Founded in 1981, Stephen Rimmer is a full-service law firm with offices in Eastbourne and Hastings. They are a member of LawNet and are proud of their ability to deliver clear and concise advice with a fast turnaround. They currently have just over a hundred staff members. Most of their growth is built on recommendations from clients and peers. Currently, the firm is rated Number 1 in Eastbourne and in the top ten nationally on Review Solicitors, an accolade they have earned through their continued excellent service.
The Brief
Stephen Rimmer’s mission statement is:
With everything we do, we aim to help people solve their problems. We aim to think differently. Our advice is exceptional, we are jargon-free, friendly and easy to deal with. It’s our goal to be the most trusted legal services provider on the South Coast.
Whilst the firm’s brand is well established in Eastbourne, Stephen Rimmer had ambitions to raise its profile past the town to become the leading local firm on the South Coast. It was also key to continue to recruit and retain staff in a highly competitive market.
Our partner at Stephen Rimmer is Practice Manager, Grant Sanders. He reached out to Lara Squires in December 2020. Before Grant contacted Lara, he had led the firm in investing significant resources into the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) of their website, as well as creating keyword-building content and a social media presence. The firm had advertised in local publications and had displayed at The Good Life and Lifestyle Show. Prior to the pandemic, the firm also engaged in networking on a rota basis.
This marketing work was generating new enquiries, which the firm considered to be a marker of success, but they had hit a wall. They didn’t have time to do any more than they were already doing, so there were opportunities to leverage their social channels to embed the firm further into the community and drive meaningful engagement that they were missing and to start communicating more with their audiences via email.
The Approach
Stephen Rimmer had a wider set of objectives but knew they would be unable to achieve them without support. Enquiry and conversion rates were important to the firm, both as trackable indicators of how well marketing activities were performing and towards keeping them on target for their profit goals. However, these metrics alone weren’t enough to indicate whether their brand recognition was increasingly locally sufficiently enough for Stephen Rimmer to be recognised as the leading local firm.
When Stephen Rimmer initially engaged Consortium – more than marketing’s services, we audited their marketing strategy and investigated the firm’s competitors. We identified the firm’s target audience and built a new strategy with tactics designed to reach those audiences. We agreed on a 21-month plan in which we would lay the foundations of the strategy and implement the agreed-upon tactics.
Some of the areas we have helped to support Stephen Rimmer include:
- Building a database of contacts and clients and developing regular communications with these audiences to keep them engaged and promote brand recognition
- Building a database and communicating with prospective clients to maximise conversion rates
- Creating an internal newsletter to maximise engagement of staff in firmwide and marketing/BD activities
- Creating and winning award entries to showcase Stephen Rimmer, particularly for recruitment purposes
- Create engaging social media and website content as well as branded legal guides and other collateral to support the firm’s key practice areas.
The Outcome
Since the firm started working with Consortium, nearly all of the firm’s social media channels have grown to more than double their initial following. In 2023 alone, Stephen Rimmer’s Instagram followers have grown by 20%.
Stephen Rimmer won the Modern Law Conveyancing Firm of the Year (South) in November 2023. The firm was also shortlisted in the LawNet awards for the Excellence in Client Care award.
Louise Gilbert FCIM, Associate Director and Head of Legal at Consortium – more than marketing had this to say about working with Stephen Rimmer:
“It’s great to work with such a forward-thinking law firm, who are interested in such wide-ranging strategies and channels. It’s a pleasure to work collaboratively alongside Grant Sanders, to develop ideas that showcase what makes Stephen Rimmer stand apart from the competition.”
Grant Sanders, Practice Manager at Stephen Rimmer had this to say about working with Consortium:
“At Stephen Rimmer, our journey with Consortium has been a testament to innovation and collaboration. Since partnering with their team we’ve not only upheld our commitment to clear, concise advice but have also embraced a forward-thinking approach to marketing. The results speak for themselves – our social media channels have flourished, and we’ve been honoured with not only being shortlisted for industry awards but winning one too. Working collaboratively with Consortium has allowed us to showcase what sets us apart. It’s not just legal expertise; it’s a commitment to excellence and a vision for the future of legal services.”
We can help you too
If you are looking to boost your firm’s marketing and build your brand, please do get in touch. Email Lara or call 01903 530787.