Marketing legal services like a bookkeeper

May 6, 2014 by
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Bookkeepers aren’t usually known for their prowess in marketing legal services, but if you put them in charge of marketing for your firm, they’d probably advise you to do something like the following:

STEP ONE

Make a list of your “best” clients over the last two years. These are the ones who pay you the biggest fees, give you the most business, and other factors (e.g., provide the most referrals, most enjoyable to work with).

STEP TWO

Write down a few details about each client. For business clients, record their industry, size (revenue, employees, units), etc.; for consumers, record their occupation, age group, and other demographic factors. Also note the client’s “presenting problem,” i.e., legal issue or objective they first approached you about.

STEP THREE

For each client, note how they found you (or you found them):

  • Referrals: From whom? Client? Professional? How did I meet that person? What prompted the referral?
  • Internet search: What keywords? What landing page? (Note, start tracking this going forward)
  • Internet other: What article, site, or page did they come to your site from? (Start tracking this, too)
  • Social media: Which platform? Which post/tweet, etc? Who re-posted/tweeted/recommended?
  • Networking: Which group? Who introduced you? What did you say, do, offer? What did they ask you?
  • Ad: Which publication? Which ad? Was it the first time they had seen it?
  • Other: Speaking, articles, etc.

If you don’t know the answers, ask the client, and update your systems to start tracking this data in the future.

STEP FOUR

Based on this information, think about what you can do to get more clients like your best clients. If most of them are coming from referrals from other professionals, think about how you can strengthen your relationship with those professionals and how you can reciprocate. If you’re getting a lot of referrals from certain clients, reach out to them to thank them and look for other ways you can help them outside of your legal services.

How much business are you getting from ads, speaking, or social media? If not much, cut down on or eliminate time and money in those areas. If you do get good clients from these efforts, do more of these.

Now that you’ve identified your “best” clients, speak to them and find out more about them. What groups do they belong to and network at? What publications do they regularly read? Where are they active in their industry or community? The more you know about them, the more you can focus on activities that may help you identify and attract clients who are similar to them.

Ask your best clients to identify other professionals they work with and ask them to introduce you. Contact those professionals, let them know you have a mutual client, invite them to coffee.

Your bookkeeper would tell you to identify things that have worked best for you in the past so you can do more of them. She would also tell you to reduce or eliminate those things that have not worked well for you in the past.

The numbers tell the story.

Please say hello to your bookkeeper for me, and ask her if she would like to write a guest post for my blog.

Do you know The Formula? Go here now

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Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

People tell me I’m funny, but looks aren’t everything

May 5, 2014 by
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Apparently, being funny is good for your career. According to this article, there are lots of benefits to a sense of humor in the workplace.

But what if you’re not funny?

We all know people who seem to be humorless. They may appreciate other people’s humor but they simply don’t have it in them to make anyone laugh.

Can you learn to be funny? I’m thinking not. And the only thing worse than having no sense of humor is thinking you do.

Trying to be funny when you don’t have a funny bone could do a lot of harm. In front of a jury, for example, a natural sense of humor, used appropriately, can score points. If you miss, it could be disastrous.

Some lawyers take “stand up comedy” courses. Others take acting classes to learn how to loosen up in front of a crowd. Do they help? Maybe. But at the end of the day, I’m in the camp that says you either have it or you don’t.

If you’re not naturally funny, it’s okay. On the Star Trek series, the Klingon character Worf is depicted as someone with no sense of humor. Nevertheless, he is respected, trusted, and generally liked. He would die to protect his friends and colleagues, he just won’t die laughing.

A sense of humor is a valuable asset but there are other ways to improve communication and foster liking and trust. Becoming a good listener is a notable example and it is a skill that can be learned.

In Dale Carnegie’s, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” he doesn’t say anything about being funny. He does talk about the next best thing: smiling. When you smile, people see you as happy and friendly and nice, and they like you because of it. When you smile, they smile and they feel good about themselves, and about you.

Smile and the world smiles with you. Tell a bad joke and the world rolls their eyes.

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Filed Under: Communication, Image, Networking, Personal development, Public Speaking Tagged With: ,

How to make a better second impression

May 2, 2014 by
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I admit it, I don’t always make a good first impression. Sometimes, I say things that come off as insensitive or inappropriate and my sense of humor sometimes leaves people wondering if I’m still in junior high.

