It’s not like marketing a fridge

Marketing is a process, not an isolated feat of endurance. To yield results you’ll need to practice patience. 

All the way to Baker Street

I met a QC recently who told me he’d been out ‘marketing’ for the last three weeks. “It’s exhausting and time-consuming” he said. “I went all the way to Baker Street, met this fellow for a drink and I haven’t heard anything since.  What a complete waste of time.”    

Well, yes.  I couldn’t agree more. 

Practising patience

Before a client instructs you, they need to tread the boards of your marketing process. There are many ways to skin this particular cat but in roughly five steps, this is the process they will follow in relation to your practice.

1. Awareness
2. Interest
3. Consideration
4. Instruction 
5. Referral

My QC was meeting the prospect at Awareness and expected to jump to Instruction by the end of the second pint.

It’s not impossible, but it was unlikely to happen in the way he expected.  The client was, possibly, months away from instructing.

The practice marketing process

Think about the last time you instructed a builder.

Before shelling out for the work, you did a google search, checked the reputation of a few builders with your neighbours, reviewed the stars on a builder-review website, checked the insurance policy and so on. 

Your clients go through a similar process before they select you as counsel. 

At a minimum, they will google you, look at your Chambers website, have conversations with their peers, call your clerk, read your LinkedIn profile, take a look at your social media presence and read any articles you’ve published.

This is the content of the Awareness and Interest stages of your practice marketing process.

All this needs to happen a long time before you accept an invitation to meet a fellow for a drink in Baker Street.

It’s not like marketing a fridge

About ten years ago I called a Chambers Director to inquire about a vacancy.  It was a marketing-related role and I asked about the responsibilities. 

The thing is, Heidi, marketing a barrister isn’t like marketing a fridge. 

There isn’t a particular point to this paragraph. It just came to mind when I was writing, and I liked the image.

How to receive marketing support for free

The Jurilogical Edition contains time-saving resources to help you raise your profile, connect with clients and grow your practice.  We issue it once a month to subscribers.  If you’d like to join other barristers who receive next month’s edition, sign up here for free.

By Heidi Smith
Creator of Jurilogical.com

Heidi Smith is the creator of Jurilogical.com, an online resource hub for barristers. She writes about change and technology in the legal sector.  Connect with Heidi here on LinkedIn.