Book review: “Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story”

September 21, 2007 by
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In "Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story," author Jerry Weissman talks about the importance of capturing your audience’s attention at the beginning of a presentation. He warns about launching into your presentation "at full speed" because you would mentally bypass your audience and they would have a hard time catching up.

He suggests seven different "opening gambits" or short statements designed to simultaneously grab the attention of your audience and help launch into your presentation, "in a comfortable, conversational manner." [p 83]

The seven Opening Gambits

  1. QUESTION. A question directed at members of the audience.
  2. FACTOID. A striking statistic or little-known fact.
  3. RETROSPECTIVE/PROSPECTIVE. A look backward or forward.
  4. ANECDOTE. A short human interest story.
  5. QUOTATION. An endorsement about your business from a respected source.
  6. APHORISM. A familiar saying.
  7. ANALOGY. A comparison between two seemingly unrelated items that helps to illuminate a complex, arcane, or obscure topic.

Weissman says that you can combine two or three of these options to create your opening gambit.

He also says that your opening should be linked to what he calls your "Point B" or your "call to action" (what you want the listeners to know or do) as a result of your talk. By foreshadowing your "Point B," you make it more likely that your audience will recognize and act on it when you get to it.

For example, your opening might say, "When you. . . I know you’ll want to. . ." as a way of alerting the audience to what is expected of them. They will then listen to your "proof" in the context of those expectations.

I used this book recently to prepare a presentation. It’s excellent, equally strong on content and visuals. It is useful for any kind of presentation, whether for marketing purposes, in the courtroom or boardroom.

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Filed Under: Book review, Public Speaking Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to get more clients to hire you

September 20, 2007 by
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Lawyers often tell me they have trouble "closing the sale". What they’re really saying is they don’t know how to handle objections. I addressed this in an article, "What to say when the client says, "I want to think about it". But the best way to handle objections is to eliminate them before they ever come up.

In your marketing materials, your live presentations, your comments after a free consultation, make sure you answer these four "unspoken questions" that reside in every prospects mind:

1. What can you do for me?
2. Why should I believe you?
3. How long will it take?
4. Can I afford it?

Let’s look at these a little closer.

1. What can you do for me?

The number one reason why clients don’t authorize the work to be done is that they don’t see the need. Your job is to show them why they need what you are offering, and make the case so compellingly that when you are done, they not only see that need, they truly WANT what you offer.

Here, you must distinguish between FEATURES and BENEFITS. Features are what you do. Benefits are what the client gets as a result.

For example, preparing a Living Trust is a feature; it’s WHAT you do. But what’s important to the client is what happens when you do that. Tell them about the peace of mind, protection, savings, and control they will have as a result of your preparing that trust. That’s what people REALLY want.

In addition to telling them the benefits they gain when they hire you, tell them the potential consequences they face if they do not. What might they lose? What detriment might they suffer? Fear of loss is almost always a more powerful motivation than the desire for gain.

2. Why should I believe you?

Prove what you say by providing evidence of the following:

  • Your background, education
  • Awards and distinctions
  • Articles, seminars, speeches
  • Testimonials from satisfied clients
  • Endorsements from other professionals
  • Number of clients, cases, trials, verdicts, etc.
  • Success stories; results you have obtained for other clients in a similar situation

You can also "prove" your expertise via the advice you offer during the initial consultation. If you sound knowledgeable, most people will tend to believe you know what you are doing.

Most of all, clients want to hear that you have done for others what you propose to do for them. Therefore, weave into your consultation, writing or presentation, examples taken from other clients or cases.

3. How long will it take?

Tell them WHEN they can have the benefits you promise. Everyone is in a hurry today; nobody wants to wait.

Clients also fear open ended time lines, especially when your meter is running. Be up front with them. Tell them how long it will take, and what factors might contribute to delay. If possible, guarantee a delivery date. Make sure you under-promise so you can come in early and over-deliver. When you can’t control the time factor, limit their risk by offering flat fees.

4. Can I afford it?

Once a client is convinced they need what you offer, they want it, and they believe you can deliver it, the only thing left is whether they can afford it. Here are some ways to convincing them that they can:

  • Distinguish cost vs. value. Focus their attention on what they get, not what they pay
  • Enhance the value of what they get by providing bonuses, free updates, and other incentives
  • Limit their risk with flat fees and guarantees
  • Show them that what they pay is only "X per day"
  • Make it easy with payment plans and accepting credit cards
  • Give them options and let them choose which "works best" for them. You want them deciding between option A and option B, instead of "yes" (hiring you) and "no" (not hiring you)

Answer these questions before they ask them, and you’ll have more clients writing you a check. And if they still say, "I want to think about it," here’s what to do.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Closing the sale, Handling objections Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New tool brings free website traffic

September 18, 2007 by
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See that widget in the far right column? It’s a new tool that brings free traffic to your blog. It’s called BlogRush and it’s from Internet marketing star, John Reese.

BlogRush is like a traffic exchange. You put the widget on your blog and get a credit each time it’s displayed. For each credit you generate, your blog articles are syndicated across other blogs that use the widget.

