Example Case Studies:  Process improvement and cost reduction; Award-winning client communications; Partner business development; Increased presence on social media

 

Case Study:  Process Improvement

Goal:  Improve efficiency of marketing department's response to attorney requests, clean/improve department processes, files; outline department best practices.

Process:  Through efficient attention to detail:

  • Removed out-dated and erroneous files, notes, old contacts, archived relevant old information, streamlined retention process for marketing department information.

  • Worked directly with vendors to identify opportunities for efficiency gains, incorporated into new department best practices.

  • Designed templates for attorney biographies, practice descriptions, PowerPoint presentations and other communications pieces.

  • Re-designed internal communications platform.

  • Reinstituted and revised marketing department budget.

Results:  

  • Implemented a best-practice process for organizing annual client communications and gifts.  Reduced communications costs by 21%; reduced gift costs by 29%.

  •  Reduced returned/erroneous mail by 28% the first year, another 32% the second year.

  • Uniformity in branding and message/presence through coordinated communications.

  • Increased engagement and information dissemination across the firm.

  • Produced efficient response to attorney requests for online files; faster, more logical file organization for ease of use by new marketing personnel and non-marketing personnel.

  • New budget provided deeper detail of expenditures and historical spending to guide future decisions.

  • Managed and consolidated marketing- and business development-related duties previously handled by two people, saving 18% in salary cost over prior year.

Case Study:  Award-Winning Client Communications

Goal:  Produce a law firm holiday card that met partners' objectives:

  • resonate with clients

  • reflect firm culture

  • return to the creative level achieved in previous years

  • incorporate humor

  • acknowledge the firm's charitable outreach

Process:  Initial meeting with the marketing partners to understand their goals and identify a marketing agency to assist with design and fulfillment.  Initial meeting with the agency to help them prepare for the client interview and subsequent presentation of ideas.  Directly oversee refinements and corrections to the contact database, and review every mailed item for accurate address (to the best of our knowledge).  Manage production.

Results: The collaborative nature of meetings with attorneys and with the agency led to a  final product that met all of the attorneys' requirements, told a story, and garnered many positive comments from firm attorneys and staff as well as from clients and prospects who received the card.  Attention to the mailing process produced a reduction in returned mail by 32% over the prior year and helped refine the firm's contact database.  The card also landed a "Your Honor Award" from the Legal Marketing Association, the first award of its type for creative work by this law firm.

Case Study:  Partner Business Development, prioritization

Goal:  a) Restore the relationship between leading regional partner and the marketing department for a global law firm, b) organize and prioritize partner's business development focus and activities for efficient time management.

Process:  Interviewed and listened to partner for background on the situation and projects of greatest importance to her.  Subsequently, organized her activities into a tracking spreadsheet, prioritized and attached benchmark dates and milestone activities, used the sheet as a basis for regular status calls with the partner and the marketing department.

Results:  Both the partner and the marketing department adopted the spreadsheet tracking approach to organize a variety of projects (beyond this initial need, and for other practice groups).  The partner achieved greater efficiency and thus more productive results from her networking and business development efforts.  Our relationship restored the partner's respect for and confidence in the marketing department and resulted in subsequent requests to have Teresa assist with on-the-ground support of her firm-related practice development, and non-firm networking initiatives in support of her business development.  Tracking enabled better targeting of prospects and clients.

Case Study:  Raise Law Firm Profile via Organic & Paid Social on Facebook

Goal:  Increase impact of a law firm's Facebook account by leveraging a range of posts, from informational to educational to promotional.

Process:  

  • Outline an editorial calendar for topics of particular relevance at certain points in the year.

  • Post information that educates the public and target market, regarding

  • the law firm's services,

  • general legal information, and

  • the services of other entities such as state and non-profit organizations.

  • Monitor followers' interactions and modify posts and boosts accordingly.

Results*:  

  • Daily interactions rose from 1 to 141; weekly interactions rose from 2 to 516

  • Weekly reach rose from 9 to 14,798

  • Page likes grew by 7%

  • 28-day viral reach increased by 2.6 times

*Stats reflect a 6-month snapshot.  The majority of growth occurred via organic; budget spent on boosts/ads was less than $200.00.