Email marketing guide for IP attorneys

With the advent of digitalization, many marketing channels are opening up, and every IP attorney competes for the most precious asset in the digital world – attention. 

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Probably that’s why a pearl of ancient marketing wisdom suggests placing your message where your client’s attention is. If IP attorneys are not working on a case, they most likely focus their attention on their email inbox.

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No wonder that many IP firms rely on email as their go-to marketing tool. Email marketing in the IP environment usually takes the form of newsletters, season greetings, and conference follow-up to stay present in the client’s mind. 

This post will give you an overview of the essential tactics of email marketing and how you can get more inbound trademark cases with a new IP email marketing tool.

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What you will learn in this blog post:

3 benefits of email marketing

6 email marketing tactics you can implement right now

New email marketing tool for IP attorneys 

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Benefits of email marketing

With the rapid digitalization of the IP profession, more and more law firms are focusing their client acquisition efforts on online channels. Compared to traditional marketing, only digital marketing allows accurate performance tracking, optimization, and effective return on investment (ROI) management.

1. Cost 

Email marketing is cheap. Whether you devise and execute it yourself or a paralegal handles it, reaching out to hundreds of clients through email would cost you peanuts compared to sponsoring IP conferences, publishing in IP lawyer journals, or buying online banners.

2. Effectiveness

Your email campaigns can target clients from your extended network, new acquaintances from business trips, or firms with many cases in your jurisdiction(s). In contrast, traditional marketing methods are less targeted, and success is often difficult to measure. With this concept in mind, it’s no wonder that the return on investment (ROI) of email marketing outperforms other marketing strategies if you do it the right way.

3. Measurability

Nearly all email marketing tools have analytical functions to track the response to your emails and know which parts of the campaigns worked and which didn’t. Equipped with that knowledge, you can adapt your strategy regularly as needed. 

6 email marketing tactics you can implement right now

Everyone knows how to write an email, but not everyone knows how to successfully turn emails into meetings or, even better, new cases.

This section covers the 6 essentials of email marketing for IP attorneys, along with actionable advice to help you implement them right now. Even if you’re an experienced IP professional, you’re sure to pick up at least a few new tactics.

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1. Sender name and email address: Be personal

2. Subject line: Write emails that get opened

3. Email preview text or first line: Peak interest

4. Email content: Be relevant

5. Call-To-Action (CTA): Get a reply

6. Email marketing tool for busy IP attorneys: Use IP specific tools

1. Sender name and email address: Be personal

In general, people can see 3 elements of an email when opening their inbox, depending on the email provider and settings:

1. Sender name,

2. Subject line and

3. Preview text.

To increase your email open rates (= number of emails opened/number of emails sent) we will dissect each element and identify critical actions you can make right now to improve your email open rate.

When setting a sender's name, being as human as possible is the key. Olivia@lawfirm.com is both inviting and non-intimidating to people when they open their inboxes. The best impression an IP attorney can make on his or her client is to show they are dealing with a person – not an entire law firm (e.g. info@lawfirm.com). If you've already met your prospects at a previous IP event, use your name and email address – even if the email is technically coming from your firm as a whole. 

If the sender name doesn't sound like it's from someone you want to hear from, it doesn't matter what the subject line is. Recipients will ignore your email. Ultimately, IP attorneys are busy people, and they don't bother with you if you don't sound like someone with whom they can have an easy (or at least beneficial) conversation.‍

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2. Subject line: Write emails that get opened

You can have an enticing offer impossible to resist, but it is useless if the client never opens your email. Getting the client to open the email is half the battle. Therefore, it all comes down to the subject line. 

In fact, 47% of marketers say they test different email subject lines to optimize their emails' open rates. Nearly all marketers use quantifiable and scientific methods to optimize marketing strategies to achieve the desired outcome. By applying the same IP legal marketing approach, you can test different subject line variations and observe results until you've reached your desired objective. 

Here are a few actionable recommendations which you can implement and test right now.

Urgency

In IP practice, attorneys have to deal with many deadlines and receive reminders for urgent tasks. Thus, you can use this to your advantage and communicate urgency or a required action in an email subject line, which compels recipients to click when phrased creatively and strategically. It is recommended to use these subject lines frugally and limit them to when the occasion genuinely calls for immediate action. 

Offers

In the IP world, attorneys love to get new cases and attractive offers, especially when they come free or discounted. Open with that by including it in your subject line. Many IP attorneys favor explicit language straight to the point, as time is of the essence.

