Fixing the bugs in your law practice

August 12, 2016 by
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The odds are you’re doing the big things right. You do good work, you avoid major mistakes, you deliver on your promises, and you keep your clients happy.

I know this because if you didn’t, you would soon be out of business.

But it’s the little things that make a difference. Little errors in judgment that compound and corrode your relationships. Little extras you do for your clients that differentiate you from the rest of lawyerdom.

These little things can make or break your practice. Things like how often you communicate with your clients. The attention you give them when they are on the phone or in the office. The way you show them you care about them as people, not just check-writing entities.

It’s all about the details.

Isn’t that true in any relationship? It’s not whether or not you remembered your wedding anniversary, it’s about what you write on the card.

If you want long-term success in your career, you need to attend to the little things. You need to consciously look for opportunities to strengthen relationships and deliver more value to your clients.

You also need to be aware of little things you’re not doing, or doing poorly, and when you find a bug in your system, you have to squash it.

Unlike apps, however, your clients are unlikely to report these bugs to you. They’re not going to tell you that you don’t seem to care enough or don’t communicate often enough, you have to figure this out for yourself.

How do you do that? How do you get better at spotting mistakes and opportunities?

You can read books and take courses, you can observe what other lawyers do and don’t do, you can hire a coach or consultant, but while those things can help, nothing will help as much as a sincere desire to serve others.

With that desire as a foundation, you will naturally and effortlessly do the little things, not out of obligation or a fear of loss but because of the joy you feel in doing them.

Your clients can and will send you more referrals

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Filed Under: Client relations

How to save time without looking like a jerk

August 11, 2016 by
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If you spend a lot of (non-billable) time on the phone and find that all that chatting is keeping you from doing other work, I have a suggestion. Okay, two suggestions.

First, whenever you’re on the phone keep a clock or timer in front of you. Being aware of how much time you spend on each call will help you reduce that time.

If you can cut the average call from 15 minutes to 10, for example, and you are on ten calls each day, at the end of the day, you’ll reclaim 50 minutes.

The second suggestion will allow you to cut calls short without appearing rude.

All you have to do is to make a point of announcing at the start of the call that you “only have five minutes” or that you have an appointment coming up and you “have to make this quick” or something along those lines.

By telling them in advance that you have limited time, and giving them the reason (e.g., an appointment, a client waiting, another call you have to make, etc.), you have the excuse you need to cut the call short without making the other party feel slighted.

Do this at the start of every call. Every meeting, too. Always be in a hurry. Always have something else you need to do. Not only will this save you time, it has the added benefit of enhancing your posture and perceived value.

Successful people are busy. They have places to go and things to do. They have other clients, other appointments, and other people who want their attention. They are truly “in demand” and when clients and others perceive this about you, they will be more likely to see you as worth more than others.

That means you can charge more. It means you will be more likely to get referrals. It means you will be asked to speak at events. And it means that you will be less likely to be asked for free advice.

Being busy will increase the demand for your services and allow you to charge more for those services.

So, what are you waiting for? Don’t you have something else to do?

How to earn more and work less

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Filed Under: Image, Productivity

How could I earn $500,000 per year?

August 10, 2016 by
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I talk to many lawyers who tell me they couldn’t afford to hire themselves. This isn’t a condemnation of their fees, it is a comment on the sad state of their income.

They’re not making much money. What can they do?

The first step to solving a problem is to admit that you have one. If you’re not earning as much as you would like to, admit it. Acknowledge your current reality.

Because if you don’t, you’re going to have a hard time changing that reality.

The next step is to ask yourself a question.

Don’t ask yourself “why” you’re not earning more, however. All you’ll get are excuses. Instead of lamenting your current state of affairs and wishing it was different, ask yourself a question that primes your subconscious mind to find the solution.

Ask yourself, “How could I earn $500,000 per year?” and let your subconscious mind go to work for you.

“How could I. . .” is a powerful question. Ask it a couple of times a day, especially just before you fall asleep. Let it percolate in the deep recesses of your brain. Let your subconscious mind come up with ideas and put them before you.

Write down all of the ideas that come forth, and keep asking.

Your brain will no doubt tell you that one thing you need to do is bring in more clients. It might even do the math for you and reveal that you need 100 new clients or cases per year, for example. So now, you have a new question to ask: “How can I bring in 100 new clients per year?”

You’ll get ideas. “Well, I could advertise. I could get more referrals. I could add more content to my site.”

Referrals sound good. So ask, “How could I get more referrals?”

More asking, more ideas. Keep asking “how” until you have some things you can do. And do them.

