How to start a conversation with a stranger

August 15, 2017 by
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Being able to approach and speak to strangers is a valuable skill to have in your marketing quiver. Like any skill, you can get better with practice.

Yesterday, after my walk, I was at the park cooling down and saw a mother pushing her two youngsters on the swings. The boy, who looked about three, was chattering on about reaching the sky and asking lots of questions about outer space and rocket ships. His mother didn’t dismiss his questions, she patiently answered them.

After listening for a couple of minutes, I asked the woman if she was a teacher. She said she was before becoming a stay-at-home mom and asked me how I knew. I said, “Because you are so patient with all his questions, plus, you had some really good answers!”

Question asked. Conversation started. Compliment thrown in for good measure.

It really is (can be) that simple.

In this case, I learned something I could use to start the conversation by listening to her talk to her son, but I could have just as easily told her she had cute kids or asked how old they were.

If I wanted to continue the conversation I would have asked another question. At some point, I would have made sure to mention “my wife” and “my daughter,” however, to let her know I’m a family guy and not some stalker. Situational awareness is your friend.

Anyway, if you want to improve your conversational skills, start practicing. The next time you’re in line for coffee or sitting next to someone in a waiting room, talk to the person next to you.

If you can’t think of anything to say, ask them if they have the time. When they pull out their phone to respond, ask what model it is and if they’re ready to upgrade.

Sure fire conversation material. Maybe even better than kids.

How to get Maximum Referrals 

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Filed Under: Networking, Personal development

A lesson from the clean-cut men in white dress shirts

August 14, 2017 by
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When I started practicing, it was well known that IBM had some of the best salesmen in the world. I say salesmen because as far as I know, they were nearly all men. They all wore the IBM uniform–white dress shirt, dark suit and tie, short hair, and neatly polished dress shoes.

You know the look. Yeah, like Mad Men.

They were well-groomed and well-trained and they sold a lot of IBM products. From the moment that salesman walked in my door and began his presentation, there was no doubt that he was going to walk out with an order.

For many decades, IBM sales people continually outsold their competition. Records were set and records were broken, helping make the company one of the top brands in the world.

But it wasn’t just good products, easy financing, and great training that did it. I just learned a surprising reason why IBM salesmen sold so much more than anyone else. It was because they had low quotas.

You would think it would be just the opposite: best products and training, highest quotas, right? If you are the best or aspire to be the best, why wouldn’t you set the bar high?

But IBM didn’t do that. They set the bar low and allowed their sales people to flourish organically, without feeling intimidated or pressured to meet a goal that seemed out of reach.

Tim Ferris echoed the value of setting smaller goals when he was asked about his daily writing goal. “Two crappy pages a day,” he said, when clearly he wrote far more.

Most people set short term goals that are too big. Smaller goals make it easier to succeed. Anyone can write two “crappy” pages. When you do, you feel good about hitting your goal so you keep going and write more.

No pressure. You do it because you want to. And once you start, it’s easy to continue.

Whether writing or selling typewriters or marketing legal services, the daily discipline of “two crappy pages” or “15 minutes” gets you started, and starting is the hardest part. If the goal was too big, you might not start at all.

Set smaller goals and hit them. No white shirt required.

To create a short and simple marketing plan, get this

 

 

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Filed Under: Goal Setting, Personal development, Productivity

E.G.B.O.K.

August 11, 2017 by
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E.G.B.O.K. Everything’s going to be okay. You’re problems will be resolved, your goals will be achieved, and you’ll live happily ever after.

At least that’s what you should assume because assuming otherwise won’t do you any good.

Don’t worry about the future. Or the present. No matter how bad things might be, worrying won’t help.

Worry is a useless emotion. Banish the word from your vocabulary. You’ll feel much better, and feeling better will help you achieve better outcomes.

Another way to put it: think about what you want, not what you don’t want. And smile. Everything’s going to be okay.

On the other hand, don’t be naive or reckless. Assume the best but prepare for the worst.

Make contingency plans. Install backups. Buy insurance. Have regular checkups. Because an ounce of prevention, and all that.

