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Mobile Marketing
QR Codes Bring Your Firm to Life
Tue, 01/10/2012 - 12:22 — admin
So what exactly is a QR code? Quick Response codes are two-dimensional bar codes originally designed for logistics in the car manufacturing and distribution industry. They have since become a popular marketing tool, helping bring print and other “static” mediums to life and make digital mediums more engaging. The process of reading a QR Code is simple; the user downloads an app that allows them to scan the QR Code. The QR Code is then scanned sending the user to a website, display of contact information, or a video. The popularity of QR codes has substantially grown in the US over the past couple years. So what does this all mean for your law firm?
The Advantages of being an Early Adapter
Trying new things can go one of two ways. It either becomes successful and you know it works, or it fails and you refine the process in how you use it. In being an early adopter, you become part of the progressive crowd who is adapting to the evolution of consumers and the market place.
It’s Trackable and Measurable!
The nice thing about Digital is the opportunity to test, measure your success and adjust accordingly. There are several sites that will supply you with analytics (i.e. number of users whom scanned) such as http://buzz.qreatebuzz.com. You can create separate campaigns, change URL’s to current campaigns and track how many people scanned the code.
It’s Free
I have heard several firms tell me their current clients do not know about this technology, and aren’t sophisticated enough to use QR codes. Assumptions are always dangerous when it comes to Marketing. The technology is free, so why not use it and test it. If nothing else, you spark your client’s curiosity and they figure out how to use it.
This technology is new, trackable and free, and can be used for testing response to marketing messages, promotional offers, etc. Scan the QR Code in this email to see how this technology works. If you don't have a QR Code application on your smartphone, go to market and download one of several QR Code apps that are available. Contact Network Affiliates today to learn more about how new technology can help grow your firm.
The Mobile Age is Upon Us
Tue, 07/05/2011 - 13:54 — admin
This past week, Google revealed that half a million Android phones are activated on a daily basis. This is a staggering number. If Google were to maintain that rate of activation, half of the US, including children, would have an Android handset within a year. Those numbers are staggering. What does this mean for your law firm?
The age of the mobile device is upon us and there is no going back.
Mobile technology is starting to come of age and smart phones are the new norm. Your law firm’s clients are now probably in the process of upgrading their phones to a smart phone and with those smart phones come new capabilities. Therefore, your law firm needs to understand how your clients use these devices and how your law firm can reach people on these sophisticated mobile devices. But instead of thinking about this mobile device in isolation, think about how mobile marketing plays into your law firm’s overarching marketing campaign.
A screen is a screen is a screen.
Your marketing now needs to be able to be translated across multiple platforms with ease. Instead of thinking about your marketing in terms of TV vs. Internet vs. mobile, start thinking about how you can get your marketing to be consistent across all of these channels and how to integrate your brand’s experience across these channels. All of these screens work together for your law firm if you know how to leverage each channel properly. Those law firms that understand how to do this will end up being the winners long term.
The future is now.
But many law firms have been putting off understanding mobile technology because mobile marketing resides in uncharted waters for most law firms. It’s time to start understanding this technology because lawyers are adopting this mobile technology fast. Law firm apps are becoming more and more prevalent and a mobile website is an absolute must. The sooner your firm experiments with these mediums, the sooner your firm can begin mastering marketing on these new mobile platforms. Those who experiment and refine their approach first will be the ones who will end up being in pole position in their marketplaces for the foreseeable future.
Will launching a mobile site, an app and a texting campaign turn your firm around? No. Will it cause your firm to grow its business by millions of dollars in 2011? Probably not. Can your law firm afford to be late in adopting mobile technology? No. The legal environment is too competitive to be late to the party. Your firm must be proactive and begin understanding how mobile technology can be used by your law firm. To learn more about how to effectively market your law firm on mobile devices, contact Network Affiliates today.
Does Your Law Firm Need an App?
