The Rise of the Self-Service Buyer
Buyers have changed—we know this – and one of the most significant changes is the rise of the self-service buyer.
The self-service buyer is a relatively new concept in B2B professional services. These buyers prefer to gather information, research, and make decisions independently before ever engaging with a service provider. According to recent research, virtually 100% of buyers want to self-educate and manage the buying experience on their own, up from 87% in 2021. This shift is revolutionary in an industry like legal services, where trust and personal relationships have traditionally driven business development.
Law firms and companies in the professional services space must recognize that clients are conducting extensive online research before making contact. Prospective buyers are no longer waiting for meetings with partners or business development professionals to understand the firm’s offerings. Instead, they are seeking out information on their own, and they want to do it quickly and efficiently.
For legal marketers, this shift presents both opportunities and challenges. The primary challenge is that buyers are now doing the majority of their research independently, meaning law firms must have a strong digital presence to capture their attention. This includes search engine optimization (SEO), targeted content, and a website that clearly communicates the firm’s value proposition and areas of experience and jurisdiction.
Buyers expect to find what they’re looking for online, without the need to contact a sales rep or business development professional. This puts immense pressure on firms to ensure that their online content is easy to navigate and answers the critical questions prospective clients are asking. The days of buyers waiting to speak with an attorney before making an inquiry are fading fast.
One of the most important tools law firms have to engage self-service buyers is high-quality content. Content that is both user-focused and addresses specific client concerns is crucial in attracting and retaining potential clients. Gone are the days of keyword stuffing. Today’s SEO strategies revolve around creating valuable, informative content that addresses the needs of your target audience.
Content such as detailed case studies, whitepapers, and blog posts that address client pain points establish authority. As clients are devoting less time to meeting with suppliers and more time to conducting independent research, your firm’s content must fill the gap that personal meetings once did. It needs to provide enough information to build confidence and guide the buyer through the decision-making process without needing to speak with a representative.
One of the biggest challenges in a self-service buying landscape is establishing trust through digital channels. In an industry like legal services, where trust has traditionally been built through personal relationships, law firms need to find new ways to replicate that trust online. This is where authoritative content plays a crucial role—but optimized through digital strategies.
Here are a few strategies that can help professional services firms optimize their thought leadership content with digital tactics for self-service buyers:
- Understand your target audience: Client personas, journey mapping, and feedback interviews are essential tools in identifying the topics and concerns that matter most to your clients.
- Use Google’s E-A-T principles: Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness are key factors in establishing a strong online presence. Law firms should focus on creating authoritative content that positions their attorneys as thought leaders.
- Content creation: Identify blog topics based on firm goals and client questions and use tools like Google Search Console and Moz for keyword research. Ensure that attorney bios and landing pages are optimized and create content that addresses specific client issues rather than relying solely on keywords.
The Evolving Role of Legal Marketing Professionals
The role of business development in law firms has evolved significantly in recent years. In 2022, Calibrate estimated that there were around 4,000 marketing and business development professionals in the Am Law 200, and closer to 10,000 professionals in this category outside of the Am Law 200. This growth underscores the increasing importance of business development in helping firms compete in a crowded marketplace.
BD professionals are no longer simply assistants who take direction from partners. Instead, they are playing a proactive role in generating leads and positioning the firm to attract new business. In a self-service world, BD professionals need to work closely with marketing to ensure that the content and resources provided online are aligned with the firm’s goals and resonate with potential clients.
Legal marketing professionals must evolve to meet the needs of the self-service buyer. In this new landscape, they are no longer just relationship builders—they are strategists who drive the digital content that will ultimately attract new clients.
The rise of the self-service buyer is transforming marketing and business development. Buyers today want to self-educate, manage the buying experience independently, and make decisions without waiting for a sales rep to respond. Firms that develop B2B digital strategies focused on self-service will come out on top by meeting buyers’ demand for efficiency and quick access to information.
By embracing self-service, law firm marketers can empower potential clients, build trust through authoritative content, and create a competitive edge in an increasingly digital marketplace.
About the Author
Patricia Nagy the founder and Chief Strategy Officer of The Proxy Agency, a full service marketing agency for legal and professional services firms. We develop revenue-generating strategies and execute a full marketing funnel approach that is proven to increase sales qualified leads, conversion rates and meet any revenue or growth goal.