Okay, want to know a secret? How to make it easier to eliminate worry and assume the best? I’ll tell you something that’s worked for me, and God knows I’ve needed it.

I’ve built a law practice, from scratch, twice. No clients, no list, no money, and in the case of the first instance, no experience. I’ve started more than a few businesses, most of which are no longer extant. I’ve had many business and personal failures, and more unfinished projects than I can count. I’ve been to Hell and back and I have survived. (This would be a good place for a song, but I’ll spare you.)

Anyway, my “secret” is to approach things with a long-term perspective.

I think in terms of years and decades, not weeks or months. When you see yourself doing something ten or twenty years from now, you are much less likely to let short term problems throw you off track.

Someone owes you thousands of dollars and won’t pay? No problem. A bump in the road. A long and ultimately prosperous and fulfilling road. Ten years from now, you won’t even remember it. You’ll be too busy counting your millions.

So think long term and don’t worry about the short term. Everything’s going to be okay.

But don’t get too comfortable. There’s work to be done (and problems to solve) and we can only do that in the here and now.

Think long term but act short term. Focus on what you can do right now, today, and get it done. You’ll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow.

The quickest way to get referrals

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Filed Under: Personal development

Following up with leads

August 10, 2017 by
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My wife visited a real estate website and filled out a form to get some information. As you might expect, an agent called and left a message, offering information, encouraging my wife to call, yada yada. She did the same thing via text.

My wife didn’t respond, so naturally, the calls and texts continued.

A month later, they’re still coming.

My wife thought she would be nice and put the agent out of her misery. She called and politely told her that our plans had changed and we weren’t interested in getting more information.

The agent’s messages had been cheerful and positive. When my wife told her our plans had changed, the agent’s demeanor did a 180. She wasn’t rude or dismissive. More like defeated and unhappy.

When my wife told me the story, she said she would never want to work with an agent who is that moody.

What agent of any experience doesn’t know that leads are a numbers game and that most don’t turn into sales? What agent lets people who say “not interested” (which should be interpreted as “not now”) hear their disappointment?

What a missed opportunity.

A “no” today might be a “yes” tomorrow. Or a referral. Sadly, my wife and others we may assume, won’t contact Miss unhappy pants if and when things change.

Of course, this never happens to most lawyers. That’s because most lawyers don’t follow-up with inquiries and leads, even with people they’ve spoken to. They don’t follow-up at all.

And that’s even worse.

When someone contacts you to ask questions or get information, don’t give up on them if they don’t take the next step. Stay in touch, offer more information, and continue to let them know how you can help.

Should you call or text? Maybe once or twice in the beginning. Have your staff do it. After that, use email and snail mail.

They were interested once. They may be interested again. Follow-up until they buy or die. Or tell you to stop. And no matter what, never let them see you sweat.

They may never buy but they can send you referrals

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Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing legal services Tagged With:

Date ’em all and the good ones twice

August 9, 2017 by
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Thinking about high school again and remembering an expression many boys used when speaking about girls: “Date ’em all and the good ones twice”. Only they didn’t use the word “date”. Use your imagination.

The thing is, this juvenile display of bravado and adolescent yearning may actually have been good advice. When you’re young, it makes sense to play the field. Dating (actual dating) lots of people helps you discover what you like and what you don’t like so you can make a better decision when choosing a spouse.

It also happens to be good advice for achieving success in a business or career.

Try lots of jobs. Lots of ideas. Lots of tools and techniques. Try ’em all and come back to (marry?) the ones you like best.

I just finished reading a book on productivity. I read lots of books on that subject but this one was different. The way the author explained the power of habits for effecting change and achieving goals resonated with me in a way that other books haven’t. I highlighted nearly every page and now, I will go back and read it again. I’ll also take notes and do the exercises I skipped the first time through. Because this one looks like a keeper.

I read a lot of books but re-read only a small percentage. Actually, if it’s good enough to re-read, I usually do that several times.

Date ’em all and the good ones twice. And if they’re really good, marry ’em.

Here’s something you should probably read again

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Filed Under: Personal development

Two guys walk into a bar…

August 8, 2017 by
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When I was in high school I used to call a popular “joke line”. Most of the jokes were clean but the occasional salty joke made this teenager’s day.