I installed it at The Attorney Marketing Center and I’m already getting referrals.

There’s a short video that explains what it is and how it works. Click here to watch the video.

Here’s a quick explanation: There is a ten-level referral system, so if you refer other people into BlogRush, you also get credit for credits they generate. You also get credit for people they refer and so on, up to ten levels below you.

Since this widget was just released this weekend, it’s the perfect time to join and start referring other people and generating credits that will turn into traffic for your blog.

Watch the video or sign up free by clicking here.

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Filed Under: Blogging, Web traffic

Free, easy way to send press releases

September 18, 2007 by
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I just sent out a press release announcing the re-opening of The Attorney Marketing Center, the re-naming of the newsletter, and some background about me.

There are several free services available for sending a press release. I chose PRLog.com because it was easy to open an account and easy to send the release. They had also been recommended.

There are many paid press release distribution services. Two of the best known are PRWeb.com and BusinessWire.com. Why would you choose a paid service? One reason is that busy editors are, arguably, more likely to read a release coming from one of these services than one of the free ones.

The paid services also allow targeting, and since I want to reach lawyers, using the free, untargeted services would seem to be pointless. Not so. The free services do a good job of distributing your release to search engines and directories where they will take up permanent residence and point to your web site, and this provides immediate, tangible value. Sure, I’d like a writer or editor to pick up my release and run it or contact me for an interview, but that is unlikely given the tepidness of my "news".

Check out some of the services available. Search "press release distribution". Most provide good tips on writing press releases and other valuable information.

And here is my press release.

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Filed Under: Press release, Publicity Tagged With: , , , ,

Should lawyers offer a money back guarantee?

September 18, 2007 by
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"Ridiculous!" "Unethical!" "Stupid!"

Or is it?

Marketing is about cutting through the clutter and standing out from the crowd. It’s about making a big promise and then backing it up. It’s about removing the risk from your client and absorbing it yourself. Isn’t that what contingency fees do?

Money back guarantees work. They are a powerful, proven marketing technique, and you should consider them.

Will you get stung? Maybe. Sometimes. What if that happens, say, once every twenty times you offer it but you get five times more business because of it? What if you lose some but you are so darn popular, you can charge twenty percent more than your competition?

What about ethics? Well, that’s something you have to verify with the powers that be in your jurisdiction, but don’t confuse a guarantee of fees with a guarantee of outcome. There was a discussion about this on Jamie Spencer’s blog about a week ago and there is a big difference. The key is not outcome, it’s client satisfaction. "Your money back if you’re not delighted."

Scary, isn’t it? That’s what makes it so powerful.

Marketing studies prove that most people won’t take advantage of you and, of course, there are ways to limit your exposure. C’mon, you’re a lawyer–that’s what you do. But I challenge you to err on the side of trusting your clients. Those same marketing studies prove that the longer and more expansive the money back guarantee, the more profitable the overall results.

If you’re all intrigued by this idea, but (a) you’re not sure if it will work, or (b) you’re afraid it might backfire, "test" it. Find a small market segment that you can reach with a limited marketing communication, a small mailing, a classified ad, offering it at the close of a free seminar, and see what happens. If you like the results, you can test the idea with larger segments.

Is this idea for everyone? No. But some lawyers will make a fortune with it. In fact. . . I guarantee it.

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Filed Under: Advertising, Increase your income Tagged With: , , , ,

How to start a networking conversation

September 17, 2007 by
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Networking is meeting people, finding out what you can do for them (while looking for ways they can help you), and taking the first steps toward establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.

How do you start a conversation with a stranger? And what do you do after you’ve started? The best way to start a conversation with someone you don’t know is to either

  • Pay them a compliment, or
  • Ask them a question.

You can compliment their clothing, something you overheard them say, or something you have learned about them from someone else.

You can ask them questions about what time a certain speaker comes on, directions to the restroom, or if they are having a good time.

In other words, just about anything will do.

Once you are talking, your objective is to find out as much as possible about (a) what they want (their goals, objectives) and (b) what they want to avoid or prevent (their problems). (Your objective is NOT to tell them about yourself; that comes later).

You learn this information by asking questions.

Remember the acronym, "F.O.R.M." It stands for "Family," "Occupation," "Recreation," and "Motivation." These are key areas in everyone’s life.

Look for areas where you can provide solutions, information, and advice, make introductions, give referrals, and otherwise help them solve their problems and achieve their goals. This is the first (and best) step you can take toward building a long-term relationship.

You also want to learn

  • What they do and for whom they do it
  • Who they know
  • What groups they belong to
  • What publications they read
  • What marketing they do

Eventually, you’ll be able to use this information to gain access to other people and opportunities.

In a networking opportunity, everyone has value. They may not be the one who ultimately hires you or gives you referrals, but they can lead you to people who do. They can provide you with information you can use to your benefit. They can open doors and point you in the right direction.

Don’t pre-judge anyone. Start a conversation, learn as much as you can and see where it takes you.

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Filed Under: Networking Tagged With: , , ,

Do you make prospective clients uncomfortable?

