Podcast Ep. 113: How Lawyers Can Use Video to Successfully Market Their Practice

In this episode of the Legal Marketing 2.0 Podcast, Guy Alvarez meets with Patricia Baxter to discuss how lawyers and law firms can use video to market their practice and attract new clients. The problem with making videos is the perception that it’s either too difficult or too expensive, but Patricia is here to tell you that it isn’t! Patricia Baxter is a managing partner at Morgan Akins. Patricia specializes in helping insurance companies and businesses navigate civil litigation, with an eye toward closing files quicker and save money in the process. Patricia also has her own podcast, The Defense Never Rests. You can connect with with Patricia on LinkedIn here.

Podcast Show Notes

How did you get started with video marketing? How do you find the time to manage a firm and create videos?

I was a practicing attorney for 20 years, and about seven years ago I left. I started managing the Philadelphia office of Morgan Akins. I have always been involved with marketing, but when you manage a firm you have to make marketing more systematic and stand out against your competitors. That was how I started with video, because not many law firms were leveraging it.

Tell us a little bit about how you create videos in terms of the quality of the video and getting over the anxiety of being on camera.

My biggest hurdle when first creating videos was the anxiety. I was more nervous posting my first video last August than I was at my first trial. I primarily post videos on LinkedIn, so I had to learn about how lawyers use LinkedIn. I did not focus on high quality videos in the beginning, I started shooting them on my iPhone in rooms with awful lighting, so I took some courses on how to shoot videos and produce better quality content.

How did you decide to go into video marketing?

I wanted to deliver content in a way that no one else was doing, in order to stand out. Then I researched lawyers who were using video on LinkedIn, and I was shocked that there were only three lawyers producing video content for LinkedIn. Next, I researched the stats and effectiveness of using video marketing for lawyers and learned that it is much more impactful in conveying authenticity to potential clients. This is important because clients want to be able to trust their lawyer.

How often do you post videos and how time consuming is it?

I post one to two original content videos per week, but with COVID-19, I have had some creative blocks. It usually takes 20 minutes to script a 90 second video, then it takes about 5-7 minutes to film it to allow for mistakes in reading the script. Then my editor adds the finishing touches to it and it’s ready to post, so in all, it is not that time consuming.

What are the different tools that you use to create videos?

My setup is pretty simple, I use a stand to hold my phone, which I use to record on the front camera so I can see myself and make sure I am in frame. I also always make sure that I have a clean background and that I film in front of a window for the best possible lighting. For the audio I use a microphone that I plug into my phone because the quality is better than the iPhone audio quality.

Where do you post the videos once they are completed?

About 90% of them go straight to LinkedIn, but I also have a YouTube channel that I upload them to. We do put some time into promotion engagement and reach for these videos, so that they are reaching the right audience. I have analytics attached to my LinkedIn account to determine what is working and what’s not.

Have you tracked any new business or repeat business from your videos so far?

Yes, although it is more difficult to track, I have had people reach out to me after viewing our videos on LinkedIn. However, I do not expect to post a video and then the next day have someone call me for business.

How do you come up with new ideas for videos?

Currently, with working from home, I am struggling creatively. But typically, I focus my content on the niche my client is in and the issues they are having. I have turned conversations with clients or questions I receive on LinkedIn into content ideas. I have learned to pull content from anywhere.

Takeaway

Video marketing isn’t going away. It’s become a real marketing powerhouse due to both the growth of social media in the smartphone age and how consumers today better receive information they view. As you can see, lawyers don’t need much to get started and video marketing is an excellent strategy to reach new clients and grow your firm.

If your law firm has not yet joined the video marketing revolution and needs some assistance getting started, contact us for help today.