Spending time in DC at the 40th annual LMA with a whole host of legal marketing colleagues and friends, old and new, two things just kept jumping out to me.

Wow!

These are some of the most intelligent, plugged-in marketers I’ve ever met, specifically about their businesses. Most everyone really has their pulse on what makes their firm tick. Where business was strong and where change was needed most. These are a tribe of people that deeply understand law firms and partnership organizations. The trials, tribulations and how to get things done in those environments, which most marketers outside of professional services will never contend with.

But…

Everyone else there from outside the firms was also so focused on law that it felt like a major dose of out-of-category inspiration was sorely needed. Especially for things that require a more creative bent. Unless, that is, we view the legal industry as a world-class benchmark for creative excellence…

Anyway, it feels this wonderful marketing community is simply starving for new thinking from beyond their tight-knit ranks. And I don’t mean just replicating what big consulting firms have done (which I see a lot) but learning from adjacent yet different types of companies doing truly interesting things such as mid-market tech or even the bolder companies in financial services.

When I shared anecdotes from these related industries, people seemed to perk up, wanting more. So here it is, a few simple ideas to help elevate you and your teams:

#1 – Find your brand neighborhood

These are the 4-5 brands from outside your category that your firm’s brand would invite to dinner to spur on engaged, interesting conversation with a healthy amount of diverse perspective. Is it a bold financial leader like BlackRock, the hottest healthtech on the scene like Nourish or something more fun like Mailchimp?

Got them? Great! Now it’s time to learn from them. How do they engage on social media? How do they approach showing mastery through thought leadership? What are the most compelling and memorable aspects of their events? This will provide a healthy jolt of inspiration that can fuel a super productive brainstorm or ten.

#2 – Put clients first, second, third, fourth…

Highly competitive industries such as big law tend to obsess over the facts and figures regarding their close competitive set, often to the detriment of client-centricity. “We have 1,000 lawyers!” “Well, we have 1,200 lawyers!” It’s a game where no one really wins…and, if you do, what does it get you in the end?

Instead, I encourage you to always think and rethink about every single communication from your highest priority client’s point of view. Am I leading with what’s in it for them? Am I supporting it with proof points that show I understand their business? Am I reinforcing what’s in it for them again?

This sounds simple but it’s done less than you’d think. Bringing this filter to communications is the key to stop talking about yourself and start talking about what your clients want to hear—how you listen, understand and solve with them at the heart of everything.

#3 – Make the experience of your brand, your brand

Too often I hear about marketing and business development as something focused on prospect lists, profiles and the like. Obviously you need a short list. Without it, you’re not driving revenue.

However, the thing many law firms (and most professional services firms in general) get wrong is when they do get the meeting, they completely forget about the total experience. The client experience of today typically boils down to some decent food and “the deck” without much thought to the actual experience clients have. Mapping out and optimizing for the pre-, during and post-meeting is the path to creating an experience that’s memorable while facilitating the ever-critical deepening of relationships you need.

So ask yourself, what are we doing the 1-3 days before the meeting to show them we care, we are prepared and we have been thinking about you and your business this whole time? What do we do in the meeting to make it feel like “us” while also creating moments for true connection? What are we doing the 1-3 days after the meeting to turn a “great meeting” into something actionable and super client-oriented?

Parting thoughts

Thank you to LMA and the legal marketing community for the insights, fun and energy. I look forward to attending again next year and the year after…seeing the level of outside inspiration continue to explode and the crew of marketers more excited than ever to make bold moves.

They and their firms certainly deserve it.