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Finding Your Target Market

By Roberta Gubbins posted 03-16-2018 02:48 PM

  

“Who is our target audience? What type of client are we trying to reach, and where do we find them?” asked Lance Lawyer to the staff and lawyers of L & L Law Firm. Today’s topic was improving their marketing by creating a demographic profile for the firm’s elder law practice audience. They wanted to make sure they were sending the right message to prospective clients.

Their first step, like yours, is to realize that you have a specific target audience. When you decided to practice in a particular area of the law, part of that decision was based on the type of client you wished to attract. For example, an elder law practice could have two types of clients—seniors and caregivers—while an intellectual property lawyer might work with writers, artists, actors, inventors, or movie producers. Knowing your area of law and who you wish to attract is key to the first step.

Next, decide what criteria you will use to define your audience. You can start with the basics—age, gender, geography—then add some thoughts on their opinions, attitudes, and intentions. Think about their occupations, income level, educational background, hobbies, or interests. The goal is to eliminate people who wouldn’t use your niche service. Elder law lawyers would attract consumers in their geographic area while a patent attorney could have a nationwide practice.

Third, determine the primary issue facing your target audience. You can’t be all things to all people, but you can narrow your message to a specific need for one group. Perhaps your elder law clients are concerned with nursing home abuses, or maybe most of your intellectual property clients are writers worried about agents, editors, and publishers. Knowing your audience helps you target content to their problems.

Fourth, think about the best way to reach these people. There are several choices including the internet, email, newsletters, and social media—each attracts a particular type of client. If your clients are corporate leaders, LinkedIn might be the spot for you, while seniors might be attracted with local television, radio advertising, or newspaper ads. Think about how and where your target audience gets its information. You want to be sure that when they are seeking answers your message is part of their communication stream.

Finally, now that you know your target audience and how to reach them you must determine if you were correct. Ask each contact how they found you and use that information to tweak future campaigns. Knowing your target market and their problems, your methods of communication, and the results of your advertising campaign will result in a successful marketing strategy.

After years practicing law, Roberta Gubbins served as editor of the Ingham County Legal News. Since leaving the paper, she provides writing services to lawyers ghostwriting content for websites, blogs, and articles. She is editor of The Mentor, the SBM Master Lawyers Section newsletter.

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