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Clienting: Digital Legal Marketing


Clienting Episode #5: Marketing to a New Generation

Mar 1, 2018

Our February webinar focused on how lawyers can better market their services to the Millennial and Generation Z consumers. We answered the questions of: Who should you be marketing to?, What messaging do they want?, and How should you market to them? We discussed definitions of a Millennial and Gen Z person while keeping in mind that the year someone is born in does not define their entire personality or life decisions. What do Millennials and Gen Z value? Younger generations are used to less transparency and the ability to find answers for themselves, so online reviews and referrals from their social group are more meaningful in conjunction to make a purchase decision. They also value having options for the thing they are trying to buy or utilize. They want options for use and a variety of ways to get communicated to. Additionally, millennials, more than previous generations, have a higher expectation for a regular communication flow. This means that as a lawyer, you’ll need to make sure you ask about communication preferences. You should already be doing this for clients, but it is important to take note for your younger clients. These generations also care deeply about honesty and your company’s efforts towards social responsibility. There are many popular companies who are doing this well; Toms, Warby Parker, and Love Your Melon were all founded on the idea that they would give back with every purchase that is made. They not only do that but also make sure to include the story of “why.” So, How Do Lawyers Market to Millennials and Gen Z? Embrace Technology

  • Offer alternatives to in-person appointments
  • Try online appointment making options

Utilize Social Media, but Don’t Be “Weird”

  • Be weird if you are, but in an authentic way and not in a forceful, selling way
  • Use the app how site how it’s meant to be used: Snapchat for short, casual videos, Facebook for longer posts, Twitter for quick informative snippets or sharing links to interesting things, Instagram for images and a short explanation.
  • Connect with influencers, but only those that make sense for your industry and practice area. Also, try to keep this local by following or connecting with local organizations and people who can be a good resource for you

Know Your Brand

  • Be able to tell the story of your law firm’s “why?” Younger consumers want to know if there’s a reason why you practice the area of law you do or a reason you became a lawyer.
  • Younger consumers want to see what’s happening in your office and know the reality of what it’s like to work with you.

Segment Your Marketing

  • Generation Z: They want to make sure you won’t ‘categorize’ them, based on gender or race. They grew up with easy access to technology and expect ads or contacts to feel familiar. They are highly critical of big business and are less trusting of sources.
  • Young Millennials: They are trying to pave a new path outside of parental or societal expectations. Story and sourcing are vital to know whether or not they will spend money on a particular business. These people are also known as the ‘Fear of Missing Out’ Generation, which means that they do not want to miss out on experiences or knowledge.
  • Older Millennials: 1 in 4 older Millennials are parents, which means that they are starting to need or have needed legal services for years. They need to know ‘why’ they should use a lawyer, instead of solving the issue themselves or with an online resource. Lastly, they find value in loyalty programs and build trust in companies, which results in referrals and longer-term usage.

Own Your Pages

  • Google My Business is an essential part of this equation. If you haven’t already read Gyi’s article on GMB for Law Firms, do it now. Make sure to follow his suggestions for your GMB page and then you’ll be in great shape.
  • Make sure all information (business name, phone number, address) are accurate on the following sites: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Yelp, Twitter, and Google+. If you don’t have pages on any of these, don’t worry about them unless you can spend time building those profiles.

They Will Do Research

  • Millennials prefer to do their own research and see if they are able to solve the problem without engaging a professional.
  • Reviews and referrals matter greatly to them. The caveat here? Reviews stop being relevant to Millennials after one to three months. Additionally, Millennials are more likely to write you a review, if asked.
  • Don’t assume they’ll sign on as a client at the initial meeting or phone call. Younger generations often want to meet with multiple lawyers before deciding to work with one. These are people who are more likely to care about your communication style and personality matching their own.

Why Should You Try to Get Millennial Clients? We’ve all heard about how selfish these younger generations can be and how high maintenance they are. That may or may not be true, (I am inclined to frame it as having expectation of clarity, transparency, and communication), but no matter your current thoughts on Millennials, given that 25% of the US population falls into this generation, you are going to need to get Millennial clients to stay in business. Not only will you get Millennial clients if you make a few changes to your marketing and intake, but you will also get a more vocal and loyal type of clients. If you’ve been wondering how to get more millennial clients or just want to know if your current marketing efforts will attract a younger generation of clients, we can help you figure that out. Give us a call at 877-671-8260, send an email to kelly@attorneysync.com or fill out this form. Clienting Podcast version: Show References: Adam Singer's Millennial Post another article on Millennial marketing Dwayne Forrester of Yext's discussion on the "Pyramid of Corporate Responsibility" Psychographic Segmentation Social Proof  Millennial Marketing Facts