It’s a marketing thing, silly, not a two-headed talking llama (pushmi-pullyu) from the1960’s Dr. Dolittle movie.
Ah, now you remember. You know what that means, don’t you?
It means you’re old.
Yes, but what does this have to do with marketing?
It’s a reminder that there are two types of marketing: “Push” and “Pull”.
With push marketing, you push your message at prospective clients, whether they ask for it or not.
”Hire me,” “Call me,” “Buy my book,” “Here’s a list of my practice areas and my headshot—don’t I look successful?”
“Pull” marketing does the opposite.
You draw people to you, usually by giving away information or something else the prospect needs or wants. They find your name and offer through search or on social or a referral. Or through an ad.
Yes, most people know you want to sell your services, but because the information is free, there is less resistance and you can get a lot of takers.
Which one is better? They both work. The question is, which works better for you?
Are you trying to attract people who know they need an attorney and are trying to find the right one? Are you building a list so you can market to prospective clients over time? Are you focusing on building name recognition in your target market to support your other marketing efforts?
Or all three?
Push marketing can get your name and offer in front of more people, especially if you’re using paid ads. But that doesn’t mean you’ll get more clients.
Pull marketing can generate a high response because you’re giving away something, but many of those responses only want the freebie and aren’t able or willing to hire you. On the other hand, if your information is valuable and not just more of the “hire me” variety, you could see a lot of new clients because your information proves you know what you’re doing.
You won’t know what’s best for you without testing different options.
If you’re starting out or have a limited ad budget, build a list. You’ll be able to stay in touch with prospective clients, show them what you do and how you can help them, and build a relationship with them that could develop into a lot of long-term clients.
If you are in a highly competitive market, with prospects who need help sooner rather than later, advertising might be your best bet if you have the funds to do enough of it.
Ideally, you’ll be able to do both. Use push marketing to get in front of clients who need help today and pull marketing to build a list for tomorrow.
