Successful CRM has many components and it can be challenging to bring all the elements into alignment. At CLIENTSFirst, we often work with firms who have done a good job with some aspects of CRM but struggle with others. One challenge frequently seen is keeping mailing lists up to date. Mailing lists are typically the primary method of segmenting clients and contacts and are essential for targeting the right email marketing audience for alerts, newsletters and event invitations. It is not uncommon to find lawyers under the wrong impression that sharing their contacts with the CRM system means they are also “automagically” added to relevant mailing lists. This inevitably leads to frustration when key contacts are not sent communications and invitations aligned with their needs and interests. Here are some of our top tips for keeping mailing lists up to date:

• Lists that make sense: Mailing lists should be aligned with the firm’s practice areas and industry focus without getting too granular. This makes it easier to decide which list(s) a contact should be on and which should be used for a particular mailing.
• Communications: Periodically remind lawyers and their assistants to add contacts to lists. These messages should be a part of your overall CRM Communication Plan and can also be tied to regular circulation of specific CRM-related reports.
• Circulate reports: Regularly circulated metrics and bounce reports by list and/or lawyer will help to keep the concept of mailing lists top of mind and is an effective way to keep lists up to date on an ongoing basis.
• Preference form: Sometimes lawyers don’t want to guess what emails their contacts will be interested in so will either not add them to any list or go the other way and request to add them to all the firm’s lists – which ultimately will result in a higher unsubscribe rate. A better option is to encourage those lawyers to send an email to their new contacts with a link to the firm’s signup form by providing them with a templated email with suggested language they can edit to suit their needs.
• Laterals: The Marketing department is likely heavily involved with the process for onboarding lateral partners and CRM is a significant part of that. Ideally, Laterals will be reviewing their contacts before they are added to the CRM system and marking contacts to remain private and contacts that should receive the announcement about their arrival. Take advantage of this review to have them also indicate to which lists each contact should be added. Tip: Give them a numbered list of available lists so they can easily indicate the number of the list.
• Training: Be sure your ongoing training plan provides detailed instructions for adding contacts to lists. The firm’s intranet should also be used to make available Quick Reference documentation and How to Add a Contact to a Mailing List is one of the first documents to create.
• Ties to data privacy compliance: If your firm is sending emails to contacts asking them to opt-in to receive mailings (you should be!) ask your contacts to pick their areas of interest on the same form they use to opt in.
• Automation: Some firms may want to take advantage of advanced features in the eMarketing and CRM systems and investigate ways to automate the welcome email/opt in process. In some instances, you may also be able to automatically add contacts associated with specific firm clients or lawyers to selected lists but be sure to not violate your firm’s data privacy compliance policy.
• List reviews: Lawyers hate having to do this, especially when the lists are notoriously out of date. Limit this only for events or selected events, streamline the process to make it as easy as possible and, if your firm has implemented an ERM system, use relationship strength data to highlight only those contacts that are most important to the lawyers. When communicating the need for a list review, be sure to include a description of the event and what the target audience will be.
• Keep track of new contacts: Generate and circulate regular reports on new contacts added to the system and be sure to highlight those that haven’t been added to at least one mailing list.

There is no doubt that mailing list maintenance can be one of the more challenging aspects of law firm CRM but with a little extra planning and communication the process can be improved significantly and your list quality will reflect those extra efforts.