Accounting for nearly one-quarter of the U.S. population, suffice it to say, the Millennial generation is huge. Second only in numbers to the Baby Boomer generation, it’s clear that law firms need to be strategic in their marketing in order to directly reach these young men and women, who now represent 35% of the workforce.
At a minimum, law firms should recognize that millennials are the first generation to grow up with the internet and smart phones and in the midst of the Great Recession. But in order to develop and execute effective marketing campaigns that connect with this audience, you must dig deeper.
It’s vital to know that millennials engage in plenty of research. More than half reach out to multiple attorneys when they need legal counsel. By contrast, less than 40% of individuals in other generations contact more than one attorney.
Millennial research is overwhelmingly done on the internet, and this generation is particularly adept and swift when it comes to finding what they need online. To that end, law firms need to maximize online marketing in these specific ways:
- Leverage Content within an Integrated Communications Strategy
Law firms will benefit from using technology to leverage content within an integrated communications strategy when marketing to millennials. This is accomplished by using one piece of content across multiple platforms, such as a blog, podcast and social media. Devise your content strategy within a framework that involves identifying relevant topics, developing compelling insights, packaging the insights effectively, optimizing distribution, and engaging with clients, prospects and influencers.
- Provide DIY Options/Free Education
Millennials grew up in the Great Recession and studies suggest they make less money than their parents did at the same age. Therefore, providing helpful, free advice in blogs or on social media can go a long way in grabbing their attention. This may be as simple as directing them to standard legal documents or providing a checklist of tips when launching a start-up business. For example, tips can come in the form of a blog titled “How do I dissolve a business partnership?” or “Four steps to set up an LLC the right way.”
- Maintain a Robust Social Media Presence
Millennials rely on social media nearly twice as much as other legal consumers, so it’s important that you have a robust presence on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Content used for blogs, podcasts, videos, graphics and marketing collateral should always be shared on your social media channels.
- Accept the Good and the Bad of Online Reviews
Millennials have also grown up in the world of online reviews and are quick to state their experiences on Yelp, Google and other sites. Good online reviews ostensibly work in your favor. But a few less-than-positive reviews aren’t going to make or break your firm, either. It is a fact of life that no matter how hard you may work, there are going to be people you can’t please. Trust your millennial audience to recognize that perhaps the problem wasn’t your firm at all, but rather the reviewer. Similarly, having a lot of great reviews but a few less than raving reviews, can be important when it comes to making your firm look genuine. Less than favorable reviews can be considered great free market research, offering you an opportunity to improve in areas needing attention.
As millennials continue to come of age and become the largest population of prospective clients, it is vital that your marketing to this demographic is actually reaching them. If your tech and mobile marketing aren’t focused on leveraging content via multiple platforms, embracing reviews and offering easy solutions, you’re liable to miss the mark with this group.
