How to Get Personal Injury Clients (28 Tactics!)

Personal injury lawyer marketing is a cutthroat and complicated business. Everyone is looking for an edge in how to get personal injury clients. Through our experience working with numerous PI firms (we specialize in personal injury lawyer SEO), we have compiled a list of 28 tactics that we’ve seen utilized effectively.

Digital

1. Website Design

Having a website is a critical foundation for any law firm marketing strategy in 2021. It serves as a hub for brand awareness, thought leadership, and a primary point of conversion. And for legal firms, as for other businesses making the most of the website is both challenge and desired goal.

• Microsites – developing a niche-specific site; horizontal and vertical specialization tend to work best here. Here’s an example of a successful microsite (pictured below).
  
• A/B split-test landing pages – it’s particularly important for strong PPC strategies; you can use a tool like Unbounce for easy landing page creation.
• CMS (Content Management System)
  • WordPress – our preferred/recommended CMS; WordPress is high-powered, easily customized, and well-supported.
  • Justia – Justia has a proprietary platform for website design; it can be an easy way to enter the market. Read our full review of Justia marketing services here.
  • FindLaw – FindLaw also has a proprietary platform; we tend to dissuade clients from using FindLaw marketing services (but do recommend their directory in some situations).
  • Scorpion – In my opinion, the design aesthetic of Scorpion websites is better than the competition; they offer some unique advantages, such as dynamic landing pages, that set them apart.
• Live chat – Live chat provides another conversion outlet, through which clients can easily access firm owners. Ngage Live Chat and Apex Chat are legal-specific chat solutions; if you’re looking to staff your own live support, check out Intercom and Drift.
  
• Speed up your site – Use a tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or Pingdom to get a baseline figure. Once you have that, consider a CDN (like Cloudflare), image compression (such as WPSmushIt), or code compression (Autoptimize, for example).

2. Mobile Marketing

According to a recent study, mobile usage comprises nearly 60% of all site visits on the web. Websites can no longer delay having a mobile-friendly site, for obvious reasons. In fact, a mobile-first design is preferable in most situations.

• Mobile apps – Many firms (such as New York’s Andrews, Bernstein, Maranto, & Nicotra, PLLC) produce their own mobile app (downloadable from the Apple App Store or Google Play). Common features include basic safety features, such as easy dialing for emergency services, automated searches for local hospitals, and emergency contact notification, as well as enabling easy access to the firm itself.
  
• Google Ads (call only) – Call-only is a form of advertising where you are only charged by the call, rather than by the click. Be careful to make sure that your negative keywords are thoroughly optimized, specifically ad phrases like “free,” “car repair,” “vehicle repair,” “not injured,” etc.
  

3. SEO

With over 51% of all website traffic coming from organic search, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is more relevant than ever. Full disclosure/shameless plug: we provide personal injury law firm SEO (and only that); read our comprehensive guide to Law Firm SEO.

• Local SEO – Appearing in the Google search 3-pack (some of the best virtual real estate) is all about relevance (utilizing your category, content, and keywords properly), distance (proximity to the searcher), and prominence (derived from factors such as links, content, directories, images, reviews, etc.).
  
  • Citations – You can receive assistance with citations from such popular tools and services as BrightLocal, WhiteSpark, and Yext.
  • File DBA – Technically it’s against Google’s terms of services to include a keyword in your business name. However, some firms are taking notice of a grey area: including a keyword within your legally filed DBA seems to be within acceptable limits. Examples: Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C., Michigan Auto Law, Philly Slip and Fall Guys, and AA Accident Attorneys, among many others.
  • Reviews – There are tools available like Podium, GatherUp, and BirdEye that assist with review outreach. It’s also a best practice to ask at the “point of delight” (that is, in-person) for the greatest likelihood of success.
    
    • Celebrity endorsements – Simply put, consumers want to work with businesses that they associate with celebrities. Firms such as West Coast Trial Lawyers and Benson & Bingham do a great job of showcasing their connections to fame (actress Carmen Electra ((semi-NSFW)) and athlete Johnny…err, John?…Manziel for West Coast Trial Lawyers and Pawn Stars host Rick Harrison for Benson & Bingham).
      
