2030 Called: It Wants Your Law Firm to Stop Self-Promoting - Maximum Lawyer

Summary

Maximum Lawyer Episode Summary

Title: 2030 Called: It Wants Your Law Firm to Stop Self-Promoting
Host: Tyson Mutrux
Release Date: April 19, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 2030 of Maximum Lawyer, host Tyson Mutrux delves into a transformative discussion on the future of marketing for law firms. Entitled "2030 Called: It Wants Your Law Firm to Stop Self-Promoting," Mutrux explores insights from SEO and marketing expert David Haskins, challenging traditional self-promotional tactics and advocating for a more authentic, community-driven approach.

Main Discussion

The Shift from Self-Promotion to Authentic Engagement

Mutrux begins by setting the stage for a pivotal conversation about the evolving landscape of legal marketing. He shares his anticipation for this episode, emphasizing its significance for law firm owners who aspire to think like business leaders rather than solely as legal practitioners.

Key Insights from David Haskins

Mutrux recounts a compelling exchange with David Haskins, a renowned figure in SEO and marketing. He posed the question: "If a law firm wants to dominate in 2030, what marketing should they focus on now?" Haskins' response was both unexpected and enlightening, steering away from conventional SEO strategies toward a more relationship-centric approach.

"The law firms that win in 2030 and beyond are the ones who fully embrace the age-old adage that people do business with those they know, like, and trust." [03:45]

Haskins underscores that the legal industry's predominant marketing tactics have been overly self-promotional, focusing on showcasing the firm's achievements and capabilities. This approach, according to him, is becoming obsolete. Instead, he advocates for building genuine relationships within communities to foster trust and loyalty.

Critique of Traditional Legal Marketing

Mutrux expresses his agreement with Haskins' assessment, highlighting his discomfort with the prevalent self-centered marketing strategies in the legal field. He reflects on his educational background at Mizzou, where he learned that effective marketing should prioritize the client's needs over self-promotion.

"It's completely backwards to what I was taught—focus on the customer, not on me." [07:12]

He criticizes the typical advertisements of injury firms that boast about big settlements and trial successes, noting the lack of differentiation among such firms.

The Importance of Community Engagement and Authentic Leadership

Drawing from Haskins' insights, Mutrux emphasizes the necessity for law firms to authentically engage with their communities. He shares inspiring examples of legal professionals who have embedded themselves into their localities through heartfelt initiatives.

David Aylor's Pro Bono Support:
Mutrux narrates how David Aylor, a late colleague, responded to a local Uber driver sting by offering pro bono legal representation to affected drivers.

"I'll defend any Charleston Uber drivers ticketed in the sting for free." [09:30]

This gesture not only garnered community support but also led Uber to retain Aylor as their local counsel.
Support for Girl Scout Troop 742:
Another heartwarming example involves Aylor replacing a stolen supply trailer for a local Girl Scout troop, demonstrating genuine care beyond business interests.

"I'll replace it and upgrade them to a nicer one." [12:05]

Through these stories, Mutrux illustrates the profound impact that authentic, community-focused actions can have on a law firm's reputation and trustworthiness.

Building an Authentic Firm Culture

Mutrux highlights the significance of maintaining an authentic presence by managing social media in-house. He argues that external vendors often fail to capture the true essence and culture of a law firm, leading to inauthentic portrayals.

"We do our social media in-house because it's really hard for an outsider to understand and convey your firm culture accurately." [10:20]

He stresses that genuine leadership, driven by the firm's founders or leaders, must permeate the entire organization, ensuring that every team member embodies the firm's values.

Embracing Core Values and Community Leadership

Mutrux shares insights into his own firm's practices, emphasizing the importance of living by core values and actively participating in community initiatives. He recounts how his firm supported employees during natural disasters by providing financial assistance and encouraging community service.

"We live our values and go out into our communities, demonstrating it by really walking the walk." [13:50]

Such actions not only reinforce the firm's commitment to its values but also strengthen its bond with the community, fostering trust and loyalty.

