The Game Changing Attorney Podcast with Michael Mogill

4. Alexander Shunnarah — The Thin Line Between Success and Failure

Apr 21, 2020

33:37

"I can't imagine someone else being the most recognizable person or the number one law firm in Alabama. Not on my watch." -Alexander Shunnarah

How did a personal injury lawyer become the best-known face in all of Alabama?
What can football coach Nick Saban teach us about law firm leadership?
And why does Alexander Shunnarah play the legal marketing long game?

The Attorney That Launched 1,000 Memes

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Alexander Shunnarah has become one of the most recognizable faces in the state and beyond thanks to his billboards — two thousand of them and counting — and his slogan: “Call me, Alabama.” Shunnarah’s billboards have become so popular they've spawned thousands of memes and even Facebook fan pages.

In this episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast, Alex discusses what he does to keep his fingers on the pulse of his business and why he's always ready to adapt and improve his marketing strategy.

Calculated Risk And Reinvestment

Many law firm owners must play a balancing act between profit and reinvestment — a difficult task that can be exacerbated by fluctuations of the stock market and the local business competition they come up against.

Alexander Shunnarah brings us his wisdom on how to take calculated risks and when it's time go all-in on legal advertising. Plus, we discuss how a little bit of fear can be the ideal driving force to elevate an attorney in a crowded market like personal injury law.

Fishing For Marlins

The one thing that has set Alexander Shunnarah apart is his insatiable and uncompromising business attitude. He believes in constant self-reflection, which drives him to be a better CEO and leader. While the competition is sleeping, Alexander Shunnarah is driving change in his firm through the early hours of the morning. And while some lawyers take vacations, Alexander Shunnarah goes fishing for marlins...

Key takeaways:

Despite being a billboard marketing guru, Alexander Shunnarah is also a fierce advocate for digital marketing in the legal space. But just how does the modern law firm balance their monetary efforts? Alex demonstrates that by understanding that brand is king, firms can optimize their strategies to present one coherent vision.
Alex is the kind of law firm leader that still shows up to the office early every morning. He talks to us about making space within a business for teaching and learning moments. Plus, we uncover his methods to drive employee engagement by setting a consistently high standard of duty and responsibility throughout his firm.
It's notoriously difficult to follow where a lead has come from, particularly for services with limited or one-time buying cycles. Alex gives us his thoughts on why personal injury firms need to take inspiration from Coca Cola and Ferrari — and how investment into brand equity can pay off in the long run.

Links & Resources