As time and money are never plentiful, getting a good return on your marketing investment is always a challenge, regardless of economic conditions. Given today’s plethora of ways to market, including vehicles that didn’t exist several years ago—it’s even trickier to allocate your marketing dollars wisely.

One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the fact that optimum marketing depends on not just one technique—rather it’s a mix of tactics, which is referred to as the “marketing mix.” The tactics in the mix range from your website to speaking engagements, e-newsletters, published articles, search engine optimization (SEO), and many others. No scientific formula exists for determining your marketing mix. It varies from firm to firm, practice area to practice area, and from year to year. Therefore, establishing the most effective mix for your firm is a matter of continually identifying the activities that will obtain the desired results in your target market. So, given the ever-expanding range of choices, where should you be investing your marketing dollars now? Consider the following factors as you evaluate your options.