    • Superlative keyword rankings – In order to rank for superlative-based keyword phrases (such as “best car accident lawyer,” “top auto accident attorney,” etc.), you need to have a high Google review rating. Consider this: would you expect a 1-star restaurant to show up in a search for “best restaurants near me”? Of course not…and likewise, it’s critical that you maintain a high rating, as it enables ranking for superlatives and carries a higher likelihood of conversions.
      
    • Prominence – Reviews on third-party sites (such as Yelp, BBB, and Facebook) all contribute to prominence in Google’s eyes. BBB even allows for somewhat-anonymous reviews (whole first name, last name initial).
      
  • Google Images – Google Images also contribute to prominence. Google addressed the importance of imagery in their State of the Union address, so it’s utility cannot be understated.
    
    • Google Certified Photographer – With this emphasis on imagery, a Google Certified Photographer is a good option. It also legitimizes your office space for local maps.
• Additional office locations – One of the most important aspects of local search is the proximity to the consumer (read: searcher). There have been numerous studies that show the importance of distance as a factor for local SEO rankings. As you add office locations, you cast a wider net for local search and increase the likelihood that a potential client is in your immediate vicinity. This is particularly important in larger metros, such as Chicago or Los Angeles.
  
• Directories – Local website directories are frequently mentioned as a ranking factor for local search. Some directories (e.g., FindLaw, Avvo, Justia, Yelp) can act as a direct lead source, due to their ranking position. We have found them to be an important tool for an overall organic SEO strategy.
  • Here’s a list of some of the best free and paid lawyer directories.
• Content Marketing – I’m sure you’ve heard that content is king: it gives you opportunities to be seen in search. That said, content (on its own) is not as effective as when it’s paired with a comprehensive editorial outreach and link building strategy.
  • • Current event-based content – In my opinion, current event-based content (e.g., “Two Injured on Highway 51” or “Paul Walker Killed in Car Crash” type of articles) is the least effective form of content marketing. The primary reason for this is the search intent is predominantly for searchers looking for information, not to hire an attorney. However, I’m leaving it on the list because it can be a strategy to generate link bait and that’s not wholly without value. Just be careful when utilizing this approach that you don’t go overboard: you can end up with a lot of dead-weight pages that don’t provide long-term value (and deplete your overall backlink equity).

      

    • Blogging – This is a very effective strategy for content generation, as it has been for some point now. It works best when combined with content hubs which use a pillar/cluster style of linking strategy, which drives a consumer to a direct intent (“hire a lawyer”) practice area page.
      
    • Practice area page content – These pages (e.g., “Chicago Car Accident Lawyer,” “Chicago Truck Accident Lawyer,” “Chicago Workers Compensation Lawyer,” etc.) are critical: when searched, they are more likely to attract a searcher with substantially higher purchase intent. Simply put, these “bottom of the funnel” pages are the bedrock of your website.
    • Legal Q&A – Answering common legal questions (“Do I need to hire an attorney?”) from consumers can be an excellent source of blog topics. These kinds of questions tend to be evergreen (as individual consumers may be hitting on a common situation), which is a tremendous value for you as a content writer. They also can function to work a consumer down the funnel, ending with them eventually hiring you. Here are two great sources for consumer Q&A:
      • Avvo Legal Advice
      • Lawyers.com Ask a Lawyer

  

  • HARO – Help a Reporter Out is an excellent option for an inbound link building strategy. It helps you showcase your expertise, while at the same time, generating backlinks by acting as a source for reporters in articles relevant to your practice.
  • Legal roundup – A legal roundup can be a strong content generation strategy, as well as a method of obtaining niche-specific links. You ask non-competing lawyers to contribute to a discussion on a topic (such as “When do you need to hire a car accident lawyer?“), which produces phenomenal content from a panel of experts, as opposed to a single source.
    

4. Social Media

Social media sometimes has a negative connotation attached to it, particularly as it pertains to marketing efforts. You’ll oftentimes hear how sporadic social media marketing efforts can produce results and qualified leads. However, it’s my considered opinion that this is a failure of expectations.

