Directory season isn’t too far away and many of you will have the submission process on your radar, along with that familiar tightening of the stomach and slight cold sweat as you remember last year’s mad dash to the finish line on deadline day (the one you promised would never happen again the previous year.)
Whilst it’s always nice to be recognised for your hard work, it’s important to understand why you’re pursuing a certain award or status, and this article asks the question, would the time and effort involved in the submission process be better directed elsewhere?
Undoubtedly, trust icons from awards and directories look great on your website; they instantly tell the visitor that you are a leader in your field. But do your clients ever look at Chambers or Legal 500? Does having a large trophy cabinet in your reception area equate to larger profits? Do awards and rankings induce your clients to trust you more? We think, like the answer to most vexing legal questions, that it depends.
What are your goals?
Awards and rankings are an excellent tool for recruiting and retaining the best people to work for your firm. Awards and rankings can boost morale in your firm and give greater confidence to your current clients. They can also be used to boost the visibility and brand of your firm. But do they help you to gain more clients? Is that your aim? Maybe, maybe not. Whatever it is that you are trying to achieve with awards and directories, understanding what your goals are from the outset before pursuing particular awards or directory rankings is key.
One of the first things we ask new clients is what they are looking to achieve. This can vary greatly from becoming recognised as an industry leader in their field to wanting to generate more business through more effective use of the internet. This process of discovery is important as it allows us to put together a comprehensive strategy for meeting these aims, which may or may not include awards and directories.
ROI on awards and directories is difficult to measure and thus, it is important to be strategic about which awards and rankings you apply for and before you begin the process. Here are just some of the things you should think about when assessing whether to invest time and money in preparing and submitting material to the organisers/publishers.
- What are the strategic aims of our firm and our fee earners?
- Are there better means of achieving these aims?
- Is there a likelihood of achieving the recognition sought?
- How will this recognition really affect the firm as a whole?
- Has this type of recognition been brought to our attention by clients or potential clients?
- Is this type of recognition on the radar of our clients?
Resourcing Submissions
Completing awards and directory submissions can be a time-consuming process for fee earners, but a well drafted submission can make all the difference to your chances of success. Providing the right information about your practice, and following the research process properly will make all the difference. Many firms have an individual or even a team responsible for submissions or for liaising with the marketing department to create submissions. However, it may be beneficial to outsource submissions to a specialist marketing agency with niche legal sector expertise in order both to relieve the pressure of drafting the submission from your team and to have your submissions drafted more efficiently.
We count amongst our team ex in-house law firm marketing professionals who, along with our trusted network of legal sector specific providers, can help you manage awards and directory submissions and make sure you are providing exactly what is required to give your firm the best chance of success.
Our submissions service includes, but isn’t limited to:
- Maintaining an awareness of deadlines
- Preparing your firm’s submissions
- Liaising with the directories editorial teams to set up interviews
- Obtaining feedback
Moore Legal Technology – Dedicated to Your Law Firm’s Success
For more information on how we can help you with your awards/directory submissions, or on our comprehensive range of digital, marketing, sales, branding and strategic services, contact chris@moorelegaltechnology.co.uk
