Every attorney knows they need to market, but easily gets overwhelmed when trying to add all those tasks to their own to do list. This makes it important to know when to outsource and how to outsource effectively.

Whether you’ve hired marketers before or this is your first time, you’ll want to make the most of your time and make the hiring process as efficient as possible. Let’s discuss how to hire the best marketing support for your team.

When Is it Time to Hire Marketing Help?

Your firm has seen growth in recent months, but is it really time to hire marketing help? There are a few good signs you need to outsource this:

• You’re not spending any time working on the business because you’re swamped with client work

• Your marketing efforts are sporadic at best

• You aren’t sure which of your marketing activities are really driving results

• You need more clients, but you’re not sure how to go about it

What to Look for When Outsourcing Marketing

Once you’ve decided it’s time to bring in an outside professional, spend some time deciding what traits you want to see. Legal work is detail-oriented and time-sensitive, and marketing is very similar. A CV that’s rife with spelling errors or a cover letter that was obviously written for another firm could be red flags. Previous work in the legal industry is helpful, but experience in other detail-oriented industries may suffice.

Strong communication skills are also a priority. When you’re juggling multiple cases, you need an admin who can communicate with you efficiently and avoid unnecessary check-ins. An assistant who can clearly communicate issues or concerns to you and act on your feedback is a major asset to your firm.

Don’t forget to check references or testimonials as you go through this process. 

Avoid These Hiring Mistakes

Sidestepping common mistakes can save you time and money. There are three big mistakes to avoid when it comes to adding an outsourced marketer to your law firm’s team.

Values Mismatch

First, don’t hire someone who doesn’t align with your values and business procedures. If they find your area of practice to be offensive or unnecessary, that attitude will be obvious to clients. They should be ready to handle clients who are in distress or in a rush without negatively impacting your firm’s reputation.

Unrealistic Expectations

Don’t expect the world of a new marketing professional. No matter how much experience they have, it will take time to learn the protocols of your firm. Create a realistic training program that includes time for questions and feedback. If you have an administrative assistant already and you’re trying to add to your team, consult them about what they think should be included.

Assigning Too Much Too Fast

Don’t dump all of your tasks on your marketing agency or freelancer and disappear into your office. Start slow and kick off with a marketing plan. Otherwise, you risk overwhelming this new person and putting them in a position where they are unable to achieve on goals. Use an onboarding process that has plenty of room for feedback, improvement plans, and training sessions.

With the right marketer, you can take your law firm’s success to the next level and spend your time on what you do best—helping your clients.