There are solutions to almost any problem. You may find them by accident, but you’ll have a better chance of finding them if you ask the right questions.

Don’t ask why, ask how.

To get more referrals, get this

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Filed Under: Increase your income, success Tagged With:

Print books are no longer king but they’re still royalty

August 9, 2016 by
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I started converting some of my Kindle books into print and they’re selling well. When you publish your book, you should also publish a paperback version, not just to serve buyers who prefer print but so you will have copies to hand out.

Keep a stack in the office to give to new clients. Keep a copy or two in your briefcase, and more in your car, so that when you meet someone who wants to know what you do you can let your book show them.

When a prospective client is considering whether to hire you or another lawyer, you don’t need to do anything to convince them to choose you. Give them a copy of your book and let your book show them why you are the best choice.

Books based on expert interviews are easy to write but they are only a first step. You also need a book that encapsulates your knowledge and wisdom and tells your story. Fortunately, this kind of book is also easy to write.

In The Easy Way to Write a Book, I said that one way to do this is to ask a friend to interview you. You could also interview yourself. Make a list of topics and record yourself speaking about them. In an hour or two, you could have the first draft of your book done.

If you want to agonize over it and take months to write the perfect book you can do that, but we both know that you probably won’t. Better to knock out something this weekend and start using it.

In fact, that’s my challenge to you. Write the first draft of your book this weekend. In an hour, you can dictate 10,000 words or so, which is enough for a short Kindle book. If you want more, go for another hour. But get the thing done.

The Easy Way to Write a Book

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Writing Tagged With: ,

I’d like to interview you for a book I’m writing

August 8, 2016 by
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Imagine getting an email from someone who says they want to interview you. They’re writing a book and want to feature you in it–your ideas, your words, your story.

Interested?

I know I would be. So would lots of professionals and business owners and successful people. The kind of people you would like to meet and network with. The kind of people who can send you referrals and introduce you to other centers of influence in your niche market or community.

I just released a new Kindle book that can help.

It’s called, The Easy Way to Write a Book: How to Use Expert Interviews to Quickly Write a Non-Fiction Book–Even if You’ve Never Written Anything Before.

It tells the story of how I wrote and published a book based on an interview I did with appellate attorney Steve Emmert which I told you about last week. It shows you how you can use the same method to write your own book.

Your book can be a great marketing tool for you. If nothing else, it can bring traffic to your website from prospective clients and the people who can refer them.

By the way, not only is this an easy way to write a book, it’s also one of the quickest. I was able to do the interview, write and publish the book, in less than 8 hours.

But you don’t have to write a book if you don’t want to. You can use the approach in the book to interview professionals and business owners for blog posts, articles, or a podcast.

The book is only .99 cents right now. Here’s the link.

(If you’re outside the US, search for the title in your Kindle store ).

Let me know if you have any questions.

The Easy Way to Write a Book

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Writing Tagged With:

The simplest way to increase your income

August 5, 2016 by
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You have a target market, don’t you? Or are you still offering your services to “anybody” with a legal matter you are equipped to handle? If it’s the latter, we need to talk.

But not now.

Now I’m going to assume that you have read my stuff and you are on board about targeting specific markets and ideal clients in those markets, and you do that. I’m also going to assume that you’re ready to expand into a new target market.

You currently target health care professionals for your estate planning services, for example, and you’re thinking about also targeting financial professionals.

Great. But there’s something else you should do first.

First, you should find ways to offer additional services to your existing market. It’s easier, quicker, cheaper, and more profitable than going into a new market. Sell more services to people who already know and trust you before you market to strangers.

Make sense?

What additional services could you offer to your existing market? What else do you do that they haven’t yet “bought”?

If your market needs and wants something you don’t do, offer them someone else’s services. Work out strategic alliances with other lawyers and service providers to offer their services to your market. In return, they agree to offer your services to their market.

Leverage your existing relationships and reputation. It is the simplest way to increase your income.

Earn more, work less: click here

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Filed Under: Increase your income Tagged With: ,

Get my book free on Kindle

August 4, 2016 by
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You may recall that I interviewed appellate attorney Steve Emmert and published that interview as a Kindle book. In the interview, we talked about how he built his “appellate only” practice at a time when other attorneys told him that was not impossible.

He explained what he did to defy the odds and become the top appellate attorney in his market. He offered advice for attorneys who want to start an appellate practice or take theirs to the next level.

Of course, we also talked about marketing and much of what he does is applicable to marketing any practice area.

If you haven’t read “How to Build a Successful Appellate Practice,” for the next few days you can get a free copy here (Note, you don’t need a Kindle device to read Kindle books.)

