If the attorneys who attend our Rainmaker Retreats are any indication, there are still plenty of you out there looking for information on how to start a social media marketing program for your firm.

Just like with any legal case, it all starts with strategy. Here are the steps you need to take to create a social media marketing strategy for your law firm:

Mission. Whether you want to generate more leads or merely enhance your brand in the social media world, you must first set your goals. Be specific.

Market. Define your target market then research their habits, needs and social media activities. 

Message. Craft the message that will best appeal to the needs of your target market and find the keywords that reinforce that message.

Media. Decide which social networks are best for attracting followers and readers who are in your target market.

Medium. Decide what kind of content will help you reach your target – blogs, videos, photos, etc.

Mix. Mix in your social media marketing with your current marketing efforts, adding links to your website, blog, e-newsletters, etc.

Management. Decide who will be responsible for posting , how often you will post, who will manage replies and other management tasks so your social media marketing campaign doesn’t flounder.

Measurement. Measure your stats to see if your audience is growing and what messages and strategies are paying off for you. Then do more to build on that success.

Money. Budget for your social media marketing effort and measure your ROI. If you need to hire outside help, that costs money.