Personalization 

A good personalization tactic that works is to tailor subject lines to the recipient's location. IP attorneys work in an international context and are in touch with clients and business partners worldwide. Therefore, having either your recipient's country or your country mentioned in the subject line immediately creates affinity and relevance. 

Relevance

When IP attorneys subscribe to a newsletter, much of the time, it's because they want to be kept informed or learn more about a given topic. Similar to piquing your client's curiosity, crafting email subject lines that incorporate trending topics in the IP world can help you establish your firm as an authority within your industry -- and can compel people to click to read.

3. Email preview text or first line: Peak interest

The 3rd element of an email before opening is the preview text. People are busy and often decide within seconds whether to open an email or not. This is mainly based on the preview text. 

Some email marketing providers such as MailChimp or HubSpot allow you to set the preview text yourself. When you don't put the preview text yourself, the email client will automatically pull your email's first sentences. This is an excellent opportunity to provide a concise summary of what's inside your email. It is also recommended to use previews that indicate a personal connection, location, or reference to your previous meeting. 

Like the subject line, using personalization tokens such as names or locations in the preview text adds a feeling of rapport. Everyone loves the sound of their own name. Plus, it increases engagement and chances of getting a reply.

4. Email content: Be relevant

Now that people have opened your email, it is time for you to deliver relevant content. There are different types of email marketing (e.g., newsletters, meeting follow-ups, case-specific messages) IP attorneys can use to get more cases and new clients. Let's focus on the general principles that apply to a wide range of IP email marketing. To stand out from other IP firms in your jurisdiction, you want to communicate your Unique-Selling-Propositions (USP). In other words, what can you do better compared to your best competitor?

Quality of your IP practice

You want to stand for the impeccable quality of your work and experience. Quality shortcomings or inaccuracies can increase the cost for patent or trademark holders and can cost your reputation. Use this to your advantage and showcase your expertise.

Exemplary client care

Is personal client management by a partner-level IP attorney with many years of experience a hallmark of your service? If so, then mention it.

Providing initial comments free of charge

The Freemium model has proven its success in the realm of subscription-based services, and it's a potent tool to establish the first contact with a potential client without obliging them to commit to anything. Many clients will agree to this generous offer as it's risk-free and allows the client to gauge your quality. Offering initial comments free of charge is still not the norm in IP practice and thus allows your firm to stand out instantly.

Transparent pricing

Another great way to differentiate yourself from your competitors is to offer a flat fee for your IP services. This pricing model is uncommon in many countries as most firms bill their clients based on hourly rates, especially in the US.

Language skills

Do you speak any foreign language which could help you target firms in specific countries? For instance, some US WeCrest members are fluent in Spanish and focus on clients from Spanish-speaking jurisdictions. If you have proficiency in a foreign language that would facilitate communication with foreign clients, it is a beneficial asset which you should use to your advantage. As mentioned earlier, personalization and individualization are essential in marketing as well as customer experience.

Personal touch

People prefer to do business with people they like. So, adding a friendly and honest note to your emails might help you leave a positive impression on your client. Like in every relationship, you want to nurture your business relationship with your clients frequently, which should also be reflected in your emails.

5. Call to action: Get a reply

Without defining the next step, nothing ever gets done. You can find a call to action (CTA) on nearly every advertisement, social media post, or website. It prompts visitors to proceed to the next step, whether to sign up for a newsletter, learn more, or call a telephone number. It's crucial to guide your clients through the "buying" journey using strategic CTAs. Using a CTA in IP legal marketing requires a balance between options and simplicity. The best practice is to include one powerful CTA at the bottom of every email, which allows the recipient to reply with a simple 'yes' or click a link.

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6. Email marketing tool for busy IP attorneys

How should you use email marketing to offer your services? Delivering the right message to the right client, and at the right time, results in higher success rates than non-targeted marketing.

This ‘Next Best Offer’ approach essentially reverses the traditional marketing equation by placing the client at the center and trying to meet their individual needs.

WeCrest’s email marketing tool for IP attorneys implements the Next Best Offer strategy. With this tool, you can email international clients who have just received a Madrid trademark refusal from your IP office and offer your help. Sign up for free and see pending cases in your jurisdiction.

Conclusion

The digitalization of the IP profession is here. You can now acquire new clients and cases online with just a few clicks. Therefore, more and more IP attorneys are increasing their inbound case volume and revenue by using email marketing tools combined with relevant refusal data.