The fourth financial quarter and the holiday season are approaching. How can your firm capitalize on the holiday rush? Start planning your holiday marketing efforts now! Use your firm’s social media sites, online marketing, and public relations efforts to build a comprehensive holiday marketing plan.
Social Media Marketing
As each holiday season comes and goes, we are becoming more engulfed in our social media accounts. Therefore, it is beneficial to use social media as a way to directly influence your client base. First, grab their attention by adding fun and festive elements to your usual marketing strategies.
The holiday season means that consumers want a good value for their dollar. By offering a promotion on social media sites (whether it is “Take 10% off your consultation” or “$50 off services provided”), you are giving existing and prospective clients alike a reason to visit your firm. Even visitors who were not previously considering your goods or services may be enticed to do so.
Social media is also a great platform to offer contests. For example, Facebook allows you to start a giveaway stating, “The first 100 people to ‘like’ our page/status/picture will be entered to win a restaurant gift card. Second prize will receive a T-shirt and third prize will receive a mug.” You may also consider giving away a similar reward for anyone who submits a review of your firm or a client referral as a token of your gratitude.
Keep in mind that the holiday season is your opportunity to humanize your firm, making it more approachable to prospective clients. You can achieve this by posting photos of your firm’s holiday party, or by recognizing an employee or Attorney of the Year.
Website Marketing
Your firm’s website is also a valuable platform for marketing during the holiday season. Start simple: add a winter greeting to your site. This will give the feel that your firm is friendly, approachable, and modern. In addition to adding graphics to your page, you may also consider updating some of your website’s content to include holiday-themed advice.
Blogging is becoming a growing platform for online marketing. These unique articles should be custom tailored to items in your store in order to help generate foot traffic.
In addition to blogging, your website can include a Specials page, which features the following:
• Seasonal advice (i.e. tax information, winter woes such as a slip and fall etc.)
• Links to social media contests
Email Marketing
E-newsletters can build loyalty and keep your client base coming back during the holiday season. Tell clients about testimonials from other clients, verdicts, attorneys in the news, blogs or philanthropic endeavors. You may also offer an option for clients to join your email list in order to receive a one-time holiday discount or coupon through their email.
Another email you may want to send out is a “Season’s Greetings” email, in which you wish those on your email list a happy and healthy holiday to keep up the spirit of the holiday season. Keep in mind any email marketing you do should also reflect the holiday theme with graphics and color schemes.
Public Relations
The holiday season is a great opportunity to get your law firm in the press. Giving back to the community is an easy way to get the attention of your community. One example of pressworthy philanthropy is to convert your firm into a drop-off center for a non-perishable food drive, a winter coat drive, a toy drive, or a collections center for other items. Be sure to mention which charity will benefit from your endeavors.
Depending on your firm’s expertise, you may also consider donating your services to a fundraiser or non-profit organization as pro bono work. Don’t forget to write off the donation of your firm’s time as an in-kind donation!
No matter the event, it is important to remember to take photos and upload them to your websites and social media platforms.
Holiday marketing can benefit any firm. In order to keep your holiday marketing effective, remember the key components: your marketing should be fun and festive-looking, any offers or promotions should tie in the holiday season and, as always, keep your branding consistent. For a consultation in holiday marketing, you may call us at 1-866-PR4Lawyers or you may email us at info@PR4Lawyers.com.