I’m giving the book away because I have another book coming out about how I conducted the interview and turned it into a book. It shows you how to use “expert interviews” to quickly write and publish a book and use it to promote your practice.

I’ll let you know when the new book is available. In the meantime, get your copy of How to Build a Successful Appellate Practice.

 

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services Tagged With: , , ,

Don’t wonder what will happen next, decide what happens next

August 3, 2016 by
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Life is a series of decisions. You decide on your career path, your school, your job, your first client and your next. This morning you decided which suit to wear, what to eat for breakfast, and what time to leave for work.

You decided which file to work on first, which message to return first, and what to work on after that.

Most of the decisions you make are not very important or difficult to make. Some are critically important and gut wrenching.

But everything is a decision. Letting a boss, a parent, or a spouse decide for you is a decision. Leaving your fate to God is a decision. Not making a decision is a decision.

Things will happen that you couldn’t have anticipated. But when they do, you decide how to respond.

It’s your life and you get to decide what happens next. As someone put it, “Don’t wonder what will happen next, decide what happens next”.

Don’t let the immensity of your power overwhelm you. You don’t need to plan out the rest of your life or even the rest of the year. You only need to decide what’s next.

When you’re done reading this, what will you do?

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Filed Under: Personal development Tagged With:

Why you should offer a deluxe version of your services

August 2, 2016 by
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Call it whatever you like–elite, exclusive, gold package, platinum package, diamond package, deluxe package, or anything else that suggests a higher level of service and value. Or don’t give it a name at all. But do create a deluxe version of your services and offer it to your clients.

Doing so will allow you to appeal to the higher end of the market that wants or needs additional services, or wants more convenience or the personal touch and are willing to pay for it. You will appeal to a class of clients who want to know they are getting “the best” you offer.

With higher margins on your deluxe package you’ll earn more profit. You’ll also bring in better clients who can refer their well-heeled friends.

But something else will happen, even if you sell very few (or none) of your deluxe packages. The existence of the deluxe package will enhance the perceived value of your regular package.

Prospective clients who can’t afford or don’t want to spend $25,000 on your deluxe package will see your $10,000 package as more affordable and an easier decision. You are more likely to sell more of your regular packages, then, even if they are priced higher than what other lawyers offer.

It’s called juxtaposition. Each package looks different when compared to the other than it would look if you only offered the one. It also gives clients two options, to buy package A or package B, instead of choosing between package A and nothing.

Having a deluxe version also allows you to go back to new clients and offer to let them “upgrade,” giving you two bites at the apple.

What if you already cater to the high-end market and all of your offerings could be considered deluxe compared to what other lawyers offer? Go ahead and create an even more exclusive package. More value, even higher fee.

You could also consider creating entry-level packages that offer fewer services at a lower fee, to appeal to a segment of the market that currently passes you by. Some of these clients will want to upgrade at some point.

Can you do this with contingency fees? Why not? If your regular fee excludes trial, for example, for a slightly higher percentage your deluxe package could include it.

If you only offer hourly fees, it’s time to start thinking about offering flat fees and packages. You’ll thank me later.

Marketing legal services is more profitable when you know The Formula

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services

Do you know your numbers?

August 1, 2016 by
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How many inquiries, leads or calls do you get each month from prospective clients? You need to know that, and you need to know where they are coming from. Which ad? Who referred them? What were they searching for when they found your site?

If you don’t know these things, you won’t know what’s working so you can do more of it, and what’s not working so you can either fix it or move on to other things.

You also need to know how many of your inquiries convert to clients. How many make an appointment? How many keep the appointment? How many sign up?

You need to know this so you can improve your marketing funnel at every step.

Are you getting lots of calls from people who don’t have money to hire you? You need to know that. Are you seeing lots of people who can’t make a hiring decision until they talk to someone? You need to know that too.

You also need to know your numbers so you can establish a baseline and spot trends. Are your numbers different at different times of the year? Are you doing better this month than last month?

You need to know.

Knowing your numbers is a key component to increasing your gross and net income and growing your practice. Set up a simple system to record your numbers on a daily basis and then look at those numbers at least once a month.

If I call you next month and ask you, “How many leads did you get last month?” you should be able to give me a number. If I ask for a breakdown of where they came from, you should be able to provide it. If I ask you how many clients in each category signed up, the answer should be at your fingertips.

Because if you don’t know your numbers, you’re not running your practice, you’re letting it run you.

How to earn more than you ever thought possible

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Filed Under: Law office management Tagged With:
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