Notable Quotes

David Haskins on Future Marketing:
"The law firms that win in 2030 and beyond are the ones who fully embrace the age-old adage that people do business with those they know, like, and trust." [03:45]
Tyson Mutrux on Customer-Centric Marketing:
"It's completely backwards to what I was taught—focus on the customer, not on me." [07:12]
David Aylor's Commitment:
"I'll defend any Charleston Uber drivers ticketed in the sting for free." [09:30]
Mutrux on Authentic Social Media Management:
"We do our social media in-house because it's really hard for an outsider to understand and convey your firm culture accurately." [10:20]
Living Core Values:
"We live our values and go out into our communities, demonstrating it by really walking the walk." [13:50]

Conclusion

In this enlightening episode, Tyson Mutrux effectively communicates the transformative approach law firms must adopt to thrive by 2030. Moving away from self-promotional tactics, he advocates for building genuine relationships based on the principles of knowing, liking, and trusting within local communities. Through authentic leadership and values-driven actions, law firms can differentiate themselves, foster loyalty, and achieve sustainable growth. Mutrux's discussion underscores that the future of legal marketing lies not in obscure SEO strategies or AI-driven tactics, but in the timeless human elements of trust and community engagement.

Key Takeaways

Adopt a Relationship-Centric Marketing Strategy:
Prioritize building genuine relationships over self-promotion to foster trust and loyalty among clients.
Engage Authentically with the Community:
Participate in community initiatives and demonstrate commitment to local causes to enhance the firm's reputation.
Maintain Authenticity in Firm Culture:
Ensure that all marketing efforts, especially on social media, reflect the true culture and values of the firm by managing them internally.
Lead by Example:
Authentic leadership from the firm's founders and leaders is crucial in embedding core values throughout the organization.
Focus on Client-Centric Practices:
Shift the marketing focus from the firm's achievements to addressing and prioritizing clients' needs and experiences.

By embracing these principles, law firms can position themselves as trusted, community-oriented businesses poised for success in the evolving legal landscape of 2030.

Transcript

A (0:02)

If you're a law firm owner who thinks like a business owner, not just a lawyer, this is for you. July 17th and 18th, we're hosting our next in person Mastermind in New York City. We're kicking off with a strategy workshop with Jessica Gonifiss of Silver Peaks Accounting. Dialing in your numbers so you can make smart CEO level moves. Then it's straight into Mastermind Hot seats. No fluff, no filters, just real strategy, real feedback and breakthroughs. Plus, we're hosting an exclusive dinner. Bring a plus one. Connect deeply and build the kind of relationships that transform businesses. If you're ready to think bigger, move faster and scale smarter, get your mastermind ticket@maxlawevents.com.

B (0:48)

