Conducting a campaign audit is essential to ensure that your marketing efforts are effective and performing at the highest level possible. Setting aside time for this audit is just as crucial as your marketing efforts. 

When Should You Perform a Marketing Audit?

Marketing audits should be routine. They should be built into your schedule, just like other marketing tasks. Typically, once per quarter is sufficient. Although, one of the best times to perform an audit is before setting future marketing goals. This is the time to take a thorough look at what you’ve done in the past by evaluating the numbers. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions about your future marketing endeavors.

Evaluating Growth 

Create reports as easily as possible to learn more about your firm’s growth in the past year. For example, if you already use a marketing agency, ask them if they have a way to perform analytics and run those reports for you. You might be able to get other reports directly from social media platforms and even your office staff, depending on what you have them tracking. You will want to examine number of reports on the following:

• Email subscribers

• Social media followers

• Percentage of callers who became a client

• Number of referral partners and how many referrals they sent

Next, estimate how much you spent on various marketing activities. Be sure to include the time you spent making social media posts, writing newsletters or blog posts, and speaking with others who help with your marketing campaign. Then you’ll need to assign a dollar hourly amount to your own time.

Targeting Your Marketing Efforts

Take a good look at your numbers in relation to your efforts to determine which activities got you the best ROI. Also, think about:

• Which activities can you apply 20 percent more effort to get more results? 

Perhaps some of your marketing campaign activities did relatively well but didn’t perform better due to lack of time or effort. Can you pinpoint at least one to home in on during the next quarter or year? You might be surprised at what a little time and extra effort can do in these areas. For example, maybe your newsletters were well-received, but you only managed to send out two during the past quarter. Consider sending them monthly, expanding your newsletter reach, and adding more helpful information to them. 

• Which activities can be automated or outsourced?

It’s unrealistic to be able to work as a solo practitioner or in a small law firm and take care of all of your marketing needs. The majority of your focus should be on your legal clients. Suppose your marketing campaign lacks time and effort. In that case, it might be time to consider what marketing activities you can automate or outsource. While you will likely spend money doing so, you might be surprised to learn that it gives you an excellent ROI. If your marketing budget is small, start by outsourcing one minor activity and see what happens. 

Marketing a law firm will never be a “set it and forget it” exercise.  Law firms are constantly changing and so a once per quarter review of your marketing efforts will help you include new people in the mix in addition to new practice areas. Firms can also take stock of any new photography that might be needed or consider any new pro bono or community service that can be included in future blogs, social media posts, etc. The bottom line is with a consistent review of key metrics and returns on investment, law firms will keep their marketing strategy and efforts healthy throughout the year.