As both a lawyer and marketing professional I’ve had the “necessity” of these professions challenged on a few occassions. There are plenty of people who believe they can handle their own legal matters and plenty who believe they can handle their own internet marketing for their business. Honestly, I believe there are circumstances where individuals could handle their own legal matters and there are some small businesses that could handle their own internet marketing efforts. However, when a higher level of expertise is called for, it’s time to bring in the professionals.
I recently read a post on a lawyer’s blog that questioned the need for lawyers to hire marketing experts in order to help them generate leads and grow their business through online marketing. His contention is that anyone can generate more leads and get more clients through the effective use of social media, blogging, PPC advertising, etc., if they are willing to put in the time and follow a few simple steps. He went on to say, “ There are no secrets. There are no secrets to getting more clients, referrals, or writing 140 character messages. There are only people who claim there to be secrets in order to convince you that (for a fee) you can know something your competition doesn’t.” As a lawyer myself, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the hypocrisy of this statement.
First, let me say that in many ways I agree that there are no “secrets” to effective online marketing for lawyers or any other industry. There are general principles, techniques, strategies and tactics that, if used properly, will improve your chances of achieving your desired goals and objectives. The proper techniques and strategies to implement varies from client to client and the industry is ever-changing, requiring marketers to keep-up with those changes in order to best serve their clients. Sounds an awful lot like what lawyers do for their clients doesn’t it?
Now I’m sure this blogger might scoff at comaparing the requisite expertise of a marketing professional to that of a lawyer. After all, he paid a king’s ransome for three years of law school to get J.D. behind his name. But that’s not the point. The point is that lawyers and marketing professionals sell the same product; their knowledge and expertise. Whether the professional gained their expertise through a formal degree blessed by the State Bar or through trial and error and self-teaching is irrelevant. What really matters is that they have information and experience that their clients don’t have and are willing to pay for.
They say a man who represents himself at trial has a fool for a client. Are you handling your own online marketing?
