Even in an economic downturn, there are things you can do to grow your practice:
Adjust firm's mix of services, leveraging practice strengths and focusing on growing/emerging legal areas
Commit to ongoing client contact.
Cross-sell existing clients on other firm services
Recognize marketing as an investment - not an expense. Then INVEST.
Implement marketing programs that initiate a firm/client relationship (e.g., seminars) without committing the client financially
Develop marketing tools that can be utilized in many ways (e.g., an informational brochure that can be distributed in office, at seminars, as a direct mailer, and/or forwarded to the appropriate media for further dissemination to prospects)
Implement a low cost (though work intensive) PR effort that includes press releases and feature articles
Track sources of prospect calls and new clients as well as conversion rates
Maintain existing price structure (i.e. resist the temptation to be a low cost provider)