Legal marketing has traditionally been categorized as Business-to-Business (B2B) as opposed to product marketing which is categorized as Business-to-Consumer (B2C). Ultimately, the goal for promoting a product or a professional service is the same: to drive revenue by building and sustaining a reputable brand that earns client loyalty and trust. Whether that’s B2B or B2C, or a bit of both, is what we’ll consider in this article.
Some argue that B2B campaigns lack authenticity and emotional connection, and that B2B marketers should try to weave in some B2C tactics that humanize the product (aka the service or attorney) and enable a deeper connection with clients. My B2B legal marketing career actually changed midway when I joined a pet brand marketing agency that leveraged B2C tactics. The distinction was clear to me: B2B was formal with traditional marketing/advertising/sponsorship tactics, whereas B2C was more conversational and leveraged emotions and humanity in PR campaigns, website content, and social media, and of course product reviews and trade show exhibits.
When I boomeranged back to Jaffe in 2017 and caught up with my friend and Jaffe co-owner Terry M. Isner about my B2C experiences, he had already conceptualized blending select B2B and B2C tactics to build integrated marketing campaigns for our law firm clients. Clients would still benefit from a traditional grouping of B2B’s “safer” tactics of PR, sponsorships and conferences, for example, with the add on of B2C’s focus on storytelling and distinctive voice across platforms like social media and podcasts. It’s been several years since that conversation with Terry, and we’re still going strong with these blended or integrated campaigns for our law firm clients. Here are key ways to think about B2C within a B2B context.
1. B2B or B2C, You Have to Know Your Target Audience
Consumers and business clients have many options now for products and services, and competition is fierce, whether we are looking at pet products, legal services, cosmetics, food or even the neighborhood restaurant. If I ask a lawyer, “Who is the firm’s target audience?” sometimes the answer is “everyone who needs legal services.” Similarly, asking a pet brand executive the same question could result in, “Everyone in the world who has a pet!” But we know that casting a wide net dilutes the efficacy of a marketing program. Yes, a law firm would love to be of service to everyone, but we know that vision is not realistic, and so as marketers we do the work needed to define our target audiences. Whether it’s a dog toy for the owner of an aggressive labrador or a family lawyer for a separated spouse, the marketing message needs to speak to the right audience. B2C marketers are great at defining “buyer personas.” Legal marketers can do the same. Is the buyer an individual or a group? Does location, size, or industry segment drive that buyer to the practice group? Is it defined by longevity or early market entry? Create lists of buyer attributes, just like B2C marketers do, and you’ll get closer to defining target audiences.
2. B2B or B2C, You Must Study Your Website Content Objectively for User Experience
Content matters. We know websites are not perfect, and these days they are outdated as soon as they are updated. But perception is personal, and it’s just too easy for visitors to give up on a site and find another company. B2B and B2C company homepages are often the first entry point when a user is researching the potential purchase of services or products (For law firms, bios are the most highly visited pages). The value of the website depends upon the content. Can a user find what they are looking for? Try studying your firm’s website as objectively as you can and anticipate how a prospect may begin a journey to becoming your next client.
Let’s say you’re ready to purchase a product on a company’s website but you can’t find the “Order Now” button. Or you want to buy a new dog treat online but you can’t find the ingredients list to check for allergies. Between your own frustration and the website attention span that is on average just a few seconds, you are likely to move on, taking your buyer persona elsewhere.
The point is that you must have a website that suits your visitors’ needs. For instance, when a pet owner comes to a website to learn about a procedure and book a veterinary appointment, they can’t be expected to spend 10 minutes looking for information. The bad user experience will lead the pet owner to another veterinary hospital website that is easier to use.
Likewise, a prospect with a legal problem comes to your website to quickly determine if your firm handles similar problems, if the practice group description verifies your experience with the problems, and if the lawyers’ bios clearly show credentials and experience.
So, take some time to objectively study your website to determine the user experience; then make it better, or your visitors will simply go to your competitor’s website.
3. B2B or B2C, You Need to State What Sets You Apart
If you own a pet, you have certainly stood in the treats aisle of a pet store, with dozens of options at your fingertips. What made you pick one product over another?
The answer is messaging. Through publicity, social media and branding, the pet product companies work hard to place messages on their packaging and in your conscience. These companies, like law firms, are looking for positive customer reviews, high marks on published rankings (yes, there are rankings in the pet world, too), and client satisfaction through testimonials, all of which can lead to referrals.
But how do these businesses come up with their messaging? Every pet product company worth its salt must go through a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) to identify strengths that the company can use for messages and branding. Each company has to appreciate what sets its product apart from similar products. They have to understand that it is not just about their strengths, but their internal weaknesses, external opportunities and threats that must be examined. This base of knowledge is imperative to developing solid marketing campaigns.
Law firms, too, benefit greatly from SWOT workshops and analysis.
At least once a year, do a SWOT analysis, and consider what has to happen with marketing to achieve positive outcomes for visibility and branding. You may discover that you need to better articulate what sets your firm, practice or lawyers apart from similar law firms.
4. B2B or B2C, Know What Else Your Client Needs
When a consumer trusts a company’s brand, they’ll make it a habit to seek out information about the company and it’s likely they will purchase additional products or services from the same brand. Similarly, multi-practice law firms want their clients to use the experience of several practice groups for various matters. This takes effort from the lawyers specifically.
How do B2C companies know what their customers want? They listen. How can a law firm do this? By knowing what the market thinks of the firm – whether that’s in Chambers USA rankings, peer-review lists, or by asking clients what else they need. Lawyers should always be listening for their clients’ needs, anticipating their business challenges for them and advising them to potentially work with additional practices within the firm. Successful cross-selling depends upon these conversations. Try having this conversation with a client and then follow through on making introductions to colleagues, to best support the client’s needs.
5. B2C or B2B, You’ve Got to be Social
Pet brands perform very well on social media, using carefully developed tones, styles, and of course photos. While your law firm won’t publicize contests and giveaways like a pet brand might, you can still think about what your audience wants from social media conversations. LinkedIn is what our colleague Steph Maher calls “the online networking reception.” She means showing up on LinkedIn the same way you would in any room of professionals and speaking to people about what you do, your expertise and the service you provide. The more authentic you are, the stronger your connection is and the more likely you’ll be thought of when they have a need. People like doing business with people they like. If your firm or your lawyers are not quite comfortable with social media, it’s worth talking to Steph for campaign ideas and communication styles that will ease a lawyer’s mind.
In conclusion, while law firms may not have the budgets or reach of major consumer brands, it still makes sense to look to B2C companies’ marketing campaigns to inform B2B businesses with new perspectives. While “the whole world” may not need either a pet product or legal services, a segment of that population certainly will. Knowing how to define that audience, provide excellent user experiences, communicate differentiators, cross sell and use social media is what Terry and I mean when we talk about integrated marketing campaigns. Pull from what B2C brands do so well, and blend with B2B techniques, to build out an effective and unique marketing program.
Need help defining and reaching your audience with an integrated marketing campaign? Contact me, Liz Lindley, at llindley@jaffepr.com.