As
a
part
of
the
Legal
Marketing
Association’s
partnership
with
Above
the
Law,
each
month
we’re
here
to
share
a
roundup
of
insights
and
intel
from
Strategies
&
Voices,
the
online
trade
journal
dedicated
to
the
craft
of
legal
marketing.
Articles
in
this
edition
help
legal
marketers
research
a
budget,
plan
for
more
effective
cross-selling,
find
a
balance
between
AI
and
human
writing,
and
navigate
career
crossroads.
Money
for
Nothing?
Research
for
Free
Competitive
intelligence
is
a
growing
part
of
legal
marketers’
responsibilities,
but
not
every
firm
has
robust
budgets
for
research
tools.
In
Research
for
Free:
A
Treasure
Trove
of
Open
Access
Research
Tools
for
Better
Client
Relationships,
readers
receive
a
list
of
options
for
finding
free
information
on
clients
and
prospects,
as
well
as
monitoring
client-
and
industry-specific
trends
and
pain
points.
Key
tip:
You
can
discern
a
company’s
priorities
in
the
legal,
regulatory
and
compliance
realms
by
reviewing
their
lobbying
spend
on
sites
like
Open
Secrets.
A
Guide
to
Growing
Client
Relationships
It’s
cliche
because
it’s
true:
Expanding
business
with
current
clients
is
easier
than
landing
a
brand-new
client.
But
this
must
be
done
thoughtfully
to
ensure
your
efforts
enhance
—
and
not
jeopardize
—
your
most
important
relationships.
Maximizing
Potential:
A
Client-Centric
Approach
for
Relationship
Growth
guides
legal
marketers
through
a
process
for
cross-selling,
from
what
intel
to
collect
to
what
specific
tactics
may
work
best.
Key
tip:
Look
beyond
the
financials
when
you
are
evaluating
which
clients
to
target.
As
the
article
advises,
ask:
“Do
attorneys
at
the
firm
enjoy
working
with
them?
Do
they
pay
their
bills
on
time?”
Do
not
waste
your
time
developing
strategies
for
unsavory
candidates.
AI
and
Writers:
Finding
the
Right
Mix
While
AI
continues
to
dominate
headlines
in
the
business
and
legal
press,
it’s
especially
important
for
marketers
—
as
purveyors
of
the
written
word
—
to
know
when
and
how
to
deploy
tools
like
ChatGPT.
In
AI
and
Writers:
A
Recipe
for
Success
in
Legal
Marketing,
readers
will
learn
about
AI’s
strengths
and
limitations,
as
well
as
ideas
to
spot-test
use
of
large
language
models.
Key
tip:
Use
AI
to
refine
your
text
for
consistency
in
style
and
tone
–
especially
helpful
for
documents
that
might
have
multiple
lawyer
editors.
Bonus:
Take
Charge
of
Your
Career
In
the
latest
LMA
podcast,
three
legal
marketing
professionals
talk
about
how
and
when
to
plan
for
a
career
move.
Career
Crossroads:
Strategies
for
Growth
and
Success
can
help
listeners
build
proactive
strategies
for
long-term
growth
(and
happiness
too).
Do
you
have
a
compelling
case
study
about
your
firm,
or
marketing
insights
to
share?
Share
your
ideas
with
Strategies
&
Voices
today.
Katherine
(Katie)
Hollar
Barnard
is
the
managing
partner
of
Firesign
|
Enlightened
Legal
Marketing,
a
communications
agency
for
law
firms
and
legal
service
providers.
She
also
serves
as
co-chair
of
the
LMA’s
Strategies
&
Voices
editorial
committee.