One of the Midlands leading independent law firms, Blakemores Solicitors, today announced results of Lawyers2you, a direct marketing campaign which has got lawyers out from behind their desks and interacting with the general public, providing access to direct legal advice as never before.
In response to imminent changes in the legal services market brought about by the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA), Blakemores launched their direct consumer marketing campaign under the brand “Lawyers2you” 12 months ago.
The Legal Services Act reforms the way legal services in England and Wales are regulated and puts the consumer interest at the heart of the regulatory framework.
In response to this it was decided that traditional legal branding was inappropriate as it conveyed stuffiness and an inapproachability which the consumer found off- putting. Guy Barnett, Chief Executive of Blakemores explains:
“We wanted to ditch the term “Solicitor” from our consumer brand because our market research indicated that the consumer is confused between the difference between Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives. The term “Lawyer” encapsulates all three and sits well with our status as a Legal Disciplinary Practice.
The “2you” part of the re- brand emphasises the direct marketing approach to our strategy and our flexibility in making ourselves available to clients in locations with heavy footfall such as shopping centres and our willingness to visit clients at home”.
By the end of 2011 the LSA will permit Alternative Business Structures (ABS) to enter the market place. The Act has been commonly referred to as “Tesco Law” as these are the type of organisations that we will be competing with. Our objective was therefore to create a brand ahead of this time frame that could directly compete.
The strategy was launched in September 2009, with initial trials being undertaken and much consumer and client research. Within three months we were so convinced by the successes we were experiencing in attracting new clients that we brought our official launch date forward by six months.
Following on from the New Year’s sales, consumers across the Midlands woke on the 4th January 2010 to find 12 Lawyers2you legal services stands in every major shopping centre in the West Midlands and Warwickshire”.
Through these stands consumers can obtain information packs and fixed price tariffs on all legal services and make enquires direct with the advisors on the stands, without any need for an appointment. More problematic enquires are referred back to the customer care centre where they are then forwarded to one of the firms 200 specialist lawyers.
The firm are currently processing over 3,000 new enquires a month, with a month on month growth in enquiries of over 15%, which means by the end of 2010 the project will be generating in excess of 5,000 leads a month.
Guy commented:
“The project was a brave unconventional step by a traditional law firm. I am however convinced by the successes that we have enjoyed within its first 12 months and that this is a definite way forward for consumer practices such as ours”.
This creative approach by the firm puts it at the forefront of the Legal Services marketplace in readiness for the competition that will arise from the Legal Services ‘Tesco Law’ Act in 2011.
Lawyers2you does exactly as it promises, bringing lawyers and legal advice to you, on your terms when, where and how you want it and at a visible pre-agreed cost.
Lawyers2you stands are currently operating from sites at:
Birmingham Pallasades, Paradise Forum and Pavillions, Coventry Arena Park, West Orchards and Lower Precinct, Dudley Westfield Merry Hill, Halesowen Cornbow, Leamington Royal Priors, Nuneaton Ropewalk, Redditch Kingfisher, Stourbridge Ryemarket, Sutton Coldfield Grace Church Centre, Tamworth Ankerside, Walsall Saddlers Centre and West Bromwich Queens Square
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Notes for Editors:
For further information about Blakemores Solicitors, please contact
Rob Adams, Media & Marketing Executive, Tel: 0121 234 9326, or email: rob.adams@blakemores.co.uk
Photo: Chief Executive, Guy Barnett with the Lawyers2you team, Rachael Palmer, Tom Stevenson, Alex Dettmar and Marc Grainger.
Any views or opinions expressed within this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Blakemores Solicitors or its associated companies
