The Legal Administrator's "Need to Know" Marketing Guide
Leah Swearingen, APR

For the legal administrator, the challenge is always the same: so many responsibilities, so little time. Even if you have an in-house marketing director or outside consultant, it's important that you, as the business manager of the firm, have a basic understanding of law firm marketing. You will no doubt be held accountable for marketing expenditures, client retention or loss, firm growth, and all the other areas that are impacted either directly or indirectly by marketing.

You will carry out this function with more conviction and authority when you can whip out the basics of law firm marketing from your repertoire of competencies. This will enable you to confidently address questions such as:

• How do I get the attorneys at our firm to embrace marketing?
• What is the fastest and least expensive way to market our firm?
• What's all this talk about "branding" mean?
• Should we be advertising? If so, where?
• What's the difference between publicity and public relations?
• Will we be judged more for the quality of our legal work or for good client service?
• How do I answer when a partner asks my opinion about carrying out a specific tactic, such as hosting a seminar or upgrading out website?
• Where should we begin looking for more business?

If marketing is only one aspect of your job description, you need a razor-sharp mindset from which to base decisions and actions. The Association of Legal Administrators and the Legal Marketing Association provide excellent resources on marketing legal services. Many companies, including Swearingen Communications, specialize in legal marketing. Most are available to consult on both an as-needed and long-term basis. Finally, if you do have an in-house marketing department, regular joint meetings will ensure that you are kept well informed of all marketing activities and the rationale behind them.