. This approach gives firms a way of cutting through the clutter in a crowded market.
Understanding your target audience
There are numerous marketing models that highlight what should be included when looking at creating this type of event, but all agree the focus should be on how the event makes someone feel. Understand your audience and what will appeal to them, then concentrate on less obvious elements – the ‘little things’ that will make the event more memorable.
The Family Law Company has two main goals for our events programme. The first is to engage with senior business leaders and influential referrers in our community; the second to help develop connections for our trainees and newly qualified lawyers.
Our marketing team conceived the idea of running two types of event: TFLC Luminary Events and TFLC Connected, allowing us to focus on specific audiences. We looked at our core values in relation to potential businesses, venues and suppliers to partner with, choosing those that mirrored our ethos to ensure a synergy with the overall ambience and experience. To date, we have successfully hosted a number of innovative events attractive to very different people. For example, a men’s styling session held in a traditional English shoe shop; introducing guests to a new hair and beauty salon with the chance to enjoy mini-treatments; a pig racing evening at our office (pictured below – they weren’t real live pigs); and jointly hosting a hip-hop dance lesson at Street Factory dance studio with inspirational local entrepreneur Toby Gorniak MBE.
Rewards for event resourcefulness
These events are guest-list only, but they have a wider reach afterwards. Promoting their success across our channels has helped to grow our audience. Methods include creating a reel of the event or commissioning professional photos to better capture the experience. This publicises our energy and originality and gives many who were not on the guest list the aspiration to be invited next time.
Our approach has proved effective in creating events that people look forward to attending. Our mailing list is growing and we have started conversations we may not ordinarily have had. And it has not been an expensive investment. Our marketing team work hard to find venues and businesses keen to be a part of our events programme. It is a great way to engage with the local community and support the local economy at the same time.
Unusual, experiential events can add commercial value to a law firm. They build client engagement, encourage conversations between both established clients, and prospective and established clients, and allow face-to-face personal interactions with your lawyers. And they are also great fun.
Kerry England is head of marketing and client experience at The Family Law Company
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