September 14, 2007 by
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After a wind storm left us in need of some roof repairs, my wife and I and some of our neighbors called several roofers and asked them to evaluate the damage and provide estimates for the repairs. It quickly became obvious that none of us was capable of judging the quality of one roofer’s work from another, and so we were left with comparing notes about our general impression of the individuals who came to give estimates.

One guy showed up to our house and without ringing the door bell, climbed on the roof. When he was done, he didn’t ring the bell to let us know who he was or what he found, he just left. He called four hours later, but we had already decided he was not going to get our business.

Another guy wrote his estimate on cheap "invoice" forms from a stationery store.

Most of the roofers didn’t show up on time. Some wouldn’t even give us a time.

We went with the one who showed up on time, looked clean and professional, had printed estimate forms, and looked us in the eye when he talked to us. He wasn’t the cheapest, and we don’t REALLY know if his work is any better, but his professional appearance and demeanor made us feel comfortable.

So my question to you is, What impressions do you give your prospective clients?

Most of your clients are not qualified to determine the quality of your work. They base their decision to hire you primarily on their overall impression of. . . you.

Time to take inventory. . .

Are you clothes neat and well-fitting? Are your shoes in good repair and polished? Is your hair neatly trimmed? Does your necktie have spots on it? Are your finger nails clean and trimmed?

My wife tells me women look at the nape of a man’s neck to see if they need a haircut. They look at your shirt collar to see if it’s clean. She says they don’t like men to wear nail polish (buffing is okay), pony tails, or ostentatious jewelry, and they always look at your shoes.

Is your stationery professionally printed? Is your office clean and tastefully furnished? Does your briefcase convey that you are successful?

First impressions are critical to your success. In fact, experts tell us that people make up their minds about us in the first two seconds.

Two seconds!

Their first impression determines whether they like you or not. Everything after that is colored by that first impression.

When people like you, they see the best in you. When they don’t, they tend to see the worst.

Make sure their first impression is a good one.

And be careful. You have to know your clients.

If you target middle class clients and they see you drive up in an exotic automobile or you have expensive artwork in your office, they may think you’re too expensive for them. I know one lawyer who swears he lost a trial because a few jurors saw him pull into the parking garage in a Porsche.

People have expectations about how an attorney should look and act, and you should meet or exceed those expectations. If you don’t, you’ll make them nervous. If they expect an attorney to have an office and wear a necktie, for example (and most do), and you work from home and wear bluejeans, don’t be surprised if they hire someone else. You may be the better lawyer, but it doesn’t matter–perception trumps reality.

But clients also want to hire someone they can relate to as a human being. Your task is to strike a balance. Give them the image they expect but also a person they can talk to.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Image Tagged With:

Converting a newsletter into a blog

September 13, 2007 by
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Kevin O’Keefe writes about converting an email newsletter into a blog, and references Lorelle VanFossen’s post wherein she describes her struggle to explain to the management of an organization the differences between "pages" and "posts" and the thought process that went into deciding what should be what.

Kevin’s take is that structure is a secondary concern, and that’s true, but as someone who has just gone through the same process myself, I’ll tell you what I think.

First, I decided to have pages, or "psuedo-static web pages" as Lorelle describes them, for several obvious choices (about, blog, contact, newsletter, and products) and also one for articles. I chose to have an article page because I wanted to have a variety of detailed, evergreen articles available for browsing by visitors, without relying on category tags to "advertise" their existence.

This strategy has worked fine in the few weeks I have been writing this blog, but it has presented a challenge as well. Now, when I add a new article, I reference it via a new post. But I would prefer to put the contents of the articles into the post itself so that readers can get the full article delivered to them via their "reader".

What’s more, I believe many of my posts qualify to be annointed as "articles". So, from now, my strategy will be to put all new articles into posts and periodically harvest posts and paste them into pages. While that means there will be some duplication, it also means readers can find information via tags (which append to posts) or by browsing the articles.

As for the bigger issue of converting from newsletter to blog, I’m keeping both. Kevin mentions a number of advantages to making the conversion, including the indexing of search engines (leading to more traffic) and the archival nature of a blog, but there are advantages to maintaining the email newsletter as well.

For one thing, most subscribers to my (any) newsletter don’t (yet) use RSS, so unless they think about it, they won’t visit the blog. That means they’ll miss information. In fact, without a reminder, they may never to return to the blog, and that’s not good for either one of us. While I don’t (presently) intend to repeat the entirety of my blog posts in my email newsletter, I do intend to regularly remind readers of new posts, and that’s good for both of us.

In addition, having an email newsletter allows me to offer special information and offers to "my list". Blog readers who aren’t subscribed the newsletter won’t get this information or offers (so if you have not yet subscribed I enourage you to do so!)

Finally, writing for the newsletter "feels" different than writing for the blog. Sure, they are both public, but I feel a certain kinship with my newsletter subscribers, and while that may change as I gain experience with the blog, right now, my subscribers are special. I hope they feel the same way about me.

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Filed Under: Blogging, Newsletters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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