Outsourcing certain parts of a business can make a lot of sense, especially when the activities that are outsourced are not part of the business’s core competency. One area that plaintiff law firms should strongly consider outsourcing is marketing.
Lawyers need to focus on the practice of law, not building a marketing team to handle the unique challenges of marketing in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving market. Think about it this way: by outsourcing, your chief marketing officer (CMO) can provide the benefits of a marketing team without the common burdens, such as cost, people management, market analysis and changing trends.
When you leverage outside talent, you can enhance the marketing capabilities of your law firm, streamline your operations and stay competitive.
In this blog, PMP explores why plaintiff law firms should investigate an outsourced CMO, explaining the many benefits and what to look for in a CMO.
If you are looking for solutions to the marketing challenges facing your firm, contact PMP to discuss how our experienced team can assist you with the growth of your operation.
The Many Benefits of Outsourced CMOs for Plaintiff Law Firms
Before deciding whether to outsource your CMO or hire someone internally, consider these benefits of an outsourced CMO:
- Access to Specialized Expertise – An outside CMO brings a wealth of marketing experience and knowledge. They know how to implement complex marketing strategies that can be tailored to your firm, because they have done this before for other law firms.
- Cost Efficiency – Outsourcing your CMO function is cheaper than hiring someone to work inside your law firm. You still get the high-level marketing expertise without the high cost. Law firms can also scale the CMO based on their firm’s individual needs.
- Adjusting to Your Law Firm’s Specific Goals and Challenges – Flexibility is critical in the ever-evolving world of law firm marketing. When you outsource a CMO, he or she can evaluate where your law firm is with marketing and make changes based on where you want to go. You can think of it as a fresh perspective from someone with extensive knowledge of what it takes to succeed with law firm marketing. Sometimes people inside of an organization struggle to think outside the box the way an outsourced professional can.
- Data-Driven Strategies – Marketing is overflowing with analytics, which can be overwhelming for lawyers trying to figure out how to stand out in their local markets. An outside marketing professional who has experience with firms like yours knows the data points that really matter. He or she also knows how to use this data to come up with effective strategies to yield a high return on investment.
- Enhancing Your Competitiveness – Let’s face it, you do not have time to stay updated on all the latest marketing trends, like AI or Google algorithm updates affecting law firms. An outsourced CMO is plugged into the latest marketing trends and technologies and knows how to leverage them to benefit law firms. In the marketing game, you must be proactive, and outsourcing your marketing can better position your firm at the forefront of industry developments.
How Outsourced CMOs Can Help Plaintiff Law Firms Achieve Their Goals
Outsourced CMOs help plaintiff law firms achieve various goals, including:
- Increased client acquisition through numerous strategies, such as improving conversion rates on landing pages and online ads
- Enhanced brand recognition through a comprehensive brand-building strategy
- Improved client retention
- Website optimization, such as enhancing website SEO, site speed and user experience
- Increased engagement on social media through regular posting and high-engagement strategies
- Greater return on investment with pay-per-click marketing, which requires constant optimization and upkeep
Choosing the Right Outsourced CMO for Your Plaintiff Law Firm
There are several things to look for when vetting potential CMOs. In addition to the benefits, you need to find a marketing professional who has the experience and skill to realize those benefits for your firm.
Experience and Expertise
Look for a CMO with a proven track record in law firm marketing, particularly with plaintiff firms of a similar size as your law firm. You need a marketing professional who has a detailed understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in this field.
Relevant experience and knowledge of plaintiff law firms allows an outsourced CMO to tailor strategies to fit the specific needs and goals of your law firm. You do not want a marketing professional using a one-size-fits-all approach.
You can tell a lot by how a CMO discusses law firm marketing and answers questions you have about your firm.
- Does he or she provide significant detail about the pros and cons of a particular marketing strategy?
- Does he or she say things that conflict with what other marketing professionals have told you? How does he or she respond when you point out this discrepancy?
- Can your CMO candidate explain how he or she would analyze the data about your law firm to determine how to meet your law firm’s goals?
Communication Skills
A CMO should be able to explain complex marketing concepts in an understandable way and keep you informed about progress and results. Ideally, the CMO should explain how often he or she will communicate with you if you end up hiring him or her.
The CMO should also explain the data he or she can provide to show you what is going on with the marketing of your law firm.
References and Reviews
Check the CMO’s references and reviews from other law firms. Positive feedback from peers speaks well of a CMO’s ability to deliver results.
Data to Back Up Claims About Marketing
You want a CMO who bases decisions on data. If he or she makes claims about results with other law firms, ask for the data.
Are you sold on getting an outsourced CMO? Contact PMP to discuss how we can assist your law firm in growing and reaching its full potential.
We have more than 15 years’ experience working with plaintiff law firms across North America, helping them build their brands and sign more cases.
