בפוסט האורח בבלוג משרדנו, אנו שמחים וגאים לארח את הגב’ מרגרט גריזלדה בפוסט שכתבה עבור משרדנו, העוסק בתחום המעסיק משרדי עו”ד רבים, בדגש על הבינוניים ומעלה- כיצד להעמיק את החדירה לשוק האמריקאי. הגב’ מרגרט גריזלדה עוסקת בתחום הפיתוח העסקי למשרדי עו”ד (Legal Marketing) מזה מספר עשורים, היא נחשבת ל- ‘גורו’ בתחום, כתבה ספר בנושא העונה לשם- Courting your clients, והיא עומדת בראש משרד Legal Expert Connections, משרד שיווק ופרסום בינ”ל. קריאה מהנה.
________________________________________________________
How to market an Israeli Law practice in the U.S. / Margaret Grisdela
New U.S. business opportunities await Israeli firms willing to invest some time and effort in cross-border legal marketing campaigns. This article highlights five U.S. marketing strategies, based on ideas from the author’s book “Courting Your Clients: The Essential Guide to Legal Marketing”
Background on the U.S. Legal Market
There are over 1.18 million (!) licensed attorneys in the United States, according to the American Bar Association (ABA). The states with the highest number of lawyers include New York (153,552), California (149,982), Texas (75,087), Florida (61,426), and Illinois (58,547). Washington, D.C., while small geographically, accounts for 48,456 attorneys
Looking at the U.S. legal market in terms of the number of law firms, there were a total of 176,009 law firms (including solos) serving the U.S. in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The vast majority of law firms (73%) employ 1-4 attorneys; less than 1% of law firms employ more than 100 attorneys
Bar associations are another effective way to reach U.S. attorneys. Every state has a state bar association, as do most counties and major cities. These bar associations generally publish at least one monthly journal and/or newsletter. Advertising is available, and article submissions are frequently welcomed. Here are five U.S. marketing strategies
1. Pick a Niche
U.S. attorneys are increasingly becoming specialized, which means that your business development campaign should target very specific markets both geographically and in regard to practice areas. For example, you might want to focus on intellectual property attorneys in Los Angeles, or the Jewish business community in New York
2. Build an International Referral Network
A personal referral network of non-competing attorneys, accountants, bankers, clients and others is the most common way for U.S. attorneys to get business. Work to expand your connections to U.S. attorneys through your international membership organizations, online, and through your own personal network
3. Market to Your Current Clients.
Tell your existing accounts that you are available to provide cross-border legal services on matters involving the U.S. and Israel. Give examples of the type of work you can provide. Spread the word far and wide on a regular basis to stay “top of mind” when a need arises
4. Increase your Internet Visibility.
Maximize the ability of your website to attract international attention with the right meta tags, keywords, and frequently updated copy. A subject-matter blog will supplement your site and help you build an international following. Online ad campaigns using the geo-targeting features in Google AdWords can be highly effective in cross-border lead generation. In terms of social media, LinkedIn is the number one choice of U.S. attorneys and other business professionals
5. Speak and Write
Build your reputation for Israeli legal services among American prospects by speaking at international conferences. Webinars also offer a low cost alternative when reaching an international audience. Publishing articles is another effective way to attract cross-border clients, without the need for expensive travel. Consider co-authoring with a U.S. counterpart to gain easier access to U.S. legal publications or trade magazines
________________________________________________________
About the Author– Margaret Grisdela is the author of Courting Your Clients (now in its 2nd edition) and president of Legal Expert Connections, an international legal marketing agency. She can be contact her at mg@legalexpertconnections.com or 001-561-266-1030
