Tom Kane has posted his Top Ten Marketing Tips with links to some explanation and elaboration. There is great advice you can absorb in a couple of minutes. I regularly follow Tom’s blog.
I noted with interest a comment posted by someone noting that many of these ideas do not apply in a criminal defense practice. For example, it is probably a poor career plan for the lawyer to visit the client at his place of business. (Grin) Like so many aspects of marketing, the primary challenge is setting aside the time to think, formulating a plan of action and then taking action. Criminal defense work may be an area where Yellow Pages ads make sense. You want to make yourself known to those who come into contact with those charged with crimes: bondsmen, counselors, towing services, etc. (You cannot offer fees, but you can convince others you are capable and believe in good client service.) You want to make it known to other local lawyers who do not practice defense law that you will take their referrals without stealing their client’s future business. You may decide to take a high profile case for less-than-adequate compensation and then work like your client paid you millions. You may teach CLE’s on search and seizure, forfeiture or expungement for your state or local bar, knowing that many in your audience will decide just to refer you the work when the situation presents itself. You may have an extremely informative web page. In other words, there’s not that much different about marketing this type of practice than others. Think, plan and execute the plan.