Name: Krista Egan
Company: Flaster/Greenberg PC
Title: Marketing Manager
Email: Krista.Egan@flastergreenberg.com
- How did you get into legal marketing?
I was a student at Rutgers-Camden, majoring in Marketing, when I applied for and was offered a position as a Marketing Intern at Ballard Spahr in Voorhees, New Jersey. I was grateful for the opportunity and surprised by how much I enjoyed the craft. When my internship ended, I was hired by the firm as a Marketing Assistant and became further inspired by the people I worked with. This subsequently led to a promotion where I served as the only marketing professional in the firm’s Voorhees office. I was with the firm for nearly 6 years.
- Describe one of your best experiences in legal marketing?
A good experience typically stems from a success of some sort. Some successes are far more meaningful, while others are less noticeable yet still triumphant. At Flaster/Greenberg, the marketing department pushed to produce an industry-specific symposium during a peak time when legislation was bound for change. Unfortunately, the marketing department did not get the interest that warranted participation in the symposium, so we bagged the idea entirely. After a week had passed, it occurred to me that we could follow the symposium concept and switch the practice group in order to work with the right group of attorneys who stood behind the idea and were willing to participate. After eight months of vigorous planning, we held the symposium last Spring and were pleasantly surprised to see more than 400 people attending the conference, including representatives from Fortune100 companies, leaders in local and state government, attorneys from our firm, members of the media, and other thought leaders in the industry. The event was a smashing success for the firm, for the practice group, and for me personally.
- What is one of your greatest challenges when it comes to legal marketing?
I think the greatest challenge (and occasionally, the greatest reward) is turning naysayers into believers. Generally, lawyers do not get formal training for marketing and business development and by nature are competitive. As a result, when it comes time for them to develop their businesses, it can be a challenge for the individual attorney and for us in Marketing. Thankfully, there are plenty of lawyers who just “get it,” but I think there will always be some who remain skeptical about Marketing’s role in a law firm. The ongoing challenge in legal marketing is communicating to attorneys the message that marketing yourself not only can enhance your personal brand, but given enough time and effort, can also boost the bottom line.
- Do you have any words of wisdom to those who are new to the field?
Check—and double check—your work, this time and every time. There is nothing uglier than an email with a typo that can change the entire message.
- What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I have acute attention to detail in and out of the office, but many people I work with are really surprised to learn that I am the mother of three. One of the first things someone learns about me, though, is how much I love sweets, and how often I’m willing to dig into that dessert!