In Nigeria we all know there are certain courses that are prestigious, and as expected, very competitive. Law is one of them. Each year millions of students put law as their first choice in UTME. After 5 years in university, another 1 year in law school, and another 1 year for NYSC, that is 7 full years of training before you can be called a lawyer.
After spending 7 years to become a lawyer, many people think the new lawyer will automatically enter comfort. They think you will be employed by a big law firm in Lagos or Abuja and start collecting fat salaries immediately. But the reality is different.
Many young lawyers finish law school and start moving from one interview to another. They submit CVs, they attend interviews, they do free attachment, but nothing positive comes out. After a while, many have no choice but to start their own law firm.
Starting your own law firm is a good idea. It gives you freedom. But the truth is, Nigeria already has thousands of law firms. From small firms on one street in Ibadan, to big chambers on Victoria Island, competition is high. So if you want to soar, you must be unique. You must stand out. That is what this article is for.
Before we go into the ideas, let me tell you one honest thing. Many lawyers are not getting clients because they are not doing business development at all. They spend time on wrong activities. They sit in office waiting for clients to walk in. They argue with colleagues about cases, but they never market their firm. Marketing is not beneath lawyers. It is what will keep your firm alive.
Here are ten uncommon but practical ideas you can use to market your law firm and stand out in your career.
10 Practical Ideas
1. Set aside a percentage of your gross revenue for marketing
If you live in Nigeria, you will notice that manufacturing companies take marketing very seriously. Coca Cola, Dangote, Nestle, they spend millions every year to make people know them. But service firms like law firms do not take marketing seriously. That is wrong.
Marketing is important for every business, whether you sell pure water or offer legal advice. Your law firm is not exempted.
So what should you do? Set aside at least 2.5 percent of your gross revenue every year for marketing and publicity. And this is separate from staff salaries. If your firm made 10 million naira last year, set aside 250,000 naira for marketing. Use it for online ads, printing flyers, sponsoring events, making videos, or running your website.
When you spend money on marketing wisely, you will get results. Marketing is not waste. It is investment. Many lawyers pretend to be marketing by just posting on WhatsApp status. That is not enough. Be intentional.
2. Focus on measurable marketing only
Money is scarce. Time is also scarce. So do not waste them on marketing you cannot measure.
What is measurable marketing? It means you can know if it is working or not. For example, if you run a Facebook ad, Facebook will show you how many people clicked and called your office. If you print flyers and add your WhatsApp number, you can count how many people messaged you from that flyer.
But if you sponsor an event and nobody can trace any client back to that event, then that marketing is immeasurable. Stop it.
Always ask yourself, how will I know this is working? If you cannot answer that question, do not spend money on it. Track every campaign. Keep records. That is how smart firms grow.
3. Build your own returning clients
Your best marketing tool is your current clients. Strive to have your own clients who will call you their lawyer. Clients who trust you, who love how you handle their matters, and who will always send work to you.
Start with the few clients you have now. Treat them very well. Reply their calls on time. Explain things to them in simple English, not too much grammar. Follow up after their case is finished. Send them a happy new year message. Remember their birthdays.
When you treat people well, they will not go anywhere else. And they will bring their brother, sister, and friend to you. Aim to turn every new client into your official client. That is how big firms started. One client at a time.
4. Add a video to your website
A lot of people today grew up with the internet. Many of them prefer to watch video than to read long text. If someone visits your law firm website and sees a 2 minute video of you speaking, it builds trust immediately.
In the video, you can introduce yourself. Say your name. Say the kind of cases you handle. Let people see how you talk, how you dress, and what you are like as a person. Nigerians hire lawyers they can relate with.
You do not need a Hollywood camera. A clean video shot with a good phone is enough. Post it on your website and on YouTube. That one video can make your firm stand out from 100 other firms that only have text on their site.
5. Join associations and be active
As a lawyer who wants to grow, you must be strategic. Look for opportunities your colleagues are ignoring and use them.
One of those opportunities is joining trade associations, not just the Nigerian Bar Association. For example, if you want real estate clients, join the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria. If you want business clients, join the Lagos Chamber of Commerce. If you want clients in the fashion industry, join fashion designers associations.
When you join, do not just attend meetings and keep quiet. Volunteer to serve. Offer to help with their legal matters. Before you know it, you can be on the board of directors. And guess what? That association is full of potential clients who will patronize your services. Your client base will keep growing without you chasing people.
6. Ask for referrals the right way
Most lawyers get their best clients from referrals. But two things must be in place.
First, only satisfied clients will refer you. If you did a bad job or you were rude, no one will recommend you. So deliver good service first.
Second, referrals do not just happen by themselves. You must influence it. After you finish a case successfully for a client, thank them and say, please if you know anyone who needs help with land matters or company registration, kindly refer them to me. Tell them the exact type of cases you handle.
Many clients want to help you but they do not know what kind of work you do. When you tell them, it becomes easy for them to refer.
7. Write a simple business plan for your firm
I know you are a lawyer, not a businessman. But your law firm is also a business. Do not ignore business planning.
A business plan does not have to be 50 pages. Write 2 pages. What kind of law will you focus on? Family law, criminal law, corporate law, land matters? Who are your target clients? How will you get clients? How much money do you need monthly to run the office? What is your goal for the next 12 months?
When you have a plan, you will stop doing random things. You will know where you are going. Many lawyers fail because they have no direction. Write your plan and review it every 3 months.
8. Identify and pursue target clients
Not every client is equal. Some clients will give your career a big leap. Identify those people, organizations, and bodies and make them your target.
For example, if you specialize in company law, your target clients should be startups, SMEs, and business owners in your city. If you do land matters, your target should be real estate developers and property owners.
Once you know them, pursue them with strategy. Attend their events. Offer free 15 minute consultations. Write short articles that solve their legal problems and share them. When you focus on the right people, you will grow faster than a lawyer who takes every kind of case.
9. Devote time for business development every year
I know lawyers are busy with court, filings, and clients. But ask yourself, what is the point of being busy if your firm is not growing?
Set aside time every year for business development. Maybe 200 hours in a year. That is about 4 hours every week. Use that time only for marketing and growth activities.
In those 4 hours you can write an article, record a short video, meet one potential client for coffee, update your website, or send messages to old clients. Protect that time like you protect court time. If you do this consistently, your firm will not remain small.
10. Be known for one thing first
This is a bonus idea. Instead of saying you handle every kind of case, be known for one area first. Maybe divorce and custody matters. Maybe company registration. Maybe land documentation in Ogun state.
When people hear your name, they should immediately think of that one thing. That is how you stand out. Later you can expand. But start narrow, become an expert, and let your reputation spread. People trust specialists more than generalists.
Final word
Law is a noble profession, but nobility alone does not bring clients. You must combine your legal knowledge with smart marketing and business sense.
Set aside money for marketing. Track your results. Treat your clients like kings. Use video. Join associations. Ask for referrals. Write a plan. Target the right people. Devote time to growth. And be known for one thing.
Do these things consistently and your law firm will not struggle. You will soar above the competition.
Remember, you spent 7 years to become a lawyer. Do not let lack of marketing waste those years. Invest in your firm like you invested in your education. Your future clients are waiting. Go and meet them.
God bless your practice.
