Blog – Page 250

Never check email in the morning?

February 17, 2015 by David M. Ward

Everyone and his brother says we should never check email in the morning. They say that doing so allows others to dictate our morning tasks and we should instead focus on our pre-determined agenda.

But I do check email in the morning. Voice mail, too.

Checking email and voice mail lets me scope out and plan my day. Yes, my task list and calendar show me the important things I will be doing but emails and messages can be important, too.

But while I check email and messages in the morning I don’t respond to them in the morning. I do that after I get my other work done.

My morning routine includes going through my inbox, purging junk, and starring (gmail) important emails that require a response. When I’m done, I know how many emails I will need to respond to later that day. If there is work to do associated with those emails, I know that, too.

Same thing with phone messages. I write down who called and why and call them back later.

And hey, emergencies happen. While that’s rare for me today, I feel better knowing that I’ve made sure everything is okay. That’s better than ignoring the outside world for several hours and wondering if I’m missing something important.

Want to know another secret? Don’t tell anyone but I also check email throughout the day. Many times, in fact. Texts, too.

Yikes. Do I break every rule in the friggin book?

Guess so.

Anyway, that’s what works for me. Your mileage may vary.

I use Evernote to organize all of my tasks and projects. Go look

Filed Under: Email, Productivity, Time Management

Do you look like a professional?

February 16, 2015 by David M. Ward

I love watching a professional do his or her work. When I see a studio musician, a house painter, or gourmet chef doing what they do, I admire their skills and how they deploy them. There is a grace to what they do. It isÂ effortless and efficient.

They look like a professional.

If I was planning to hire them, seeing them work would inspire confidence. I’d know I was getting someone who knew what they were doing. I wouldn’t worry about them making mistakes. I would know they were worth every penny they asked. Once I gave them the job, I’d get out of their way and let them do what they do.

Wouldn’t it be great if our clients could watch us work and have that same confidence about hiring us?

But a lawyer’s work isn’t visual. We work in our heads, mostly, and on paper. When we talk to people, it’s nothing like what lawyers do on TV. What we do looks boring. Watching us work is unlikely to inspire anyone.

You might not wantÂ to show people what you do, but you can do the next best thing. You can show them what it looks like after you have done it.

Show people photos of your office, your library, and your staff. Show them photos of you coming out of court, shaking hands with clients, and speaking in front of a crowd. Make sure you’re wearing the uniform (suite and tie) clients expect you to wear.

Make sure your website looksÂ professional. You don’t need fancy (which can actually work against you), just not amateurish.

Let your content do most of the heavy lifting. The quality, depth, and quantity thereof should leave no doubts about your experience and ability to help your clients.

Make sure people see you doing things professionals do. Speaking, writing articles and books. Teach a CLE class (even once), because if you teach other lawyers, you must be good.

Promote the fact that you have forms and systems for everything. The chef has his tools, you have yours.

Don’t hide your light under a bushel. Highlight your awards, honors, and milestones. Post testimonials, endorsements, and positive press.

Clients and prospects are watching you. Show them the professional they want to hire.

How to earn more than you ever thought possible. Click here.

Filed Under: Image, Increase your income, Law office management, Marketing legal services

The most common lawyer marketing question I am asked

February 13, 2015 by David M. Ward

A subscriber asked me, “What’s the number one question you get asked by lawyers about getting clients?”

That’s simple. They ask, “How do I find the time for __________ [marketing]?”

And that’s an interesting question.

Because you don’t find time. You take it, from something else. You give up something you’re doing so that you can do something else.

But you only do that if you want to. And clearly, many lawyers don’t want to.

Many lawyers see marketing as something they have to do, not something they want to do. One reason is that they don’t see the connection between doing the (marketing) activities and getting results from those activities.

With most marketing activities, you don’t get clients immediately. It takes weeks or months.Â Marketing is a process. You get your best results from the cumulative effect of your efforts.

One blog post or article doesn’t equate to one new client (usually), but if you post 50 articles this year, next year you might see three or four new clients per month.

Sometimes a single marketing activity can bring in a lot of clients in a short period of time. Your new ebook, for example, might get favorably reviewed and/or go viral, especially if it is properly promoted. But because it takes a lot of work to write and promote it, and the results of that effort won’t come for many weeks or months, if they come at all, many attorneys put that idea in the “maybe” file and never do it.

Lawyers are used to a monthly payoff, (when they bill their clients). They work, they get paid. Life goes on.

