On May 29th, FindLaw hosted two web casts on video under the title "Video: the Next High-Impact Marketing Tool for Attorneys."  Our guest speakers included Laura Hamad, FindLaw Video Field Producer, and Don Sowers, Partner with Takakjian, Sowers & Sitkoff LLP in Los Angeles.  Don is very active in the online legal field, and it's always exciting to hear his insights into the world of internet marketing.  His comments below share in detail why video has become an important component of his online marketing plan.  He specifically covers why video is a natural fit for law firms, how his potential clients have been influenced by their video, and how it has boosted his ROI.  

Video Is Extremely Relevant To Law Firms
“When I do the initial interview with a prospective client, I’ll often ask them: ‘Where did you learn about our firm?  What was it that stood out for you?’  More and more people are saying ‘Your video.  Your video is something that really stood out to us.’  Video is a natural marketing tool for law firms because the practice of law is really about communication and advocacy on behalf of a client.  A prospective client is more likely to call your firm if they have heard and seen you speak.”

Video Creates Contact Opportunities
“With video, the prospective clients are able to size up the firm, size up the lawyer and decide if this is someone they really want to speak to, which leads them to develop a level of trust to make them pick up the phone.” 

Video Conveys Your Personal Image
“Online video presence has become the word of mouth of yesteryear, a substitute for a referral from a friend or a neighbor. You are really communicating your own personal image, presence and character, just like a referral would be, but going out to a huge audience and making an opportunity to really get out there in front of your prospective clients.”

FindLaw Offers Unique Video Expertise
“I was contacted by a number of companies that do video in L.A. (we have dozens) but I was not contacted by any that had worked with attorneys.  Video has the same rules as print. FindLaw can protect you because they are sensitive to these [legal] issues. You want to make sure you are dealing with a company that is used to dealing with attorneys.  That’s quite frankly one of the things that has put me at ease when dealing with FindLaw for so many years.”

Video ROI Is Much Stronger Than Yellow Pages
“A number of years ago we’d spend 1 dollar [on Yellow Pages] and we’d probably get a 4 to 5 dollar return on that.  And then, over the course of the last several years, Yellow Pages, with the advent of internet advertising, has taken a back seat.  And now, if we spend 1 dollar, we probably only get a $1.25 return.  So, the return on investment that you hear about, is just not there like it used to be. Well, we have obviously moved our dollars into internet marketing and the Web site, and for that, we have been seeing 3 to 4 dollars for every 1 dollar. 

Now here is the good news: for the last couple of months that we had video up, we have seen a 6 or 7 times return, per month, on what we are spending for the cost of the video versus the amount that is coming in.  Online video is certainly the vanguard here and it is something that the dollars are backing it up, for what you spend and what you getting in return as well.”

You are able to view the archive of the event by clicking here.