Essential marketing tips for small law firms in 2026

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You need a marketing strategy to promote your brand and a marketing plan to implement it.

If your budget is limited, prioritise digital because it’s the most cost-effective way to raise your firm’s profile. Keep in touch with your existing client base through regular updates via email newsletters and social media.

Write articles with relevant content that you can send out in an email newsletter, post on your website and on social media, and submit to relevant publications. One article gets multiple exposures – that’s time well spent.

The essential marketing elements

• Website
  
• Database (for example, MailChimp, or via your website)
  
• Firm profile and other brochures
  
• Monthly newsletter
  
• Articles for external publication
  
• Social media posts
  
• RFPs and pitches
  
• Events, seminars and webinars
  
• Directory submissions (Chambers, Legal 500, etc)
  
• Award submissions

Review and refresh

Ensure what you put out is presented in a professional manner with a consistent brand identity and voice.

• Your website. Your website is your calling card. If you haven’t got one, get one. If you have one, refresh the design if the look is outdated. Replace existing content with updated information and upload new items regularly. Update individual profiles: Add new expertise, or just rewrite existing content to make it sound fresh and new.
  
• Brochures and pitch templates. Update design and content.
  
• Newsletter template. Refresh the look.
  
• Social media. People are more active on social media than ever. You can’t afford not to be seen. Ensure your social media pages are aligned with your brand and your individual lawyers’ LinkedIn profiles are well-written.

Your annual marketing calendar

Enter relevant events and dates on an annual planner. These should include:

• Conferences and industry-specific association events
  
• Deadlines for directory and award submissions
  
• Graduate recruitment university open days
  
• Public holidays and social events where you usually send out emailers or plan functions (like Spring Day, Mandela Day)

Then add your in-house activities:

• Decide on dates for seminars and workshops for the whole year. (Note: School holidays are usually not a good time for client events.)
  
• Draw up a schedule for newsletters and assign content provision. Make sure everyone knows what they’re expected to contribute and by when.
  
• Social media: Schedule regular posts of newsworthy information, firm news and observances. The 80/20 principle applies: For every promotional post, you should have four that provide value-adding content.

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Events and webinars

Networking is important in the legal profession. External events offer the opportunity to meet prospective clients. Interacting socially adds a personal dimension to relationships. You find common ground when you talk about your hobbies and interests and your families. And that’s when prospective clients become real clients.

But the best way to find new business is not finding new clients but getting more business from your existing clients. Internal events offer the opportunity for lawyers to introduce their clients to their colleagues. This opens the door for business development opportunities between practice areas.

What type of event is best?

• Educational seminars and workshops focusing on specific areas of law can position your firm as a thought leader and attract potential clients interested in those topics. Offer short, informative seminars to clients at your offices. Keep them low budget. Have a coffee break at the halfway mark to give your lawyers the opportunity to network with the clients. Don’t think food has to be the main attraction for clients to attend a seminar. Sharing knowledge and expertise at no cost is the drawcard.
  
• Webinars and virtual Q&A sessions offer a way to reach a broader audience without the logistical complexities and costs of in-person events.

Differentiate yourself from your competitors

You can provide in-house seminars or workshops for clients about issues that are relevant to their employees. You’re not marketing your services, but you’re adding value, and clients remember that. And these short presentations can be given by junior staff – an opportunity to develop their presentation skills.

Social responsibility

Get active in your community. If you don’t already have a social responsibility programme, partner with an NGO in your neighbourhood. Get your staff involved in volunteer work. And, if you can, make a financial contribution or offer pro bono services. These activities will create goodwill and promote your brand. As a bonus, you can post what you’ve done on social media.

Your plan of action

The size of your firm, your main practice areas, how much time you have every week to spend on marketing, and your marketing budget will determine which of these elements you can implement.

Don’t try to do everything. Pick what’s most important and manageable right now. Add other elements later – a few more next year, and a few more the year after.

Who should implement your marketing plan?

You probably have an accountant to do your books and an IT specialist to sort out your computers.

So, don’t waste your valuable time trying to become a marketing expert. Focus on your core business and outsource your marketing if you don’t have full-time marketing staff. Alternatively, train someone at your firm who has spare capacity to handle your firm’s basic marketing activities.