October 31, 2022
Navigating New Frontiers at LMA Southwest
The Legal Marketing Association’s (LMA) Southwest Region recently hosted its first in-person conference since 2019. The conference welcomed LMA members from across the region which includes Arizona, Colorado, Louisana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah. Led by co-chairs Michael Blachly, Chief Marketing Officer at Gray Reed, and Jessica Jaramillo, Director of Marketing at Ireland Stapleton, the 2022 conference featured workshop-driven sessions to provide legal marketing and business development professionals with the tools they need to help navigate and shape the future of their firms and the legal industry.
Time is Not Getting Faster, We Are
This year’s conference was all about the future, from the opening keynote to the closing session. Keynote speaker, Erica Orange, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at The Future Hunters, urged those in attendance to think beyond tried-and-true practices and start considering the skills needed to future-proof their careers. Advances in technology and new business efficiencies give the appearance that time is moving faster. Orange attributed this to templosion, a term coined by The Future Hunters to explain how more is happening in less time.
Think Critically and Creatively to Adapt and Grow
As machines get smarter, it will become increasingly important to think creatively, critically, and intelligently. Understanding technological developments, and the shifts they cause, can help legal marketers develop actionable strategies now to maximize their individual impact and help firms grow now and in the years to come. The focus on the future was evident throughout the conference with sessions focusing on the tools, technology, and skills needed to advance marketing and business development in law firms.
Leverage Technology for Stronger Connections and Collaboration
For SurePoint Relationship Manager, Daniel Miller, the conference was an opportunity to connect with legal marketing and business development professionals in person and learn more about how they are leveraging technology to grow their firms and build a stronger future. “There was something special about being in Dallas and getting to connect with so many law firm marketers in person. Their excitement for leveraging technology like CRM to help them grow their firms and build stronger relationships was especially impactful,” he recalled.
Align Technology with Strategic Goals and Objectives
Sara Coffey, a Content Marketing Manager at SurePoint and former law firm marketer, said “Many of the challenges facing marketers today are the same I faced early in my career.” Technology and infrastructure have evolved significantly. At many law firms, it can still be difficult to obtain attorney buy-in. Over time, the right technology can increase client satisfaction, improve efficiencies, and help law firms become more profitable but only if it aligns with a firm’s strategic goals and objectives.
Law Firm Marketing Leaders Focus on Talent and Technology
On the final day of the conference, the spotlight was on three of the region’s top-level marketing leaders. who shared their insights, experience, and goals for the coming year:
- Iris Jones, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Akerman
- Koree Khongphand-Buckman, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Foley & Lardner
- Ashraf Lakhani, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Porter Hedges
Two topics on the top of the panelists’ minds were talent and technology. Each panelist indicated that they were focused on developing their teams to meet the growing needs of the firm. From implementing a new CRM solution to expanding on already robust video capabilities, the panelists are looking ahead to 2023 and how they can move their firms forward.
In Defense of Law Firm Holiday Cards
When asked about projects they’d like to get rid of, Jones was quick to defend holiday cards, a frustration for many law firm marketers as she reminded the audience that this is a great opportunity for attorneys to be intentional with their outreach. A good reminder for us all at any time of year.
CRM Resources
Featured Webinar: “Strategies for Holiday Card Success”
Law firm marketing leaders share best practices for a less stressful holiday card season and how they leverage technology as part of their process. Learn why some firms look outside the traditional holiday card season and why others embrace this time of year as an opportunity to be more intentional with their outreach. Watch now.
Featured Webinar: “Strategies for Unlocking Performance in Your CRM”
With the right data, showing ROI can be easy. Learn more about the data you need and where to find it. We’ll look at CRM as well as other technology, like your firm’s time and billing solution, to identify data silos and make your data work for you. Use data to analyze marketing spending and understand the client journey so you can focus on the activities that lead to new business. Watch now.
Featured Resource: CRM Toolkit
A collection of our favorite CRM resources all in one place. You’ll find links to past webinars, blog series, and more – all with your firm’s marketing and business development in mind. Read now.
Download our eBook
Download our latest eBook “Leading the Way: The Business of Law in 2022 and Beyond,” which takes a deep dive into how growth-oriented law firms leverage technology to set themselves apart and lead the way in the business of law.
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About SurePoint Technologies
SurePoint® Technologies is the leading provider of award-winning enterprise software that improves workflow and maximizes financial performance and profitability for law firms nationwide. Its distinctive cloud platform integrates client management, practice management, and financial management for powerful relationship-building and knowledge-sharing capability. With a community of more than 100,000 members, SurePoint continues to transform the legal industry by enabling law firms to unlock higher performance, freeing lawyers of administrative burdens so they can spend more time focusing on their clients and their practices.