Marketing is a seduction, not a bludgeoning. You don’t walk up to a prospective client and ask them to hire you, nor do you dump a truckload of information on them or talk their ear off. You introduce yourself, tell them almost nothing about what you do, and ask them about themselves.

You don’t sell your services to them from the get-go, you pique their interest in learning more.

You might do that by commenting on something they say or sharing a story that relates to their situation. You let them know, with questions and body language, that you know something about their business or situation and then see if they ask questions.

Eventually, they’ll ask for your card. Or they won’t. If they don’t need your services, the chemistry between you is wrong, or they don’t want any information, you’ll part company. No date. Not this time.

Your website shouldn’t be an information dump, either. It should also pique interest. It should first show visitors the big picture about what you do (e.g., your practice areas and target markets), and invite them to “drill down” through the pages to find information that addresses their specific interests.

When you meet someone and they don’t ask for your card, you should ask for theirs so you can contact them again. You might offer to send them some information about something you discussed.

Your website should do the same thing. It should ask visitors to sign up for your newsletter or download your report to learn more. Let them give you permission to stay in touch with them.

Any kind of marketing–advertising, speaking, writing, networking, social media, joint ventures, referrals–should seek to connect with prospective clients and the people who can refer them, pique interest, and invite them to take the next step.

Don’t ask everyone you meet to go to bed with you. Seduce them. Let them get to know you, see how smart and charming you are, learn something about what you have to offer, and decide that they’re ready to go on that date.

Marketing is simple. Lawyers aren’t.