Email provider Constant Contact conducted a survey of 1,300 small business owners. They found that, “A small business owner — along with another employee — will spend an average of 20 hours per week on marketing.”
Does this sound like a lot?
The business owners weren’t selected at random. They were part of the company’s “Small Biz Council,” which suggests they weren’t your average small business because (a) they use email marketing, and (b) they are part of a “Small Biz Council”.
Before you read further, how would you answer this question? How many hours per week do you spend marketing your law practice?
Your answer will depend on how you define marketing.
If you believe that “marketing is everything we do to get and keep good clients,” as I do, you will realize that marketing is deeply baked into our daily activities. It’s not something we put on our calendars and “do” once a week, we do it all day long.
Take client relations, for example. If you spend ten hours a week speaking with, or writing to clients, all of the little things you say and do (and avoid saying and doing) count as marketing. How you greet them–your smile, your handshake, offering them something to drink, cleaning up your desk before escorting them into your private office–it all counts.
Now how about the time you spend writing blog posts, articles, and newsletters, and time spent speaking and networking (including on social media)? You can also count the time you spend reading things you can use in your writing or in conversation with clients and prospects and referral sources.
You’re reading this post right now, either in your email or on my blog. Â In my book, time spent learning about marketing counts as marketing.
Are you adding this up?
Don’t forget the time you spend communicating with staff or outside vendors about your website, advertising, PR, or content creation.
Are you on any committees? Do you do any charitable work? The time you spend at meetings or playing in charity golf tournaments is at least partially marketing related since you are building relationships with people who can send you business or otherwise further your career.
So, you spend a lot more time on marketing than you thought. Now that you are aware of this, you can consciously improve your marketing.
The next time you meet with a client, think about how you can improve their experience. What else can you do or say? What can you give them?
Look at everything you do throughout your day and think about how you can do it better, faster, or more effectively. Because marketing is everything we do to get and keep good clients.
Want to get better at marketing your law practice? Here’s what you need.
