If you want to be rich, do this

September 14, 2017 by
Share

I’m sure you’ve heard this before: If want to be rich, look at what everyone else is doing and do the opposite. Or, conversely, find someone in your field who is rich and do what they do. Or did.

Since most people aren’t rich (or however you want to define success), doing what they are doing pretty much guarantees that you won’t achieve superior results.

If you do what the average person does, you are likely to achieve average results.

The five or ten percent at the top do things differently. Emulate them, not the masses.

Okay, why is this common sense so uncommon? Why do most lawyers continue the tradition of doing things the way everyone else does them? Why are they so adverse to change?

Fear. They’re afraid of looking different. Or messing up.

What will my colleagues think? What will my clients think? What if I try something different and it doesn’t work?

Remember in school how most kids slouched in their seats and hoped they wouldn’t be called on? Remember the kid who sat in the front and always raised their hand?

They don’t want to be that kid.

If you don’t want to be noticed, if you don’t want to take chances, if you like the idea of being like all the other kids in the courtroom or boardroom, fine. If you want to do better, you can do that, too. All you have to do is raise your hand.

Use this to learn how to earn more and work less

Share
Filed Under: success

Give your practice a little push

September 13, 2017 by
Share

If you’re doing things right, your practice grows primarily by attracting new clients, that is, clients find you, you don’t find them.

They find you online, respond to an ad, someone refers them, or they’ve hired you before and come back when they need you again.

Clients show up and are “pulled” into your legal machine, with very little effort on your part. Once there, you deliver high-quality services (and high-quality service) to keep them happy and ensure they return and refer, and generally speaking, they do.

Sure, you have to do maintenance, making sure your systems are working well, your content is fresh, and you have sufficient resources to do your job. But other than that, you don’t have to do much else to keep your practice running and profitable.

On the other hand, you can’t rely on this dynamic forever. You can’t expect to always be able to attract clients and pull them in, you must also do some pushing.

Clients die or no longer need you. Businesses fold or get bought out. People move away. Clients can no longer afford you or find another attorney who charges less. No matter how well you do your job, there will always be attrition and you need to do something affirmative to keep your funnel (and your bank account) full.

And let’s not ignore the fact that there is a continual wave of competition. New lawyers, better-financed lawyers, and more aggressive lawyers eager to eat your lunch.

Bottom line: you can’t rely on pulling in new business, you have to do some pushing.

Pushing means reaching out to prospective clients and referral sources and centers of influence in your niche market or community. It means trying new strategies, networking with different people, and creating new types of content.

Pushing means expanding on what’s working and eliminating or changing what isn’t. It means continually upgrading your client base, replacing good clients with even better clients. It means never getting complacent and assuming that what was will always be.

The world changes. Make sure you keep up with it.

Give your practice a little push with this

Share
Filed Under: Marketing legal services

The easy way to stand out from your competition

September 12, 2017 by
Share

“Most lawyers offer the same services and deliver the same results. There’s no advantage to hiring anyone in particular so you might as well hire the cheapest one”.

That’s what many clients think, isn’t it? And the client is always right.

Most lawyers look alike and sound alike. Their websites are nearly interchangeable. Swap the name and contact information of lawyer A with lawyer B and you would never know the difference.

That’s also true with ads. Presentations. Podcasts. Videos. Social media posts. Brochures. Newsletters. Articles.

Lawyers wear the same clothing. They have offices on the same street. Their waiting rooms, desks and chairs, and wall adornments all look a movie set.

Welcome to Blandville, where everyone is the same.

If clients can’t perceive any difference between you and your competition, how do you expect them to notice you, remember you, and choose you?

It’s a problem but it is incredibly easy to fix.

There are many ways to differentiate yourself from the competition. Many ways to show clients why you are the better choice.

One of the best ways is also the easiest.

Do this one thing and you will no longer be McLawyer, serving the same (dull) food as everyone else.

The missing element? The magic potion? The easy thing you can do to stand out?

It’s you, my friend.

