What Is Authority Marketing?
And How Does It Help Attorneys?
Authority marketing is about positioning you as the expert. You
might not be the most senior attorney in your metro area. You
don't own the biggest law firm. And you are certainly not the
cheapest. However, for a certain type of client with a certain
type of case, you are the clear expert. This gives you an
advantage over competitors, and helps you:
- Attract more phone calls, live chat engagements, and
inquiries – and from higher quality potential clients - Convert more phone calls and inquiries into signed
retainer agreements and revenue, faster - Command higher fees, even if there are junior attorneys
in your space who practically work for nothing - Grow your income, pay down law school debt, and
strengthen your practice's balance sheet - Work on more cases that lie within your “sweet spot”,
enhance your reputation both inside and outside court,
and enjoy more respect from clients and peers - Build a moat around your practice, so that its future is
more secure in the face of ever-growing competition - Love being an attorney again
Authority marketing gives you a way to project a compassionate image to potentials, and show them that you understand their unique situation better than just about any other attorney who competes for the same clients. When a potential's liberty, livelihood, and reputation are on the line, being perceived as an expert on cases like theirs is the ultimate competitive advantage. You can own that advantage.
Authority marketing gives you a way to compete against the firms that spend $20,000+ a month on TV spots and radio ads, and without having to cut your fees to the bone. Even if you show up at the top of Avvo or the Google search results, most of the potentials who land on your website have already seen these “hot shot” attorneys on the side of busses and billboards. You don't stand a chance of landing their case. Not unless you can give them a legitimate reason to call you first. We use authority marketing to position you as the expert.
Every new case is a complex, tangled, and emotionally charged web of conflicting emotions. A large part of your job is educating clients on the process and, in a sense, holding their hand through one of the most difficult periods of their life. Authority marketing allows you to do this from a potential client's very first contact with your law practice, while earning their trust and their business through kindness.
When your fees are set by the court, the only way to grow your practice and earn the kind of income you and your staff deserve is to expand through volume. Attracting more leads is not enough, because the wrong kind of clients will choke your practice and drive it into the ground. Authority marketing allows you to make your online and offline presence magnetic to those clients who fall within your sweet spot, so you get the first call and get to fill your docket with cases that are profitable for your practice.
The most interesting cases are usually the most complex. We know from years of studying server logs and Google Analytics records that potentials who are serious about protecting their family's assets usually invest significant time searching online. They crave clarity on their situation and their options. Not necessarily free advice, but enough insight to chose a solution and an attorney that is right for them. Most abandon their search more frustrated than before. This is your opportunity to position yourself as an expert and win their respect.
The right business relationship could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to your law practice. Unfortunately, most of your competitors know this too, which is why they are schmoozed relentlessly. Authority marketing puts you and your law practice in a true category of one, so that when the time comes for them to make that call, you're at the top of the list.
When was the last time you tried searching online for answers to reasonable questions about immigration law? All you find are general platitudes, the condescending advice that “every case is different”, and distasteful browbeating to schedule an online consultation or case review. Behind these questions are the hopes and dreams of your potentials. They search Google for answers weeks, sometimes even months before they start looking for an attorney. This is your opportunity to position yourself as the expert and win their trust first.
People generally feel uneasy about hiring a lawyer. They usually need your help because something bad has happened to them, or they anticipate trouble ahead. They are in a position of vulnerability, and crave clarity and reassurance. Authority marketing is about providing both of these things upfront. You earn the trust and respect of potential clients. You get them in your pipeline as a prospective case long before other attorneys enter the picture. And you position yourself as an expert. It is the ultimate competitive advantage.
Client Verdicts
I have had an amazing experience working with Amber and the other members of Speakeasy Authority Marketing. Over the years I have tried many different marketing agencies and have felt like I was being taken advantage of. They are amazing. If I have an issue or problem they quickly responded and did whatever it takes to fix it. Amber has been assigned to my account, and she checks in with me a couple of times a month to see if she can do anything to improve my business. I feel like she really cares about me and wants to make sure that Speakeasy is doing what they promised. Bottom line is, very professional, always keep in contact with me, and most importantly, they are bringing in high quality clients to my firm. I would highly recommend them to anyone. Five Stars all the way!
Matthew L. Nebeker, Esq.
DUI Defense, UT
Ready to Own Your Metro/Practice Area?
There can only be one authority figure, one attorney who is known as the expert.
Let's make it you – before one of your competitors claims the position.
Why Work with Speakeasy?
We are a boutique legal marketing firm.
Large marketing firms are like public defenders. They work with
so many attorneys and law firms, it is impossible for them to be
invested in your success. You're one of thousands of attorney
clients to them - and it shows in every way.
In contrast, we work with a small circle of attorneys. Richard
Jacobs, our president, and his management team are updated
regularly on every client. We take your success personally.
We offer exclusivity in your metro/practice area.
Suppose you needed an attorney. You would never dream of
hiring the opposing counsel, would you? Because it represents
a fundamental conflict of interest. How many lawyers, though,
are happy to hand their marketing off to the same marketing
firm that is also supposed to be helping a competitor?
When you work with us, there is an option to enjoy full
exclusivity within your metro and practice area.
We don't hold attorneys hostage. You own everything.
Just you wait until you try to leave one of the larger legal
marketing firms. A lot of attorneys are surprised to discover that
they don't actually own any of their marketing “platform” and
must pay huge fees to take what is rightfully theirs.
No such extortion here. You own your website, your domain
names, your phone numbers, your social media accounts, and
all content that is published in your name. It's yours. Period.
