Marketing Attorney Blog

Published on: May 31, 2004

Ask The MAM — Media Budgets

Dear MAM: How do I determine what percentage of my advertising budget goes to yellow pages, radio, tv, cable, newspaper, billboards, etc? Is there a proven formula that works for attorneys? Can you show me what works? Sincerely, Connie P., Parts Unknown

Dear Connie: First of all, anyone that gives you an answer to this question is as a fortune cookie might say, “one without clue.” While people throw around percentages ranging from 2-5%, the reality is that appropriate budgeting is going to be based on more factors than I’m willing to discuss. You do not tell me how big your firm is, how long you’ve been practicing, what the practice areas are, the types of clients you are looking for…I could go on and on. To give you another example, in the “real business world”, the amounts spent on advertising in the first few years can be more than your total revenue. It is about building buzz, a customer base, name and brand recognition. For my law marketing business, I spent more than I took in during the first year. The goal was not revenue, but establishing the business. In year two, I cut back on marketing spending and focused on revenue. In year three, I now look for a balance. Anyway, my point is that you need to develop a short and long-term plan, and then decide effective ways to spend the allotted budget. Thanks for writing. Sincerely yours, THE MARKETING ATTORNEY

Published on: May 20, 2004

IMA Welcomes LIMA

by Micah Buchdahl

The Internet Marketing Attorney welcomed LIMA — the “Lil’ Internet Marketing Attorney” — to the world on May 15. Lily Helena Buchdahl weighed in at 7 lb., 6 oz.

Published on: May 14, 2004

NLJ Misses The Boat on Law Firm Web Site Development

by Micah Buchdahl

If National Law Journal Reporter Lisa Stansky is new to the beat, I’ll give her a pass. Otherwise, the NLJ’s front page story entitled WEBMASTERS was one of the most non-worthy articles I’ve seen in the publication. Thank goodness the 2004-05 IMA Reviews and Nifty Fifty are on the horizon! You can read the “story” for yourself. It basically re-hashes things that were written in, say, 1996 or so. Calling “extranets” a new hot area looked good in articles from before the new millenium. Same goes for stale quotes from “industry experts”. I do not know how much research she did on large law firm web sites, but outside of accurately providing the usual kudos to Greg Siskind and Siskind Susser’s Site, it provided nothing new, and a lot of old…

Published on: May 12, 2004

Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Expo

by Micah Buchdahl

Once again, law firms were practically non-existent at the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Exposition. In some cities, law firms are slow to take part. In others, everybody is there. For the second year in a row, Intellectual Property boutique Volpe and Koenig was not only a participant, but a major corporate sponsor. I was quoted in this month’s ABA Journal on lawyer trade show participation, as a follow-up to a trade show marketing program presented at the ABA Mid-Year Meeting. I’ve become known as somewhat of a “law firm trade show expert” since penning an article on the subject at IMA a few years back. While there is a great deal of thought and strategy involved, it can be a lucrative use of firm marketing funds.

Published on: April 14, 2004

Introducing The Marketing Attorney Web Log

by Micah Buchdahl

Colleage/Lawyer Rick Klau told me I needed to look into this new thing called “blogging” a few years back. “It is the next big thing,” he told me. I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. Well…what I now refer to as the “poor man’s web site” (it is a whole lot easier to set up and maintain than a regular web site) is the new “hot” area (where intranets, extranets, and a whole ghost town of smoking features once walked). That is why I’m supplementing the infamous Internet https://www.marketingattorney.com site with a blog–to make suggestions, offer advice, and when needed, rant a bit. The weekly mailbag feature is a forthcoming staple. Thanks for visiting.