Top 10 trends in legal marketing 2014.

• Author: Kaczmarek, Mary Carmel
• Position: Cover story

The word "trend" comes from an Old German word that means "spinning top." That fits with the analogy I use when I train or coach lawyers about understanding trends in the "marketing mix."

At the center of marketing mix is the target market, which is influenced by the four Ps: Product, Price, Promotion and Place. Those are shaped by five environmental factors: Technology, Economy, Social/Culture, Political/Legal and Competition (See Figure 1).

The marketing mix focuses first on the relevant target market we seek to develop; the target market is always the bulls-eye in the center of the model. Once a target is well-defined, we consider the so-called "four Ps" of marketing described in the ring surrounding the target market. We determine what products or services the target market needs now. Analytics help us understand what future needs will look like. Pricing strategies are developed based on trends and preferences of the target market. Place refers to distribution or delivery of our services--where do we need to be to serve the needs of the specific target market that has been described, either physically or virtually. Finally, our promotional efforts are developed and calibrated to market and sell services using strategies customized to the buying habits of the target market.

But the target market doesn't exist in a vacuum. Determining legal services and the process for delivering, pricing and promoting those services are subject to the environmental factors that are always in motion, spinning like a top. Depending on developments or trends in any or all of the five factors, the way we market may be affected dramatically.

Let's consider the trends related to the five environmental factors and how they may affect the marketing mix in 2014. I've talked to a number of forward-thinking marketing professionals to identify key trends for the next 12 months, and here are the top 10 predictions:

10. Lead with technology.

    The environmental factor of technology will drive many of the marketing trends in 2014. According to legal marketing professional Amy Knapp, co-author of the book, "LinkedIn and Blogs for Lawyers: Building High Value Relationships in a Digital Age" (Westlaw Publishers, 2012), digital and social media reached a turning point this year, and lawyers of nearly every generation are using social media to build reputation, to connect with stakeholders and communicate with target markets. Knapp's research shows--ironically, given that...