David M. Ward – Page 80

The journey is what you make of it

February 4, 2022 by David M. Ward

When I was in school, I made the mistake of telling my parents my goal to become rich by the time I was 30. They told me that was crazy.

“You have to put in your dues,“ they said. “Things don’t work that fast,” they said. “Turn off the TV and finish your homework, “they said.

“Don’t rain on my parade,” I said, or would have if I had been as sharp as I thought I was.

They wanted me to stop dreaming and do what everyone else does. Work hard, endure the pain, and in twenty or thirty years, if I was lucky, I might get there.

That’s the message they grew up with and the message they wanted me to learn.

But I didn’t want to hear that. Twenty or thirty years of pain? That didn’t work for me.

My law school torts professor told us it would take five years after we pass the bar before we could expect to see success.

I didn’t want to hear that either, although I liked his number better.

But the issue isn’t how long it takes. It’s the idea that success requires suffering.

I reject that idea. I did then and I do now.

Yes, growth can be uncomfortable. We’re doing difficult things, making mistakes, and regularly getting out of our comfort zone. But that doesn’t mean we have to suffer and hate what we’re doing.

It comes down to your attitude, which is driven by your beliefs.

If you believe success requires years of pain and suffering and sacrifice, that’s probably what you’ll find.

But you can choose a different belief.

You can believe that while there will be a certain amount of problems and discomfort, you can enjoy the journey on your way to success.

When you hit a snag, when you are uncomfortable, you can choose to endure it and suffer your way through it, or, as they teach new recruits in the military, you can “embrace the suck”.

See the difficulties for what they make of you. Because they are not only inevitable on your journey, they are how you reach your destination.

No matter how long it takes.

Filed Under: success

Choosing your topic

February 3, 2022 by David M. Ward

“What should I write about?” asks many an attorney.

“That’s simple,” comes the answer. “Write what you know.“

Here’s the thing. What’s obvious and basic to you is obscure and complicated to your readers. They don’t know what you know. If they did, they wouldn’t be reading you or hiring you.

Write about something that’s obvious to you, because it’s not obvious to them.

Unless you’re writing to other lawyers, of course.

In which case, write about the kinds of things you would talk to them about if you were speaking to them. Shop talk—strategy, interesting cases, new laws, or your thoughts about something that might interest them because it interests you.

But if you’re writing to lay people, however sophisticated and intelligent they may be, you don’t need to give it much thought. Write about something you know well, something you could rattle off the top of your head in less time than it takes to ask, “What should I write about?”

You know this stuff, remember?

It might help to imagine you’re writing to a specific client, teaching him something about the law, procedure, or process. Or telling him about an interesting case you had (or heard about), explaining what happened and why it could be important to him.

You could give him a peek behind the curtain and show him what you do when you meet with a new client. What do you ask? What do you tell him? Do you fill out any forms? What’s on them? What do you do with the information?

Do you explain “what happens next?” Give him a quick rundown now so he can see what it will be like to work with you.

It doesn’t really matter what you write because your reader doesn’t know any of this and you know everything. He will see you as the expert and the solution to his problem, so make sure you also tell him what to do to get started.

How to write a newsletter that brings in business

Filed Under: Blogging, Newsletters, Writing

Mono-maniac on a mission

February 2, 2022 by David M. Ward

Several years ago, I was in a business and worked with a guy who put in long hours and worked harder than just about everyone else in that business.

No “work-life” balance for him.

He was asked why he worked so hard. He answered, “Because building this business requires a lot of pain and sacrifice and I want to get it over with.”

And he did. In a few years, he accomplished what most people never come close to accomplishing.

Another friend did the same thing. He described himself as “a mono-maniac on a mission.”

Both of my friends started their business by taking massive action. And kept at it until their business was big enough and had enough momentum that they didn’t have to work as hard.

They had the knowledge, the people, the systems, the skills, and the reputation. They had ironed out the kinks and found ways to get the most out of what they had.

True, their first few years required sacrifices. You can’t have it all when you’re a mono-maniac on a mission. When you’re building quickly, as they did, everything else besides the business is a distraction.

A few years later, they had enough money coming in they could take their foot off the gas a bit and build out other areas of their life.

We’re taught that having work-life balance is important. Don’t work too many hours, take time to smell the roses, and if you don’t, your health and relationships might suffer.

Because we’ve been taught that most people don’t take all-out massive action. They build their business or practice pedantically, over decades, not a few years.

They go for a stroll instead of a sprint.

Am I advocating one way or the other? Not necessarily. Just pointing out that you have options.

All-out massive action might not be a good fit for you. It might lead to burnout, loss of friends, health challenges, and ignoring things that are important to you.

But if you’re the right person, and you’re willing to live an unbalanced life for a few years, you might achieve the kind of success most people only dream of.

And do it early enough that you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for the rest of your life.

