Key Takeaways from the 2024 Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference – Part Eleven

Last but certainly not least, we bring you our final blog post in our series on the key takeaways from the 2024 Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Conference. This post covers the sessions that our strategists attended on April 5^th – the final day of the conference.

Looking Outside Our Industry: A Playground for New Insights and Creative Solutions

Moderated by Maggie Watkins, CEO/CMO for Maggie T. Watkins Consulting, this breakout session delved into the trends, opportunities, and challenges encountered by CMOs from companies outside the legal industry. Exploring perspectives from beyond our industry enables us to discover innovative marketing strategies that can be applied to law firms. The CMOs who spoke at this session included Anne Buckley, APR Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for UC San Diego, Ken Derrett, Principal for Ken Derrett and Associates, and Steve Jennings, Senior Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer for Rady Children’s Hospital.

Top Ten Takeaways

We compiled the following takeaways from this session:

1. CMOs and their departments face the ongoing challenge of accomplishing more with fewer resources but now have access to tools that expedite delivery.
2. AI is being used more frequently in marketing and communications departments, ensuring a careful approach is taken that is aimed at enhancing efficiency.
3. There is an increased focus on leveraging real-time data and analytics to make marketing decisions, necessitating a continual review and utilization of information to amplify successful strategies and pivot as needed.
4. Communication strategies are evolving due to a generational shift, requiring tailored segmentation to engage diverse stakeholders effectively and compassionately.
5. The digital media landscape is increasingly transforming communication strategies, prompting organizations to adapt and innovate accordingly.
6. Prioritizing customer feedback remains a priority across industries, demanding ongoing audits, assessments, and enhancements to continually refine the customer experience.
7. Reengineering the customer experience involves bringing together technology and people in a more humanistic manner.
8. Amid shifting customer expectations, emphasizing a company’s values and reputation is integral to all marketing and communications endeavours.
9. Maintaining a long-term and short-term marketing strategy that is clear and aligned with the company’s objectives is imperative to demonstrating value and driving revenue.
10. Investing in employee development is as vital as investing in client relationships. This requires fostering a positive employer brand to retain top talent and drive organizational success.

With many innovative takeaways from the 2024 LMA Annual Conference, we are excited to incorporate these insights into our service offerings. To learn more about our services, visit our expertise page.

What is the LMA Annual Conference?

The LMA Annual Conference is a premier event in the legal marketing industry, bringing together professionals from around the world to explore innovative strategies, forge meaningful connections, and learn about industry developments. It typically features keynote presentations, breakout sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to facilitate knowledge sharing, skill development, and professional relationships among attendees.