What ‘working smarter’ looks like

October 8, 2018 by
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There are lots of ways to work smarter. Targeting niche markets instead of “anyone with a legal problem” is an example. Networking with influential professionals in your target market instead of generic ‘Chamber of Commerce’ attendees is another.

One of the simplest ways to work smarter is to continue doing what’s working and abandon what isn’t.

And also doing what’s working for other lawyers.

No, don’t copy them. Emulate them. Do what they’re doing but do it better.

When I started practicing, there weren’t many examples of lawyers doing things I could emulate. I wasn’t a member of the country club crowd and I didn’t have money to advertise, so I had to get inventive.

I looked at what other self-employed service professionals, salespeople, and business owners were doing for ideas. Much of it didn’t apply but some of it did. Eventually, I found some things that worked and made them my own.

Years ago, a fast food company hired someone to go out and locate profitable sites for new restaurants. His job entailed examining car traffic and foot traffic, retail sales per square foot, rent comparisons and other factors.

But he didn’t do any of that.

All he did was locate all the McDonald’s in town and choose a location across the street. McDonald’s had already done the research and proven the value of the location and he piggybacked on their success.

Working smarter, he did. And so can, you.

You need a marketing plan. This will help

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Filed Under: Leverage, Marketing legal services, success

C’mon in, the water’s fine

October 5, 2018 by
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Yesterday, I mentioned that specializing was one of the keys to growing my income and cutting my work to three days. Many attorneys resist the idea of specializing.

Some believe that having more practice areas allows them to earn more overall by having more services to sell to their clients. “Why refer it out when I can do it myself?”

Some think like a professional instead of the owner of a law practice that employs lawyers (including themselves.) Because they can, they think, they should.

And some have a poverty mentality and are afraid to let anything go.

When I decided to specialize, at a time when I was barely surviving, I was scared to death. It was the most counter-intuitive decision I ever made.

But it was also the best decision I ever made.

Yesterday, I got an email from an attorney who agrees. He said,

“When I did that [specialized], I did notice a slight drop in income for about 2 months (it was not that great, and didn’t last long). The drop was only due to not taking every case that came in the door. I referred those to other attorneys doing that specific work, who in turn, would refer my types of matters back. This allowed me to meet the needs of my clients without doing it all myself. I began seeing increased earnings quickly, could concentrate on matters that really interested me, built my referral network, and most importantly worked fewer hours, but billed more.

I know what you’re saying does work. People do have to get off the fence and commit to what they truly want, though.”

Think about joining us. But only if you want to earn more and work less.

Here’s where to start

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Filed Under: Increase your income, Marketing legal services Tagged With:

The three-day workweek

October 4, 2018 by
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I just read an article about Richard Branson who believes that working fewer hours can be equally–if not more–effective.

I agree.

As you know, I did this in my practice. I cut my week to three days and quadrupled my income. I did it by specializing, hiring good people and delegating as much as possible, and making marketing a priority.

When I say, “earn more and work less,” I don’t just mean you can do both, I mean that you can earn more by working less. Branson says that shorter hours (and flexible hours) allow people to relax and recharge and find more balance between their work and personal life. “Through this balance, they become happier and more productive,” he says.

Branson says that technology is the key to working fewer hours. I didn’t have access to technology but I can’t disagree with this. Being able to work remotely, for example, might have allowed me to visit the office just once or twice a week.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. I’ve heard all the “yes-buts,” all the reasons you can’t work fewer hours or you can’t do it without suffering a loss of income. If that’s what you’re thinking, you’re right. You can’t. Your belief won’t let you.

If you want to earn more and work less, you have to start by believing it’s possible. When you do, you can find ways to make it happen.

Instead of saying, “I can’t. . .” you ask, “How can I. . .”.

How I earned more by working less

 

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Filed Under: Leverage, Productivity

Another take on the to-do list

October 3, 2018 by
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First, we had the to-do list. Then we heard about the “don’t do” list. For those of us who sometimes find these lists too black-and-white and would like another option comes the latest idea: the “do more” and “do less” lists.

Instead of committing to something big all at once, before we’re ready, a full-on exercise program, for example, we can put exercise on our “do more” list to keep the idea front and center until we’re ready to put something more specific on our to-do list or calendar.

We can use a “do less” list to wean ourselves away from bad habits, time-wasting activities, and things we don’t want to do but feel guilty about giving up.

