Marketing After A Natural Disaster

News Headline – “There has been a terrible disaster – a wildfire, a flood, an oil spill, or a hurricane.” Sound familiar?

As the water recedes, the smoke clears and the winds die down, people begin assessing their situation. Neighbors help neighbors and strangers help strangers. There is nothing more resilient than the American spirit. Hard work is in our blood. In fact, asking for help is not something we are accustomed to doing. We will be ok, we have grit, and we have insurance!

So, imagine the surprise and disbelief when they hear that the insurance premiums they have been paying year after year are not going to help them get their life back?

Unfortunately, this scenario plays out across America every year. After every disaster, there are always disputes between insurers and the insured.

If you are a law firm that specializes in the representation of individuals who have been denied or underpaid for damages associated by these types of events, those effected by them need to know who you are.

In fact, most people don’t know they can hire an attorney to dispute their claims. But when do you let them know? You don’t want to be seen as insensitive or opportunistic. If you live in an area where hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, or flooding are not that much of a surprise, then the answer is easy; you should always be letting people know you represent homeowners in insurance disputes.

But what if you don’t live in those areas? When is the best time to let those people know you can help them? Well, from our experience, the best time is before they cash that ridiculously low check from their friendly neighborhood insurance agent. And those offers are made quickly, but rarely at the amount the insured thought it would be. So, what are they to do, not make repairs?  People tend to get desperate to get their lives back and that can often lead to hasty, ill-advised decisions. So, the sooner you let them know you are there to help, the better.

So now comes the question, as an attorney, how do I advertise my services?

Paid Advertising

There are a lot of options when it comes to advertising your law firm and pay per click (PPC) advertising is probably the fastest and most used. But be ready, PPC can get expensive very fast.

Pay per click advertising is based on setting a budget and bidding on keywords. So, you decide where you want to appear and when.  If the keywords are not very popular, say “hurricane claims attorney” for a firm in Idaho the bid price will be very inexpensive. At least until a hurricane barrels through the Midwest! That same search term will be much different if you are in Tampa in mid-August and the Gulf waters are churning out hurricanes like a Pez dispenser. That same bid will skyrocket as firms try and position themselves for the season. The keywords were the same, but the popularity of the location will drive the bid up and if an event happens, the sky’s the limit.

If you can beat the rush, you can get great placement on a modest budget. But, as more attorneys enter this space, it gets more competitive and more expensive. This means the earlier you begin, the better. As for hurricanes, think about advertising before hurricane season begins.

Social Media

Another way to get your name out is through social media. Both Facebook and LinkedIn are good places to let people know you are there to help. Business owners are a prime prospect in LinkedIn and Facebook is great for the general population. Facebook also allows you to target your message to only those areas effected, even if it is by neighborhoods.

Think of social media as an indirect way of advertising.  It is a good fit when you are trying to reach a person that isn’t aware of their options, kind of an educational tool. Like we mentioned before, a lot of people are not aware they can take legal action when the insurance companies aren’t playing fairly.  Business owners and individual homeowners will appreciate knowing there are people out there looking out for their best interest.

With social media you can “plant the seed” that legal action may be the best way to solve an insurance dispute in a way that is less intrusive and more understanding of their situation.  It becomes a “did you know” type of educational outreach that increases the odds of you earning their business.

Become a Resource

Updating your website and social media platforms with useful information is another way to become a resource for people. Create unique content and videos that explain their options and your expertise in these areas. Having information that can help them will be very well received. We tell our clients all the time, you aren’t trying to teach a class, but you do want to give enough basic information to be helpful. Once someone realizes they can’t manage the process on their own, they will turn to the original source of the information, your law firm.

Another option is to become a resource for a local news segment. Alert your local news organizations know that you are an expert on insurance issues and if they would like your opinion, you would be glad to give it. They will undoubtedly do pieces on the struggles of the local community and the underpayment or denial of insurance coverage will most likely be one of them.

Lastly – Contact your past clients. Let them know you are working with individuals who are having trouble with their insurance claims. Too often they will use another law firm because they were not aware you did this. They will usually think of you for what you did for them before.

For our clients, we do this in a newsletter. In fact, it is a good idea to put out a firm newsletter about once a quarter. We use blogs we write for their website as helpful information, but always remind them of the many areas of practice that your firm covers in case there is a future need.

Contact Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing Today

Does your law firm represent homeowners in natural disaster insurance disputes? If so, start targeting those prospective clients today.

Contact Too Darn Loud Legal Marketing for more information. Our phone number is (800) 649-1764.