How to clean up your messy desk or messy mind

August 29, 2012 by
Share

I was reading an article, “10 Simple Steps to Conquering Your Messy Desk,” and there are some good tips in it. Things like, “Use your walls” (cork board or white board), “Lose the paper trail” (scan paper documents and trash the original), and “Schedule daily maintenance” (10 minutes at the end of the day to tidy up).

My favorite is,”Files are your friend: If it’s a completed or upcoming project, file it away. . .If it’s ancient or obsolete, trash it. If it’s something you’re actively working on that day, it can stay in a file folder on top of your desk.”

It occurred to me that our desks get messy the same way our minds get messy–we’re trying to keep track of too many things.

I’ve written before about why people have messy desks:

Un-piling your desk isn’t difficult. I think the hard part for some people is the notion that if they file something away, they won’t remember a task they need to do or they won’t remember where they filed something they need. Ironically, that’s exactly what their mess of a desk does.

The solution is to have a system that (a) allows you to remember what you need to do, and (b) lets you quickly find what you have filed when you need it.”

The path to a clean desk (or digital desktop) and a “mind like water” is to put everything away, out of sight and out of mind, and trust your system. Focus on the one thing you have decided to do next, and nothing else:

  • Take out the one thing you have decided to work on, and nothing else.
  • Work on this task until it is done, if possible, or as far as you can go if it is not.
  • If the task is done, cross it off your list. If a project is complete, file it away in an archive.
  • If the task or project is not done, put the documents away and make a note regarding the next step. Put a reminder on your calendar or in your tickler system or keep it on your list and review that list during your weekly review or daily planning session.
  • Take out the next thing you’re going to work on.
  • And so on.

Do you have some tips for conquering a messy desk or messy mind? Please post them in the comments.

Share
Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The most important question you can ask a new client

August 28, 2012 by
Share

How many new clients did you get last month?

If you don’t know the number, either you didn’t get any new clients or you’re not keeping track.

You need to keep track.

You also need to keep track of where they came from. Who referred them? Which keyword did they use to find your website? Which ad did they click on?

You need to know how every new client made his or her way to your doorstep. That’s why the most important question you can ask a new client is: “How did you hear about us?”

You need to know so you know what’s working. Are your ads pulling or are you throwing your money away? Which ad is working better? Are you getting clients through your efforts on social media or are you wasting your time? Which social media platform is working better? Which posts?

John Wanamaker, who owned department stores in the early part of the twentieth century and spent a fortune on advertising, once said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”

Department stores do “brand advertising”. They don’t usually track response. Although they can do focus groups and track coupons, they don’t know with any degree of accuracy if what they are doing is working. You won’t have that problem if you ask, “How did you hear about us?”

Don’t just ask new clients, however, ask everyone. If they call your office, if they contact you through email, if they show up at your door, ask them.

In my office, our new client intake form had a space to record the name of the person who referred the new client. We kept track, so we knew who to thank. It also allowed us to bring up the subject of referrals with the new client.

We had a form next to the phone to record the name of the referring person or the phone book or other ad that prompted them to call. We tracked them after the call, to see if they became a client. In this way, we learned which of our ads generated new business and which ones didn’t. (Some brought a lot of calls but not a lot of clients.)

Today, there are other options for measuring response to ads and traffic to our web sites. But nothing beats asking, “How did you hear about us?”

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

New marketing course shows attorneys how to dramatically increase their income

August 27, 2012 by
Share

The Attorney Marketing Center has released The Attorney Marketing Formula, a new course for attorneys who want to increase their income but don’t have a lot of time for marketing.

The course is based on the work of attorney David M. Ward, founder of The Attorney Marketing Center. “Every day I talk to attorneys who could dramatically increase their income by leveraging their existing talents, assets, contacts, and opportunities. This course shows them what to do and how to do it.”

More and more attorneys have realized that marketing is essential to their success. Unfortunately, their efforts often produce poor results. Ward says one reason is that they are using tactics without mastering the strategies that make them work. “It doesn’t matter which techniques you use–networking, social media, blogging, advertising–without the right strategies, you’re not going to get optimal results. The good news is that with the right strategies, almost any technique will work.”

The course presents strategies in six key areas: focus, value, trust, money, people, and time. “Implement one strategy,” Ward says, “and you’ll increase your income. Implement all six and the results will be staggering.”

Busy attorneys will be glad to know that marketing doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Significant progress can be made in just 15 minutes a day. “If you’re doing the right things and doing them consistently, you can build a big practice without working harder. “Using the strategies in this course,” Ward says,” I was able to quadruple my income and cut my work week from six days to three.”

The course brings everything together in a bonus module that helps attorneys create an effective marketing plan.

The Attorney Marketing Formula is $79. For a limited time, it is available at the introductory price of $59.

For additional information, visit The Attorney Marketing Formula.

David M. Ward practiced law for more than twenty years. He is the author of several marketing programs for attorneys. His blog, The Attorney Marketing Center, provides free tips and resources for attorneys who want to earn more and work less.

