Julie Holton is the marketing director at Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C., a law firm based in Lansing, Michigan, with more than 40 attorneys assisting clients in 70 legal practice areas. Before joining Fraser Trebilcock in February 2013, Julie spent more than a decade working in television news. In her prior career, she held producer and executive producer roles at television stations in Indianapolis; Minneapolis; Richmond, Virginia; Lansing, Michigan; and Saginaw, Michigan. Julie holds a B.A. in broadcast and cinematic arts from Central Michigan University.
Q. You had been in broadcast journalism for your whole career before coming to Fraser Trebilcock. What was it about legal marketing that appealed to you?
As a legal marketer, I get to tap into my creativity; my love for writing and graphic design; my presentation and communication skills; my competitive streak; and yes, even my video editing experience! My passion for helping people tell their stories is what drew me to journalism at a young age. Words are powerful. The modern world is molded and continuously reshaped through a constant flow of information; it's up to the media to provide that message. This is the same passion that drew me to legal marketing. Instead of telling the story, our law firms are a part of the story. I'm not trying to gloss over the everyday challenges we face as legal marketers, but at the heart of what we do is the service that we're providing. We're selling and branding our firms, both internally and externally, using the power of words.
Q. Can you provide some insights on the differing pace that you experienced as a journalist as compared to your position as marketing director, and about some of the positives and negatives related to those differences?
Before accepting this position, I actually wondered if I would get bored (yes, cue the laughter!). For more than a decade, I worked under the constant pressure of meeting demanding deadlines, and even those deadlines could change without warning for breaking news. I didn't know what to expect in making the transition to such a different environment. When I sat down alone in my office for the first time, I thought it's too quiet without a buzzing newsroom to tune out! It didn't take more than an hour before I got over that notion, realizing how quickly my inbox would fill, how often my phone would ring, and how many urgent projects would pop up. I found comfort in the fact that legal marketing is much like the newsroom; we always need to be ready to react and, when possible, ready to get out in front of a big issue that could impact our practice.
Q. Thus far as Marketing Director you have been focusing your efforts in the public relations area. Handling these activities for a small to midsized firm with offices in Southeastern and Central Michigan, what have you found to be the tactics that were most practical and have met with the greatest success?
The most important ongoing project for any law firm is its branding campaign, so this is why I've started with our public relations. Establishing our brand, both externally as well as internally, is a full-time job for a solo marketer, especially as we push continuity across all platforms. The most practical tactic, that has also been the most successful for me, has been to start with those within the firm who are already on board and understand the branding mission. For example, instead of pushing every attorney to blog, I focus my efforts on those who enjoy it and only need a slight twist of the arm. Instead of rallying every practice area to put on seminars, I've chosen a few topics that may get us the most bang for our buck, and attorneys who are interested in joining the effort. I find that it helps fuel positive energy throughout the firm. Enthusiasm can be very contagious!
Q. What are best practices for law firms looking to get the attention of a local news station?
Establish relationships with local media. When a story breaks, you want to be the first firm thought of as a potential source. Think like a reporter and not a PR firm. This changes everything, from how you write a news release to how you approach your own attorneys. Never assume that news stations already know about a ruling or update in a case or changing laws. Provide helpful information to the media that may help them to uncover a new story. Know who your go-to people are in the firm: there's nothing worse than an opportunity for free publicity being lost because you can't find an attorney in time to meet the deadline.
Q. What practices from your career as a journalist have you found most helpful in your legal marketing role?
Can you believe that even five years ago, TV stations were not using social media? I remember sitting in station strategy meetings and having people argue that social media wasn't necessary for journalists; now stations are breaking news through social media! Some stations are even moving toward strategies that involve the internet as a potentially more important platform than television. It's an important evolution that definitely helps in my legal marketing role. While social media is only a very small component of our marketing strategy, experience like this helps me keep an open, progressive mindset.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
If you had told me 10 years ago that I would miss living in Michigan, I wouldn't have believed you. Now, a true believer, I'm happily settling back into my home state. I find myself spending much of my free time visiting with family and friends all across “the mitten.” I love local summer festivals and have enjoyed everything from wine and beer festivals to film festivals. I also spend quite a bit of time enjoying the Great Lakes, particularly Grand Traverse Bay near Traverse City. Nothing rejuvenates me more than a weekend Up North!