A lot of attorneys are used to the promotion and public relations of their firm being a one man show, but a public relations firm lawyers trust knows that most firms are better off when they team up with professionals who know the ins and outs of getting your business’ name out there. Below are 6 simple tips that every industrious law firm should keep in mind when considering their PR:
1. A PR professional can help even if — and perhaps especially if — your practice is a small or low-profile one. While some cases may not be readily apparent as newsworthy or brand promoting to a small or single practitioner firm, a PR pro is trained to pick out those newsworthy nuggets that are all too often overlooked. Using your case work to expand your PR is a great way to draw in new business, and a PR professional can help you do it right.
2. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, PR pros understand the news as a business. Lawyers are educated to pursue justice for their clients, not understand how the media functions as a business. And what attorney, has enough hours in the day to not only practice law, but run a thorough and effective public relations campaign too? PR professionals eliminate the learning curve, and can help even small firms hit the ground running when it comes to improving their public relations and branding
3. A PR campaign means so much more than just press releases. PR professionals can help prepare clients for interviews, improve branding, assist with social media management, and a plethora of other public relations techniques used to draw clientele. Not that press releases aren’t an important part of a business, but having a well rounded PR campaign can help your firm thrive
4. Remember that becoming a recognized expert typically doesn’t happen overnight. Unless a current case is hot or newsworthy, chances are that your PR company will spend a general 6 to 12 months to establish someone as an expert and to develop effective media coverage. In developing a long-term play, different angles are considered to get the attorney into stories that would successfully represent him or her and their firm.
5. Clarify expectations with your PR team, keep lines of communication open and measure results. Laying out both your short and long term media goals is a huge factor in developing an effective PR campaign.Success will be measured based off of what your goals are for both timelines, so be clear and focused on what you want out of your relationship. Don’t forget to keep your PR team apprised of what you’re working on. They may see an avenue for brand improvement or media coverage that you did not. Don’t be afraid to boast your accomplishments! Also, don’t be hesitant to request detailed reports of what they’re doing to help your brand. At the end of the day, you’re the one in control of your brand; and a good PR team should be ready and willing to give you any kind of feedback you request. For more information, connect with a local PR team today!