Share
Filed Under: Increase your income, Law office management, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Harley-Davidson of law practices

August 24, 2012 by
Share

Seth Godin pointed out that it is more profitable to be #1 in a small market than number three in a larger market.

I agree.

He says the market leader sets the agenda and attracts the leading customers.

That’s true.

He says that Harley-Davidson isn’t #1 for all motorcycles but they are clearly #1 in their category.

Yes they are. They have a very loyal following and get lots of word of mouth referrals (or maybe that should be “word of ear” referrals).

There is great wisdom in this concept. I followed this in my practice where I targeted a small niche market, I preach it daily in my private consulting, and I write about it extensively in my new course, The Attorney Marketing Formula.

Let others fight over the mass market while you go fishing in a small(er) pond. Marketing is easier, the clients are better, the profits are greater.

As Godin points out, by redefining your focus and the way you serve your clients, you redefine (and come to own) your market.

As attorneys, it’s easy to stroke our chins, nod our heads, and say, “yes, this is truth.” But most attorneys go right back to swimming in the vast “mass market” ocean. Sadly, most attorneys will never come close to being #3, or even #333 in the mass market. But they could easily be #1 in a smaller market.

Yesterday I corresponded with an attorney who told me he is struggling to find a good niche market. I pointed out that in his email, he mentioned that his practice served many same sex couples and that this is a niche market.

By networking with other professionals and businesses owners who target that market, by working deeply in that market, he could become #1 in that market for his practice area.

Then he could afford a fleet of HOGS.

Share
Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,

Targeting the Hispanic market by going in the side door

August 22, 2012 by
Share

In most of the many offices I have had in my legal career I have had Spanish speaking employees. This only made sense in a city like Los Angeles.

According to this article on the dramatic growth of the U.S. Hispanic market, today you might want to have Spanish speaking employees no matter where you practice. But there’s another way you can leverage this growing market.

The article lists seven industries that will benefit most from the growing Hispanic population:

  1. Residential buying, food (grocery and restaurants)
  2. Retail (especially clothing and electronics)
  3. Education (higher education and technical schools)
  4. Financial services
  5. Transportation (automotive and airline)
  6. Entertainment
  7. Media

Legal is not on this list, but it doesn’t matter. You can leverage the growth of the Hispanic population by aligning yourself with professionals and businesses in these industries who already target the Hispanic market.

Let’s take financial services, for example. By networking with bankers, brokers, financial planners, and CPAs who target the Hispanic market, you can grow with them.

What this means is that you don’t have to re-brand yourself for the Hispanic market in order to benefit from its growth. You can piggy-back on the influence of business owners and professionals who have already established themselves in that market.

Of course this is good advice in any market. When I moved out of Los Angeles and started over in a city where I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t merely hang up a shingle and try to compete with already established firms. I hired someone who had a lot of contacts in the market I chose to target and through him, met many professionals and business owners who already had influence in that market. My practice grew quickly because I wasn’t really starting from scratch.

The next time you want to get into a new market, try the side door.

Share
Filed Under: Law office management, Legal industry, Leverage, Marketing legal services, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to get a much higher return on your marketing investment

August 21, 2012 by
Share

Yesterday, I said “don’t settle for good when you can get great.” Clients agreeing to pass out your cards if and when they meet someone who needs your services is good. Clients knocking on doors, looking for people to refer is much better.

What I didn’t say is what might happen as a result.

Imagine what your practice would be like with an army of “unpaid sales people” beating the bushes on your behalf. Every day, people who know, like, and trust you are spreading the word about you. They’re making calls or posting on Facebook. They’ll putting your reports in their waiting rooms and forwarding your emails to their colleagues. They’re introducing you to referral sources and inviting you to speak to their employees or church group.

Do you think you might get more repeat business and referrals? Traffic to your web site? Attendees at your seminars?

Your practice would grow exponentially and your clients would do all of the marketing for you.

By the way, you can (and should) do everything I talked about yesterday not just for clients but for referral sources and other “friends of the firm.” Your clients want to help you but may not be able to do as much as a handful of equally inspired professionals with big lists.

It’s true that all of this extra attention I’m suggesting you give to your clients and professional contacts requires extra effort on your part. It takes time to get to know people on a personal level, beyond what is needed to handle their legal matter. You’ll probably spend a few dollars, too. Where do you get the time and money to do that?

Well, think about all of the time and effort (and money) you spend on marketing right now. What if you didn’t have to do that? What if you put that aside and re-invested everything in delivering to your clients the exceptional level of service we’ve talked about?

It would be worth it, wouldn’t it? Especially if you no longer had to spend time on networking or social media, or spend money on advertising or SEO.

Most attorneys finish one case and go looking for the next one. They help one client and then go looking to replace them.

Dollar for dollar, hour for hour, marketing to your clients and professional contacts is far more effective and profitable than marketing to strangers. You can market to strangers too, but you’ll get a much higher return on your investment by marketing to the people who already know, like, and trust you.

