Fortunately, small firms do not require a long or complex decision-making process for legal tech purchases, as the cost of acquiring software does not significantly impact the firm’s budget. Law firm leadership likely does their evaluation or research through their network and online resources rather than using a support team to evaluate their options.
Therefore, you need to reach small firm attorneys directly. Do this through social media – primarily Facebook and LinkedIn – and networking groups like bar associations. Direct outreach can also show results but may be costly and require well-thought-out tactics.
You need a strong marketing presence and commitment to connect with prospects on social media. Post regularly with messaging that gives small firms what they need to understand and evaluate your product. Then, identify the groups that cater to your target audience. Many will be private and do not welcome overt advertising, so ditch the sales pitches in favor of posts relevant to their needs, wants, and business concerns that are affecting them. Showing them you understand their challenges will go a long way towards building trust in your brand. Once you have refined your messaging and audience, consider paid advertising to maximize your reach. But be careful. Paid advertising can be expensive and result in minimal ROI.
Solo practitioners and small firm attorneys make up the bulk of bar association membership, so these networks are also great for expanding your reach. If you haven’t yet, check out our post on marketing through bar associations. Building relationships, marketing directly, and sponsoring bar events will generate targeted exposure. Building relationships with bar association Practice Management Advisors (PMAs), also covered in the article linked above, can be particularly effective when targeting small firms, as the memberships will rely on these advisors when researching their options. Finally, direct outreach is effective when you have a well-defined target audience and a compelling sales message. You can use ZoomInfo and similar tools to develop an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and identify how to contact them. Direct outreach can be expensive and time-intensive but can show results quickly and initiate the interactions necessary to understand your buyers and their concerns better.
How to tailor your messaging when budgets are tightening
Belts tighten, and firms look for ways to reduce expenses when there is economic uncertainty. Your messaging should show how your solution will help them achieve more significant results with reduced expenses.
Even before the current economic uncertainty, small firms were feeling these pressures. From Thompson Reuters, “the top two reasons cited by respondents for adopting better technology were all about productivity: i) to reduce the time taken to complete tasks — a leading pain point for small law firm attorneys who need to spend more time actually practicing law; and ii) to unlock long-term cost savings.”
Now is the time to pounce; you’ll win new buyers and retain existing users by associating your brand with efficiency and cost-reduction.