We are a boutique legal marketing firm.
Large marketing firms are like public defenders. They work with
so many attorneys and law firms, it is impossible for them to be
invested in your success. You're one of thousands of attorney
clients to them. And it shows in every way.
In contrast, we work with a small circle of attorneys. Richard
Jacobs, our president, and his management team are updated
regularly on every client. We take your success personally.
We offer exclusivity in your metro/practice area.
Suppose you needed an attorney. You would never dream of
hiring the opposing counsel, would you? Because it represents
a fundamental conflict of interest. How many lawyers, though,
are happy to hand their marketing off to the same marketing
firm that is also supposed to be helping a competitor?
When you work with us, there is an option to enjoy full
exclusivity within your metro and practice area.
We don't hold attorneys hostage. You own everything.
Just you wait until you try to leave one of the larger legal
marketing firms. A lot of attorneys are surprised to discover that
they don't actually own any of their marketing “platform” and
must pay huge fees to take what is rightfully theirs.
No such extortion here. You own your website, your domain
names, your phone numbers, your social media accounts, and
all content that is published in your name. It's yours. Period.
Attorney Video Testimonials
Nicholas Gebelt, Esq.
Law Offices of Nicholas Gebelt
These guys are really good at what they do. They've been doing the marketing for us, so that I can just focus on the practice of law and not try to be an amateur marketer. We've been working with Speakeasy for two and a half years. In sum, I would say life has been much easier, at least from a marketing perspective, since we hired Speakeasy. I recommend them unreservedly.
Kyle Robbins, Esq.
The Law Offices of Kyle Robbins, PLLC.
I've had my own firm for three years, and it's been zero to ninety. I was really irritated with the last marketing company about the lack of transparency, and things weren't really improving. Things are very different for me now. I get probably an extra 20-30% a week on phone calls. Speakeasy has definitely improved the attention and traffic that my website generates.
Herman Jimerson, Esq.
Jimerson Law Firm P.C.
There is so much competition out there. Speakeasy gave me the credentials I needed, the backing I needed, in terms of saying: “I'm not just a lawyer out there competing. I'm a lawyer that people are coming to see.” I've been working with Speakeasy for about five years now, and there's been a great turnaround.
Frequently Asked Questions
Attracting new clients is a critical function of every solo attorney and law firm.
Your track record in the courtroom counts for very little if potential clients do not know you exist. Every successful attorney needs an online and offline marketing presence that puts their absolute best foot forward and brings them new cases.
A few years ago, we conducted a survey of several dozen of the most successful and highly respected attorneys in America. One thing they all had in common, besides a law degree and a track record of excellence, was their commitment to marketing. They considered it one of the most important parts of running a law practice.
It depends on your marketing goal. If you want to show up on Google or Avvo as just another option when potentials are looking for a lawyer, the standard SEO, digital marketing, or social media marketing program is just fine. Your practice will be one of about a dozen options, but at least you will get some leads. If you want to show up as a trusted and respected expert early in the decision making process. before potential clients shop for an attorney, then you need authority marketing.
Authority marketing works best for attorneys who want to attract affluent potentials with complex or highly unique situations. These clients have less price sensitivity than regular “legal consumers”, and they demand the best. However, authority marketing is also effective in lower-fee, higher-volume practice areas like bankruptcy, where competition is fierce.
Authority marketing is about showing up as that sought-after expert. It is about giving potential clients a bona fide reason to click through to your website first, call your firm before any other, and retain you – even if you are more expensive.
It depends. If when you say “work” you mean generating traffic for your website, then sure, traditional SEO can help you do that. You might even get a few phone calls too, although these will likely be from people who are – literally – shopping online for an attorney. Is that the kind of person you want to attract as a client? However, if when you say “work” you mean attracting clients who value your unique expertise and are willing to pay a premium for it, then the answer is a resounding “nay”.
Paying thousands of dollars per month to get your law practice’s website ranked at the top of Google’s search results for price shopping keywords like albuquerque injury attorney is mostly a waste of money. Because affluent clients who value expertise and have the means to pay for it do not seek attorneys in this way.
They are far more likely to search for answers to specific questions about their legal problem or situation. These are an entirely different type of keyword, and the method you use to rank for them is very different to traditional SEO.
This legal marketing strategy is for investors, not opportunists. You should expect to invest at least 9 months – more likely 12, and quite possibly 15 or more – before your online and offline marketing presence starts to attract high-quality case leads consistently.
There comes a point in an attorney's career when it is time to invest in building a real marketing presence, even if it takes some time to bear fruit. Do you really want to spend the next ten years always fretting about where the next case is going to come from?
The Speakeasy Attorney Call Conversion Service is like Air Traffic Control for your law practice. Potential clients call your law firm or initiate a live chat conversation. Our team qualifies them, captures the “hot” potentials and gets them scheduled in for a case review or consultation right away, and then puts the “warm” potentials on a holding pattern so they are nurtured until they are ready to talk about hiring you. All you do is bring them in to land. We take care of almost everything else before the close.
The reason this kind of service is so important:
Voicemail is the kiss of death for potential cases. If someone who is ready to retain you calls and goes through to voicemail, they're going to call another attorney… and then another one, and another one until someone speaks to them on the phone and starts the process of converting them into a client. Even if they leave you a voicemail, by the time you respond to it you have already lost the business.
That is why you need someone to answer every call, guaranteed, and pre-convert qualified potential clients.
Ready to Own Your Metro/Practice Area?
There can only be one authority figure, one attorney who is known as the expert.
Let's make it you – before one of your competitors claims the position.