Imagine dating a brunette, realizing that he or she wasn’t right for you…and then deciding that all brunettes would make bad partners in life. That’s patently absurd, right? Similarly, having a bad experience farming leads from Facebook doesn’t mean that Facebook’s broad reach (or the reach of any major social media platform) cannot be put to good use for you and your firm.

• Facebook – The largest social media network, obviously. Re-targeting ads are particularly effective here, but an underrated use of your time is in obtaining client reviews on your profile (which is vital for your local SEO growth).
  
• Twitter – Personally, of all the social media options, I’ve found Twitter to be the least effective. That said, it can be a tool for influencer outreach. There’s a lower barrier of entry to make contact with an influencer on Twitter than there is on some other social networks.
• LinkedIn – A very underrated platform. The reach that you get from their native videos is substantially higher than even Facebook’s. It’s primarily effective in establishing potential referral partners.
• Instagram – The fastest growing social media platform, particularly among millennial users. While it’s incredibly useful for building a visual representation of your brand (Instagram is, after all, primarily a photo-sharing service), it’s worth underscoring that the competition is relatively low here, which makes success very achievable.

5. Pay-Per-Click

With a strong knowledge of how the PPC(pay-per-click) funnel works, PPC is one of the fastest methods of direct marketing. For personal injury marketing, that speed can carry a very high price tag. With Google Adwords’s CPC (cost-per-click) ranging well over the $100+ threshold, it’s particularly important to measure the analytics and ROI. That is, be careful to ensure that your case acquisition numbers match up to the cost that you’re paying to acquire them through PPC. Any PPC strategy should also be combined with a CRO (conversion rate optimization) strategy for maximum effectiveness.

• Google Ads (formerly AdWords)– Google holds the lion’s share of search traffic in this area. While it’s not technically PPC, personal injury attorneys may be successful with a pay-per-call (mobile call only) strategy (that is, instead of paying per click, you pay per call). Disruptive Advertising and Legal Marketing Arm both specialize in PPC.
• Bing ads – Bings ads are often underrated, due to having a lower consumer usage than Google. Having said that, there’s a distinct advantage to using Bing: with fewer competitors, the CPC is typically smaller for these direct intent keyword phrases. While the number of searches are limited, it still provides a strong value through the lower CPC. You can also easily import your Google Ads campaigns directly into Bing’s interface.
• Yelp ads – In some geographies, the Yelp directory ranks very well organically. It can be an option for advertising, but again, be cautious: the targeting is not as narrow and focused as some other options.
• Facebook ads – Facebook ads have a massive presence, but their CPC is substantially lower than Google Adwords. As mentioned previously, retargeting is a very worthwhile investment.
• LinkedIn ads – With LinkedIn advertising, it’s important to leverage the platform’s unique strengths. LinkedIn allows you to target a job role, so you’re able to more accurately zero in on your ideal clients. For example, if you specialize in worker’s compensation or construction accident cases, you could display ads specifically to construction workers.
• Twitter ads – Don’t bother. 🙂
• Instagram ads – Instagram is, as I mentioned, a powerful platform with a growing ads. The native ads are particularly effective here, as they don’t distinctly appear to be ads. When done properly, they seamlessly mesh into a user’s feed.

Keep in mind, I’m writing this from an SEO guy’s perspective. This is information that I’ve acquired through our clients and their campaigns. If I were to direct you to what I hear is most effective, I would mention Google Ads, Bing ads, and Facebook ads.

6. Premium Placement Directories

There are some websites that represent an amazing organic presence in search results. The space that they occupy can’t be ignored. Like PPC, premium placement directories can give you instant visibility, as they’re already ranking for the core terms that your ideal clients are typing into search engines. As with any strategic investment, you need to do your due diligence and be sure that the price (in this case, of the monthly subscription) is warranted by the analytics.

