Digital & Business Operations, Capacity-Building, and Acquisition Support for a Trusted Boston Law Firm
Engagement Period: December 2016 to 2022
Services Rendered: Management Consulting and Integrated Marketing Operations
Overview:
Borchers Trust Law Group is a longstanding, well-respected law firm in the Boston, Massachusetts area. Known for their expertise in trust law and estate planning, BTLG needed support in nurturing their clients. The Jillian Group realized that to achieve this, BTLG not only needed a significant boost to both their (internal and external digital) operations but also more sustainable business operations put in place.
Over time, as part of these changes, TJG identified the need to hire a business manager for the firm, a transition process that helped BTLG to build internal capacity rather than dependency. In addition, TJG assisted BTLG through the acquisition of another law firm.
| Challenges to Overcome | Changes We Implemented |
|---|---|
| Nurture efforts with clients and prospects needed improvement, as it was primarily confined to analog, ad hoc, and anecdotal. | Implemented a CRM for more effective engagement management Scrubbed list of thousands of email contacts for better nurturing and to optimize efficiency and personalization |
| Digital tools weren’t being utilized to their full potential. | Audited all digital properties and capabilities Implemented online scheduling, integrated more tech into their processes; and trained staff to implement and sustain |
| Lack of effective online presence and ways for clients to engage or do business meaningfully in the digital space. | Redesigned website for a better user experience Established a digital marketing strategy that included launching new brands, full social media presence, SEO and social media content strategy, and regular email marketing campaigns |
| No online job application process that would allow for team building within the BTLG online ecosystem. | Made it possible for job applicants to apply online through the BTLG website |
| Needed proactive process in place for employee engagement and retention. | Collaborated to create the company’s first employee handbook and implemented an Employee Engagement System |
| Thought Leadership was limited. | Built and integrated e-commerce functionality to support the founder’s thought leadership development. Created a digital, content, and outreach strategy to increase the Founder's visibility. |
| No designated team member to manage the firm, a role that shouldn’t be outsourced and which was required to build internal capacity, rather than dependency on external consultants. This would better position the firm to scale. | Assisted BTLG through the transition process required to hire and onboard a business manager for the firm |
| Performance metrics were limited. | Through collaboration we built the functionality and internal capabilities for them to access more KPIs to make data-driven decisions |
| BTLG had the opportunity to acquire another law firm and needed assistance with the overall strategy and integration process. | Guided BTLG in their acquisition of another firm, helping with the overall strategy including communications, timeline, and creating a collaborative way for both teams to begin working together. |
Outcomes:
Due to the implementation of strategic processes, the facilitation of tech and leadership training, and significant organizational and cultural advancements, we played a pivotal role in propelling BTLG into the digital era.
TJG’s efforts resulted in the optimization of internal workflows, the expansion of operational capabilities, a stronger workplace culture, and the fostering of innovation in the creation of digital products, dynamic online solutions, and new brands. These include Asset Trust Organizer, Diagnostic Estate Planning Tools, Heirloom Services for Attorneys, Personal Legal Protection Package, Northeast Private Trustees, SecondHomeSavvy.com, as well as their signature offering, TrustSupport.
Our content strategy effectively positioned BTLG as a knowledgeable, trustworthy, and approachable group of professionals. Their SEO-optimized blog with over 100 posts, helped further establish the company’s search engine authority. Establishing digital offerings at every point of contact ensured BTLG could serve more clients and help more families than ever before.
Additionally, we implemented a tailored email communication approach for BTLG, enabling them to send pertinent and personalized messages to targeted groups based on their unique profiles, needs, and requirements. To round out their content strategy, we optimized their social media profiles and ensured consistent publishing was balanced with community engagement.
We also collaborated with BTLG’s internal leadership team to document all processes and craft the inaugural edition of their employee handbook. This handbook became an integral part of the subsequent hiring procedures. Additionally, we successfully circulated the handbook and achieved its adoption among existing employees.
Leveraging their new handbook alongside our Employee Engagement System that they adopted, we played a pivotal role in steering the executive team toward a proactive approach to team building. Furthermore, we streamlined their job application process by enabling online applications, thereby simplifying the interview procedures for the internal team while also further integrating their brand values earlier on in the recruitment process.
Finally, we assisted BTLG through the acquisition of another law firm. We helped to develop and execute the overall strategy and streamlined processes, including internal and external communications, timelines, measurement mechanisms, and reporting frameworks to monitor success KPIs over time.
The acquisition process involved the absorption of not only internal and external processes, content, and communications from the acquired firm to BTLG; it also involved the transition of hundreds of active clients into BTLG’s care. It was critically important to avoid burning out both teams by pushing them beyond their capacity. At the same time, we needed to be able to both tactfully and effectively introduce BTLG as the new firm and quickly build trust with both the acquired team and its clients.
In addition, we aimed to smooth the transition process as BTLG’s team grew accustomed to working with the team being acquired. To that end, we created a collaborative way for the two teams to begin working together effectively.