Even contingency fee cases also follow a predictable pattern. Since most cases settle most of the time, the attorney knows that he’s only a matter of months or perhaps a year or two away from getting paid.

Not so with marketing. With marketing, you don’t know what will happen. You don’t know if you will get any results out of it, or when.

In fact, the best strategies, like building relationships with the right people, take lots of time, and there is no guarantee that you will get anything out of it.

Of course lawyers don’t like uncertainty. They don’t want to waste their precious time. They don’t like to delay gratification.

What’s the solution?

The law of averages. Write enough blog posts, network with enough people, do enough advertising, or whatever, and while some things won’t work, others will. Some will have a small payoff, some will be a bonanza.

Do enough marketing, do it long enough, and your practice will grow.

But you have to know this in advance toÂ be willing to invest time in marketing.

When you knowÂ this, everything changes. You see marketing not as something you have to force yourself to do but something you look forward to doing because you know what’s coming.

When marketing is no longer an extra appendage but a fully integrated part of your daily work flow, you will never again ask, “Where do I find the time?” You might ask, however, “Where doÂ I spend all this money?”

For a simple lawyer marketing plan that really works, get this

Filed Under: Increase your income, Marketing legal services

Why I didn’t earn millions of dollar per year in my law career

February 12, 2015 by David M. Ward

By most people’s standards, I had a successful law career. I helped a lot of people and earned a lot of money. Looking back, however, I realize that I didn’t help as many people as I could, or earn as much as I could.

One reason is that I didn’t want to work that hard. I wanted free time to spend with my family and do other things. I didn’t want to work all day every day and burn out (or die) at an early age.

But there may have been a way to earn a lot more without sacrificing quality of life. In fact, doing this one thing may have made my life more interesting and gratifying.

An article in ForbesÂ has the answer. “According to multiple, peer-reviewed studies, simply being in an open network instead of a closed one is the best predictor of career success,” the article says.

An open network is where “you are the link between people from different clusters”. A closed network, on the other hand, is where “you are connected to people who already know each other.”

In other words, the best predictor of career success is continually meeting new people, outside of your usual haunts. Most people, myself included, associate primarilyÂ with people they already know.

I’d much rather spend time with people I know, in familiar surroundings, doing things I am comfortable doing. The big boys, it seems, regularly get out of their comfort zone and “go hunting” in unfamiliar territory.

One of the studies showed that “half of the predicted difference in career success (i.e., promotion, compensation, industry recognition) is due to this one variable.”

Oh my.

Practically speaking, an open network means getting away from your regular bar association and chamber of commerce meetings, at least periodically, and attending other functions, even if they seem to be wholly unrelated to your current career path.

In his early life, Steve Jobs pursued many diverse interests that had nothing to do with business. Those experiences, and the people he met in exploring them, not only helped mold his creative eye, they introduced him to opportunities he was later able to capitalize on in his career.

In view of this, if I was building my law career today, I would spend more time pursuing things that fascinated me and meeting people who share my interests. I would be a kid again, exploring the world and all it had to offer, something Jobs did throughout his life.

Want more referrals but don’t want to ask for them? Here’s the solution

Filed Under: Career satisfaction, Increase your income, Leverage, Networking Tagged With: Creativity, Steve Jobs

Use your calendar to prioritize your work

February 11, 2015 by David M. Ward

I did a consultation with an attorney yesterday. Like most attorneys, he’s a busy guy. In addition to his practice, he owns a small business which he hopes will allow him to transition out of practicing and into semi-retirement.

The first thing we talked about was his work schedule. To achieve his goals, he needs time each week for:

Legal work
Marketing the practice
The business
Marketing the business

I couldn’t tell him how much time to allocate to each function, only that he should allocate someÂ time to each function. I told him to pick a number–an hour a day for this, two hours a day for that–but be prepared to change those numbers as experience and income dictate.

As the business grows, for example, he may allocate less time for marketing the practice. Or vice versa.

At least he has a place to start.

But will he? Will he do what he knows he needs to do each day? If experience is any indication, he’ll probably do the work, but let the marketing slide.

Unless. . . he blocks out time on his calendar for each function, in advance, and that’s what I told him to do.

When he looks at his calendar, he’ll see that it’s time to do 30 minutes of marketing for his practice. He’ll pull up his list of marketing activities and write something or make some calls. Since this has been blocked out in advance, he knows not to spend that time doing anything else.

Later in the day, during the legal work block of time, he’ll see that he’s got two client appointments. He also knows that he has to review a document and send some emails.

