12 Skills to Look for in Your Legal BD & Marketing Hire in 2024

The legal industry is fiercely competitive, and effective marketing can be the difference between a thriving law firm and one that merely survives. At LGC Africa, we understand the importance of strategic marketing and business development for legal professionals. Here, we'll explore the key qualities and skills to look for when hiring a legal BD and marketing professional to elevate your firm's visibility, attract high-calibre clients, and build a strong reputation.

Why You Need a Marketing Expert

According to Clio, 54% of law firms actively market to acquire new clients however many smaller firms and solo practitioners underestimate the demands of legal marketing. Crafting compelling blog posts, managing social media campaigns, and executing targeted advertising requires significant time, knowledge, and expertise.  

• Deep understanding of the legal industry: They should possess a thorough grasp of the legal sector, its challenges, and its opportunities. This includes knowledge of various practice areas, client expectations, and the legal profession's regulatory environment.
• Visual communication skills: Eye-catching visuals are essential for creating engaging marketing materials. While they don't need to be professional graphic designers, basic proficiency in photo editing and design tools like Canva or Photoshop is a must.
• Communication skills: A skilled marketer can convey complex legal concepts in a clear and compelling way for a non-specialist audience. They should also have strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with lawyers, understand their needs, and translate those needs into successful marketing campaigns.
• Social media marketing expertise: Social media platforms offer a powerful way to build an audience, share valuable content, and directly engage with potential clients. A strong social media presence is no longer optional in today's legal landscape.
• Proven success with email marketing: Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reach a large audience. It allows for targeted campaigns tailored to specific practice areas and client segments, ensuring maximum impact.
• Basic SEO knowledge: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is essential for ensuring your website ranks highly in search engine results. A basic understanding of SEO will help your marketing consultant optimise your website and content for discoverability.
• WordPress proficiency: WordPress is a popular platform for managing law firm websites. Your marketing consultant should have the skills to design and manage a user-friendly and professional website that adheres to web development best practices.
• Copywriting skills: Compelling and persuasive copywriting is key to attracting clients, building trust, and conveying your firm's expertise and values.
• Marketing analytics expertise: Understanding and analysing marketing data is crucial for maximising the effectiveness of your campaigns. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics allows for data-driven decision making and continuous improvement.
• Content creation and management: High-quality, relevant content is king in legal marketing. Your ideal marketing consultant should excel at creating content that positions your firm as a thought leader in your practice area. This includes blog posts, white papers, case studies, and more. They should also be skilled at managing content calendars to ensure consistent and timely content delivery.
• Relationship Management: Underlying these core competencies, it's crucial that your legal marketing hire is adept at building and maintaining relationships, both internally with colleagues and externally with clients. They need to be approachable, empathetic, and effective communicators who can listen to and address the needs of various stakeholders.
• Attention to detail: Legal marketing involves managing numerous campaigns and content pieces, all of which require precision and accuracy. From ensuring that all marketing materials comply with legal advertising standards to meticulously tracking campaign metrics, detail attentiveness is key to maintaining the firm's reputation and achieving marketing goals.

Leverage LGC Africa's Extensive Network 

At LGC Africa, we have an extensive network of marketing  and business development professionals. This enables us to promote law firm roles effectively within our network, ensuring that you have access to top-tier talent. Our connections and industry insights allow us to match your firm with marketing experts who possess the necessary skills and fit your firm's culture and objectives. 

Hiring the ideal legal BD and marketing professional is a strategic investment for any law firm. By focusing on these key qualities and skills, firms can find a marketing expert who not only understands the nuances of the legal industry but also brings a strategic, data-driven, and client-focused approach to their marketing efforts. Contact LGC Africa today to discuss your law firm's marketing needs. 

This content has been adapted from 7 Basic Skills To Look For When Hiring A Law Firm Marketing Consultant by Aaron George and 10 Skills of a Top Law Firm Marketing Consultant by Kim Barloso