Last weekend I had the privilege of visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with my 19-year-old daughter. I was there to learn about and thoroughly enjoy the history of Rock and Roll, but I became intrigued with the artists who were able to maintain their Rock and Roll legend status 35 years later. How did they do it? How can artists be as popular today as they were 35 years ago? And would it be possible for lawyers to apply this strategy for success to law firm marketing?
Bruce Springsteen
I found the answer in a quote from Bruce Springsteen that was on display at the exhibit. When asked how long he thought he could remain a Rock n’ Roll legend, Bruce replied:
“I believe the thing called rock and roll will last as long as you look down into the audience and can see yourself, and your audience can look up at you and can see themselves, and as long as those reflections are human, realistic ones.”
One of the essential components to successful marketing is for your “audience” to see themselves in your marketing story. Your marketing story, in turn, is the value you communicate about your services to prospective clients and referral sources.
The only way you can be successful in having your audience see themselves is to be crystal clear about who your audience is. This means your marketing story cannot be all things to all people. You will attract the right clients by knowing who your best clients are and effectively communicating your understanding and knowledge about how to solve their problems.
A good example of a lawyer who has mastered this approach is Kevin Fuller, senior partner with Koons Fuller in Dallas. Kevin has successfully grown his family and collaborative law practice and was selected Family Lawyer of the Year for North Texas in 2009. Kevin knows who his client’s are: high-net-worth families and businesses who want the best possible results, and he consistently communicates his understanding of their problems and how to solve them.
The following is an excerpt from an interview Kevin gave to a Dallas Business reporter highlighting a problem many of his clients want to avoid: Destroying their wealth.
“Sit down with any experienced family law trial lawyer and you’ll hear war stories of courtroom shootouts where warring families ended up destroying the very wealth they were trying to divide. Air your assets in open court and, if your spouse doesn’t get you, your competitors will. They’ll pick every bit of meat off the business bone.”
This interview is consistent with Kevin’s marketing story and speaks to the core of what many of his clients care about:
“It’s about getting the business through the divorce without destroying it or the owner.”
Your marketing efforts will produce results if your marketing story is relevant to the goals and interests of the clients you want to attract.
Before you spend any more time and money on marketing communication, follow the philosophy of a rock star legend and make sure your prospective clients — the clients you want to attract to your practice — can see themselves in your marketing story.