Now he’s cooking.

These blocks of time are appointments with himself. If a client calls during the “marketing the business” block, he doesn’t talk to them. He calls them back at another time.

You prioritize your work by scheduling blocks of time, in advance, based on what you know needs to get done.

This one concept could change everything for him, and for you if you don’t already do it. By deciding in advance how you will conduct your day, you stay focused on doing what is in keeping with your priorities and goals.

You are in charge. You make the rules. Decide how you want to spend your time and calendar it. Then, do what the calendar tells you to do and don’t do anything else.

Do you know The FormulaÂ to earn more and work less?

Filed Under: Marketing Plan, Productivity, Time Management

Being a sole practitioner doesn’t mean doing everything yourself

February 10, 2015 by David M. Ward

In response to yesterday’s post about taking the day off, a subscriber asked, “So how does a sole practitioner disconnect on vacation and turn off the phone? I haven’t had a real vacation in 15 years”.

Of course the short answer is you just do it. You have someone else answer the phone, something you should always do, and you have some else talk to clients and prospective clients and take care of the office.

In other words, you have people.

Being a sole practitioner means not having partners. It does not mean doing everything yourself. You have employees or virtual employees or assistants and outside lawyers who handle appearances and other things only lawyers can do.

Yes, this does add a layer of complexity to your practice. You have to supervise your people, or supervise people who supervise your people, and you have to be comfortable with delegating work. But this complexity gives you something even better in return. It gives you freedom. You can take vacations. You can sleep late. You can go to the movies in the middle of the day.

Having people also allows you to earn more money. If you do things right, you earn enough additional income to pay your people and have more net income after you do.

But there are a couple of additional things you need to do to make this work.

First, you need to specialize. You can’t expect to be good at “everything”. Nor can you make a compelling case to prospective clients as to why they should hire you instead of someone who specializes in what they need.

The email I received asking the question at the top of this post ends with a list of the attorney’s practice areas, to wit:

REAL ESTATE

** Residential Closings
** Commercial Closings
** Short Sales
** Loan Modifications
** Reverse Mortgages
** Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure
** 1031 Exchange
** Escrow services
** Property Tax Appeals
** Foreclosure Defense
** Motions to vacate foreclosure sales
** Mortgage Reinstatements
** Landlord Tenant

COMMERCIAL LAW

** Civil Suits
** Business Incorporations
** Debt Settlement

FAMILY LAW

** Divorce
** Child Support
** Modification of Settlement Agreements
** Mediation

CRIMINAL LAW

** Federal/State Defense
** Felony
** Misdemeanor
** Traffic Tickets
** License Suspension

It’s too much. No wonder she hasn’t taken a vacation.

Pick one practice area. Clients prefer to hire lawyers who specializes. They’re also willing to pay them higher fees because lawyers who specialize are perceived as being better, and they usually are. When you do lots of one thing, you tend to get better at it.

You also find it easier to keep up with changes in the law, new forms, and best practices. You spend less time (and money) on “compliance,” which gives you more time (and money) to invest in doing things that lead to more profits and growth.

Yes, you have to give up work that isn’t in your specialty. But you can refer that to other lawyers who send you business that’s outside of their specialty.

In addition, marketing is easier and more effective for lawyers who specialize. Which leads me to the last point. If you want to be able to take vacations, earn more and work less, you have to get good at marketing. Not great, necessarily. Good enough is good enough, as long as you do something on a regular basis.

Specialize, delegate as much as possible, and get good at marketing. Those were the three things that allowed me to go from being overworked and overwhelmed to quadrupling my income and reducing my work week to three days. You can do the same thing.

Learn more: The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Continuing Legal Education, Law office management, Legal industry, Leverage, Marketing legal services, Productivity, Specializing, Time Management

What to do when you don’t feel like working

February 9, 2015 by David M. Ward

It happens. You look at your calendar and your list of tasks for the day and you don’t want to do any of it. You don’t want to work, you don’t want to talk to anyone, you want to take the day off.

But you’ve got obligations. You have work to do and bills to pay. You can’t abandon your responsibilities.

Yes you can. It’s just one day. The work will still be there tomorrow.

Give in to your whim and take the day off. Sneak off to the movies or to the mall. Go sit in a coffee shop and read. Get back in your jammies and order in.

When you come back tomorrow, batteries recharged, you’ll plow through the work and get it done.

