An attorney emailed and asked:
"Last week, I met a man who is the head of the [an influential association]. Good contact. I sent him an email saying nice to meet you, he responded likewise and hopes to see me around. Now what?"
Great question. What do you do after you meet someone? How do you develop a relationship that will bear fruit?
Of course there isn't a simple answer. Each situation is as different as the individuals involved. And while every nascent networking relationship has the potential to grow and develop, it's possible that it won't. The chemistry isn't there, the timing isn't right or one of the parties simply isn't amenable to taking the relationship to a higher level.
So you meet a lot of people, try a lot of things, and see what works. Most relationships probably won't pan, out but that's okay. You only need a few good ones.
When you meet a new contact, here's what to do next:
First, never leave anything to the other party. Always take the initiative to move things forward. You invite them, you call them, you ask them. The reason we give people our business cards when we meet them, isn't so they have our contact information, it's to get theirs.
So you've done that. You took the lead and emailed "nice to meet you". That's good. He replied. Even better. The door is open to future contact and there is now a chance that he will remember you.
Second, when we meet new people, during those uncomfortable first few minutes where we exchange small talk, we are searching for "commonalities". When we find them (a school, a mutual friend, a shared interest in golf, for example) we are united in that common interest and we have something we can talk about. When you find something in common with your new contact, however banal, you can use that to continue the conversation at a later time.
So, did you discover any commonalities with your new contact? Did you discuss anything that you can use to continue the conversation? If not, in your next communication, find a reason to ask him a question. Ask if he knows someone you know or what he thinks about an idea that is important to his industry. Share an article you think he may like and ask for his thoughts.
Third, and most important, networking isn't about you getting something from the other person, at least not initially. In the beginning, networking is the search for people with problems you can help solve or objectives you can help meet. I am not necessarily referring to your legal services.
What does the other person want? Where is his pain? What is on his mind? You need to find out so you can help.
You might have information that can help. You might introduce him to someone. Or give him a referral.
You get what you want by first helping other people get what they want. The more you give, the more (eventually) you will get.
So, if you don't know what this individual wants, find out. Ask him–"how can I help you with. . .?" Or ask people who know him or his organization what might be needed. Or do some research.
Once you know what someone wants, look for ways to help him get it. If you can't help them yourself, turn to your existing network of clients and contacts and find someone who can. If your contacts can't help, they may know someone who can.
Your role is to position yourself as the "go to" person when people need something. You connect people with problems with people who have solutions. In doing so, you help both people and you also help yourself.
Filed under Communication, Marketing legal services, Networking, Relationship marketing, Thank you letters by 
A new attorney contacted me recently, seeking advice on getting a job. I don't know that I'm the right person to ask since I've never had a job, unless working for your father for a year out of law school counts, but I do have some thoughts about the subject.
If I was looking to work for someone else, I'd consider what everyone else is doing (job hunters) and do the opposite.
First, I wouldn't write a resume. Resumes are a mechanism for rejecting the masses and not a good way to stand out. Instead, I'd write a sales letter.
This letter would show what I've done for others (clients or employers) and include endorsements from influential people who know me and what I can do, and testimonials from people I've previously helped.
Before this, I'd do my homework. I would choose a handful of firms or companies I was interested in working with and look at their "resume" (web site). I'd study them and their industry and learn everything I could. I'd talk to people who work there and people who used to. I'd find professionals who know the principals of the firm and buy them coffee. I'd learn about the firm's strengths and especially, their weaknesses. What problems do they have? What objectives are they trying to meet? What can I do to help them?
Then, I'd ask the people I met during my research period for an introduction. If they don't know the top dog, I'd ask them to introduce me to someone who does.
When I met the owner, I'd ask questions that let him know I knew something about their firm. I'd keep asking questions until I saw an opening to make some suggestions. That's when I'd show them I had something to offer.
If I do a good job of showing them I can solve some of their problems, it won't matter whether there is a job opening or not, they'll create a position for me.
If they asked me for a resume, I'd give them my sales letter.
Statistics tell us that two-thirds of all jobs are never advertised and are filled through networking. I like those odds better than the resume game.
And if I didn't have enough experience for the position I wanted, as this new attorney suggested, I'd lower my sights initially and do the same thing for a company or firm where I could develop that experience. Or I'd volunteer somewhere that would provide the experience and take a "Mc-Job" in order to pay the bills.
