Yes, it’s that time of year again: future leftovers in the oven, family flying all over the country, Starbucks coffee cups with snowflakes on them….
As the weather turns cold and you prepare for yet another failed New Year’s resolution, we encourage you to get creative with your marketing for the holiday season. At Consultwebs, we realize the importance of your law firm branding and the success it brings you. Below we have outlined a few ideas to help market your firm during the holidays.
Donate to Charity
There is no shortage of national and local charities and nonprofits that would welcome donations at this (or any) time of year. Step up to the plate and volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or other good cause, and share the news with your community.
If your caseload isn’t too heavy, you could offer pro bono legal work to someone in need, or host a free legal clinic. You could also give a cash donation to a worthy local charity for each new case you take during a certain time frame. The following are charities looking for donations:
- Make A Wish Foundation
- The American Red Cross
- Local Children’s Home Societies
- Local Community Programs
The American Bar Association has written a fantastic guide for how to select charities to partner with during the holidays, and more importantly, ways to track the ROI of your donations.
Promote a Giveaway on Social Media
It’s no secret that most people spend quality time on their favorite social media platforms every day. While Consultwebs offers advice on effective law firm social media marketing, the holidays present a unique challenge…and opportunity. This is your time to hack into the joy of the season and create something “viral.” Contribute to the conversation and offer a gift card, charitable donation, or other gifts to members of your community.
Gamifying the contest is a surefire way to boost engagement and energize the giveaway. Make sure your call-to-action on this type of law firm social media marketing is concise yet friendly. One example would be, “First 50 to like this post get entered to win!” is a lot better than “Like and share!” Contests like this also have the added benefit of beefing up your social media presence with outbound links.
Digitally Decorate for the Holidays
A simple holiday wreath, a Hanukkah menorah, or a Kwanzaa kinara can add a simple but powerful holiday touch to your law firm’s marketing efforts. Remind people that you are living and breathing, just like them – not a static office full of suits. This especially helps if your law firm branding is typically more formal.
You can include these on your website, your social media, and emails you send during the holiday period. Check out this holiday gift card idea:
Team Up with Another Local Business
If you’ve been active in your community for years, you likely already know other business owners who are trying to market their services as well. Partnering with a local CPA, plumber, chiropractor, auto body shop, etc. to cross-promote each other’s businesses during the holidays can be beneficial to everyone involved. Get your law firm branding and marketing out in a way that interconnects you with locals.
Fun Office and Online Activities with Your Staff!
Firms that are interested in virtual Christmas parties or office parties can benefit from hosting a hybrid approach. On one hand, the firms that are in-office have an epic photo opportunity than no other than Santa?! Along with decorating your office, inviting Santa will also create a buzz among local residents and remind them that you are more than just a law firm. Rather, you are an integral part of the community.
In addition, this can be helpful in your law firm’s social media marketing through promoting the event and posting pictures for parents to share, with their permission, of course.
On the other hand, firms working from home or with a hybrid office can bring their team together by hosting virtual Christmas events on platforms like Zoom. It’s important to prepare beforehand for this e.g. who will be the host? Is there an activity planned? etc. Some fun activities to include during your virtual Christmas party include:
- Online Bingo
- Scavenger hunts.
- Christmas-themed games and activities.
- Virtual trivia.
Host a Community Holiday Event
Firms can be cautiously optimistic that they’re able to host holiday parties with the right precautions. If that is the case, you can extend a helping hand by inviting members of the community inside your office for hot chocolate, warm apple cider, and homemade cookies. This doesn’t have to be a weekend night or major event, but rather more of an after-school type event for children or perhaps others in need of a warm beverage on cold days. This can go a long way for your law firm branding and local reputation.
Send Holiday Cards to Previous Clients
You likely already have some sort of communication in place with both existing and former clients. Do not overlook the personalized touch of sending holiday wishes to these folks. As you know, word-of-mouth referrals are the cheapest law firm marketing in which you can invest. If you’ve been practicing for longer than a decade, you should have an ample list of people you can remind of your services while also offering warm greetings.
One final tip: Do not wait until the last minute to get your holiday law firm marketing started. It can take several days, if not weeks, for Google and other search engines to index changes made to your website. Stay ahead of the curve and have your online law firm marketing agency work with you on this. And as always, if you need advice for marketing during the holidays, or any other time of year, feel free to reach out to us at Consultwebs!
If you’d like more info on legal marketing, sign up for the Consultwebs newsletter, follow us on social media, and subscribe to the LAWsome Podcast.
