In the second instalment of a continuing series on law firm marketing, Sebastian Fox discusses the most effective methods of communicating with clients

When thinking about marketing, the knee-jerk reaction of many law firms is to write a brochure.

Why? In today's age of electronic communication where it is cost effective and easy to target clients with individual messages, the predominant way of informing clients of a firm's services and capabilities is still the brochure.

For sure, there may be circumstances when a brochure works best, but when was the last time you thought of doing something different?

Think about the various ways in which you receive information - TV, radio, newspapers, direct mail, magazines, the Internet, mobile telephone.

You are constantly being bombarded with various messages about products and services available.

What most people find is that they tend to ignore - consciously or not - much of the information being thrown at them, especially if it does not appear relevant.

By contrast, where something is sent that appears to be highly relevant to you - and probably personalised - you are much more likely to sit up and take notice.

What's more, if it has been sent in the format that you prefer to receive - making it that much easier for you to hear and understand - then so much the better.

Your clients are no different.

Every day in their personal and business lives they receive many different messages, most of which they will ignore.

The key is to deliver your message in a way that stands out, and which makes it easy for your clients to hear (or read) and understand what, if anything, you want them to do.

There's no magic formula to doing this.

Effective communication - a message your clients will want to read - is generally:

- Personalised - the message needs to be relevant and tailored to the reader;

- Relevant to the objective - what you are communicating should direct the way in which it is done;

- Attractive to look at - this does not mean that it has to be in colour or have pictures but it should be simple, avoiding clutter and have the key message clearly stated and easily understood;

- Short - most people will only retain five to seven facts in a list, or they will scan the top two and last items only, omitting everything in between;

- Useful - it tells readers something they need to know, preferably before anyone else has thought to inform them;

- Clear in what you are asking the reader to do - whether it's to return a reply slip, keep the message or expect a call from you within the next few days.

The way in which you send the message should vary according to the client's preferences.

Of course, some people will prefer a letter, but have you considered sending e-mails or an SMS? Bear in mind that under the terms of the data protection legislation, you need to have express permission from anyone you have included in your database or address list to send them information and be listed in that database.

Do not underestimate the power of the Internet.

A well-designed Web site can convey much more information than a brochure, and is much more flexible.

But if you do need a brochure, follow the principles outlined for communications.

Brochures are often filled with 'feature' statements such as: 'we have 25 fee-earners with offices in X, Y and Z' or 'the firm was established in 1932'.

Neither of these statements gives the reader a compelling reason to use you.

It's much better to state 'when you need to make a personal injury claim there's no firm with more experience and better results than...' which tells the reader why using your firm would be better than going to one of your rivals.

Office details and the names of the heads of department can always be placed on the back cover where they are easy to find.

Another good tip for brochures is to quote client endorsements of your work.

It is a powerful way to reinforce your reputation, and it helps break up the text.

It's also useful to have a few clients read the draft brochure before it is sent to print to enable you to gauge typical reactions and make amendments before it is too late.

The previous article in this series (see [2003] Gazette, 24 July, 38) talked about the importance of reputation management in ensuring client loyalty and winning new clients.

Many high street law firms get positive press in their local newspapers.

How is this managed? Do you have a partner or member of staff whose responsibility it is to manage the relationship with the press? If you do not, it is certainly worth thinking about to make sure that you know which journalist to speak to (and they know which lawyer to speak to), and that your spokesperson has some experience in handling the press.

Building a relationship with the press can be time-consuming, but if the clients you want to reach will be reading, then it is usually worth doing since you are then better able to influence the content and tone of articles about your firm.

In the context of managing your external communications, it's also worth considering the use of a public relations adviser or agency.

This PR consultant will usually have existing relationships with the local - or perhaps the national - press and can give you guidance as to what should or should not be said in public.

They can also advise you on what types of articles and comments will be of interest to journalists and draft these for you.

Although there is obviously an expense involved (probably dependent on the number of hours spent on your account), the benefit in terms of expertise and time saved by your own staff not having to do the legwork can be significant.

However, the crucial element in all communication is consistency.

All your firm's communications should have the same look and feel, whether it is a simple letter, a document or a brochure - same colours, same typeface.

The way in which you communicate reinforces clients' perceptions about your firm.

An orderly, consistent suite of communication materials gives a completely different impression to ad hoc and endlessly changing styles and colours.

Think about easyJet and Virgin as examples of companies that are consistent in the style and manner in which they communicate.

You do not need to spend large amounts on designing a new logo or brochure.

You simply need to have a common understanding in the firm as to what can and what cannot be used in external communications, and everyone should follow those guidelines.

The next time you want to talk to your clients about a development in the law or a new service you are offering, take a moment to reflect on how it can best be done.

Effective communication could save you a lot of time and money, and get a better result.

Sebastian Fox is a marketing consultant and was a marketing director at Eversheds, where he managed the firm's marketing in the west midlands and the litigation and dispute management practice group nationally