Are your marketing efforts falling because you’re forgetting the most important steps?
I worked with a lawyer we’ll call Clark. Clark had a gift for writing bylined articles, but despite his talent, he would publish pieces and consider the job done. He never sent them to clients or prospects or shared them on LinkedIn.
Clark would mutter to his CMO, “These articles just do nothing for me.” Yet he would continue to write them.
He’d done the hard work of crafting the content but never spent time thinking about his audience or distribution, and because of that, his marketing efforts didn’t go far.
The truth: Marketing tactics only work when they’re thoughtfully selected and fully executed.
Simply producing content or attending events isn’t enough. To get results, your tactics need to be aligned with a broader strategy and executed with purpose.
Investing time and energy into any marketing effort must be intentional and based on a few guiding principles.
🧠 1. Align Tactics with Your Strategy
The first and most important question is: Does this tactic support my overall strategy?
In Clark’s case, writing articles was a great fit for his expertise and goals. Still, by not following through with distribution, his efforts didn’t fully support his strategy of becoming more visible in his practice area. Every tactic you choose—publishing articles, attending events, or launching a social media campaign—should be part of a larger plan. If your strategy is to deepen relationships in a particular industry, then your tactics should support that. Clark wasn’t just missing an opportunity—he was leaving potential outreach on the table.
🧠 2. Focus on What You Do Well
The second principle is to build on your strengths. Not every marketing tactic is comfortable for everyone – and that’s okay.
Not all lawyers thrive on writing. Some are exceptional networkers, while others are skilled public speakers. The key is, find what you do best and lean into it. If you’re great at building personal connections, focus on one-on-one client meetings and small gatherings. If public speaking is your strong suit, seek opportunities to speak at conferences or host webinars.
🧠 3. Get Closer to Your Client
Finally, the best marketing is about getting closer to your client. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that marketing is about visibility, but at its core, it’s about deepening relationships with the people who matter most: your clients, referral sources and prospects.
Nothing beats one-on-one interactions to achieve connection. Whether it’s meeting a client for coffee, staying in touch with calls, or scheduling a lunch, face-to-face meetings build trust and connection in ways that mass communication never will approach.
So, the next time you think about your marketing efforts, don’t just pick the trendiest tactic. Instead, ask yourself:
Does this support my overall strategy?
Does this play to my strengths?
Will this help me get closer to my clients?