Your personality is what’s missing from your marketing and your public persona. It’s the one thing no other lawyer has or can copy.

Put your personality, your style, your stories, your opinions on your website and in your emails, articles and presentations. You are unique. There’s only one “you”. Let that uniqueness shine through the boilerplate and the legalese and you will instantly stand out from the masses of legal humanity.

I know this may be tough for you. You play your cards close to your vest. You don’t like to share anything personal. You do good work and expect your work to speak for itself.

It doesn’t. It needs a spokesperson. It needs you.

Give this a whirl. Start with something small. Put a little you into your next email to a client.

Add a P.S. and share something that doesn’t belong in that email. Mention something you did recently or something interesting you saw or read. Ask for their opinion about something other than the subject of your email. Ask if they’ve seen an article you posted on your website. Or if they’re a fan of a program you’ve been binge-watching on Netflix.

Go ahead, try it. You may like it. I know your clients will.

More ways to differentiate yourself found here

Share
Filed Under: Image, Marketing legal services

Would you Invest $1000 to earn $1500?

September 11, 2017 by
Share

Looking for a great investment? One that has the potential to bring you big returns?

I’m talking returns of 50%, 100%, or more. Perhaps a lot more. Over time, you might earn ten or twenty times your initial investment.

What’s that? You put your money in savings, not investments. You don’t like to “gamble”? Well, you might want to re-think that position in this case because the investment I’m talking about is “you”.

Your practice. Your career. Your future.

I know you make a substantial investment each month run your practice. Money to keep the doors open, money to protect yourself from liability, money to help you serve your clients. And money on marketing, to make sure you continue to bring in new clients.

I’m suggesting you consider spending more.

Add another $1,000 per month to your budget, to invest in your practice. If that’s too much, start with less, but start with something because if you invest wisely, that $1,000 or $5,000 or $100, will result in a handsome profit.

What should you invest in? Well, what do you need? What’s working now that might work better? What can you expand?

What could you invest in to attract more clients? What could you invest in that might help you meet new referral sources? Where might you put some dollars to improve your skills or help you deliver a better client experience?

Here’s a list to help you brainstorm the possibilities:

  • Advertising
  • New employees, virtual assistants; incentives
  • Outside services
  • Second office/better location
  • Signage
  • Furniture and equipment
  • Personal and professional development
  • Software
  • Consultants
  • Networking
  • Websites/content
  • Accounting/financial planning
  • Training courses

As you ponder this list, also consider areas where you might spend less. Where could you eliminate waste? What could you do to free up cash to invest in things that bring you a better return?

What’s that? You don’t have any cash to invest in your practice right now? That’s why you need to take this seriously.

Find the money. Borrow it. Get a line of credit. Sell something.

Remember, you’re not increasing your overhead, you’re investing in your business.

Let me guess, you’re thinking, “What if I do this and it doesn’t work?”

My answer: “What if it does work?” What if you invest $1000 and it brings in an additional $1500? You would want to do it again, right? You’d want to increase your investment so you can increase your profit, yes?

Look, don’t throw money at anything that moves. Be judicious. Reasonable. Careful. Smart.

Sure, there’s risk. You might lose money on the path to earning more. But there’s an even greater risk in doing nothing.

Truth.

You really do have to spend money to make money. Go figure out how you can spend more.

Improve your website 

Share
Filed Under: Marketing legal services

What do you do when you don’t want to do something?

September 8, 2017 by
Share

We’ve all got things in our lives we don’t want to do. We usually do them anyway, because they have to be done. But some things are particularly unpleasant and we procrastinate or look for excuses to get out of doing them.

Have you ever had to make a phone call about an especially difficult subject, or to a person you really don’t want to speak to? Sometimes, you rip the bandage off and make the call. Sometimes, you keep avoiding it, dreading it and worrying about it until you have to do anyway.

You hear that “old school” voice in your head. It says, “Quit stalling. Stop whining, you have to do it so man up and make the call. Get it over with. It probably won’t be as bad as you think.”

