Why Your Law Firm Needs a Marketing Technologist

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We are seen as strategists, architects, technologists, innovators and creatives...

In recent months, colleagues have inquired about a job description for a Marketing Technologist or a Digital Marketer and asked me what I do, exactly. Well…

I, for one, did not have an official job description when I first started in this type of role many years ago - and some of you have heard me joke that I do not have one in my current role.

When I started out in this role many years ago, I remember my job description included items like: update website; post on social media (if the firm even had any presence on social); send newsletters/alerts (by snail mail! and via Outlook, not any sophisticated email marketing tool), and update contact lists.

I essentially created my actual job description when I brought these random assignments together under a common purpose and took on the project management for a new website, set-up Google analytics, launched the firm’s first blog, developed the firm’s content marketing strategy and editorial calendar, created the firm’s social media accounts and their social media strategy, slowly moved from printed newsletters to electronic (for better analytics) and implemented a CRM tool, to name a few such projects.

How does a marketing technologist differ from the rest of the business development and marketing team?

We’re often referred to as unicorns. We bridge the gap between marketing and IT — we are hybrids — part strategists, part creatives and part technologists.

We are seen as architects, technologists, innovators and creatives. We develop marketing technology strategies that align with the firm’s business development goals, work directly as liaisons with IT, and evaluate and choose marketing technology tools that align with the firm’s business development objectives.

We develop marketing technology strategies that align with the firm’s business development goals...

In many ways, we have helped marketing teams gain independence from IT and external resources or service providers, making marketing departments more tech-savvy and independent.

What’s needed in this role?

So who can fill these big shoes? This “hybrid” should have an understanding of both digital branding and traditional marketing approaches and how to effectively apply the appropriate strategy.

Working in the professional services industry does not always allow for “right” and obvious solutions. One should be comfortable working in “gray areas” and have the willingness to experiment with different tactics to produce desired results.

One should be comfortable working in “gray areas”...

This person internally typically reports to the head of marketing or CMO and should be comfortable conversing with management, IT and technology vendors without any misinterpretations. 

In order to be successful, the person needs to be familiar with both marketing techniques and technical applications, including website design and development, business development and marketing software and applications, email marketing and automation tools, CRM, social and mobile platforms, data and analytics, digital branding and content marketing.

Digital marketers have also become savvier. It's no longer just about understanding analytics, but also about personalizing experiences with various relevant tools.

As Scott Brinker, editor of the Boston-based website chiefmartec.com says, “Marketing is so dependent on technology to execute its mission.” He adds, “We’re operating in a digital world where there are so many touch points, customers have so many ways to engage. Marketing today needs someone to manage the technology portion of marketing.”

As the need for technology increases, we are seeing that more firms are looking to add this special role to their team. And in order for firms to compete in this marketplace, they are investing in marketing technologies and people who can help them reach their business development goals.

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[Jacqueline Madarang is a pioneer in defining the role of a marketing technologist in law firms. She leads Bradley’s marketing technology and digital marketing efforts, works with attorneys across the firm and focuses on developing digital, social and communications programs that further business development objectives. She can be reached at jmadarang@bradley.com, on LinkedIn or at @jhmadarang.]

 

 

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