Do you ever do these things? Do you ever wish you could go back and un-say what you’ve said?

You can. And doing so will often create a better impression than you could have hoped to create the first time around.

The answer to a good second impression is to admit your mistakes. First, to yourself. You have to know when you’ve messed up. Then, to the person or persons you have insulted, confused, or otherwise left scratching their head.

Apologize. It’s as simple as that. You don’t need to explain, although that might help if you do have an explanation other than “I’m an idiot”. Usually, a simple, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it,” is enough.

Most people understand. Most people are forgiving. Most people will like you better for being honest enough to admit your mistakes and for caring enough to come forward.

It’s well known in marketing that when a customer or client is upset, making things right often leads them to become long-time clients and ardent supporters. I think it has something to do with releasing the tension created by the initial mistake or problem.

As lawyers, it’s often difficult for us to admit we’re wrong. We don’t want people to know we make mistakes. Because of this, when we admit our transgressions, it can make an even bigger impact.

If you have made a bad first impression, fess up and fix it. You can make a better second impression. Unless you own an NBA team and you just don’t care.

Need help with marketing? Here you go

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Communication, Networking, Personal development Tagged With:

Contingency plans

May 1, 2014 by
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What would you do if you suddenly discovered you could no longer practice law? Don’t scoff. Many physicians are leaving medicine right now and many others are reconsidering their future.

You have to have contingency plans.

You might get sick or injured and find that you can no longer practice. What will you do?

You might find that market forces have made your practice area unprofitable. (You can now purchase legal services at Walmart in Ontario, Canada. What’s next?)

You might get laid off tomorrow and not be able to find another job at the same pay level.

You might find that you are no longer passionate about practicing law and need to find something else.

What will you do?

Last weekend, the service provider that delivers my emails was shut down by a major DDOS attack. It looks like they’re back online and you should now be caught up with Monday’s and Tuesday’s posts (I took yesterday off).

But what if they went down for good?

It would be a big inconvenience, but it wouldn’t put me out of business. I have contingency plans. My income doesn’t depend solely on my attorney marketing business. If I lose one source of income, I have others.

How about you? What do you do, or what could you do, to bring in other sources of income? Start a business? Write? Consult?

And then there’s the subject of retirement. I started another business because I knew that I was not putting away enough income for retirement. My business now provides me with passive income and I could retire at any time.

I didn’t do this because I’m super smart or responsible. I did it because I was scared. The thought of being too old to work, or not wanting to work but having to do it to pay the bills, scared the hell out of me.

Take some time to think about your future. Create a Plan B and maybe even a Plan C.

The Attorney Marketing Formula comes with a free marketing plan. Go here.

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Filed Under: Career satisfaction, Increase your income, success

Periodic maintenance on your law practice

April 29, 2014 by
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I was sitting in our backyard this morning, looking at the house we’ve lived in for the last twenty years. We’ve had to replace appliances, make repairs, and do regular maintenance inside and out, of course, and because we have, the house is still in very good shape.

A law practice also needs upkeep. Periodically, you need to take inventory, make repairs and upgrades, and improve your processes.

I jotted down some of the areas to consider in this partial checklist:

PEOPLE

  • Hire? Fire?
  • Training/certification
  • Updated info for HR
  • Build culture (retreats, days off, recognition)
  • CLE/Personal development

OFFICE/INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Furniture/fixtures (repair, replace, clean)
  • Computers/software (upgrade, backup, replace, new)
  • Re-negotiate/extend lease?
  • More space? Less? New location? Second office?
  • Off site/Cloud storage
  • Insurance
  • Supplies

PROCESS

  • Greeting clients
  • Intake (forms, procedure)
  • Closing files
  • Litigation
  • Archiving documents
  • Forms/checklists (update, new, purge, digitize)

MARKETING

  • Client relations/stay-in-touch
  • Professional relations/joint ventures
  • Website(s)/traffic
  • Reaching out methods (speaking, networking, advertising, social media, blogging, etc.)
  • Content marketing (blog, newsletter, articles, seminars, etc.)

