We had a GREAT end to the week today. We've just heard that (subject to contract) we've been awarded a fantastic new web design project for a 19 partner law firm.
We often get asked by our law firm clients "how long does marketing take"?
Consider the following timeline for this new client (names/locations removed to protect the innocent <g>!) :-
- May 2008 - Direct mail letter sent to the prospective client.
- May 2008 - 34 Common Website Mistakes tips booklet requested by XX as a result of the direct mail letter.
- May 2008 - We called XX to follow up the tips booklet. Were told they were happy with website (however, they did want to receive our email newsletter).
- June 2008 - Oct 2009 - eight ConsciousLaw Newsletters sent via email.
- 26th Oct 2009 - XX requests 51 Killer Tactics to Social Media tips booklet requested (as a result of featuring it in the latest email newsletter).
- 4th Dec 2009 - We send all recipients of the social media tips booklet and email invite to a webinar on social media.
- 9th Dec 2009 - XX attended the social media webinar (plus gets sent follow up email review).
- 17th Dec 2009 - XX responds to webinar summary email - asking to meet regarding a complete website makeover project.
- 17th Jan 2010 - Sarah Trude has an initial meeting in <location> from which we receive an RFP to which we respond.
- 27th Jan 2010 - Sarah Trude goes to <location> to formally present, Andrew Gray joins by phone to cover some more technical aspects of our services....then we sit and wait, the days tick by. Decision to be made imminently...the days still tick by.
- 5th Feb 2010 - verbal confirmation of the project. Yippee!
The project will be worth something like £25,000 to us over the next two years.
So, what's the moral of this story? Well there are a few key points :-
- It all started with a traditional direct mail letter. We send out 60 direct mail letters a day, every day, how many does your law firm send?
- By having some great "tips booklets" aimed at our target market, we were able to stimulate their curiosity for our services.
- With a consistent email newsletter being sent out on a permission basis, we were able to stay in touch with them over a reasonably long period of time without massive amounts of effort.
- Combining direct mail, email marketing and webinars we got on the "pitch list" at the time when the law firm were thinking of updating their website. Using all these techniques we managed to stay "front of mind" on a consistent basis.
If you look at the overall timeframe, we break it down as follows :-
- Marketing = May 2008 - January 2010 - 21 months
- Sales = January 2010 - February 2010 - 2 months (well one month really if you look at the actualy dates,
So, does marketing take a long time? I guess the answer has to be yes!