What Most Lawyers Don’t Realize About Email Engagement

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "What Most Lawyers Don’t Realize About Email Engagement"

Podcast: The Law Firm Marketing Minute
Host: Spotlight Branding
Episode Date: October 7, 2025

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Main Theme

This episode tackles a common misconception among lawyers and law firm owners—that email as a marketing tool is outdated or ineffective. The hosts debunk this myth using compelling statistics and discuss the continued importance and effectiveness of email engagement, particularly for solo and small law firms.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Persistence and Power of Email

• Email Is NOT Dead
  The episode opens by highlighting the ongoing relevance of email communication in marketing:

  • Statistic Shared:

    “84% of people check their email at least once a day.”
    [A, 00:00]

  • Host’s Reaction:

    “I'm surprised it's not higher, honestly.”
    [B, 00:04]

• Frequency of Checking Email
  The conversation breaks down the 84% statistic further:

  • 21% check once a day.
  • 30-35% check two to five times a day.
  • The hosts note that this level of engagement is especially compelling for law firm marketing:

    “…so once a day is something like 21%. And then I think, like, it jumps up to like 30, 35% check two to five times a day. Right. So that's, that's a substantial amount of people, especially in your, your law firm's network.”
    [A, 00:18]

Misconceptions Among Lawyers

• Clients' Skepticism
  The hosts discuss how often, during sales calls, lawyers express doubts about email’s effectiveness:

  “…is this something that you see brought up? That they're like, oh, well, nobody really pays attention to email anymore.”
  [A, 00:53]

  • Common Concerns:
    • Is an email newsletter still valuable?
    • Is print more effective than email?
    • Concerns often amplified among solo and small firms worried about budget and time.

Print vs. Email Newsletters

• Cost Considerations
  Some law firms have success with traditional mailers, but expenses make print less viable for smaller firms:

  “Because I think some attorneys and, you know, professional firms have found a lot of success with mailers, but they are expensive.”
  [B, 01:39]

• The Value Proposition
  After discussing network size and the aforementioned stats, most lawyers recognize email’s effectiveness:

  “…once we kind of talk through the specifics of, you know, how large their network is and we look at stats like that, 84% are still checking. I think it is something that is easily recognized as a very powerful tool.”
  [B, 01:40]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On email skepticism:

  "For all those people out there that think that, like, oh, you know, email's dead and this and that, like, that number should shock the pants out of you."
  [A, 00:06]

• On balancing options:

  “It is a question that sometimes I'll have, and I think sometimes it even goes back to print versus email for newsletters... But I think once we kind of talk through the specifics… it is something that is easily recognized as a very powerful tool.”
  [B, 01:07, 01:40]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00-00:18 — The overlooked power of email; frequency stats
• 00:53-01:07 — Common hesitations from lawyers about email effectiveness
• 01:07-01:40 — Comparing print and email; considerations for solo and small firms

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Summary and Takeaways

The episode directly addresses legal professionals’ doubts about email by sharing concrete data about usage and engagement. The hosts remind listeners that email remains a straightforward, cost-effective channel—especially when budgets and resources for print marketing are tight. Their message is clear:
Don’t dismiss the value of email engagement; most of your network still checks email regularly, making it an essential part of any law firm’s marketing toolkit.

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Transcript

[A]

84% of people check their email at least once a day.

[B]

I'm surprised it's not higher, honestly.

[A]

I mean. But still, like, for all those people out there that think that, like, oh, you know, email's dead and this and that, like, that's. That that number should shock the pants out of you. I mean, that's, that's just a.

[B]

Keep it pg.

[A]

But yeah, yeah, that's just a monstrous number for how many. I. It goes up for two to five times a day. I think, like, so it's 84% check at least once a. But that includes, that number includes people who check more like two to five times a day. And it's like, so once a day is something like 21%. And then I think, like, it jumps up to like 30, 35% check two to five times a day. Right. So that's, that's a substantial amount of people, especially in your, your law firm's network.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

On when you're on sales calls and you're, you're, you're talking about email, like, is this, is this something that you see brought up? That they're like, oh, well, nobody really pays attention to email anymore.

[B]

It's certainly a concern that I get. It's a question, you know, what is the, the value of an email newsletter? How, how strong is it still in 2024? But then I talk to a lot of people who are cognizant of how effective it is, but it's really just a matter of the time that they have to allot to it. But it is a question that sometimes I'll have, and I think sometimes it even goes back to print ver versus email for newsletters. Because I think some attorneys and, you know, professional firms have found a lot of success with mailers, but they are expensive.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Especially for the solo and small firms that we work with. But I think once we kind of talk through the specifics of, you know, how large their network is and we look at stats like that, 84% are still checking. I think it is something that is easily recognized as a very powerful tool.

[A]

It.