• Avvo – Before investing in Avvo-sponsored ads, do your best to obtain a 10/10 rating. This requires a fully optimized profile and, in many cases, numerous peer endorsements. Sadly, links on individual Avvo attorney profiles are no longer dofollow (i.e., pass link equity), so they aren’t as strong of an SEO play as they once were. Consequently, the value of the attorney profiles is somewhat reduced.
• FindLaw – We’ve recently written a review of FindLaw services, but the short version is this: their premium directories can be a worthwhile investment, but I would steer clear of their professional marketing services.
• Justia – As with FindLaw, we’ve recently produced a comprehensive review of Justia’s offerings with input from actual users. That said, the review doesn’t provide an in-depth analysis of their sponsored ads. In some geographic locales, Justia does rank well and thus, their sponsored ads can be a worthwhile investment. As always, due diligence and proper research is a must.

7. Geo-Fencing

Geo-fencing is a marketing technique wherein you drop a GPS pin that creates a virtual “fence” in a specific geographic radius. Those that tout the strength of geofencing say that it’s most effective in proximity to hospitals.

In all the rage, I have yet to speak to a single personal injury attorney who has generated a successful ROI from geofencing. I do feel compelled to mention it, however, because it is frequently a topic of discussion (much to my chagrin).

8. Re-Targeting

Re-targeting (also known as re-marketing) occurs when a consumer visits your website and gets a cookie (a piece of software, stored in their browser cache), which triggers ads from a corresponding advertiser when the user goes to other sites on the web.

This can be effective, because most consumers don’t make a purchase on their first visit. Reinforcing the value of your brand can help them make a decision.

The following social media and paid ad platforms offer re-targeting features.

• Facebook 
• LinkedIn
• Google Ads
• Bing Re-marketing

9. Email Marketing

Email remains one of the most effective ways to put your business in front of a consumer. Personal injury attorneys face some unique challenges with an email marketing strategy, in that consumers are looking for your services in the days or hours immediately following an accident.

Due to this, a broadcast/newsletter-style approach (that functions as a branding/top-of-mind strategy) can be particularly effective.

You can’t know when a client may need your help, so you can only do your best to ensure that your firm is the one that comes to mind when legal representation is warranted.

• Newsletter – Our preferred platform for newsletter marketing is MailChimp.
• Funnel-based marketing – This approach utilizes logic-based scenarios, where the information that you receive is based on the actions that you take. Consequently, this method offers more personalized targeting. I don’t personally have a lot of in-depth experience in this area for personal injury attorneys. That said, these are the market leading platforms for funnel-based marketing:
  • Keap (formerly InfusionSoft)
  • ClickFunnels
  • ActiveCampaign

10. Video

There’s a huge opportunity for video production, as YouTube is now the second-largest search engine. YouTube ads are low-cost, ubiquitous, and can help your on-page signals for SEO rankings. They also help you more effectively communicate an idea in some situations. This is especially relevant for personal injury attorneys, where the particulars of cases are both emotionally resonant and heavy on legal-ese. Lastly, they’re phenomenal for developing a sort of “virtual rapport.” Consumers want to work with a person that they know, like, and trust; being able to see and hear you helps with that aspect. Here are some of the uses:

• Narrative/storytelling – In our opinion, the best in the business for this type of approach is Crisp Video. I encourage you to review their portfolio and see for yourself. Here are some examples:
  • Dolman Law Group
  • Nussbaum Law Group, P.C.
  • Michigan Injury Lawyers

  

• YouTube ads
• Preroll video ads
• Facebook video ads
• Viral – Though I know some attorneys poke fun at cheesy viral videos, there’s no denying that these have a tremendous amount of reach. Here are some of my personal favorites:
  • Texas Law Hawk – Video 1, Video 2
  • Brown & Crouppen – YouTube channel
  • Jamie Casino – Video 1, Video 2

11. Podcasts

Podcasts, once a niche hobby, are increasingly popular and relevant, mostly due to their accessibility through mobile devices. They allow you to act as a thought leader and make marketing collaboration more seamless.

They’re also a great method of establishing referral relationships. Lastly, podcasts are a very underrated link building strategy: typically, podcast owners transcribe interviews and post them on their website, with a link to yours.

In this way, the podcast acts as a barrier of entry (meaning, you can replicate directory submissions very easily, but it’s harder to obtain a link on a podcast’s site without also being interviewed there) for your competition.