Every practice is different. Use this as a starting point to create your own checklist. Then, calendar once or twice a year to review it and see what you might need to do. Some items, like office space, will need attention every few years. Others, like supplies and CLE and marketing, more often.

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Filed Under: Law office management

What do you like best about being an attorney?

April 28, 2014 by
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It’s time to write another article for your website, blog, or newsletter. If you’re ready, say, “I’m ready!” and let’s get started.

The title of your post is: “What I like best about being an _______attorney in ________”. The first blank is your practice area. The second blank is your city or town. This will give you a title with some keywords prospective clients are likely to search for.

So, what do you like best about being an attorney? Your answer will give clients and prospects some insights into why you do what you do. They want to know what drives you because they want to hire an attorney who is passionate about what they do.

You might start your article by describing several things you like, followed by the one thing you like the most. You might describe a typical day, showing what you do and how you feel about what you do. Or a crazy day that tested you but ultimately defined you. You might talk about why you went to law school.

Whatever you like about being an attorney, make sure you tell the reader why. Sure, you like being able to help people solve problems, but why? Share a story about what you did for a client in the past, how it changed their life, and how this made you feel.

What about money? I say, don’t hide from the subject. If you do well financially and that’s something you like about your practice, say so. Clients want to hire successful attorneys. I probably wouldn’t make it number one on the list, however, unless you can also show how you use the money to make the world a better place by supporting charitable causes and the like.

If it helps, you might want to pretend that you’re writing this to a young relative who is considering a career in law. What would you say to show them that it’s hard, but worth it?

Give your readers some insights into what you do and why you do it. Clients hire attorneys they know, like, and trust and your article will help them do just that.

Want more ideas about content for your website? Get this

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Filed Under: Blogging, Marketing legal services, Newsletters, Online Marketing, Web traffic, Writing

How do I become an expert in my field?

April 25, 2014 by
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“How do I become an expert in my field?” Good news. In the eyes of most prospective clients, you already are.

You have the license, the big leather chair, and you wear a suit and tie. With most consumers, it doesn’t take more than that. With many business clients, it doesn’t take a lot more.

But what about other lawyers? Do they see you as an expert? If they do, you probably get lots of referrals from them, and not just any referrals but big cases and valuable clients. You may also be sought after for interviews and speaking engagements that further enhance your reputation.

Being an expert has it’s privileges, yes? So, how do you develop an expert reputation?

Winning big cases and having prestigious clients, that’s how. But. . . how do you get the big cases and prestigious clients if you don’t have the reputation?

It is a “Catch 22”. But fortunately, in marketing, perception is everything. You are an expert if people perceive you to be one and there are things you can do to enhance that perception.

One of the best things you can do to be seen as an expert is to associate with experts. Identify people who are already acknowledged as successful in your field or market and associate with them. Go to the events they go to and meet them. Get your picture taken with them. Introduce them to other people you know at the event (even if you just met them that day).

Mention their name on your blog. Congratulate them on their recent victory. Link to their website. Quote them in your writing and speaking.

Contact them and ask to interview them for your blog, article, or newsletter. Suggest their name as a guest speaker at other events you attend. Send them some business.

You start where you are. Eventually, you’re having lunch with acknowledged experts, being seen with them, learning from them, and being introduced by them to other experts, on your way to being seen as an expert in your own right.

We are judged by the company we keep. If you associate with successful people, others will assume that you have their seal of approval and accept you into their circles. Then, someone hires you or give you a referral and you’re on your way.

I love it when a plan comes together, don’t you?

Your clients and contacts can help you quickly get a lot of business. Here’s how.

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Filed Under: Image, Networking, Referral sources Tagged With:

Most Clients Find Lawyers Through the Internet, but. . .

April 24, 2014 by
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Findlaw conducted a survey about how people go about finding a lawyer. To nobody’s surprise, the top two answers were the Internet (38%) and referrals (29%). This compares to results of a similar survey they did nine years earlier which found that only 7% used the Internet and 65% asked for referrals.

(If you’re curious, only 4% use the Yellow Pages, compared to 10% in the earlier survey).

So, yes, everything you’ve heard about having an Internet presence is true.

You know my position on this: even if they don’t find you through the Internet, you need a website to showcase your talents so that if they find you through any means, including referrals, they can “check you out” online. This includes YOU sending them to your site.