Before you take off, have someone contact your appointments and re-schedule them. And go through your task list for the day and prioritize everything so that when you return you can jump right in and knock out the most important tasks first.

But here’s the thing. Sometimes, giving yourself permission to take the day off is all you really need, not the actual time off. Knowing that you could play hookyÂ provides the relief you sought. Once you have it, you realize that the work isn’t so bad and you’re ready to get back to it.

Remind yourself that you’re in charge. Even if you work for someone else, even if you have demanding clients, with demanding deadlines, you’re the boss. It’s your life and you get to decide how to run it.

If you really need a break, take it. Don’t feel guilty about it, do it. And enjoy yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

What’s that? You want to know what to do if tomorrow you still don’t feel like working? Don’t ask me. I’m taking the rest of the day off.

Get more clients and increase your income. Get The Formula.

Filed Under: Career satisfaction, Dealing with stress, Inspiration, Personal development, Productivity

What is the secret to your success?

February 6, 2015 by David M. Ward

One day, a young lawyer just starting their career will contact you and ask for your advice. They’ll ask, “What is the your secret to your success?”

How will you respond?

Will you attribute it to hard work? Timing? The right practice area?

Is it good marketing? The right connections? Lots of experience?

A combination of several factors?

Simon Cowell may not be an attorney but I like his answer to that question. He said, â€œThe secret of my success is that I make other people money.â€

Quintessential business advice.

Note that he didn’t say things like delivering great TV shows or music or pleasing viewers and record buyers. He spoke about helping his business partners become more successful. Of course one of the ways he does this is by delivering great TV shows and music.

You might think about this as you craft your answer to the question.

You help your business clients make (or save) money. You help your consumer clients solve problems and feel safe. You help your “business partners” (i.e., other professionals, referral sources) look good to their clients and contacts.

Now matter how you answer the question, one thing is certain. The secret to your successÂ involves helping people.

Filed Under: Increase your income, Legal industry, success

What will your clients want from you ten years from now?

February 5, 2015 by David M. Ward

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says that if you want to build a successful, sustainable business, donâ€™t ask yourself what could change in the next ten years that could affect your company. Ask what wonâ€™t change, and then put all your energy and effort into that.

Bezos knew that Amazon’s customers will always want low prices and quick delivery and he invested heavily in the infrastructure and systems that allow him to provide these. He sacrificed short term profits to build something great for the long term. “When you have something that you know is true, even over the long term, you can afford to put a lot of energy into it,” he said.

What should you invest in? What do your clients want today that they will still want ten years from now?

Well, more than anything, your clients buy “you”. So invest time and energy in becoming the best you can be. Invest in your skills, your knowledge, and your ability to communicate.

Work on your writing, speaking, and selling skills. Work on becoming a better manager and a better leader. Invest as much as 25% of your time in personal and professional development.

There are other things clients want from you, related to your specific practice area(s), services, and client types. Figure out what those are and invest in them, too. If you find that your clients really want services performed quickly, for example, focus your energy on finding ways to do that.

But mostly, focus on making the best you possible so you can attract the best clients possible.

If you want to learn how to differentiate yourself from other lawyers, get The Formula

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Communication, Image, Increase your income, Marketing legal services, Personal development

Happy people don’t become terrorists

February 4, 2015 by David M. Ward

If more people in the world were happy, there would be less murder and mayhem and more peace and prosperity.

If more people were happy, the world would be a better place.

A happy world starts with happy people. It starts with you and me. We have a duty to the world, to our families, and to ourselves, to be happy. To infect our neighbors with our happiness, so they can do the same.

Let’s create a worldwide epidemic of happiness, shall we?

And so we have a plan. Our ongoing task is to find happiness in everything we do. To look at and think about things that make us happy, and avoid things that don’t.

Indeed, our thoughts are the only way to become happy. Dale Carnegie said, “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”

If you’re not happy, change your thoughts. Stop thinking about what’s missing or wrong and start thinking about what could be.

When you see evil, recognize it and call it out. Protect yourself from it and take action to defeat it. But don’t dwell on it. Don’t let it consume you. Don’t let it stop you from being happy.

Over the years, I have become quite good at compartmentalizing my thoughts. If a negative thought enters my mind, or when I hear someone say something negative, I say “cancel” and let go of any emotions attached to it. For good measure, I oftenÂ replace that negative thought with its positive counterpart.

We become what we think about. I want to make sure I think about what I want, not what I don’t want, and what I want is to be happy.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Personal development Tagged With: happiness