Silver Linings in Legal Marketing: Beyond Coronavirus

Wonderful Gina Furia Rubel of Furia Rubel Communications wrote this article for Attorney at Work ... https://www.attorneyatwork.com/legal-marketing-beyond-coronavirus-find-the-silver-lining/

“I reached out to my network of legal marketing professionals and asked them to share silver linings,” Gina writes ...

?”The key is not which way you are turned, but that you are being brave and moving forward.” Jessica Aries

?”Being able to pause and step back from 'normal' life has given me new perspective on what is important." Paige Herrmann

?"The lack of distractions has pushed us to broaden our horizons." Tanvi Rastogi

?"I feel like I have done some of the best work of my career. I just wish the world was not on fire at the same time." Roy Sexton

Other contributors include Morgan Leigh Horvitz, Rob Kates, Lauren Michaud Knotts, Trish Lilley, Merry Neitlich, Jennifer Smuts, Caitlan McCafferty, Tom Mariam, Helena Lawrence, Julie Savarino, & Rachel Shields Williams.

My full response...

Roy Sexton

Director of Marketing, Clark Hill, Detroit

Silver Linings (Personal): I have been the featured guest on more basement-run talk shows and podcasts in the past four months than I knew existed and have had a ball doing them. I always wanted to be Gene Rayburn or Mike Douglas when (and if) I grew up. In all seriousness, I have loved the excuse not to run around and travel and take on far too many social engagements. I have always struggled saying “no,” when all I really want is to be home. My husband and I (well, my husband) have made more meals at home than in our 20 years of being together. We have focused on turning our home into the calm, beautiful sanctuary we have always wanted it to be. I have far more meaningful and relaxed phone conversations with my parents than I have had in years. And I have been able to spend what are likely the final months of our dog Lucy’s life with her as my constant “co-worker,” albeit a slightly smelly one who must go tinkle in the yard every 20 minutes.

Silver Linings (Professional): I feel like I have done some of the best work of my career. I just wish the world was not on fire at the same time. However, legal marketing is rife with distractions and well-meaning attorneys who will spend a lot of time and resources arguing fervently for why said distractions (e.g., overpriced sponsorships, holiday parties, sports outings, dinner gatherings) are “essential” to their growth. None of those tactics are available now. One could argue that we are living a case study that is testing the assumptions that any of those tactics were ever necessary. I have long been a proponent of digital marketing — social media, webinars, podcasts, video, thought leadership — paired with strong public relations and media outreach. That is all we have right now. And it is working well. When we eventually return to whatever Ray Bradbury-future-state-norm is on the other side of this, I’m hoping we can retain the kind of measurable, cost-contained, resource-focused, functionally based marketing structures that we’ve seen succeed in so many other industries.

#lmamkt #legalmarketing #covid19