Most lawyers don’t think about it. They present what they do to the world and see who’s interested.
“Here’s some information about the law and about me and my services. If you have this problem or that desire, here’s what I can do to help you.“
When someone shows interest, they talk to them and show them more.
In time, these lawyers get to know more about their clients and their markets and are better able to serve them and more easily market to them.
This works.
But there’s another way.
The other way is to build your audience first and tailor what you do and how you present it to appeal to that audience.
You find a niche that has a need (and the ability to pay a lawyer). You study the niche and learn all about it. And you create marketing materials, websites, and approaches that speak to that audience.
With the first approach, the market is bigger, but there is more competition. It is harder to stand out, and marketing is less effective and more expensive.
The second approach has less competition, marketing is less expensive and more effective, but by definition, the chosen niche is smaller than the broader market.
Both approaches work; which approach is right for you?
Maybe both.
Offer your services broadly and see who finds you. Learn about them and their market and build relationships with them and the people they know.
At the same time, choose a niche market, study it and target it.
I used both approaches in my practice. I started broadly, learned how to practice law and how to pay my bills.
And then I settled in on a couple of niche markets, which allowed me to grow bigger, faster.
Sometimes, the easiest way to find a niche that’s right for you is to look for it among your existing clients.
How to find the right niche for your practice