How to build your practice quickly

Filed Under: success Tagged With: momentum

Daily commitments for growing your practice

February 1, 2022 by David M. Ward

If marketing is important to you, you might want to create a list of core activities you are committed to doing every day. 3 is a good number. If you get your 3 done for the day, it’s a good day.

Daily is better than weekly because when you do it every day, it’s easier to form a habit.

Now, here’s the key: make them small. Because if they’re not, you won’t have time to do them (or want to do them) and that defeats the purpose.

Put pen to paper and brainstorm small tasks you could do every workday to grow your practice. Keep them general, at least for now, until you see the value of being more specific.

For example, your list might look like this:

Something to get more traffic and grow my list
Work on my current marketing project
Reach out to a client or contact

Traffic and growing your list might mean leaving a comment on an authority blog or submitting a query for a guest post. You might ask your current subscribers or social media contacts to forward your article or the link to your site to someone who might need that information.

Working on your current marketing project might be continuing to write your book, create your presentation, or outline a new podcast episode. You might work on a new lead magnet, a new ad, or updates to your website.

Reaching out to a client or contact could be as simple as sending an email, asking how they are doing or what they’re working on.

It’s not the size of the activity, it’s that you do something every day.

A minute or two, a call or two, a page or two. But every day. Make them a part of your daily routine and see where they take you.

How to use email to do most of your marketing

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

Do what works (better)

January 31, 2022 by David M. Ward

Mistakes, I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to mention. . .

Actually, that’s not true. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Too many to mention.

But that’s why I’ve had a lot of success.

I get an idea, try it, see if it works. If it doesn’t, I change it and try again. Or abandon it and move on.

Many things don’t work. Most things, maybe. But when I find one that does, I keep doing it and expanding it and making it work better.

Trial and error. The “secret” to success.

In marketing, it’s called “testing”. And you do it with ideas, headlines, offers, and other variables. To see if anyone is interested in what you are offering, and to see which version works better, i.e., gets a bigger response.

You want to know which title or headline or image to use? You try two or more different options (with software or advertising) and see which one gets the most clicks or calls, sign-ups or sales.

One title or headline might generate ten or twenty percent more clicks than another, adding thousands of dollars in additional revenue. Sometimes, one title or headline will generate 300% more clicks than another, and you smile all the way to the bank.

Logic and experience might tell you one is better than the other. Logic and experience don’t know.

The only way to tell for certain which variable is better, and by how much, is to test.

Try lots of things. Track the numbers. When you find something that works, use it, but keep trying other things until you find something that works better.

The Quantum Leap Marketing System (for Lawyers)

Filed Under: Marketing legal services Tagged With: Testing

What if I want to eat alone?

January 28, 2022 by David M. Ward

“Never Eat Alone” is a best-selling book that makes the case for building your network by inviting other people to accompany you when you go to lunch.

The author makes a good point. But what if I want to eat alone?

What if I want to read or listen to a podcast or just sit quietly and enjoy a meal? What if I’m tired and don’t feel like being “on”? What if I have a ton of work waiting for me and just want a quick sandwich?

And what about those of us who see the value of networking, during lunch or otherwise, but aren’t particularly social? We might handle going to lunch with someone once a week or once a month, but not every day.

Whether you like networking this way and do it all the time, or you do it only occasionally, here’s a suggestion: instead of inviting one person to lunch or coffee, invite two.

Two people you think might be a good fit.

You introduce person A to person B. If they hit it off, they both benefit, and they both have you to thank for introducing them.

And your network grows.

Being a matchmaker is a simple and effective way to network. It’s also a lot easier on you because they do most of the talking.

Marketing is more effective when you know The Formula

Filed Under: Networking

Who do you know?

January 27, 2022 by David M. Ward

You want to promote your services, seminar, or offer. You want podcasters, bloggers, or writers to know about you, mention you, or interview you. You want information about a new market or the key people in it.

Research and direct outreach are your friend. But you may have an even better friend in someone you already know.

You might know someone who knows the host of the podcast that’s perfect for you. You might have a client who has worked with the expert you want to interview for your blog. You might know a consultant, executive, or industry insider who can introduce you to the person who can answer your questions.

Whatever it is you want or need, it might be as close as a phone call, email, or social media post.

The people in your warm market are a resource for you and they should be the first place you turn when you need something. Much better than contacting strangers, which I’m guessing isn’t one of your favorite things to do.

The people you know can provide information, introductions, and referrals. And because they know you, and presumably trust and like you, it shouldn’t be difficult to get their help.

If they can’t help, they might know someone who can.

No matter what’s on your current “want” list, ask yourself, “Who’s in my network who might be able to help?”

Who do I know? Who do they know?

One more thing.

You may not need anything right now, but now would be a good time to connect with people in your network and ask what they need. Information? Introductions? Recommendations? A second opinion?

Let them know you’re available if and when they need help.

It gives you a great excuse to reconnect with your network and paves the way for a future time when you might need something from them.