• Launching your own – Pat Flynn has a great course on starting your own podcast (found here).

  

• Appearing on others’ – Interview Connections is a useful service that can help you get guest appearances on existing podcasts. Here are some attorney interviews who’ve utilized this strategy – Mike Morse on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast and Brian Panish on The Rankings Podcast.

12. Banner ads

In some situations (i.e., on sites with very large audiences), banner ads can be a low-cost method for generating a lot of top-of-mind brand awareness. They are the digital version of a roadside billboard, passively advertising your firm to all who “drive” by it.

• Display ads
• Website banner ads – You can see a live example at the top of the page here.

Traditional

13. Referral

Many successful law firms generate a high number of leads through referrals. There are strategies that you can employ to expand your opportunities for referrals, but even with the best networking and referral strategies, they frequently aren’t a dependable, standalone lead generation stream. It also goes without saying that your margins will be impacted by a referral system, as they typically involve a commission. Legal case management software can be incredibly helpful when managing referral relationships. You can identify who your best referral partners are and nurture those relationships.

• Peer-based referrals
  • Becoming a known quantity (by speaking at bar association events, on marketing panels, through personal reputation brand building, mastermind groups, etc.) is the first step in a referral-based strategy. Individuals simply prefer to do business with those that they know, like, and trust, so establishing a personal brand is essential in a peer-based referral strategy. There is also an inherent advantage to specializing in a particular area of the law (i.e., semi truck accident litigation, traumatic brain injuries, etc.), because any time a peer has a good case to refer, they’ll want to feel confident in the referral partners ability to perform. This affects not only their reputation, but also their financial return.
• Client-based referrals
  • When it comes to personal injury law, you can’t predict when an individual will need your services. However, you can put yourself in a position (through top-of-mind awareness) to best take advantage when those situations do occur. Small things (such as a monthly newsletter) can continually nurture your top-of-mind position with your clients, making them more likely to seek you out again in the future, or refer a friend or family member to you.
• Build your tribe
  • Every individual has a personal tribe, if you will: friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, etc. By expanding your sphere of influence through these connections, you may also find the tertiary benefit of increasing referrals.
• Business community networking

14. Community Involvement

Involvement in one’s local community has broad marketing applications, but those go beyond referral strategies. Outreach like this can facilitate SEO and/or media-based opportunities.

• Sponsorships
  • While great for your personal brand, they can also help your SEO, if they carry a sponsored website listing. Examples of common sponsorships: athletic events, Little League teams, town/county fairs, concerts, and fundraisers (such as 5Ks).
• Scholarships
  • In the recent past, scholarship campaigns were a very powerful SEO strategy, leveraging the power of .edu backlinks. We laid out this step-by-step strategy in an article here. That said, John Mueller has publicly stated that Google devalues .edu links in the present day (not to mention that financial aid pages are inundated with scholarship offers, thus diluting the authority of the link). Currently, in my opinion, the best scholarship strategy is one that is the local level, where the primary value is community branding and word-of-mouth and less about link acquisition.
    • I do want to mention that scholarship campaigns can still work when implemented correctly (that is, with a unique angle, such as video or infographic submissions or targeting specific interest groups, such as veterans).
• Volunteer work
  • In addition to personal fulfillment and satisfaction, volunteer work can be a great opportunity to build your personal brand.
• Group associations
  • Participating in chambers of commerce and other local business associations can open the channels of communication with many non-law firm businesses that can provide client referrals to you.
• Scholar-athlete programs
  • These can be a great strategy for getting in front of a local audience, as you’re highlighting your appreciation for students who excel in two areas of their scholastic life. Meldon Law does a phenomenal job with this approach.
• Unsung Hero awards
  • Community-/local-based awards such as these highlight impactful members of the community who may otherwise go unnoticed. The Houston-based HUG (Houston’s Unsung Greats), for example, is designed “to recognize and encourage the greatness all over Houston.”

15. Professional Development Programs

Ongoing improvement and growth are essential for any personal injury practice. I know this is a personal injury lawyer marketing blog, but these organizations can help you improve the profitability of your law firm (increase intake, expand marketing, refine hiring processes, and other obstacles that firm owners may encounter).

