Heart of a Legal Marketer-Criminal Defense

Does everybody know your name?!

The first time I heard this African parable, I was working in the marketing department for the Mississippi Credit Union System. I had the pleasure to meet one of the top motivational speakers, Mr. Willie Jolley. As part of the marketing team, my job was to get Mr. Jolley from point A to point B during the credit unions three day convention. There were many words of wisdom he shared as I drove him to each engagement and also in the lobby of the Biloxi convention center, however this parable from Mr. Jolley set the core for how we operate and do business.

“Everyday in Africa a gazelle wakes up knowing he has to out run the fastest lion or get eaten. Everyday in Africa a lion wakes up knowing he has to out run the fastest gazelle or starve to death. So it doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you’d better be running.”

I know many of you have heard this African parable but this was my first time. Marketing controls a large portion of the financial success of any law firm or any business for that matter. Marketing managers are accountable to EVERYONE who receives a paycheck from that business. When the “marketing manager” has personal problems, has the blues, or wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, the firm or business will see it in their bottom line. It is more than a job. It is the key to everyone’s quality of life.

Whatever the personal circumstances of the marketing personnel the motto is, “When the sun comes up you’d better be running.”

There is nothing more “PERSONAL” or enlightening than seeing a picture of a receptionists’ or paralegals family portrait with their babies smiling directly at YOU!

Marketing does not keep the same hours as the rest of the firm. Operations is structured from 8 to 5. Direct marketing is different from other forms of marketing. Direct marketing requires (Call to action) one-on-one real-time with potential clients and that requires a great deal of the marketers time. That means on-call 24/7 and ready to change strategies at a moments notice. Heart characteristics are commitment, dedication, and discipline.

The drive or heart of marketing must be willing to go that extra mile. The attitude of your marketing team and how they operate affects others. Time, energy, and imagination are vital to marketing success. Everything has to be done in time and well executed. Direct marketing is filled with planning a-lot of mini events. Off timing or bad execution just may halt momentum of incoming revenue. If this happens, there will be a drought until the machine is oiled again. Some businesses do not have the luxury or are financially unstable to maintain while re-priming the pump. The heart of a legal marketer must understand what is at stake and treat this as more than just a job. Legal marketers get up running everyday to protect a way of life.

If your marketing manager does not identify with this story, a new marketing manager is needed.

There was this Young Creative Inventor who built a wind machine with no motor. He showed it to his Wise Uncle. His Wise Uncle praised him for this one-of-a-kind wind machine.  An Investor contacted the Young Creative Inventor and told him he was interested in mass producing his wind machine, and said he had only a window of tomorrow at exactly 5:30pm to test drive the unique wind machine with no motor. The Young Creative Inventor and his Wise Uncle were excited and then realized there had been no wind in 2 days. They were both nervous at the thought of no wind. They waited to see what the morning would bring. At sun up there was no wind. At 10:00am there was no wind and at 1:30pm the mid-day wind report said there would be no wind at exactly 5:30pm. The Young Creative Inventor became hysterical. His Wise Uncle told him to calm down and that there would be wind by 5:30pm. The Young Creative Inventor was stunned. He asked, “Wise Uncle how?” Wise Uncle walked to the phone, dialed a number. The Young Creative Inventor asked, “Who are you calling?” Wise Uncle said SHHHH! I’m on an important call . . . “Yes, this is Wise Uncle. How are you? Well, I need your assistance.

God, I need to talk to you about your wind . . .”

This is my own kind of Beautiful . . . Dream Your World!

I am LISA HENRY-HARPER . . . 🙂

Almost forgot the most important attribute of the heart of a legal marketer. PASSION.