Email marketing for attorneys

Filed Under: Networking

When you don’t have time for deep work

January 26, 2022 by David M. Ward

Schedule large blocks of time for deep work, we’re told. An hour or 90 minutes a day to work on our most important projects and do things that require focus and concentration.

But our work doesn’t always allow us to schedule large blocks of time. Not consistently, anyway. Our days are often fragmented with appointments and calls and other work that needs to be done as and when it needs to be done.

The good news is that you can get a lot of work done in the spaces between calls and appointments.

Throughout the day, as you go from one task to another, there are many unused chunks of time. We often waste that time, telling ourselves there isn’t enough of it to do something meaningful.

Sure, you need breaks. Time to clear your mind, think, or get another cuppa. But don’t assume you can’t also do something valuable when you only have a few minutes.

You’ve got ten minutes until the next appointment? Make a few calls and leave messages (since most people don’t pick up these days). Write the first draft of an important email, or bang out one or two-word replies to several emails. Highlight key paragraphs in a pdf or organize your notes from a recent meeting.

You’ve got five minutes? How about brainstorming a few ideas for your next article or post, or doing a quick edit of your last one?

In five minutes, you might review a file you haven’t looked at in a while and dictate instructions to your staff. Check your email and clear out the spam. Or skim a few saved articles and decide which ones to read next, when you have another five minutes.

Five minutes here, ten minutes there, and you might get a lot done. Maybe enough to let you block out time for deep work.

Filed Under: Productivity

Getting traffic old school style

January 25, 2022 by David M. Ward

You want more prospective clients to visit your website, to see what you do and how you can help them. The more who visit, the more clients you get.

You can improve your SEO. You can advertise. Or you can get more traffic with some old school tactics.

Here’s the plan:

Step One: Create Content.

Create 10 or 20 articles that talk about the things prospective clients want to know—their problems, their risks, the law, the procedure, timing, options, and what you can do to help them.

The kinds of things they search for when they are online, or ask you about when they talk to you.

Each article should mention one or more of your services and link to a page that provides more information. That page should tell them how to get their questions answered or get started.

Create an “index” or directory page that links to these articles and post that page throughout your site. You want to help visitors find your content and, once they’ve consumed one article, to see what else you have available.

Step Two: Promote Your Content

Copy your index page, add your website address and contact information, and distribute this in print and digitally:

Email it to your clients, ask them to forward it to anyone who might like to see this information
Mail it or hand a print copy to clients and former clients (for them and/or to hand out)
Send it to referral sources, to give to their friends and clients
Put copies in your waiting room; if you have business clients, ask them to put copies in their waiting room
Pass them out at your speaking engagements
Put it in your new client kit
Offer it on your social channels
Offer it at the bottom of articles you publish elsewhere
Offer it to listeners/viewers when you are interviewed

And so on.

You can also gather up your articles, or the ‘best of’, into a booklet or report, and distribute that. You might offer it as a lead magnet to anyone who opts in to your newsletter, for example.

Old school. Easy to do, zero cost, and highly effective for driving traffic to your site and prospective clients into your loving arms.

Filed Under: Content creation, List building, Marketing Plan, Online Marketing, Web traffic

Work-work balance?

January 24, 2022 by David M. Ward

The world is coming to realize that working too many hours is counterproductive. You can’t do your best work if you’re always exhausted, or win friends and influence people if you’re always grumpy.

We all need time off. Which is why folks are talking about and starting to implement a shorter work-week.

That might be a problem for those who bill by the hour, which is why I stopped doing that years ago and have urged you to do the same. A lawyer’s value is (should be) measured by the value you create for your clients, not the time it takes you to create it. If you can create that value in a four-day week instead of five (or more), why wouldn’t you?

But there’s more to work-life balance than the number of hours worked. Creating balance can also be achieved by changing how you do what you do.

The CEO of Doist, creator of the Todoist app, manages his time a bit differently:

Amir Salihefendic, CEO of Doist, prides himself on having a nearly empty calendar. “Being in meetings all day long, resolving things via meetings, that’s not really an effective way to scale and grow,” he said. Instead, he’s become a loud evangelist over the last year of the idea that remote and asynchronous work — or async — are the future. Async boils down to this, Salihefendic said: “When you send a message, you don’t expect a response right away.”
So what does a truly async day look like? For Salihefendic:
A couple of hours with his kids in the morning before walking over to a co-working space.
He tries to do deep work all morning, take time in the middle of the day to recharge and then spends the afternoon catching up on messages and the rest.
If there’s something hugely time-sensitive — which Salihefendic bets is true less often than you think — he turns to Telegram, or (gasp) a phone call.
Since nobody expects Salihefendic to be around every second, he said, nothing bad happens when he’s not.
Source: https://www.protocol.com/newsletters/protocol-workplace/remote-work-wars?rebelltitem=6#rebelltitem6

A non-traditional approach may work for some (enlightened) corporations, but would it work for lawyers?

Show of hands: Who wants to find out?

Filed Under: Law office management, Productivity