These last few years have seen several seismic changes across major industries. The impact of the global pandemic, economic inflation, and monumental technological advancements (most notably, the arrival of generative artificial intelligence tools) have prompted endless questions about the future of multiple industries, including the legal landscape. Now that AI tools like ChatGPT have the capacity to generate legal contracts or other such documents, what does this mean for attorneys, clients, and the larger legal system? Courts have already fined at least two attorneys and one law firm for using ChatGPT when preparing and filing an aviation injury claim. As these technologies become more advanced and adept at mimicking human-generated documents, websites, and any other form of written communication, the implications of such capabilities grow exponentially more complex and infinite. Whether you are an attorney in the first few years of your career or you have run your own firm for several decades, it’s essential to keep up with the latest best practices to ensure that your digital marketing strategy continues to drive traffic to your website and attracts more clients. To keep your law firm’s marketing strategy from going stale, consider implementing some of the practices below to help you overcome the latest legal industry challenges and grow your law firm steadily and sustainably.
Adopting New Technologies With Caution and Purpose
Like most industries, the legal sector must adapt to the ever-evolving technological advancements flooding the market right now. First, it’s essential to understand that these new technologies do not automatically pose threats to lawyers and law firms. In fact, technologies like generative AI tools have the capability to revolutionize the legal industry in several beneficial ways. For example, many law firms already use these types of tools to streamline the client intake process or make scheduling more efficient for both clients and the firm. Many websites use chatbots that pop up when a visitor lands on the homepage, inviting the viewer to ask questions or schedule a consultation. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the types of time-saving tools that are available—by implementing new technology and investing in the infrastructure required to support these tools, you may find yourself able to devote much more of your time to serving your clients,
Of course, it’s equally important to approach any new technology with a healthy dose of caution. Before you let ChatGPT take over the task of writing your motions and briefs, you must understand the potential risks involved. Generative AI tools are far from perfect; they may draw from outdated or inaccurate sources and compose error-ridden paragraphs. Instead of saving you some time, these so-called shortcuts may actually create more headaches for you as you must expend time and energy identifying and correcting their mistakes. As your law firm considers adopting technology into your practice, make sure that you do so with the necessary caution and care. Additionally, these tools must comply with all applicable legal, ethical, and privacy standards to keep you from potential issues down the road.
Exploring Client-Centered Practices
As most people navigate rising housing costs and other inflation-related challenges, a growing demand for affordable legal services will likely follow. If your law firm hopes to serve more clients and grow your practice, consider adopting a client-centered approach to your marketing efforts. Rather than focusing your website on your professional accomplishments (which are important, of course), put your clients’ needs at the center of every choice you make. For instance, think about what a potential client wants most from a law firm. Perhaps they want to feel reassured that you can help them resolve their dispute, or they want to feel that you will fight hard to defend them from a criminal charge. Use this information to design a home page that addresses their needs and puts them at ease. Show them that your firm offers the experience they are looking for. Many law firms are starting to offer alternative fee structures and flexible payment options in an effort to serve a broader range of clients. Thinking outside the box and putting your clients first will set you apart from other law firms, solidifying your client-centered, responsive, and trustworthy reputation.
Playing Up the Human Side of What You Do
While new technologies like generative AI tools may seem like they can essentially replace attorneys in composing briefs, reviewing legal documents, and finding cases similar to the one a client is facing, the client-attorney relationship is still a human one. Attorneys help people resolve their legal issues—that’s the foundation of their vocation. However, in an effort to keep up with the latest digital marketing trends, it’s surprisingly easy for lawyers to forget that human connection is central to engaging and retaining clients. Now that a potential client can find multiple law firms within seconds of entering a Google search, how can your law firm set itself apart from all the rest? For most clients, the decision to work with a particular lawyer comes down to the attorney’s communication style and how the client feels in their presence. Even if another law firm in your area offers nearly identical services, the inviting layout of your website and your warm, respectful tone on the phone can make all the difference in retaining that client. Play up the human side of your profession as much as possible—even these seemingly minor tweaks can have a significant impact on growing your client base.
Seeing Digital Marketing as an Ongoing Journey
It can be tempting to think that putting up a website is all your law firm needs to do to attract clients. Without a commitment to revisiting your digital marketing strategy, you risk becoming stagnant (and eventually invisible to search engine algorithms). Instead, try to view your marketing efforts as an ongoing process that adapts to new challenges and opportunities as they arise. Remember, you do not have to keep on top of every new marketing tool that becomes available—that’s where we come in. Let the LegalRev team help you identify your law firm’s unique needs and goals so we can create the most suitable and effective marketing strategy we can.
If your law firm’s digital marketing strategy is getting stale, call LegalRev today at (800) 893-2590 to discuss how we can help you reach and engage more clients