The recordings were under a minute and rotated throughout the day. They were professionally produced, with an announcer and intro music. The call was frequently updated with new material. I listened to it for several years.

One thing always puzzled me. I couldn’t figure out how they made any money. There were no commercials or sponsors; nothing was promoted except the call itself. And no, it wasn’t a 900 or 976 number where you were charged by the minute or by the call.

So, what was the point?

Were they testing material for a stand-up act? Trying to find sponsors but never did?

I finally concluded that whoever did these calls did them for no other reason than to have fun.

I thought about this on my walk the other day and made a note to share it with you. To remind you to put some fun into your newsletter or blog or presentations. Not jokes, fun. Lighthearted observations or stories that put a smile on the face of your reader or listener or make them recall a happy time in their lives.

As far as I know fun is still legal in this country and God knows we can all use more of it.

Know what’s really fun? Getting referrals

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Filed Under: Communication

Client relations made simple

August 7, 2017 by
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What do you do when there’s a problem with a case? Do you email the client to tell them? Or do you call?

Calling is better, of course, because you can explain what happened, answer the client’s questions, discuss the options, and work together to find the path forward.

You’re not just delivering news, you’re having a conversation.

Your tone of voice tells the client how you feel about the issue. He’ll hear your concern and appreciate that you personally called. The client might still be upset or afraid, but being able to talk to you will help, even if he blames you for the problem. Actually, especially if he blames you because he can vent and then the two of you can talk about what to do.

Now, you probably know this and you probably use the phone when there’s a problem. The question is, do you use the phone when there isn’t a problem?

When you want to tell the client good news. When you want to ask the client a question. When you want to touch base with the client. Do you call? Even when you don’t have to?

The same dynamics exist whether you’re delivering good news or bad. Just as you want the client to hear the concern in your voice when you deliver bad news, you want them to hear the smile in your voice when the news is good.

If you’re not calling your clients, you’re missing out on an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with them.

Call more, email less.

But, there’s something even better than calling. Whenever possible, meet with your clients in person.

Whether you have good news, bad news, or no news, getting face to face with your clients gives you an opportunity to bond in a way that cannot be simulated over the phone. Now only does tone of voice come into play, so do facial expressions, body language, and general interpersonal chemistry.

Find reasons to meet with your clients for coffee. Visit their business. Invite them to your office. And don’t charge for that time, even if you could.

Spend face time with your clients and when you’re done, send them an email saying, “It was nice to see you.” Or better yet, call.

Your clients are worth a fortune to you

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Filed Under: Client relations

Priorities for marketing a law practice

August 4, 2017 by
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Marketing to clients is easier and more profitable than marketing to prospective clients.

It’s easier to get someone who has hired you once to hire you again. It’s easier to get existing clients to buy your more comprehensive and expensive services. It’s easier to get clients to give you referrals.

It’s also easier get clients to promote your events, share your content, provide testimonials and positive reviews, mention you on social, and send traffic to your website.

Clients are easier to “sell” to because they already know, like, and trust you. They are more profitable because you’ve already paid the marketing costs (money, time) to acquire them.

Even if a client has already “purchased” your most expensive (or only) service, they are potentially worth more to you than someone who has never hired you.

Marketing to prospective clients is important, of course. You need to keep the funnel full. But if you want to earn more and grow your practice faster, you should make marketing to clients your number one priority.

You should also do whatever you can to get prospects into the client column. Get them to hire you for something. It doesn’t matter what. You want them in your office, signing papers, handing over a few dollars, seeing you in action.

One way to do this is to offer them an entry level service. Something small and inexpensive. Something that doesn’t require a big commitment.

If you don’t have an entry level service, create one. Break up one of your services into smaller pieces. One document, one hour, one small bundle. Or offer a free consultation, a free document review, or a free second opinion.

Just get them in the door so you can call them a client and start turning them into a lifetime client, a fan, and a referral source.