Sound familiar?

“Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain,” said Mark Twain. Do the thing you don’t want to do and you’ll feel better once you do.

And that voice is right. Perfectly logical, dammit. So, you make the call. Before you know it, it’s done and, guess what? It wasn’t as bad as you thought. All that worry for naught.

But there’s another school of thought. “New school,” or “new age”. This school says that instead of doing the thing you don’t want to do and then feeling better, feel better first.

Feel better before you act. If nothing else, you’ll be less fearful or stressed out about what you have to do.

Something else happens when you go for the feeling first. You often find yourself doing things that make a better outcome more likely.

In the case of the phone call, your better feelings may cause you to greet the other person with a different tone or phrase your request in more agreeable terms. You may think of additional points to make in your favor.

Which way is better? They both work, of course. In the end, most things turn out okay. But if you usually worry and avoid doing things you don’t want to do and then do them anyway, you might want to try it the other way and spare yourself all that suffering.

Share
Filed Under: Personal development

How to get more work done in less time

September 7, 2017 by
Share

I’m on a perpetual quest to work faster. The faster I complete my work, the quicker I accomplish my goals.

Why take eight hours to do your work when you can do it in five?

If you want to get your work done faster, I suggest that you create a list of questions to ask yourself each time you do a new task or project.

Here’s a starter list of questions:

  • Is this task really necessary? Is there another way to accomplish the same thing?
  • Could I delegate some or all of this to someone else?
  • Could I recycle or adapt something I’ve done before?
  • Can I leave out any steps?
  • Can I combine any steps?
  • Would it help to do the steps in a different order?
  • How could I break this up into smaller steps I could do in smaller bites of time?
  • Could I do this faster if I used a different tool?
  • Would it help to assemble all of the resources I need before I begin?
  • What could I do to increase my focus when I do this (e.g., mono-task, listen to music/white noise, work at the library or another quiet place)?
  • Would I do this faster if I promised myself a reward?
  • Would an accountability partner help?
  • Could I do this faster at a different time of day when I have more energy or fewer distractions?
  • Could I do any of this in the car or while exercising (e.g., dictating)?
  • Would it help to plan this out the night before?
  • Could I batch this with other tasks?
  • Would an updated form, checklist, or template help?
  • Would it help to give myself less time to finish (e.g., a shorter deadline)?
  • How could I transition from one step to the next with less delay?
  • Am I willing to give up some quality in return for speed? If so, what could I do to achieve that?
  • Who do I know who does this in their work and would allow me to see how they do it?

Start recording what you do–all of the steps and how long it takes to do them. Before long, you’ll see yourself getting more work done in less time.

Once you’ve mastered the habit of asking, “How can I do this faster?” start a new habit. Ask yourself, “How can I do this better?”

How can I get referrals more quickly? Here’s the answer

Share
Filed Under: Productivity

If your mom managed your law firm

September 6, 2017 by
Share

When we were kids our moms made sure we followed the rules. We ate our peas, did our homework, studied for tests, and told them if we were going to be late for dinner. Our parents wanted to protect us and get a good start in life so they made us follow the rules. Or else.

If your mom managed your law firm, she would do the same thing.

She’d make sure you did your work, calendared every date, filed every document, and billed every client. If a client didn’t pay, she’d be on the phone, reminding them and threatening to call their mom.

No doubt, she’d also make you tidy up your office at the end of the day.

You would be more productive and profitable but nobody wants their mom telling them what to do, or telling everyone embarrassing stories about something we did when we were six.

Besides, we have administrators to do most of the things our mom would do.

The problem is, an administrator does what you tell them to do, not the other way around.

So you need self-discipline. Which is loosely defined as doing things you need to do whether you feel like doing them or not.

Self-discipline means conquering procrastination and developing consistency. Not because your mom made you but because you made yourself.

One way to develop self-discipline is to start small. If you find it difficult to do marketing 15 minutes a day, start with 5 minutes. Or one minute. Or start doing it once a week.

