Email marketing is a valuable tool for lawyers, with many benefits. It is still seen as the top medium for return on investment by 70% of digital marketers. It is pretty straightforward to get started, and with limited resources you can reach a global audience, have an instant impact, maintain customer loyalty, etc. Add to that that emails are easy to share, and that their impact is easy to measure. You can deliver targeted messages, drive revenue, etc. One of the most obvious advantages of email marketing is its lower cost compared to mainstream marketing channels. As a lawyer, however, you must keep in mind that there are not only legal (GDPR compliance, e.g.) but also ethical considerations.
What types of emails can or should you send? Joleena Louis mentions six different types:
- The Welcome Email, e.g. when you get a new client, but also when somebody signs up to your blog.
- The Tools or Resources Email, where you share helpful information with clients: URLs, seminars/webinars, eBooks, etc.
- The Asking Email, where you ask your clients for feedback or assistance.
- The Content Email, where, e.g., you share a new blog post you’ve written.
- The Curated Email, where you share interesting content by other authors.
- The Newsletter Email.
The list is not exhaustive. You can also send out different types of reminders, birthday and holiday wishes, etc.
So, how does one go about organizing an email campaign? In essence, there are four major aspects to keep in mind: your target audience(s); the message you want to deliver to that target audience; the presentation of the message; and how it will be delivered. Let’s have a look at those.
Your Target Audience: who do you send your email campaign to? The most obvious targets are your clients, as well as people who signed up to your blog. It is not a good idea to send the exact same content to all of your readers. It is recommended to use segmentation of your email list, e.g., by interest, by activity, by date, by type of reader (e.g. client vs. blog subscriber). But don’t make segmentation too complicated or time consuming.
Your Message: you have to define what the message for each target audience is. Remember to personalize your message: start with their name or, if applicable, the company name. Keep your emails concise and focused. When it comes to the actual content, it is important to not just pay attention to yourself and/or your services/products. The content has to be about and for the readers. Make sure to provide value. If in doubt or uninspired, you can ask your readers what information they want. It’s often also a good idea to include some fun facts and statistics.
The Presentation: how you present your message is important. Research has shown that it’s good to include images in your message. Using 1 to 3 images typically has the greatest impact. Make sure, however, that those images are not too large: They have to load fast. It is also recommended to not send out a mail that consists only of an image. (Those typically get marked as spam by spam filters). Use short plain texts from one or more real persons on your team.
Sometimes, it can be a good idea, too, to use video: don’t embed a video, but instead include a link to the video you’d like your readers to have a look at. This works best for first mails, e.g., for a welcome email. Using either static image with a play button, or an animated gif typically results in more people watching the video.
Also keep in mind that by now a majority of people read their mail on their mobile device. Make sure your message is mobile responsive.
The Delivery Method: how are you going to deliver your message to your audiences? If you are using Office Management software, chances are that it comes with a module for email campaigns. If your law firm management software does not offer the option, you can use the services of service providers like Mailchimp, Litmus, Reachmail, Cakemail, etc.
Some additional observations: it is recommended to automate the sending of emails where possible. That is the case, e.g., for welcome mails, reminders, holiday or birthday wishes, etc. When you start planning your email campaigns, it is recommended to start with a clear goal in mind. The biggest mistake people tend to make with email marketing is not having a strategic plan. Another important aspects of emails campaigns is to keep track of your results: how many mails were opened, and read? What topics are successful, and what works best for which target audience, etc.?
Sources:
- amazelaw.com/email-marketing-for-attorneys/
- www.pure360.com/10-benefits-of-email-marketing/
- lexicata.com/blog/4-email-marketing-tips-for-lawyers/
- www.cio.com/article/3057992/email/15-ways-to-improve-your-email-marketing-campaigns.html
- lawfirmsuites.com/2016/09/6-types-emails-send-lists/
- jurispage.com/2014/internet-marketing/%E2%80%8Beffective-email-marketing-for-law-firms/