Wed, 06/01/2011 - 13:20 — admin
Apps have become all the rage on cell phones. Apple constantly promotes their apps in its TV advertising for the iPhone. A big reason why mobile apps are a growing industry is due to the proliferation of smart phones. The more smart phones grow, the more we will all hear about the importance of developing an app for your law firm. But just like any other piece of exciting, new technology, apps are a slippery slope. This is especially true for the legal industry.
New technology is a slippery slope because people will tell you that you have to take advantage of this new technology or risk being left behind. But what happens if your law firm adopts a new piece of technology but doesn’t know how to leverage it properly? This happened a lot during the early days of the Internet. Law firms started developing websites and then abandoning them because they don’t know how to market them or optimize them for search engines. The result is a stale website that looks like an after-thought and brands your firm as one that doesn’t care about its brand, let alone its clients.
Developing a mobile app and not making it useful and not marketing your app are two ways that your law firm could damage its brand. In order for your law firm’s app to be successful, it needs to provide some utility for the end user. Most apps are downloaded and never used again. Do you want your law firm’s app to meet a similar fate? In order to avoid this phenomenon, your app needs to fill a need for the consumer. What that particular feature may be is up to your firm. Some ideas may include consolidating a client’s paperwork when they have been an accident or the ability to cull together photos of the accident and being able to submit them directly to your firm within the application. Tying in your app to your mobile marketing campaign could also prove to be a powerful marketing tool.
Not marketing your app will ensure that few people will find it. There are thousands upon thousands of apps in the app store for Apple and the Android Market. How would a consumer find your app in a sea of other applications? They wouldn’t if they didn’t know what to search for and what your app is called. So, naming your app something memorable and easy to find is important. Promoting your app on your website is also a must if you want users to download it. You can even place a direct link to the market/app store from your firm’s mobile website. This makes it easy for users to click once and download your firm’s app. Your app should also be featured in your TV advertising and promoted to your clients when you are meeting with them in person.
Ultimately, your clients’ experiences with the app will determine whether or not your law firm’s app is a success. Will your app generate more cases for your firm? Probably not. Can your app help make your firm more approachable by a client and easier to deal with? Absolutely. If your firm is looking to develop a mobile app, contact Network Affiliates today.
Using the Three Screens to Create a More Powerful Marketing Campaign
Tue, 10/26/2010 - 07:00 — Clay Frickey
Have you heard marketing types refer to the three screens? The three screens are your TV screen, computer screen and mobile phone screen. Marketers talk about the three screens in reference to needing advertising messages that translate to all three screens. This is due to the growth in consumption of video online and the increasing numbers of smart phones on the market. While the movement towards a three-screen approach is new to legal marketers, the thinking behind having a consistent message across these different platforms is not. This three-screen thinking will also require your firm to build a presence on the other two screens (computer and mobile) that integrates with your TV advertising.
To integrate your TV advertising and your law firm's website is fairly simple at first. Your TV commercials should already feature your web address. When users get your law firm’s website, people should instantly be able to recognize it. Your law firm’s website should match the branding of your TV commercials. Your TV commercials and any PSAs you have done should also be on the website. Featuring your commercials and PSAs on your website provides a direct tie in to your TV campaigns. All of the content on your website should also be easily sharable on social networks. This means placing share buttons that tie into the major social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). This makes your content easier for people to talk about and generate word of mouth about your firm on the Internet. Being a part of this conversation and having pages on the major social networks already mentioned will further help your firm amplify its messages on the Internet. While none if this is news, all of these steps will integrate your TV and Internet campaigns, which leaves one last area to address: mobile.
