Recovering from a data breach with a killer marketing strategy
Law firms carry a lot of confidential data. Because of this, the risk of a data breach is a severe one. Statistics show that the average cost of a data breach in Australia is $3.35 million per breach, which represents a 9.8% increase year-on-year.
When you combine the financial losses with the reputational damage your business will suffer, it is not hard to see why many law firms struggle to come back from cyber attacks. In fact, six in 10 small companies go out of business within six months after they have been a victim of a cyber-attack or data breach.
However, if you’ve had the misfortune of suffering a data breach, it doesn’t need to be the end for your business. Aside from rectifying the issue, you will also need to work on rebuilding your reputation, and this is where a stellar marketing plan comes into play.
Put together a proactive crisis management plan
No matter how secure your law firm’s digital assets are, there is the chance that a sophisticated hacker could break your defences. This means that you need to prioritise proactive planning and establish a crisis communication strategy.
Your crisis management plan needs to be comprehensive and thorough. It should include the following elements:
- Executing continuous effectiveness testing;
- Outlining response protocols;
- Identifying sensitive documents;
- Identifying responsibilities;
- Inventorying software and hardware.
You need to make sure that all employees are briefed on how they communicate with customers and anyone who is worried about the impact of the data breach.
Remember, every move now is going to be scrutinised. So, you need to begin by making sure that your team is your biggest branding asset. After all, all of your hard work on other marketing channels can quickly be undone if your staff members end up taking you two steps back.
Don’t hide from the truth
A data breach has happened. You cannot deny it. You cannot pretend it has not happened. Instead, you need to be honest and upfront.
Whether it is a video or a detailed blog post explaining what happened and how customers can protect themselves, it is important to acknowledge the incident. Be transparent, honest, and helpful.
Remember, trust is likely at an all-time low. Appearing sheepish or running away from the truth will not do your business any favours.
Ramp up your content marketing efforts
When news of a data breach becomes public, a lot of negative pieces of content end up online. Not only does this include negative reviews from clients, but the story can hit the news. You may even find that competing businesses take advantage of your bad luck, using your story to criticise your business and show people that their law firm is a more secure and reliable choice.
It is for this reason that it makes sense to start ramping up your content marketing efforts. After all, you want to put the balance back in your favour. You do not want every story online to be about your business’ data breach.
Instead, create authoritative content that will help your clients and show you as an expert in your field. Use a range of different mediums, from infographics and written content to photos and videos. Videos work well because they develop a human connection.
Of course, we do not recommend that you start spamming everyone! However, it is time to get some fresh content out there so that people don’t only see data breach stories whenever they search your law firm’s name.
Respond to negative reviews about the data breach
If your law firm has suffered a data breach, negative reviews may start to crop up online.
However, burying your head in the sand is one of the worst things you can do. Instead, you need to respond to negative online reviews. You always need to make sure you show empathy. Express your sincere apologies for what has happened and the stress and upset that this incident has caused.
Next, you need to explain how you can help the customer. What actionable steps have you taken to ensure their information is secure? Does the customer need to do anything? Be clear and concise, and cover everything that is needed to ensure the situation does not end up getting even worse.
Finally, offer something to keep the customer on side. When trust is eroded, it can be very difficult to prevent a customer from leaving and heading to the competition. This is why you may want to consider making them an offer they can’t refuse to try and keep them onboard.
Not only is this vital in terms of holding onto your customers, but it is imperative for reputation management and showing that you care about your clients.
Use secure marketing tools
Last but not least, ramping up your marketing efforts during this period makes a lot of sense. After all, you need to get people back on your side again.
However, while you’re doing this, the last thing you want is for another data breach to come your way. This really could mean the end for most legal businesses.
So, irrespective of your marketing efforts, make sure that any tool you use is fully secure. The tools you use should offer data management, visibility, two-factor authentication and reporting. A stringent level of security must always be maintained.
Marketing wisely after a data breach
Navigating life after a data breach is not easy. A lot of eyes are going to be on your business. You need to regain trust and build your brand image again.
If you need a helping hand, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the team here at Social Hive for more information.
Contacting Social Hive
Share this page...