The “do more” and “do less” lists give us a nuanced way to bring things into or out of our field of vision.

If you know you need to do more marketing but you’re not committed to it or don’t know where to start, start by putting “marketing” on your “do more” list. If you want to lose weight, put “carbs” on your “do less” list.

Baby steps.

Go through your master list and move things to one of these lists. Or add a tag to designate “do more” or “do less” in addition to whatever else you’re doing with a task or project.

You might start with just a few things you want to improve on (or remove from) your life and focus on these for now. If you’re especially busy or conflicted about your priorities, start by putting as much as possible on your “do less” list since this will free up more time for your “do more” list.

If you’re not sure about this, if you want to give it more thought, analyze the pros and cons, and consider all of your options, do this: put “over-thinking” on your “do less list”.

Want more referrals? Put this on your “do more” list

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Filed Under: Productivity

Opportunities or obstacles

October 2, 2018 by
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Wealthy people, and those destined to become wealthy, look at problems as opportunities, stepping stones to something greater.

An opportunity to learn, meet new people, or improve their skills.

Others look at problems solely in terms of the risks and costs.

Wealthy people don’t try to avoid problems at all costs. They look for the opportunities hidden in those problems. They continually try new ideas and new methods and eventually realize the outcomes they seek.

Everyone solves problems but wealthy people go out of their way to find problems they can solve. They believe that the bigger the problems, the bigger the paycheck.

If you have trouble seeking out big problems in the quest for a bigger paycheck, as an attorney you can do the next best thing: seek out clients with big problems.

In your quest to build wealth, remember that the problems you solve don’t have to be your own.

How to identify and find clients with big problems

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Filed Under: Increase your income, success

A simple way to write faster and better 

October 1, 2018 by
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“Don’t edit while you write” we are told. Get the words out of your head and down on paper without concern for clarity, grammar, usage, or spelling. Get your critical mind out of the way and write. Edit later.

It’s good advice and no doubt you follow it to some extent. It improves the quality and speed of your writing, especially if you feel stuck and don’t know what to say.

Someone once summarized this advice by saying, “Write drunk, edit sober.” I offer no comment on whether this advice should be followed literally but research confirms the value of doing something similar:

Write while groggy.

Apparently, we are more creative when we are sleepy. I assume that’s because our critical mind is less engaged, allowing us to write a first draft (or solve problems, as was done in the research) more quickly and easily.

So, if you’re usually slower in the morning, that’s when you might want to get some words on paper. Especially before you have that first cup of coffee. If you tire in the afternoon, you might try writing later in your day.

Are there other ways to “turn off” our critical mind without being sleepy or drunk or using willpower?

I think so.

I often put on headphones and listen to brain.fm to help me focus. Sometimes, I listen to regular music (new age or classical, thank you.) Sometimes, I listen to talk radio while writing, letting the voices blend into the background. This morning, I had a news video playing while writing this. Writing in a coffee shop does the same thing for many people.

I also get first drafts done by dictating into my phone on my walk or when I’m in the car.

What do you do to turn off your critical mind?

Your website can bring in more clients 

 

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Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: ,

Micro-scheduling ain’t my thang

September 28, 2018 by
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What are you doing three weeks from today at 3:15 pm? Some people can answer that question. They schedule their days and weeks in 15-minute increments. If this describes you, God bless. Do what works for you. If you’re like me and this sounds suffocating and impractical, you need another option.

I’ve mentioned this before but thought I’d provide a little more detail about what I do.

I schedule appointments, calls, and anything with a deadline. I also (sometimes) schedule “time blocks” for working on projects or groups of related tasks. For everything else, I keep a list of 3-5 projects I’m currently working on or want to work on this week and a list of 3-5 tasks I want to work on “now” (today).

I keep another list of what I want to do “next,” that is after I finish what’s on the other two lists. I limit the “next” list to no more than 20 items to keep me from being overwhelmed with hundreds of options. Everything else goes on a someday/maybe list.

(Actually, I use tags for all of this.)

