Law firm media mentions can be great for business — but are you making the most of them? Here’s a handy checklist to follow.
You know being quoted in the press can be great for your law practice. It provides third-party validation that you’re amazing, right? If you’ve been following Attorney at Work, you’ve already learned plenty about how to use news releases, tap into HARO and gain media mentions. Now, here are ways to make the most of those media mentions once you have a few under your belt.
A Formula to Maximize Press Coverage
It helps to have a checklist. Here’s a handy formula you can follow every time you get a new press mention.
Comment on the article.
If comments are available, add to the conversation further by dropping a note in the comments section. Say something along the lines of, “Thanks for including me in this article, Jason. This is such an important topic, because ….” Your comment helps reinforce your expertise, and it also shows you are approachable. (And we all know that’s a biggie when it comes to getting clients.)
Thank the reporter.
If you have the reporter’s email address, let them know the article turned out well and that you’ll be happy to be a resource anytime. You are building a relationship here.
Forward to colleagues.
Send the article to others in the industry who may be interested in the topic. This can help stimulate referrals down the road and generally help your reputation. If you are active in associations, let them know about the article, too. They may give it a shout out!
Circulate to clients.
If appropriate, consider sending a note to your current and past clients about the coverage. People love to have validation that they made a great choice. And you never know, it may be the prompt they need to pass your information along to a friend.
Add to your newsletter.
If your law firm publishes a newsletter, be sure to include any media mentions in your next mailing.
Post on social media.
Post the article to any platforms you use. Tap into related hashtags. Be sure to @mention the reporter and the outlet, so they will know you are helping to promote the piece. If there are other professionals also quoted in the article, compose tweets or posts that mention them. Be generous here. They will be likely to interact with your post to amplify your reach even further.
Post to your website.
Potential clients are looking for help in narrowing down which lawyers to talk to, and the sense of trust they gain from your site is a big factor. See how these personal injury lawyers include press on the home page for an example. (Our sales team finds this page listing our press coverage especially helpful.) You can add media coverage to any offline marketing pieces, too.
Blog about it.
You can write a blog post around the topic and link to the article where you were mentioned. Then let the reporter know you covered the topic further. Again, share and mention on social media to help amplify the effects.
Consider paid advertising.
Some firms even tap into paid advertising for a third-party piece if it is particularly favorable for the firm.
For Your Personal Career Development
Make sure the appropriate stakeholders at your firm are aware of your press activity. This is important from the start not only because there may be policies and guidelines in place, but also because you want to make sure your superiors and colleagues are aware of your contributions.
See if you can find a way to incorporate your press coverage into personal materials, such as your:
- Bio
- LinkedIn profile
- Directory profiles
- Resume
- Personal website or blog
- Social media feeds
If you are writing guest posts on industry blogs, you can link to those posts as “publications” on many online platforms.
Even More Media Mentions
So, you’ve gotten a few mentions and want to get even more. Great! Make a couple tweaks on your website to help things along.
Welcome media inquiries on your website.
Say explicitly on your website that you provide interviews and quotes to the media. Reporters sometimes Google terms like “spokesperson + topic,” so try this: “Spokesperson providing interviews and expert quotes on [your expertise].”
Tweak your bio page.
Be specific about what makes your expertise unique. Keep it uninflated and to the point. This will make you more attractive to reporters as a source. (Related: “Improve SEO for Your Attorney Bio.”)
Already crushing it with media mentions? Share your own tips in the comments section.
Lisa Banks is marketing manager and executive editor at Enjuris.com, a website and law firm directory focused on providing resources to people after an accident. Lisa has helped earn press coverage for law firm clients in Above the Law, USA Today, Bigger Law Firm, Glamour, The Huffington Post and other publications. Follow her @enjuris @lisabanks45.
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