Law Firm Marketing Agency
Firms often make a major marketing mistake when the holidays roll around. While we would never (ever) tell you to put down the pumpkin spice latte, we do need you to get serious about avoiding some seasonal marketing practices that could harm your brand.
The holiday season offers a unique opportunity for lawyers and law firms to connect with clients and showcase their digital prowess. However, it’s essential to tread carefully and sidestep the cringe-worthy marketing pitfalls that can alienate your audience.
It’s harder than it sounds to steer clear of clichés and provide real value!
As we get ready to enter the holiday season and kick off a new year of holidays, here are three critical reminders to guide your holiday marketing strategy.
Don’t post quotes – put your money where your mouth is
The worst tactic you can employ with holiday marketing is posting empty words.
Take Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an example. The low-hanging fruit for a marketer might be to find an inspirational quote on a pretty background and post it on MLK Day. Or perhaps you found a Hanukkah quote about lighting a candle instead of cursing the darkness.
While quotes can be powerful and well-intentioned, they can also come across as insincere if not backed by meaningful actions.
Instead of simply posting quotes, demonstrate your commitment to the values and principles they represent. Engage in community work and then share the results of your efforts on social media.
For instance, rather than just quoting MLK, consider organizing or participating in events that promote civil rights or access to justice. Share stories about how your firm contributed to these causes, and explain the positive outcomes that were achieved.
No matter the season, sharing a story about a real action your law firm took will always be a more powerful form of marketing than sharing a quote. Your firm will be perceived as better aligned with the spirit of the season and you’ll also build your firm’s credibility as a socially responsible entity.
Don’t be a Walmart – only post content that aligns with your values
Alignment and misalignment may seem nebulous to you, but we promise it’s a very real experience for your potential clients.
A potential client may experience very immediate and deep distaste for your brand if you post something that’s wildly out of alignment with your firm’s core principles.
For example, Walmart committed an alignment faux-pas in 2022 by attempting to sell Juneteeth ice cream. Juneteeth is a federal holiday that honors the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. The company faced serious backlash for a holiday marketing strategy that appeared out of touch with its actual values.
Instead, Walmart might have chosen to honor Juneteeth by endorsing Black-owned brands, or donating to support related causes.
Your firm’s seasonal marketing should always reflect your core values and principles. If you’re not actually living the values at your firm, please don’t post aspirational content that makes it seem otherwise. That’s a recipe for distrust.
Don’t be cheesy – deliver value
Cheesy slogans and cliché decorations might grab attention momentarily, but they rarely provide lasting value to your clients or potential clients. Your audience expects more from you!
To create meaningful and non-cringeworthy holiday marketing content, think beyond the first 10 seconds.
Let’s say you’re looking to market your legal services during Halloween.
If you share a funny ghost meme, you’ll earn a laugh and possibly five seconds of someone’s attention. Cute, but not much return on investment.
A better option is to offer valuable insights related to your practice area.
For instance, you could provide tips on how homeowners can protect themselves from liability when hosting trick-or-treaters. Discuss relevant legal considerations and potential pitfalls to avoid. You can still include seasonal elements alongside the valuable content, of course.
This type of content not only showcases your expertise but also directly addresses your audience’s concerns, making it more engaging and valuable. Valuable content is far more likely to inspire someone to go visit your profile, follow your account and remember your brand in the future.
Review and next steps
The #1 rule in content marketing is “Be authentic,” shortly followed by “Provide value.”
To be quite frank, seasonal marketing isn’t even worth the time or money if you’re just going to post quotes and memes. This is actually the least effective way to communicate who you are as a firm and what you offer.
On the other hand, seasonal marketing done right can earn trust and credibility. Book a free consultation with Omnizant’s digital marketing experts before the holiday season overtakes you. We’ll bring your firm’s content marketing from cringe to credible.