Develop the habit of doing it consistently, first, and go from there.

Another way to develop self-discipline is to first develop it in other areas of your life. If you are undisciplined about following your task management system, start by getting self-disciplined about reading every day or going to bed 30 minutes earlier.

Someone said, “How you do anything is how you do everything,” and if that’s true, when you develop discipline in one area of your life, it helps you become disciplined in others.

A good place to start is with physical activity. Taking a twenty-minute walk three days a week, for example, is easy to do and easy to measure. You’re either doing it or you’re not.

Walking will not only improve your health and give you more energy, it will help you to become more disciplined about doing more cerebral activities like writing, personal development, or marketing.

Walking is also good for getting ideas. Where do you think I got the idea for this post?

Does your website need more content? This will help

Share
Filed Under: Law office management, Personal development Tagged With: ,

Getting clients when you’re a new attorney

September 5, 2017 by
Share

I got an email from a young lawyer who just completed law school, asking for advice:

“I got a job as a legal marketer for a sole practitioner who has been in business for over 20years.

I am expected to find new clients, set up websites and yet I have not been given the appropriate tools to market this practice and attract clients. Worst part is I don’t earn a salary, only 10% commission for every client I sign. It’s been two months and I haven’t brought anything.

So how do I make this work and attract new clients with no referrals, no tools, no contacts in the legal field?

Please help.

JB

I’ve got news for you JB, you don’t have a job. You have a very bad deal.

Okay, you get an office and someone to answer your phone, I presume. That’s good. That has value. But it’s not worth giving up 90% of the fees on clients you bring in.

Time to re-negotiate.

I would offer to “pay” for the office space by doing work for your landlord, on his existing files. Research, draft documents, meet with clients, do court appearances, that sort of thing. Two hours a day, perhaps, in return for an office or even a desk and access to the conference room is a good deal for both of you.

If he wants your help in marketing HIS practice, he needs to pay you. A salary and/or a reasonable percentage of the fees. Start with 50-50.

Otherwise, if you bring in clients, they’re yours. You get 100% of the fees, unless you choose to associate with your landlord because he has experience and resources you don’t yet have.

If he won’t agree to this, there are other attorneys who will. They have empty space, they need an attorney in the office to do some of their work but don’t want to hire someone. “Time for space” is a good deal for them, and for you.

Okay, what about marketing?

First, consider that your current landlord (or another lawyer or firm with whom you choose to associate) has something valuable you don’t have. They have a reputation. You can use that to get better results in your marketing.

For you, starting out, it might be easier to market this other attorney or firm than to market yourself. Make sure prospective clients and referral sources see you are associated with an experienced firm.

Now, how do you bring in clients?

First, set up a simple website. You need to have something to point to when someone asks what you do and how you can help them or their referrals.

Next, contact (by phone) every attorney you can find and tell them you are available for appearances (for pay) and for overflow. You’ll take cases that are too small for them, for example, or outside their practice area. Ask them to recommend other attorneys who might need your help.

Then, write a “referral letter” that describes what you do (or what the attorney or firm you are marketing does). Explain what you can do for an attorney’s clients when they refer them to you, and why they should. Send this to attorneys you know, and to attorneys you don’t know, and follow up.

Next, write a report that prospective clients would want to read. Things they need to know about their legal problem and the available solutions. Explain why they should contact you to take the next step. Put a form on your website so prospective clients can sign up to get your report. Keep in touch with them via email.

This only scratches the surface but it’s a good place to start. And it will bring in clients.

How to write a referral letter to send to lawyers and other professionals

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

I’ve got a legal problem and I need your advice

September 1, 2017 by
Share

A man contacted me with a legal problem. He explained what had happened and asked, “What should I do?”

I said, “You should get our your checkbook and write me a big fat check with lots of zeros in it. In fact, empty your bank account. I’m good at what I do, my advice is extremely valuable, and I don’t work for free. So pay up, bub, or get lost and never darken my doorstep again.”