Marketing is simple when you know The Formula

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services

I love it when a plan comes together

August 3, 2017 by
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Yesterday, I poked you in the eye and dared you to write an email newsletter to your clients and prospects, or if you already do that, to do it more.

Gordon Firemark practices in Los Angeles and is a long time subscriber and friend. He told me what he does email-wise and kindly agreed to let me share it with you:

Hi David,

Just to add to what you’ve said about emails… Often the challenge for people is not knowing where to start… So having “framework” set up in advance makes it much easier.

Here’s what I do for my weekly newsletter emails.

1. Something “this week” related or personal. (i.e., “This day in legal history”, Trivia, etc.) ( This typically takes a quick google search if I don’t already have something in mind.)

2. Something “curated” – “I read this blog post about ___ and thought you should know about it…” (just bookmark it when I see it during the week)

4. Something I have created or made (video, podcast episode, blog post, or a downloadable checklist, worksheet, etc.) ( which allows me to segment the list based on who downloads what materials) (this is the heavy lifting, but I’m doing it pretty regularly. If not, I do a throwback to something I did last year, or whatever)

5. Some kind of OFFER: “Call for a consultation about [trademark registration|forming a corporation|collaboration agreement] etc.]” “Sign up for Xyz”

6. And a quick personal-feeling sign-off: “enjoy the weekend.. I’m going to the ___ film festival, what are you up to?”

And done. 6-8 paragraphs that almost write themselves. And I’ve got an appointment on my calendar each week that’s set-aside for creating this.

Easy as pie. (and if I’m coming up short on one of these once in a while, I just omit it)

I always try to ask a question that gets them to respond to me… (like I’m doing now), since the engagement improves relationships. My favorite: “What are you struggling with about XYZ these days? What problem can I help you solve?”

Here’s last week’s as an example: https://ckarchive.com/b/mvu7h5hq98od

This went out to a few thousand people on my list. I got dozens of responses to the questions about struggles (valuable data)… 5 unsubscribes, and 3 booked appointments for trademark consultation, which I predict will lead to about $5000 in business. (about half of that already in hand) Not bad.

Thanks for all you do.

-Gordon

So, there you go. Email newsletters work. And if you use a “framework” like Gordon does, you’ll have an easier time of it.

Or you can do like I do, fart out some words and click “send”. Whatever floats your boat.

Anyway, I hope this inspires you to start a newsletter and most of all, to have some fun with it.

Because if it’s not fun, you’re not doing it right.

More

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Filed Under: Email, Newsletters

Forget pretty. Forget brilliant. Just fart out some words.

August 2, 2017 by
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When was the last time you sent an email to your list? No, not to a client about a specific case, I mean an email you send to all clients and former clients and prospective clients, staying in touch, sharing information, reminding them that you’re still in business.

Yeah, like a newsletter.

Too much time? Look, if you can’t invest 30 minutes a week for marketing, I can’t help you.

Too much effort? Me thinks not. You write every day. A little more writing won’t kill you.

Nah, there are only two reasons why you’re not doing this. The first is that you’re not sure it will be worth it. Will you really get more business? (Don’t tell me you’re practice is different. It’s not.) Anyway, the only way to resolve this debate is to try it.

What if it does work? What if you’re able to bring in several new clients each month just from writing emails once a week?

The other reason why you don’t commit to writing a newsletter is that you’re scared. What if you inadvertently say something that offends someone? What if your clients say you’re emailing too often? What if you make a sincere effort and it doesn’t work?

Get over it.

Seriously. You owe it to yourself to start or restart a simple email “newsletter” to stay in touch with the people who pay your bills and can send you referrals. You owe it to yourself to see how effective this is for building your practice.

Look, marketing doesn’t get any simpler than this. Once a week you email a few paragraphs to people you know. You share some information, a story, a resource, or anything else that strikes your fancy, and you don’t worry about making it perfect.

If it helps, don’t call it a newsletter. It’s just an email.

Yes, I know I talk about this a lot. Nag, nag, nag. I’m your annoying little brother, right? But you know why I do it, don’t you? And deep down, you know I’m right.

Learn how to start your newsletter 

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Filed Under: Email, Marketing legal services, Newsletters
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