• PILMMA
  • Founder Ken Hardison has been a personal injury lawyer for over 35 years, is the author of five books, is prominent legal marketing thought leader, and has been recognized as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in North Carolina. PILMMA (Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing & Management Association, not to be confused with Personal Injury Lawyers Mixed Martial Arts ⚖️ ) is an organization that I hold in high regard. It is specifically devoted to helping personal injury lawyers grow their practice. Ken is an expert in this space and his mission (“Our mission is to transform the lives of 5,000 injury and disability law firm owners from a life of frustration, overwhelm, and overwork to one of super profits, high productivity, and a balanced life.”) comes from the top down.
• Vistage
  • Vistage is an executive coaching program. I was personally a member for over three years and found it very helpful in growing Rankings.io.
• Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
  • “EO is the only global network exclusively for entrepreneurs. EO helps leading entrepreneurs learn and grow through peer-to-peer learning, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and connections to experts.”
• Law firm training programs
  • The Lawyerist has a great list here.
• Lawyer coaches
  • Bill Jawitz
  • Debra Bruce
  • Roy Ginsburg
  • Daniel Roberts

16. Outdoor Visuals

Outdoor visuals typically generate top-of-mind brand awareness. It’s not direct marketing, per se, but it does reinforce your brand when an incident occurs. The classic archetype for outdoor visuals is a billboard on the interstate.

• Billboards
  • When I think of a personal injury attorney using billboards effectively, I think of Alexander Shunnarah.
• Vehicle Wraps
  • Here’s a great example from my locale, Brown & Crouppen’s prominent bus wraps.
• Bench ads
  • Like billboards and vehicle wraps, bench ads are a great way to spread low-key brand awareness. Just be careful of your phrasing and arrangement.
• Bus stop ads
  • Here’s an example, from 99 Designs‘ portfolio.

17. Speaking Engagements

Speaking engagements carry numerous advantages with them. They instantaneously create an air of authority about the speaker, which leads to immediate credibility and referral opportunities. They also come with tertiary benefits, such as links on websites (through mentions of the panel), collateral for social proof, and general networking. This is all in addition to the fact that many speaking engagements are themselves paying gigs.

• Conferences
  • Examples: Crisp Game Changers Summit, Mass Torts Made Perfect, PILMMA Super Summit, etc.
• Legal panels
  • These entail accompanying a panel of peers through a Q&A-based format.
• Webinars
  • These virtual-based seminars are done through streaming video/audio. They may be pre-recorded to work individuals through your funnel.
• Virtual summit
  • A virtual summit (such as LawLauncher) has a format similar to a traditional conference, except that it’s entirely online.

18. Phone Number Marketing

All phone numbers aren’t treated the same. While technological changes are making voice calls less relevant than in previous decades, they are still a crucial method of client advertising and intake.

• Memorable numbers
  • A frequent issue that I see when it comes to traditional marketing is the improper use of phone numbers. It’s best to keep it simple (e.g., Schultz & Myers’ 314-444-4444 contact number) or use a memorable vanity number (see below).
• Vanity numbers
  • A perfect example is Page Law’s number: 1-800-CAR-CRASH. Our friend Paul Faust over at RingBoost can supply vanity, local, and call tracking numbers.
• Dynamic numbers
  • CallRail offers DNI (Dynamic Number Insertion), a service “that assigns a unique phone number to each online source and then displays that phone number to visitors who arrive at your website via that specific source.” This helps you make better decisions (based on better data) about your digital marketing budget.
• “Dead” numbers
  • Law firms go out of business for a number of reasons. Regardless of the reason for the availability, the number of a now-closed firm may offer some advantages that you can leverage for your firm’s benefit.
• 24/7 phone intake
  • Some services provide intake literally 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When it comes to an industry as ruthless and competitive as personal injury law, it’s important to give your potential clients as many opportunities to convert as possible. One specific company that I can recommend is Suite 1000.

19. Buying Leads

One of the quickest ways to accelerate your firm is, quite simply, buying leads. While it does require you to sort what is and isn’t qualified, and what does or does not justify the ROI, it’s a shortcut. Be cautious, as some lead-gen companies will sell the same lead to multiple firms. It’s important to look for exclusive lead opportunities, of course.

