Every law firm knows that exceptional legal expertise isn’t enough to stand out in today’s saturated marketplace. To attract and retain clients, law firms need robust marketing strategies that combine creativity, innovation, and technology.
However, marketing a law firm comes with its own set of challenges. From adhering to strict regulatory requirements to staying relevant in a highly competitive landscape, firms often need extra support to run impactful campaigns.
This editorial explores how marketing tools, especially AI-driven solutions, can give solicitors and law firms the edge they need to thrive. We’ll cover key tools, common mistakes, and how you can start implementing innovative strategies, with no technical expertise required.
Benefits of AI Marketing Tools for Law Firms
AI-based marketing tools offer several advantages:
- Efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks like content creation and SEO optimization.
- Cost Savings: Reduce reliance on traditional marketing strategies while achieving better results.
- Targeted Campaigns: Use data-driven insights to tailor campaigns to specific audiences.
- Improved Lead Generation: Attract more qualified leads through optimised strategies.
Over the last 6 months there have been huge advancements in AI. One such one is voice and avatar cloning. No not like Dolly, the first ever sheep to be cloned. But the ability to clone your voice or you, in audio or video form. I tried and tested this with tools such as ElevenLabs and Synthesia, both delivered excellent results. How often are you asked to record a short video or explain something repeatedly.
What if your blog could be taken and converted to audio in just a few minutes, in your voice? It is not 100% perfect and one client who has a Welsh accent came across as with an American accent. But as AI advances at the speed we are seeing, it is just a matter of time before it is perfected.
All of my blogs I have written, are now in audio form on my podcast here. It would take me hours if not days to record me narrating this content. Instead, it took me 1 hour. I don’t strive for perfection, but I now have content available in two formats providing double the chance of getting my brand out there.
I think the biggest benefit of utilising AI in a law firm, is time and resource. Not all law firms are lucky enough to have marketing person in-house or they might have a partner who ‘dabbled’ in some LinkedIn posts. You don’t need to be tech savvy, you just need to know what the right prompts are to ask. Think of AI tools as a little toddler, you give feed it junk you get junk out. But if you prepare your prompts with more detail, the better the result.
A crucial way for law firms to drive more business is through blogging. However, many firms focus on writing content they think clients should read, rather than content clients want. Often, there’s no keyword research (the terms search engines use to rank content), no consistency in brand voice or tone, and, most importantly, no consideration of the client’s perspective.
If you don’t have the budget for a copywriter, then AI is a great alternative to start from. Provide key information around your target audience, common questions, keywords, tone of voice and a synopsis. Don’t say ‘write me an article on Conveyancing’.
Five Key Tips for Using AI in Law Firm Marketing
1. Start Small: Begin with AI solutions that address specific needs, like content or image generation.
2. Focus on Relevant Tools: Content driven tools such as ChatGPT, Deepseek and Perplexity will help form your content.
3. Leverage Data Analysis: AI tools can provide actionable insights to help refine your strategies and save you time by reviewing large amounts of data in a short amount of time and provide key insight able actions on what to do with it.
4. Customise Automation: Use AI to personalise email campaigns or streamline client onboarding processes. Chatbots for specific areas of your website that can answer common questions. Freeing up valuable resources.
5. Time: Reduce your administrative tasks by creating workflows in your marketing and tailoring the process for key areas of law.
Five Mistakes to Avoid When Using AI
1. Over-reliance on Automation: AI tools should assist, not replace, your team’s strategic thinking.
2. Ignoring Ethical Considerations: Avoid tools that might put client confidentiality or compliance at risk. Make sure you have a policy of what is allowed to be used in your firm.
3. Choosing Complex Platforms: Select tools that align with your team’s skillset to ensure adoption is seamless.
4. Neglecting Updates: AI improves quickly, so choose platforms that evolve and innovate frequently.
5. Failing to Measure ROI: Always assess whether an AI tool is delivering tangible results for your marketing strategy.
I have always said, AI does the heavy lifting around 80% of the work but you the legal expert needs to provide the last 20%. By combining both, you have a much better chance of harnessing and utilising the AI landscape.
Rich Dibbins is the founder of Staxton Digital, a marketing consultancy for professional services