This gives me flexibility. I keep my lists in front of me and look at them frequently. At any time, I can look at my lists and decide what to work on. I make that decision based on factors like:

  • The type of work–some tasks require more focus and energy than others
  • Time needed to complete the work
  • My experience/ability with that type of work
  • What I’ve done/will do before the task
  • What I need to do after the task (e.g., appointments, other tasks)
  • My energy level (and projected energy level; mornings are better than afternoons)
  • Deadlines
  • Current progress on the project
  • Enjoyment factor–do I like the task or detest it
  • Difficulty
  • Need to coordinate with others (or waiting for something from others)
  • And so on

I don’t use a checklist for this. I look at my options and let my gut tell me what to do next. When I’m on a roll, I might keep at something for a couple of hours. When I feel resistance or fatigue,  I might put it aside or move it another list.

And that’s why I don’t micro-schedule my time.

Anyway, that’s how I do it. How about you?

Evernote for Lawyers ebook

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Filed Under: Productivity

The trend is your friend

September 27, 2018 by
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Some days, everything seems to go wrong. The day is filled with problems or complaints, you struggle to get your work done, you don’t want to talk to anyone or do anything, you just want to go home.

Go.

Leave work. Take the rest of the day off.

Go home and lay on the sofa or go to the park and get some fresh air. Get some rest and reboot your brain and come back the next day, refreshed and recharged.

Don’t fight the trend, investors say.

Typically, we don’t do this. When we have a bad day we muscle our way through it. We have things to get done, hours to bill, people who rely on us, so we don’t even consider stopping. But that’s ego talking. Sometimes, you have to give yourself a break.

Many a day, I left the office early and went to a bookstore or for a drive. Or I sat in a coffee shop and read a book or wrote in a journal. I turned my problems over to my subconscious mind and let it figure things out.

And it almost always did.

When I went back to work the next day, the problems were still there and I had work to catch up on, but I felt better and got the work done.

Because I didn’t fight the trend.

But here’s the thing. The trend goes two ways. When you’re having a great day and feel like you can do no wrong, you might want to take the rest of the day off, to reward yourself.

Go eat some cherry cheesecake. Your work will still be there tomorrow.

Earn more, work less

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Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With:

Measure What Matters: a different take on goals setting

September 26, 2018 by
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If you’re looking for a new take on goal setting (and achieving), take a look at the book, Measure What Matters, by John Doerr. I just read a synopsis and was intrigued by the way his system has you choose and monitor key metrics to keep you moving toward your goal.

His O.K.R. (Objective, Key Results) Goal Setting System has three key ingredients:

(1) An Audacious Objective. Set big goals that inspire you but that aren’t so big that you don’t believe you can achieve them.

(2) Quality and Quantity Key Results. Choose 3-5 metrics (e.g., revenue, new clients, referrals, new subscribers, etc.) that allow you to measure progress towards your goal.

Metrics should be quantitative, e.g., 100 new newsletter subscribers per month, and qualitative, e.g., from search terms like ‘divorce attorneys Orange County’–so you’re getting subscribers who are searching for an attorney to hire, not just looking for free information.

(3) Color-Coded Check-ins. Each week, month, or quarter, look at each of your key results and label them green, yellow or red.

GREEN: indicates you are 70 to 100% on target. Continue doing what you’re doing.
YELLOW: you are 30-70% on target. In this case, you should develop a “recovery plan,” to get back on target.
RED: you are 0 to 30% on target. Create a recovery plan or replace the key result with something different.

Doerr says that if one of your key results are almost always green, however, meaning you’re nearly 100% on target most of the time, your goals or the key results metrics aren’t challenging enough and you should adjust them to get a mix of green and yellow.

I like this system because it forces you to choose appropriate metrics, helps you monitor your progress, and allows you to change what you’re doing when you’re either not hitting your target or you’re hitting it too often.

How to get more subscribers for your newsletter

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Filed Under: Goal Setting

Newsletters: I don’t have enough to write about

September 25, 2018 by
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YOU: I’d like to start a newsletter but I don’t think I have enough to write about. Can you help?

ME: I understand. You can only write so much about legal topics (although you can probably write more than you think.)

Similarly, you can only write so much about your personal life (although you can probably write more than you think.)

The solution? Write about the people who are reading your newsletter.

Your clients. Prospects. People in your target market. Write about what they do, what they want, their problems, their desires, their struggles and their victories.

Write about news in their industry or community. Write about the people, the events, the blogs, the litigation, the legislation, the past, present, and future.

Write about the businesses, consultants, and professionals who sell to or advise the people in that market. Promote their content, events, products, and services.

Study your market and write about it.

Your readers will eat it up and come back for seconds and you’ll never run out of things to write about.

How to create a newsletter that pulls in business

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Filed Under: Newsletters
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