So, my advice is to think of yourself not as an employee looking for a job but as the owner of your own company. Don't ask for a job, market your company to prospective clients.
Filed under Networking by
I don't like networking. It doesn't come naturally to me. It's not my "thing".
I know how to do it. I've done it enough. I just don't enjoy it. I'd rather talk to someone on the phone or in a one-on-one setting over a cup of coffee.
Does that make me a bad person? Does it doom me to marketing failure?
No, not at all.
Marketing is (or should be) a mechanism for you to express yourself in a natural way. Marketing isn't (or shouldn't be) a mold you must contort your body and soul to fit.
So if there is some aspect of marketing you don't enjoy (and you've given it a fair shake), don't do it. Life is too short to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous marketing. Or whatever.
It doesn't matter how well others are doing with a particular strategy, or how many goo-roos are touting the latest and greatest tool or technique. You have to do what's right for you.
If you don't like networking–don't do it. Speaking give you the willies? Cross it off the list. Social media got you tied in knots because you don't want to "talk" to strangers online? Choose something else.
If you force yourself to do things you don't enjoy, you're not going to be very good at them anyway, so what's the point? Go try a lot of things, pick one you like, and go nuts with it.
Okay, I know there's someone who's dying to ask this: "What if I've tried every type of marketing and I don't like anything?"
The answer to that is simple: get a job.
Filed under Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking by
Many lawyers say they want to start a blog or newsletter but are afraid they won't have enough to write about.
If you think your prospects don't want to read all about case law and procedure, you're right. There will always be exceptions, but most clients have their own lives and businesses to run. If they were that interested in the law, they would go to law school.
Here's a heads up: PI lawyers, nobody wants to read for the umpteeth time what to do in an accident or how to maximize the value of their case. I'm not saying this isn't important information–it is. You should write about it. Once. And link to so those who want and need this information can go read it.
So, what do you write about if not about your field of expertise?
Actually, the answer to this question is incredibly simple. And yet, not one in 10,000 lawyers does it, at least not consistently. When you hear what it is, you may just slap your forehead and have one of those "of course!" moments.
Now, I should also point out that when you do this, you will have a never-ending supply of fresh content and a huge surge in reader involvement and viral traffic. You'll have people talking about your blog and about you. Other blogs will mention your posts and link to them. Reporters may call to interview you.
Have I got your attention?
Here's the secret: don't write about the law, your services, or your cases, other than occasionally. When something interesting happens. Instead, most of the time, write about the niche market or markets you are targeting.
Did I just lose you? Well, if you don't have a target market, maybe so. If you think "anyone who gets injured as a result of someone else's negligence" is a target market, you're wrong. It's way too big. And every other PI lawyer says the same thing.
You want to target smaller sub-sets of the entire market. In a niche market, the people know each other on social media and in real life, they attend the same meetings, and read the same blogs. There is strong word of mouth in niche markets. And it's easier to identify the key people in them.
A niche market would be something like "health care professionals in Los Angeles County". Not too big, not too small. As a matter of fact, this happens to be a good target market. When a physician is seriously injured, there's usually some serious damages. But I digress.
So, you write about health care in Los Angeles. You write about who's doing what–promotions, speaking gigs, published articles. You write about trends and issues that affect this market. You champion their causes and support their charities.
You interview people who work in this niche. You read the popular blogs and comment on their posts.
So, you might write about some changes in policy at XYZ hospital. Not legal issues, necessarily. It could be anything that people want to know about.
Here's more good news: you don't have to do all the writing yourself. Other professionals who target this market will be happy to supply content. Consultants, sales people, other lawyers, accountants, hospital administrators, insurance brokers, medical supply reps–dozens of informed people with big networks of their own and they would love to provide a guest post or supply some tips or let you interview them. All you have to do is ask.
Guess what will happen? The people in your posts and those affected by this information will talk about them and share them with their colleagues and co-workers. They'll post them on Facebook and link to them on their blogs. Your blog will get noticed and so will you.
Writing a blog about your target market is one of the smartest things you could do. You're learning about this market, aren't you? Take what you learn and turn it into content.
Use your blog as a platform to stay in front of your market. You will become the attorney in this niche, the one that everyone thinks about when they think about personal injuries and the one they call when they need your services or know someone who does.