This is maximum Lawyer with your host, Tyson Mutrix. Welcome back to another Saturday episode of Maximum Lawyer. I'm Dyson Mudrick and today I've got one that I am I've been very excited about recording for quite some time. It's been one that I've had in the works for a while. I've waited to record it until the right time, and I think now is the right time. I wanted to make sure I had the right energy for this because it's, it's, I'm just, I'm just really, really excited about it. Before I get into it, though, I want to remind everybody, I'd love to hear from you. And I'd love to hear from you. Even if you've been doing this for several decades or if you're just starting out, it doesn't matter if you know, you just have a question or you just want to make a comment. I don't care either way. I just want to hear from you. Shoot me a text. 314-501-9260 if it's something you want me to cover on the show, I'm happy to do so. I can read your question on the air or you can also go to maximilawyer.com ask and you can submit a video there. Or you can just shoot me a video or an audio message and I'll play it here on the air. One of my episodes coming up, I am going to play some audio from a message I received from a buddy of mine. That is going to make for a pretty good episode. But we're going to talk about today's episode, which is it has to do with a text message that I sent a buddy of mine, David Haskins, who I've talked about on the podcast before. He is a stud when it comes to SEO and marketing. He's really a brilliant mind, to be honest with you. He's got just an incredible mind when it comes to marketing. And so I asked him this question. If a law firm wants to dominate in 2030, what marketing should they focus on now? And I also told him I'm going to do a podcast episode on whatever you say and give you all the credit, so make it good. And it's. He responded, and he did not disappoint, not one bit. And it was not something actually that I thought I would hear from him. I thought I would hear something that was something that you would hear that was obvious from someone that's in SEO. That's actually what I thought I would get. I didn't. I got something far better and something that I think that you might, you might have actually heard from someone that's of a similar mind back like 20, 30 years ago. It is an interesting response. And so here's what David had to say. It's a long one. And what I'm going to do is I'm going to read parts of it and then I'm going to make comments about it, but it really is interesting. So he says the law firms that win in 2030 and beyond are the ones who fully embrace the age old adage that people do business with those they know like and trust. And we've talked about that before. Know like and trust. Really, really important. He says, frankly, the legal industry has been marketing mostly in the realm of no. Since the competition is mostly in the. In that realm also, the winners become the most people know. And that's really interesting. And when I first read that, it was like, oh my gosh, it was like my, my mind exploded. Cause he's 100% right. And it's the thing, I think that has bothered me the most since I got into this profession because it's a lot of chest beating, It's a lot of, hey, look at me, look at me, look at me. Look how amazing I am. And that has always been backwards to what I was taught whenever I was at Mizzou, learning about marketing. That is completely. It was all about the customer, all about the client. You know, you, you focus on them. You don't focus on me. And that whole no idea is, hey, focus on me, focus on me, focus on me, get to know me. I'm so important. And it, it really has, it's always bothered me and it never really. I kind of knew why, but now I 100% know why. And it's. He just, he hit the Nail on the head. And he adds, there really isn't a presence of many law firms that are doing, know, like and trust, at least on a large scale. I think the firm of the future will need to stand out by really taking a stand for what they believe. And he, he's going to give some examples. And this isn't something you can hire a vendor to do for you either. It has to be genuine, led by the founder or founders, the leadership. And it needs to flow through the culture of the firm embraced by everyone who on the team. This is why I had a firm with Jeremy Danielson earlier today, and we were talking about social media, and this is why we do our social media in house. It's because it's really, really hard for a company that's an outsider to understand and be able to embrace your firm culture and then convey that out to the world. They're going to put their own flavor on it and they're not going to be able to really embrace what your culture is. I've never seen it done well, and I'm not saying it's, it's not possible. I'm, I just personally have never seen it done well. Okay, so let's get into his example. A great example of this was my best friend, the lawyer that got my start in this industry, David Aylor. And David has. For those of you that know David, I've only heard great things about David. David has passed. He passed away a couple years ago. And I know that obviously David Haskins was very, very close to him as long I know that Brooks, Derek was close to him as well. It sounded like he was a very beloved person. And so it's really, it was really tragic to hear that he had passed away, but he led with his heart. And so this is, this is David Haskins again. So I'm about to differentiate between David Aylor and David Haskins. But David Haskins adds, he led with his heart and he accomplished this goal pretty much just naturally. The local police set up an Uber sting to catch Uber drivers in the early ways before it was legalized. David Aylor put on a statement that he would represent any Uber drivers caught in the sting pro bono. And he, he actually provides a Facebook post which. Anyone that is watching this, what those of you that are on, watching on YouTube, you can see what I'm showing. And I am trying to present this in a way that everyone, if, even if you're just listening that you, you can, you have an idea as to what I'm. What I'm showing you, but he shared a Facebook post with me from something that David Aylor law offices shared. And it's an image that says Uber driver sting. And it's overlaying a map of the area. And he says, I'll defend any Charleston Uber drivers ticketed in the sting for free. And I think that's pretty cool. And he's got an actual link to the, to the article about it. And he says not only did David receive an outpouring of support from the community, Uber contacted us and retained David to be their local counsel for these charges, which is really, really interesting. That is, that's. I didn't know about that. That's fantastic. Another time. This is. That was a great story. I think this next one is even better. And so I'm going to show an article that it was about some. A Girl Scout troop. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna share that instead. So you all can see this one. And it is a really, just fantastic story. It is. Gotta maneuver all my screens. Okay. And this one was, it was a Facebook post and it says, Low Country Boy Scout Troop 742 says its trailer was stolen last night. It was parked at Coastal Shores Baptist Church on Ashley Phosphate. And so it's got that post. And I think, actually, I think that it was supposed to be a Girl Scout troop. They said Boy Scout troop. Either way, it doesn't matter. But the. David says another time a local Girl Scout troop had their supply trailer stolen. David popped up and offered to replace it and then upgraded them to a nicer one. So he provides two posts. And in that post that I just read a second ago, David says, I'll replace it, and tags the person. Please let me know who to contact. And then there's a follow up from the person that this Brody Hart that posted about it. And the follow up says it's got a video of the trailer being stolen and it says, you're stealing from children. That's not something I can accept. And that's from David Aylor. So that's what Low country attorney and former Boy Scout David Aylor told me and the Scout762 committee chair about their stolen trailer. He offered to replace it after seeing my tweet about the theft on Saturday. Really, really cool story. And there's a, there's a video about that. And we'll provide all of this in the show notes as well. All right. And let me, let me wrap up the rest of the text from my good friend David Haskins. Hopefully everyone's keeping the name the David's to separated. But he says there's a hundred more examples like this where David ingrained himself into the community with good deeds led by his heart. Sometimes it was related to a practice area, his firm, his practice. Practice area his firm handled. Most of the time it wasn't. And I, I absolutely love this story. I, I agree with David Haskins wholeheartedly, because it does seem that the marketing has gotten to the point where it's kind of the same, right? The, the injury firms that are advertising. What do you hear? What do you hear? Think about it. Think. Just think about the, the commercials that you've seen recently from an injury firm. And as an injury firm, I, maybe I pay more attention than what you all do. But when you see them, what are they talking about? They're talking about big settlements, big verdicts, you know, talking about their, their trial attorneys. I mean, how many times do you see trial attorneys? That's what they are. They're trial attorneys. That's what they're in. They're. They're in the courtroom. They're. They're. They're trial attorneys. They're getting big settlements, big money, and it's all just the same. You. There's nothing that differentiates them. I will give. You know, there is a firm. I say I won't mention who they are because I do think that some people unfairly criticize them. But in St. Louis, there is a firm that I actually have a lot of respect for. They're a volume marketing firm, and I respect them because they really fight off the firms that come in from out of town. They also are. They really care about local. They're really, they're. They. They walk the walk. Okay? And they get a bad rep because they don't have a history of being in the courtroom and trying cases and all that. But they're the ones that are out in the community that a lot of people know about. They're the ones that they. Obviously they see them on TV and everything, but they're the ones that are really in the community. They are. Whenever there's a judge that they don't think should be on the bench anymore, they're vocal about it when there is. There was recently a flood of outside firms that came in, and their message was essentially, listen, these are firms from out of town. They're not local. They're not St. Louis people. And even if you don't hire us, hire someone that's. That's in St. Louis. And I Got a lot of respect for that. They're willing to kind of put their neck on the line and really stand up for other people. And I, and I think that that's really important that we do. We live our values and we go out into our communities. That's what one of our core values has to do with being leaders in our communities or in the legal industry. And the communities are served. So that's. That we serve. So we are leaders in the legal industry and the communities we serve. That's the actual core value and we truly believe in that. The. And you have to do that. For example, our, some of our employees, they are out in North Carolina and when the recent floods came through, guess what we said, take the day off. Take, take the week off as long as you need. Here's some money. You go spend it on whatever you need. When it comes to supplies, go out in the community and do what you need to do. And they did it. And so you have to. I think it's a really, really, really important that what David's talking about is going out of the communities and showing that we are members of the community and living our values and demonstrating it by, by really walking the walk. And I think that that's really, really important. So I think David's right. In 2030, if you want to dominate, I don't think it's Google. I don't think it's AI. I think it's doing what David says. And so hopefully you all got something from this know, like. And trust. Super, super important. Don't neglect any one of those. You got to do the. No, they got to know you. So it's important to get the marketing out there. They're going to have to like you and they're going to have to trust. And you do that by going out into the communities that you serve and serving. That's all I have for us today. Give me a text. I'd love to hear from you. 3145-0192-6031-4501-9260 or go to maximlawyer.com forward/ask. Until next time. Remember that consistent action is the blueprint that turns your goals into reality. Take care. See you, buddy.