Getting your mobile marketing on the same page as your TV and Internet campaigns is something new for lawyers. One great way to market via mobile is to sign up for a service that allows your firm to use a texting short code and keyword. These services will also handle replying to these texts immediately and organize your database of opt-in mobile users. From this platform, you can also push messages out at your leisure. So, let’s say you are getting ready to send out an e-mail about a new mass tort you are investigating. You can also send a text out to your opt-in database through these texting platforms. This is a great way to reach your clients in a way that will be read. Over 90% of texts are read, which dwarfs the read rate of e-mails. Your firm should also have a mobile website which allows your website to be displayed properly on mobile devices. Without a mobile website, mobile users may not be able to easily navigate your site on their mobile device. This could cost you leads and cases. And seeing how mobile websites are very affordable (less than $5k for a typical mobile site), it would be foolish not to have a mobile website.
The importance of having a marketing platform tailored for three screens is simple: it allows your firm to be wherever your clients are. The power of the three screens is that it allows your client to get in touch with you however they please. Now, instead of just having a phone number and a contact form on your website you have a mobile short code and a mobile website with a contact form as well. You just doubled the number of ways someone can get in touch with your firm. Are you interested in taking a three-screen approach to your legal marketing? If so, contact Network Affiliates today.
Recap of South Beach Convention
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 07:00 — Clay Frickey
From October 1st – 3rd, Network Affiliates hosted a convention in lovely South Beach, FL at the Ritz Carlton. The focus of this convention was mainly on emerging media and its affect on traditional media.
The first speaker was Frank Palumbo from Nielsen who presented on the three screens: TV, PC and mobile. The point of the presentation was to show that TV is still the dominant force in the media world, but video on the Internet and mobile devices are certainly emerging forces. Internet and mobile video viewing have increased overall video consumption as opposed to taking viewers away from TV. Frank also spoke at length about how Nielsen collects its data and selects candidates in order to best represent every demographic possible in their ratings surveys. All in all, it was a very informative presentation that really showed where we are heading in terms of our media consumption and how all three screens have a place in the consumer’s life.
The next presentation dealt with mobile marketing and was presented by Joel Morrow of Mobile Fusion, Network Affiliates’ mobile partner. Joel spoke about how mobile marketing can be used by a lawyer to help generate cases and give potential clients another way of contacting the firm. Joel went on to explain how mobile technology works and the rules and regulations for texting clients. Another portion of Joel’s presentation touched on how smart phones will outnumber regular phones by next year and how mobile websites are just as important as having a texting platform when trying to reach potential clients. Joel made a compelling case that mobile is an attractive medium for law firms and could help lawyers reach clients that they historically have had trouble reaching.
The final presentation on Friday was give by Network employees Justin Holderness and myself (Clay Frickey) about social media and reputation management for law firms. Justin spoke at length about the best practices for Facebook and Twitter and how to acquire more fans and followers on these social networks. Justin also showed how to schedule publishing content on these networks and what type of content to put on these social networks. I spoke about reputation management, how to manage your reputation online and why it’s important to be active in these social spaces. The key is to listen, respond and engage in a timely and professional manner on social media outlets. Social media also ties together a firm’s marketing efforts and gives law firms another way to communicate with its clients and potential clients. These social networks are here to stay and knowing what is being said about your firm and how to respond is more important than ever. We received great feedback and interaction from the audience and enjoyed the enthusiasm the topic elicited.
On Saturday, Network Affiliates released its new creative concepts for 2010. The new Network creative covers a wide variety of topics and has many different, easily customizable commercials for use by lawyers. The new commercial concepts appeal to every demographic and have components for personal injury, worker’s compensation and social security. There was also new creative produced to promote Network Affiliates’ new mobile marketing campaign. The ads were warmly received and add to an already impressive library of over 1200 television commercials.
Last and certainly not least were the roundtable discussions that brought a close to the convention. The conversation was lively as always and provided actionable ideas to take back to everyone’s firms and implement right away.
All in all, the convention in South Beach was a huge success and we from Network Affiliates would like to thank everyone that attended and the Ritz Carlton for being great hosts. Our next convention will be in March 2011 in Las Vegas and we are looking forward to it as always.
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