The survey says nothing about the type of case or engagement, fees, or other criteria. It just says most clients find lawyers through the Internet, but “most” doesn’t mean “best”.

I maintain that the best clients, the ones who pay the biggest fees, ask the fewest questions, and remain loyal over time, come from referrals, not the Internet. Clients who use the Internet to find attorneys tend to be price shoppers, harder to please, and fickle.

You need an Internet presence, and you will get clients that way. But Internet marketing will never replace referral marketing for building a law practice, no matter what the survey says.

Marketing online for attorneys. Click here.

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

Lawyers: the world’s second oldest profession

April 23, 2014 by
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We’re mouthpieces. Clients pay us to advocate their position. We don’t have to believe in what our client wants, or like them personally, we do their bidding. Kinda like the world’s oldest profession.

Now, now, don’t get your panties in a festival. I’m being real here. We don’t care if our client is ugly or smells bad, we only care if the check clears. We do our jobs. If we don’t, we’re out of business. Besides, if we don’t do it, some other shyster will, so all our righteous indignation and standing on principle is for naught.

At least that’s what some people think.

The truth is, we can decide who we will and won’t represent. We don’t have to represent anyone who shakes a bag of money in our face. We can refuse to take cases and causes we don’t believe in or represent any client who needs our help. And we can make a fine living doing it.

But I don’t want to talk about policy or the image of the profession. I want to talk about marketing.

At some point, you should have written a description of your ideal client. (If you have not and you need help doing so, get The Attorney Marketing Formula.)

Once you have decided on your ideal client. . . Don’t keep it a secret.

Tell people what kinds of clients you want to work with. Publish this on your website. Let everyone know.

Practice areas are easy: here’s what I do, here’s what I don’t do. (But I know a lot of other lawyers, so if you have X problem, give me a holler and I’ll introduce you to a lawyer who can help.)

What’s more challenging is describing clients by industry or demographics.

You represent only men or only women, only landlords or only tenants. You represent clients in certain industries or of a certain size or market sector.

“Yeah, but if I declare to the world that I represent clients in the automotive industry, I won’t get hired by clients who manufacture appliances.”

What you have to realize is that this is a good thing.

You may not get appliance manufacturers, but you’ll get more from the auto industry. They will be attracted to you because they see you are dedicated to serving them. They’ll see that you understand their needs and speak their language. You have helped others like them, so it’s obvious that you can help them, too.

We may be the world’s second oldest profession, but this doesn’t mean we have to represent everyone who can pay.

Specialize in the clients you represent. And don’t be afraid to announce it.

Choose a target market. If you don’t know who to choose, choose anyone. Jim Rohn said, “It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.”

On the great road of life (or business), some choose the left side, some choose the right side, and both can do well. The ones who stay in the middle of the road are the ones who usually get run over.

This will help you choose your ideal client and target market. 

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

Remember presentations better by structuring your content

April 22, 2014 by
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Matt Abrams is an expert on public speaking and a lecturer at Stanford. In a recent article, he says you will be better able to remember presentations by “structuring your content,” rather than presenting it randomly.

He explains:

“Having a structure helps you remember what to say because even if you forget the specifics, you can use the general framework to stay on track. For example, when using the Problem-Solution-Benefit structure–which is good for persuading and motivating people–you first lay out a specific problem (or opportunity), then detail a solution to address the problem, defining its benefits. If you are in the middle of the Solution portion of your talk and blank out, recalling your structure will tell you that the Benefits portion comes next.”

Not only does the structure give you a framework for recalling how the information fits together, I can see how it helps your audience better understand and remember your message.

Abrams says his favorite structure is, “What?-So What?-Now What?, which can help you not only in planned presentations but also in spontaneous speaking situations such as job interviews.”

What: Your message or claim

So What: Why it matters; the benefits if it is accepted

Now What: What to do next; the call to action.

I like this, too. It can be used for formal presentations, papers, briefs, articles, letters, oral arguments, and blog posts. You can also use it to help a client understand where things are in a case and why they should follow your recommendation.

The article has additional tips on public speaking, including how to practice a presentation.

For more ideas for structuring reports and other content, see my 30 Day Referral Blitz

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Filed Under: Communication, Copywriting, Presentations, Public Speaking, Writing
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