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For the second consecutive year, the Legal Marketing Association’s Northwest chapter has honored Barran Liebman for the creativity and execution that the firm puts into presenting its annual Employment, Labor & Benefit Law Seminar.

Held each September, the free seminar draws more than 700 human resources professionals, in-house counsel and business owners. Each seminar features a different theme that is kept top secret until the invitations go out.

The event isn’t just an education experience for the firm’s clients. The process of planning the seminar has proven to be a team-building event that brings together staff members and attorneys, according to Traci Ray, Barran Liebman’s director of marketing, client services and events.

A focus on blending fulfilling work with a sense of enjoyment is a common thread that runs through Ray’s marketing and business development strategy.

She provided Briefly Legal with her top five marketing tips for attorneys:

鈥� Be the best. 鈥淓very attorney needs to hone their skills and find their niche so they have an exceptional product to market,鈥� Ray says.

鈥� Have a plan. 鈥淚 prefer to work backwards with each attorney’s marketing plan. We look at the end goal first and then figure out how to get there,鈥� Ray says. 鈥淚t’s important to have a plan so you know why you’re spending time and money on new business ideas or marketing materials. Each step you take should have a reason.鈥�

鈥� Do what you love. 鈥淔igure out what you love to do, and build goals from there. If you have a genuine interest in a marketing tactic or technique, you’ll stick with it longer and come across sincerely,鈥� Ray says. She tries to match attorneys’ personalities with various types of marketing tools so marketing doesn’t feel forced. For example, attorneys who like to write are asked to author articles, while those who are passionate about community issues are encouraged to participate on the boards of local organizations.

鈥� Follow up on every lead. 鈥淚t sounds really basic, but it can be challenging, especially for attorneys. I’m a lawyer too, and we don’t learn in law school that we are going to someday market our expertise,鈥� Ray says. 鈥淚 tell my attorneys, 鈥榊ou are selling a much-needed service: your skills. Don’t hesitate to call or meet a potential client. Be committed to your product: You.鈥�

鈥� Never stop marketing. 鈥淧eople tend to market when they don’t have a lot going on and stop when they get busy. It’s easier, and most effective, to market when your client base is booming,鈥� she says.