Michael Millar, Managing Editor, Hogan Lovells Engage
Ahead of his participation at the Law Firm Marketing Summit, we asked Michael Millar, Managing Editor for Hogan Lovells Engage platform what he thought the crucial areas of focus were for law firm marketing.
What do you think is the biggest single challenge threatening the profitable future of law firms?
The ability to leverage and exploit technology so that, rather than being a threat, it serves both firms’ and clients’ needs, giving lawyers a competitive advantage. I heard a great speaker recently who talked about creating the ‘bionic lawyer’ – a person whom technology helped ensure was the smartest, most effective person in the room.
When you look at how other professional services sectors are adapting their marketing and business development strategies to changing market conditions, what do you feel the legal sector should be emulating?
Targeted marketing strategies that put the interests of audiences at their heart, not just the firms themselves. Way too much marketing still screams ‘look at me and how clever I am!’ rather than being empathetic, helping address audience pain points, and solving their problems. If you can do this without boring them to death, that also helps.
One of the biggest challenges for marketing and business development teams working within law firms is to engage the managing partners in the process – what’s your personal tip for getting this to work?
Appeal to their self-interest – and do it in ways they will understand (i.e. focus on selling value/outcomes/benefits; you can focus on the process behind it later, if necessary). Tell them how your plans and schemes will make their life easier / raise their profile / boost revenues / make the world a better place / whatever makes them tick. In other words, treat them like any other audience.
What do you believe is essential to creating a positive and effective content marketing strategy?
Know your goals. Know your audience. Know that there’s no excuse for boring anyone anymore.
Looking at the agenda for the Law Firm Marketing Summit, which sessions [apart from your own, of course] are you most looking forward to?
Annabel Rake’s keynote so I can hear – and hopefully steal – her ideas on the next big thing.
If you were to relocate to work in another country, which would you pick?
I’ll answer that once we see how Brexit is panning out.
Michael will be joining our panel on creating a smart content marketing strategy this November. For more information, check out our agenda for 2018.