This is not rocket science. Choose a niche market and dedicate yourself to it. Learn everything you can about the market and the people in it. Subscribe to their blogs and newsletters. Attend their meetings. Become an expert in that market and then write about it.
And if something law-related occurs in that market, go ahead and write about that, too.
Filed under Blogging, Networking, Newsletters, Online Marketing, Publicity, Social media marketing, Web traffic by
I'm sure you read the story about the blogger in a defamation case who got hit with a $2.5 million judgment because, the judge said, she is not a journalist and was not protected by the state's shield laws.
Interesting story. Important subject.
You read the story but did you make any money with it?
Attorneys can easily leverage a story like this to get more media attention, more traffic to their web site, more prospects, more referral sources, and more clients. And I'm not talking about the attorneys who handled the case itself, I'm talking about you.
Interested? Here's all you have to do.
First, write a two or three page report summarizing defamation laws in your jurisdiction. You don't have to practice in this area to do this, Uncle Google will help you, or you can ask an attorney friend who does (and tell him about this idea so he can do it, too).
In your report, mention the case about the blogger. Offer your opinion. Include a few citations, maybe a few resources.
Now, go back to Uncle Google and ask him to give you a list of bloggers in your target market(s) who are in your state or province.
Next, contact these bloggers (a personal email will do) and tell them you wrote a report for bloggers about how they can protect themselves against lawsuits like the one in the news. Offer to send it to them, free of charge. Tell them they are welcome to send it other bloggers they know and care about. (If you know the blogger, you could just send them the report in your first email).
In one day, you can get your report into the hands of dozens of people who every day write and influence the people you are targeting for your services. You have provided value to the blogger on a personal level, and asked nothing in return.
Where can this lead? Interviews, hosted webinars for their readers, guest posts, referrals, introductions, you name it.
It doesn't matter if you don't practice tort law. If you do, that's an added benefit, but the point of this effort isn't to show these bloggers you can help them in this particular area of the law, it's to meet them.
Now, what else could you do with your report? Here are a few ideas:
- Send it to local media with a cover letter letting them know you are available for interviews.
- Call or email your clients and contacts: Who do you know in (your area) who writes a blog? Tell them you have a report that can help them.
- Offer it through social media; post a video on youtube, opining on the story and linking to your report; offer it via forums, chat groups, listserves, and other areas where bloggers and people who know bloggers congregate.
- Contact local blogger groups, business groups (anyone who has a blog), and offer a lunch talk.
- Write about it on your blog or in your newsletter.
- Take out ads and offer the report, as a "public service".
- Send it to lawyers in your practice area in states or provinces where you don't practice. Tell them what you're doing with the report in your area, invite them to do the same in theirs. (If you have to ask how this could help you, forget about this idea.)
- Do a presentation at your bar group's next function on how you used a news story to market your services.
You get the idea.
Oh, and you don't need a news story to do this, you can write about anything that affects people in your target market or they people who influence them.
It's about providing value in a leveraged way. It's simple and it works. And if your report goes viral, it could help you take a quantum leap in the growth of your practice.
When I opened my own office shortly after law school, I had an abundance of free time and a lack of clients or experience. Once or twice a week, I volunteered the day at a legal clinic for women. The clients had mostly domestic violence and other family law issues. When I began, I knew very little about family law but I quickly learned. I was able to use those skills in my private practice.
Last week was "pro bono" week. This article presents the "Top 5 Reasons to Do Pro Bono Work". I'm sure I can lay claim to all five. The article misses a reason, however. My pro bono work helped me to build my practice.
The clinic I worked at allowed us to offer our paid services to the clients. Granted, most of them had little or no money, but I did get some paying work. And little or nothing was definitely better than nothing. It allowed my nascent practice to stay afloat, which allowed me to continue to volunteer.
I also got some referrals from those clients. Yes, most of them were in the same financial shape as the clients who referred them, but not all of them.
I was also able to network with the administrators of the clinic, their benefactors, and the other attorneys who volunteered. I met people who introduced me to others and as my network grew, so did my practice.
I'm not ashamed to admit that growing my practice was one of the reasons I volunteered at the legal clinic. I don't think any of the hundreds of clients I saw for free or almost free would have any objections.