And then I woke up.

I think it was my subconscious mind reminding me to be nice, explain prospective clients’ options, tell them your policy regarding fees and retainers, and ask them what they wanted to do.

Damn subconscious. What, did it graduate from a seminary? Work for the state bar? Talk to my wife?

I was thinking about this and wondering why I ever bothered to go to law school. I’m not cut out for being nice to people. What was I thinking?

And then I woke up. I realized I wasn’t a lawyer after all, I was having a nightmare about the last few decades and none of it was true.

What a relief. Being a lawyer is hard. You have to talk to people and do things for them and you don’t earn anywhere near what most people think. Law school is a scam!

Can you guess what happened next? Yep, I woke up. Realized it wasn’t a dream, I was an attorney, and I had an email to write and send you. So I got busy and wrote down what you just read.

The point? The point is it’s Friday, most of us didn’t lose our home to a Cat 5 hurricane, we don’t live in Venezuela or North Korea, we have our health, people who love us, work we care about, (and the ability to change anything if we want to), and we all need to lighten up. Have some fun with this thing before it’s over.

My challenge to you: write a semi-silly email (that actually makes a point) and send it to your clients and prospects. Make stuff up. Pretend it’s April Fool’s Day. Write something you would never otherwise write, just to see who’s out there and who’s paying attention.

I promise you, it will be a lot of fun. Especially if you actually send it.

Share
Filed Under: Email, Just for fun

Who are you and why are you calling me?

August 31, 2017 by
Share

I received an email from an attorney who asks two questions:

“I’m a sole practitioner, I wanted to enquire on how do I go about getting new clients if I don’t have any referrals?

What’s your take on cold calling as a marketing strategy?”

I’ll address the second question first.

Is cold calling a viable marketing strategy? Is it something I recommend? The short answer is “yes”. Absolutely. It always has been a viable marketing strategy and always will be.

The short answer is “yes”. Absolutely. It always has been a viable marketing strategy and always will be. In fact, cold calling should be a mainstay of every lawyer’s marketing.

But there are caveats.

If you’re calling lawyers, other professionals, business owners or other centers of influence in your local market or your niche market, hunky dory. One professional calling another, to introduce him or herself, to inquire about what the other person does and how the two of you might work together for your mutual benefit–that’s simply networking done over the phone.

Frankly, if you’re not doing this, you’re missing out on one of the simplest and most effective marketing strategies on God’s Green Earth.

If you want to know more about what to say and how to follow up after your first conversation, get my Lawyer to Lawyer Referrals course. You’ll know exactly what to say and what to do.

Now, if you’re thinking about cold calling prospective clients, that’s different.

If they are a prospective “consumer” client and they don’t know you, don’t call. Even if a mutual friend asked you to. Even if you’re not calling about a specific legal matter but are calling to invite them to your upcoming seminar.

Don’t do it.

Sidebar: if you’re calling as a member of the community, to invite your neighbors to a local picnic or charity golf tournament or something else that has nothing to do with you or your practice, that’s different. And worth consideration. But that’s a subject for another day.

That leaves cold calling prospective business clients.

If we assume that there are no ethical issues with doing that (make sure you check), why not? It’s like walking up to a business owner or executive you don’t know at a networking event, introducing yourself and asking to talk to them. You then tell them what you do and how you can help their company. Or offer to send them some information about legal issues in their industry.

It’s done all the time and it works.

But it works better when you have someone else introduce you.

Find someone who has a connection with the powers that be at the company and ask them to introduce you. Or, get their permission to use their name when you call.

Then, it’s not a cold call. It’s not cold because you have a mutual friend or business contact. Much better posture. Much better likelihood of success.

Now, as to the first question, getting clients when you don’t have referrals to offer prospective referral sources.

Surprise. This is also covered in Lawyer to Lawyer Referrals.

Are you still reading? Go get some referrals: Lawyer to Lawyer Referrals 

Share
Filed Under: Referrals
« Previous Page
Next Page »