Many law firms rely on Account Based Marketing (ABM) as an important component of their business development strategy. Account-based marketing focuses on delivering personalized and highly relevant messages and content to a list of specific, key companies. The goal is to engage each company on an individual level with messaging based on their specific characteristics and needs. A one-size-fits-all approach just won’t cut it with account-based marketing. To help your law firm achieve stronger results with account-based marketing campaigns, here are 8 creative ways you can personalize your strategy.
What is Account Based Marketing?
Account-based marketing is a go-to-market strategy that targets key accounts with a series of personalized marketing strategies. Popular with B2B law firms and organizations, an ABM strategy allows marketing and business development teams to focus on targeting the most appropriate accounts that are most likely to convert.
Related: Account-Based Marketing for Law Firms Webinar
Benefits of ABM
This past year, 94% of marketers reported using ABM. And it’s not surprising when you pay attention to its main advantages:
- Your marketing strategies will become more personalized, which is important as users increasingly prefer personalized content and this continues to be a trend for law firms.
- Your marketing and business development teams will be in greater alignment, making it much easier to reach your goals
- Shorter buying cycles, now you’re targeting accounts that are more ready to convert
- Better and clearer return on investment, because now you’re not wasting time on accounts that won’t convert
- Less wasted resources, now you focus only on the best accounts for your firm
Creative ways to personalize content for your ABM efforts
1. OFFER TARGET COMPANY A PRIVATE COLLECTION OF CONTENT
If your law firm’s account-based marketing campaign is broad enough (think segmented by company size or personality) then one of the easiest ways to personalize your campaign is to create a collection of content for each target audience. When you choose pieces from your existing content library and package them for your account-based marketing campaigns, you’re able to give target accounts a personalized experience without creating any new content.
2. Offer target company personalized, vertical-specific content by updating existing content.
For a bit more personalization, segment your law firm’s target accounts by industry vertical and serve them a variation of the same assets. Instead of creating all new industry-specific content, focus on editing high-impact elements like headlines, headlines, visuals, and examples. For example, if you publish a general franchise law ebook, take it and convert it into 3 more specialized ebooks: one specific to hotels, another to coffee shops, and a third to restaurants.
3. Personalize the user experience of your website
Given its highly targeted nature, it is pertinent that your law firm’s account-based marketing programs deliver high conversion rates. Creating personalized landing pages or microsites is an effective strategy for doing this. Legal marketers should create account-specific landing pages that display custom copy, images, offers, forms and calls to action depending on the person or account visiting the landing page. If you don’t want to create multiple landing pages for a campaign, set up dynamic text replacement.
4. Create highly personalized email sequences that address a lead’s unique challenges and goals
Never send generic, impersonal emails to your target account. Instead of just uploading your account-based marketing list for a simple email blast, segment your account contacts based on each prospect’s unique business needs, challenges or interests. It shows that you really did your homework. Creating personalized emails will provide a unique experience to your target accounts, attracting and converting them into leads and clients. Also, be sure to use personalization tokens that include first names or company names to make emails feel more personal.
5. Create blog content that mentions target accounts
Make authentic references to your target account within your law firm’s blog content. This will build respect and understanding between your firm and the key players in your target company. Most companies have alerts in place that notify them whenever their company name is mentioned online. You can tag or mention them on LinkedIn and Twitter to get more attention.
6. Create personalized ads
With platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, you can target key accounts through advertising Create specialized content for each account or group of accounts, including unique offers, CTAs, graphics, and copy aligned to the account’s specific stage in the buyer’s journey and the unique struggles they’re trying to overcome.
If you want to learn how to target key accounts on one of the most popular paid advertising platforms, check out this free ebook: The Law Firm Guide to LinkedIn Advertising.
7. Tie your content to the event
If there’s an event you know key accounts will be attending, try to be a panelist or at least an attendee Then, you can send personalized content to accounts after the event or a special free offer that only they can access.
8. Create personalized resource centers
Resource centers were a legal marketing trend last year, as evidenced by our study of law firm marketing, The Social Law Firm Index. Consider creating specific resource centers on your website for the various needs of key accounts. You can then share and link to these resource centers as you interact with accounts
Climbing without:
Refresh your law firm’s account-based marketing program with these personalization strategies and you’re more likely to improve your conversion rates and overall return on investment. Unlike traditional marketing based on larger audiences, account-based marketing requires personalization to work. Rely on data, research and third-party tools to help you better focus your efforts.
This post was edited and republished on October 9, 2021.