Filed under Attorneys fees, Career satisfaction, Image, Increase your income, Marketing legal services, Networking, Referrals by
Well, my wife struck again.
Yesterday's post was about my wife's experience at her dentist and an important marketing (billing) lesson for attorneys.
Today, she got her oil changed. She was very impressed with her experience (great customer service, low prices) and she told the owner how she felt. She asked him for some of his business cards because when my wife finds something she likes, she will go out of her way to tell people about it.
During her conversation with the owner, she happened to mention a service her business offers (she and I own a service-related business). He was busy, of course, but he was interested in hearing more, so she gave him a brochure.
Guess what? He thought his customers would also be interested in our service and asked for more brochures to display on his counter.
Networking doesn't have to be complicated or overly time consuming. It can be as simple as making new contacts while you're busy running errands or otherwise going about your daily business. When you find a product or service you like, ask for some cards or literature. Tell your friends and clients about it. Â Tweet about it. Promote it.
Do this because you like the products or services and without any expectation that the owner or manager will do the same for you. If that happens, consider it a bonus.
When you approach networking like this, without an agenda, without demanding reciprocity, you will enjoy the process and do it naturally. Your friends and clients will get the benefit of your recommendations and be grateful to you. "Wow, my lawyer always has these great tips. . .". Â They might even start reading your newsletter or Liking your Facebook fan page.
And. . . something else will happen.
What do you think the owner of the business you are promoting will do when three new customers come into his place of business this week and mention they were referred by you?
If you want to build your business, go promote someone else's.
Filed under Marketing legal services, Networking, Time Management by
Marketing legal services on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or any other social media platform, begins with your profile. This is the first thing prospective clients and referral sources see.
Here are five tips for making a good first impression:
- Your account name. Ideally, this should be your name, not your firm or practice. Social media is about people engaging with other people. You may "like" or "follow" a company or product page but you can't talk to that product, only to the people behind it. The ultimate purpose of social media marketing is to expand your "warm market," i.e., the number of people who know, like, and trust you. YOU, not your firm. Brand yourself, not your firm. Your firm can also have a page or profile, but this is not a substitute for your own personal profile.
- Your profile photo. This should be a photo of you. Not your firm logo, not a group shot, not a sunset, not your dog. People want to see who are they are friending/following/engaging with/thinking about hiring. Anything other than your photo puts distance between you and them. Use a professional looking head shot. It doesn't have to be a professional photo, but you must look "professional". No mugging. Clients don't hire clowns.
- Your bio. Don't make it all about your work, include personal references. This invites conversation. The first step in any networking conversation is the "search for commonalities," so if you like to play chess, as I do, include it in your bio. Also, your bio is not a resume. (If you're looking for a job, include a link to your resume or linkedin profile). Therefore, don't make your bio about your work history. Nor should it be an ad for your services. Talk about how you have helped clients in the past, so that prospective clients can see what you can do for them. One more thing: include your location. People hire local attorneys.
- Link to your web site and other social media accounts. Don't rely on one account, give people as many ways to read about you and engage with you as possible. Someone may find you on LinkedIn, for example, but converse with you via Twitter. Also, I just updated my Twitter profile to include a link to my web site, even though I already had it in the box Twitter provides for that purpose. The reason: when you first look at a Twitter profile you don't see the web site link until you click through to the actual profile. This post says that making this change increased the number of clicks from Twitter to her web site. Make sure to include "http://" to make the link clickable.
- Include keywords. Social media profiles show up in search results on the site itself and via search engines. Include your key words throughout your profile, so someone looking for an estate planning attorney in Tampa can find you.
Go take a look at your social media profiles. Can people find you? Are you making a good first impression?
Filed under Networking, Online Marketing, Social media, Social media marketing by
For many lawyers, networking is a great source of new business. Referrals are given, ideas are exchanged, doors are opened.
Most attorneys network by default. The local Chamber of Commerce advertises a mixer, a friend invites them to a Rotary breakfast or their local bar association announces their annual meeting, and that's where they go. But these groups may not be the best choice.
When they don't get a lot of business from one networking group many attorneys join a second group. Before you know it, some attorneys attend so many networking events each month they have no time for anything else. And because they aren't networking with the right people, they still aren't getting good results.
The right people, the ones you want to meet and network with, are those who are likely to know and influence a significant number of your ideal clients. No matter what your networking skills might be, your odds of success are much better when you network with groups comprised of a high concentration of these individuals.
