Presented by:

John Hellerman

Legal Marketing Association – Capital ChapterWashington, DCJanuary 15, 2009

Getting Serious About PR: Strategies for Business Development in a Down Economy

PR’s Problems

1. Resources/Staffing2. Reactive Third-Party Interviews3. Beholden to All Partners “Equally”4. Monthly Perspective5. Clutter6. Measurement (and lack of any)

PR’s Opportunity

Random bad news headlines

My Biases

1. Down on “Publicity” UNLESS it is campaign oriented

2. Firms should market their products (practices & lawyers) to clients and the firm itself to lawyers.

Marketing (“Branding”)

Reality

On Branding

Firms have brand aspirations Clients define brands (for products and firms)

Brands are valuable (if they’re leveraged) Most law firms have valuable brands (reliable, solid, expert, etc.) Not leveraging and differentiating them properly

We say “branding” we mean “differentiation” – How will the market know what makes us different?

Industry is consolidating its “products” NOT differentiating them

The “Branding Process”

A Firm becomes branded by the reputation and

performance of its partners over time.

(The more lawyers with credible reputations the better.)

P&G as a Law Firm

Marketing What We Sell

Talent is the Product.

The Firm is the Product Marketer.

Role of a REALLY GOOD PR Professional

Uses uncontrolled, and therefore credible, participatory channels to

reach and influence lucrativeRELATIONSHIPS

(“Helps make my firm money”)

Strategy

“Using Public Relations” vs. “Doing Public Relations”

Apply sophisticated tools down the sales funnel (from general awareness to direct marketing and relationship building).

Create campaigns that impact the 3 R’s: Relationships, Results, and Reputations

Seek compelling content that can be leveraged through multiple channels (internal & external)

Niche Practice/Partner Positioning

The Magic 3

Finding

Knowing

Choosing

Market Access

Differentiation

Selection

Results

Reputations

Relationships

4 Ways to Maximize Effectiveness

Evangelize PR as Business Development Tool

Think in Campaigns

Develop & Market Branded Content

Measure What Matters

Evangelize Marketing

Reluctance Expectation

Obligation Opportunity

Partner Issue & Expertise Campaigns

Current Evaluation & Preliminary Strategy Media Market & Target Analysis Spokesperson Identification & Preliminary Messaging Media Training & Final Messaging Material Development & Promotion Evaluation & Adjustment

FIRM (PARTNER) Speaking

FeaturesByline Articles PROSPECT/

CLIENT

3rd Party

NETWORK

Partner Issue & Expertise Campaigns

New Leader (Be their navigator) Thought Leadership Partner Relations Associate Satisfaction & Retention Recruiting

New Partner (Be their best friend) Thought Leadership Easy to Measure & Manage Relevant to Management Creates Goodwill Attracts Clients and More Laterals

Winning the war for talent will make you indispensable to your managing partner

Strategy’s Success is Evident

Sutherland: Liquified Natural Gas Ford & Harrison: Automotive Dealerships Phillips Nizer: Fashion Industry Davis & Gilbert: Online Gaming Pierce Atwood: Student Loan Lending Troutman Sanders: Solar Panel Leasing Perkins Coie: Chinese Pharmaceuticals Ruskin Moscou: Healthcare Technology Kelley Drye: Indian Outsourcing

Develop & Market Branded Content

Blogs Custom Publishing Roundtables/Presentations Surveys Events Training

“The Office” ExampleSituation:

Ford & Harrison, the US’s third largest labor and employment firm, wanted a creative way to communicate with current and prospective clients about the legal issues in today’s workplace.

Solution: Develop a blog unique to the HR sector. Market the attachment of the blog to a pop culture reference. Partner with an established publisher to give it instant credibility.

Results: Launched “That’s What She Said,” a blog that puts a litigation value on each episode of

NBC’s The Office, estimating how much Michael Scott’s antics would cost real-life companies to defend in employment lawsuits.

Landed scores of media coverage, including The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, and The New York Times.

Blogger Troy Foster and other Ford & Harrison attorneys now receive frequent calls from top-tier media seeking comment on general HR issues unrelated to The Office or the blog.

Measure What Matters

Ad equivalency measures are meaningless Law firms are not selling products (incl. shares) to consumers Large circulation outlets are important for credibility NOT

reach Measure the effectiveness of program by what it achieves

NEW RELATIONSHIPS

Questions?

Q & A