• 4LegalLeads
• AttorneyBoost
• eLocal
• LegalZoom
• JurisLead
• Nolo
• Thumbtack
• LegalMatch

20. Talk trigger

In the words of Jay Baer and Daniel Lemin, talk triggers are “bold…differentiators to create customer conversations.” When you think of the Cheesecake Factory, you think of their long menu. When you think of Doubletree Hotels, you think of their fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

When it comes to the legal vertical, here are a few examples that stand out:

• The Greenberg Law Firm of New Orleans famously has a very low fee. The 19% figure is specific; it’s more memorable (because it’s so oddly specific and very low) than, say, 20%. Full disclosure: this is not an approach that I would recommend (a Seth Godin quote comes to mind: “The problem with the race to the bottom is that you just might win”).
• My boy Michael Mogill (of Crisp Video) has killed it with his referral program, giving away multiple Teslas.

21. Radio

Every day, potential clients are commuting and listening to the radio. Ads and jingles placed on the radio are particularly effective for generating top-of-mind awareness, as they reach those clients in a very receptive moment (i.e., sitting in traffic, bored). As a former history teacher, I was always taught to be conscious of how different people learn and retain information in different ways; one of the most common methods is auditory and radio marketing takes advantage of that.

22. TV

With the average American spending five hours per day (on average) watching television, you can’t completely ignore TV as a marketing outlet. That said, the impact of ads on TV has dramatically decreased in recent years: not only are streaming services (such as Netflix and Prime Video) consuming an increasingly large percentage of American TV-watching time, but DVRs are widespread, allowing most viewers to bypass ads altogether.

On the other hand, this may provide an opportunity for lowered costs.

• Ads
• Jingles
  • Cellino & Barnes have one of the most long-running and successful (not to mention viral) jingles in the personal injury field.
• News coverage
  • Not all TV advertising is paid. If you have a case or service that is of compelling interest to the community at large, local news can provide exposure to a large demographic. Stewart Guss of Houston generated an accident map of his geography and landed himself on KPRC News.

23. Safety/Awareness Campaign

Personal injury attorneys often carry a negative connotation (the old “ambulance chaser” stereotype persists to this day). A great way to counter this in part is through a safety/awareness campaign. Here are some examples:

• Bicycle helmet giveaway
• Car seat Checkup
• Breathalyzer giveaway

24. Print

Print has gotten a bad rap recently (no pun intended). When you think of receiving mail, you often think of junk mail (endless catalogs and credit card offers). While the volume of parcel mail has decreased recently, this provides an increased opportunity to be seen.

In some cases, print can be a more formal or personal approach. Someone taking the time to write you a thank you card is worth more than a form email.

• Newspaper/local ads
• Legal magazines
• Phone books/magnets
• Mass mail
• Direct mail
• Business cards

25. Write a book

Writing a book will help get your foot in the door for speaking opportunities, media-based interviews, podcast guest appearances, and numerous link opportunities.

• Here’s a company that provides a number of elite authorial tools (all the way up to ghostwriting). They run the gamut from getting published to setting up press tours.

26. Awards

Legal awards can help you in recruiting talent to your firm, assist in conversions, and provide backlink opportunities.

Be aware: there are numerous legal award scams, so when you’re solicited, do your due diligence and evaluate what is being offered. Choose lawyer awards based on tangible accomplishments instead of vanity scores.

• SuperLawyers
• The National Trial Lawyers Association
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Martindale Hubbell AV Rating
• Bar association awards

27. Firm acquisition

Firm acquisition is often an overlooked tactic. There are many circumstances (e.g., partner disagreements, retirement, lifestyle change, life event, relocation) in which a firm might consider being acquired by another.

• James D. Cotterman has written a brief, but thorough, analysis of the financial considerations of acquiring another law firm.

28. CLE

While most attorneys don’t love CLE (continuing legal education), it does provide an opportunity to establish authority and generates speaking engagement opportunities. I also want to mention that Attorney Credits pairs its CLE events with marketing initiatives.