Where do you find these groups? First, define your "ideal referral source".
Start by looking at the referrals you received over the last twelve months. Who sent those referrals? What is their profession or background? What industry are they in? What other demographic factors stand out?
Look for patterns. If you see you got twenty-six referrals from real estate brokers last year, it probably makes sense to put real estate brokers on your list.
Then, put on your thinking cap and brainstorm other categories of prospective referral sources. Who sells to or advises your ideal clients? Who might have a big list of your ideal clients or influence in your target market?
Make a list of five to ten categories of promising referral sources. Depending on your practice area and local market, two or three categories may be enough (and all you can handle).
If you're a plaintiff's personal injury attorney, your list of categories may include obvious choices like insurance agents and brokers and physicians. It may include some less obvious choices, however, such as high school principals or pastors.
If you're a consumer bankruptcy attorney, obvious choices might be real estate and mortgage brokers, accountants, and hairdressers.
Consider also including categories of people who influence your ideal referral sources. For example, if you want to network with financial planners, networking with accountants or non-competitive attorneys who represent financial planners would make sense.
Once you have defined your ideal referral sources, the next step is to find out where they congregate.
There are directories and web sites that list countless associations, networking groups, and referral groups (groups that meet specifically for the purpose of exchanging referrals). An hour or two will allow you to make a list of "candidate" groups. Note where they meet and when, and other pertinent information, e.g., how many members, requirements to join, do they allow outside speakers, etc.
A simpler way is to ask your existing referral sources what groups they belong to. Not only can this shortcut your research time, your contact will probably invite you to attend a meeting as his or her guest.
Having a friend on the inside, someone who can introduce you to the right people and provide information about committees, speakers, and group dynamics is invaluable.
If you don't know people in the right categories, or the people you know don't do any networking, you can ask people you know for a referral to someone who does. Call and introduce yourself, mention your mutual friend, and tell them you're looking for a networking group you could attend. I'm sure they will have recommendations.
You'll still need to attend a few meetings to see if a group is a good fit. The good news is that once you find a group that is, you may not need to find a second.
When it comes to networking, most attorneys are "a mile wide and an inch deep". The most successful networkers focus their time and effort in a limited number of groups of "the right people".
Filed under Marketing legal services, Networking, Referral sources by
For many attorneys and law firms, newsletters bring in a lot of business. If you don't have a newsletter, here are ten reasons you should:
- To get more business from current clients. A newsletter is an effective way to let clients know about your other services and show them how they can benefit from those services, without being "salesy".
- To get repeat business from former clients. People who hired you once will hire you again–when they're ready.
AÂ newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with them until they are. - To add value to your services. A newsletter can provide an added benefit for clients. Give clients "subscriptions". Put a price tag on the newsletter but send it free to current clients.
- To educate prospects. A newsletter that provides prospective clients with valuable information helps them make better decisions, allows you to demonstrate your expertise, and provides a mechanism for staying in touch with them until they are ready to hire you.
- To generate word-of-mouth referrals. Newsletters have pass-along value. A good newsletter will be shared with an average of three other people, even more online.
- To build your contact list. You can offer visitors to your web site a subscription to your newsletter in return for providing their email (and other contact information). When speaking or networking, you can offer to send your newsletter to people who provide you with their business card.
- To establish expertise and credibility. Your writing helps prospects, publishers, reporters, meeting planners, and referral sources see you as the expert you are.
- To provide content for, and traffic to, your web site. Your newsletter can drive traffic to your web site or blog. Your newsletter content can be re-used as content on your web site or blog, generating additional traffic from search engines and social media.
- To shorten the sales process. People who respond to your newsletter are better informed about what you do and pre-sold on your ability to do it, in contrast to people who come to you via advertising.
- To serve as a networking tool. Your newsletter is a tool to reach out to other professionals. You can interview them for an article, conduct a survey, ask them to write an article, or ask permission to put them on your mailing list.
A newsletter requires an investment of time, and possibly some capital, but the return on that investment can be substantial. If you want to grow your practice, a newsletter is one of the most highly leveraged marketing activities you can do.
Filed under Increase your income, Leverage, List building, Marketing legal services, Networking, Newsletters, Referrals, Web traffic by
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