Legal Marketing: What can you do to make your firm an authority in the market?

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If you have a law degree, or even own a law firm, you have probably heard that marketing and advertising are not allowed for lawyers, right? Not knowing about the possibility of legal marketing is a big mistake, as the OAB allows the advertising of legal services – with several reservations regarding ethics, of course.

But what is the best way to be seen by the public without exceeding the limitations imposed by the OAB? One of the best alternatives that has been practiced by some lawyers is digital marketing . This is a strategy focused on increasing the number of clients and meetings, generating authority in the market for the firm or even for the lawyer – all in a lawful manner and provided for in the OAB code of ethics and discipline.

The internet offers a world of possibilities for law firms that want to build their reputation and attract new clients. Especially for new lawyers who are just starting their careers and for experienced lawyers who want to work in new market niches, digital marketing can be a great competitive advantage.

Do you want to better understand how you can practice legal honduras phone number lead marketing and become an authority in the market while still following the OAB guidelines? Check it out below!

The new consumer profile
The consumer profile has undergone a major change in recent years, mainly due to the internet in their lives. According to a survey conducted by SPC Brasil, nine out of ten Brazilian consumers with internet access have the habit of doing online research before making purchases in physical stores.

This is not very difficult to explain, since the number of searches carried out on Google was 2.7 billion in 2006 and jumped to 31 billion in 2014. Furthermore, a survey carried out by Google in Latin America revealed that 83% of users looking for information trust the opinion of other consumers.

In other words, internet searches have become one of the main ways to bring a client to your law firm. Imagine a person who has questions about their labor rights. When they find an article that answers all their questions, there is a good chance that they will choose to become a client of that lawyer, right?

Pay attention to the OAB rules on legal marketing
The OAB greatly limits the possibilities of legal marketing , but that does not mean that you cannot seek effective ways to use advertising. To do so, it is important to know the CED (Code of Ethics and Discipline) and Provision 94/2000 of the OAB. Here are some important excerpts to understand this issue:

CED (Code of Ethics and Discipline). Chapter IV – “Advertising”. Art. 28. Lawyers may advertise their professional services, individually or collectively, with discretion and moderation, for exclusively informative purposes, and advertising in conjunction with another activity is prohibited.

Provision 94/2000 – “Regulates the advertising, publicity and information of the legal profession.” Art. 1. Informative advertising by lawyers and law firms is permitted, provided that it is limited to bringing to the attention of the general public, or of clients in particular, objective and truthful data regarding the legal services that they intend to provide, in compliance with the rules of the Code of Ethics and Discipline and those of this Provision.

The purpose of the OAB's limitations is to maintain ethical standards for professionals and not to turn the profession into a frenzied hunt for clients – which would be harmful to everyone. However, online advertising is permitted in a non-commercialized manner, that is, based on the production of relevant and informative content for the public.

Digital marketing strategies applied to law firms and lawyers
Now that you have a better understanding of what can and cannot be done within legal marketing , let's better understand what digital marketing is. The first thing you need to know is that it is a strategy that is very different from what you already know about traditional marketing – with television commercials, billboards and product offers all the time.

Digital marketing encompasses a set of strategies aimed at promoting a brand on the internet . However, your goal should not be to convince people to hire your services all the time, but rather to build a relationship channel with your target audience and create authority in your segment – so that your law firm is seen and remembered as the main reference in the area in which it operates.