Share
Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Leverage, Marketing legal services, Referrals Tagged With: ,

Marketing legal services: never settle for good when you can get great

August 20, 2012 by
Share

Your client is in the office and tells you he’s pleased with what you have done for him. You give him a handful of your business cards or brochures and ask him to pass them out. He says he will.

That’s good, isn’t it?

Yes. Very good. But why settle for good when you can have great?

Great would be if your client not only agrees to refer people who need your help, he actually goes out of his way to look for them.

He calls people he knows, tells them about his experience with you, and asks them if they know anyone who might need what you offer. He posts a similar message on Facebook or Twitter. He calls and introduces you to his uncle the insurance broker who has many clients who could benefit from what you do. He posts a link to your web site on his web site. He mails a letter to all of his customers recommending you. He invites all of his friends and neighbors to your seminar.

How do you get this kind of help from your clients? How do you go from good to great?

First, you have to deliver an experience to your clients that wildly exceeds their expectations. They can’t be merely satisfied, they have to be thrilled.

As you might suspect, this usually has very little to do with the core services you provide and everything to do with the way the client is treated. It’s the little things you do for them, the extras and surprises, the courtesies and comforts.

It’s not the documents you draft or the depositions you take. It’s writing a letter of recommendation for your client’s son so he can get accepted into your alma matter. It’s mentioning your client’s charity in your blog or newsletter or Facebook group and encouraging your friends and followers to contribute their time and money. It’s referring customers to your client, introducing him to a lower priced supplier, or sending him and his wife to a nice dinner on your dime.

If you are doing these things, you can ask for your client’s help.

Give him suggestions, based on what you know about his personal and professional life–what they do and who they know. Or give him a list of things they could do based on what other clients have done and let them choose the ones they prefer.

You can give your clients a good experience or a great one. They can do the same for you.

Never settle for good when you can get great.

Share
Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Marketing legal services, Referrals Tagged With: , ,

How to grow your law practice by establishing routines

August 17, 2012 by
Share

Lifehack has a post today on improving productivity by turning important tasks into routines. The idea is that you are more likely to do something when it’s part of a regular routine, just like you do, for example, every morning when you get ready for work.

How might this be applied to marketing?

We know it’s important to regularly reach out to clients and former clients, via email, regular mail, phone (and possibly, social media). The return on your investment of time, in terms of repeat business and referrals, is tremendous. A few minutes a day spent connecting like this could bring you thousands of dollars in additional revenue every month.

Arguably, there is nothing more important to the growth of your practice.

It’s important, you know it’s important, you WANT to do it, but somehow, you’re not doing it. Life keeps getting in the way.

What if you established a new routine whereby every day at lunchtime, before you eat or before you leave for a lunch meeting, you take ten minutes to connect? You send out ten emails, make three phone calls, or write and mail a handwritten note.

Easy stuff. And because it’s your part of your daily routine, you do it.

At first, you schedule this ten minutes on your calendar. You see it there every day, reminding you to take action. You have an app send you an alarm. Later, when you’ve been doing it for a month or three, when it has become a habit, you won’t need to be reminded. It’s as much a part of lunchtime as eating.

Make a list of marketing activities you do, or know you need to do. Look for ways to make them routine.

Marketing is easy. The hardest part is remembering to do it.

Share
Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Increase your income, Law office management, Marketing legal services, Personal development, Productivity, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Start where you are with what you have

August 13, 2012 by
Share

I think we can agree that most attorneys are analytical. We wouldn’t be much use to our clients if we weren’t.

But many attorneys are overly analytical. They get caught up in crunching the numbers and sifting through the facts. They can’t stop saying “what if” and “on the other hand”.

At some point, decisions must be made and advice must be given. And ultimately, it is. The attorney delivers their recommendations.

They are able to do this because they are accountable to their clients or employer. They are paid for their advice so advice they must deliver.

But what happens when an overly analytical attorney has to make decisions about marketing or the management of their practice? When there is no client to answer to, very often they can’t decide.

They procrastinate. They defer. They make no decision and take no action.

This is one reason why many attorneys stagnate and struggle to find success.

There have many times in my business and professional life where I have found myself fighting this very tendency. Most of my bigger projects would still be on the drawing board had I not found some solutions.

If you find yourself holding back because you’re uncomfortable with moving forward, here are three things that can help:

  1. Give yourself permission to do it badly.You’re the only one who will see it for now. You’ll have time to make it better. You can edit a bad first draft, and turn it into something great, but only if you have a first draft. When I wrote my first marketing course, I was afraid it wouldn’t be any good. Instead of fighting my fears and trying to talk myself out of them, I acknowledged those fears. “Yep, it’s gonna be bad, but I’ll make it better,” I told myself. Of course when I read the first draft it wasn’t bad, it was actually quite good. My fears and doubts had lied to me.
  2. Focus on activity, not outcome.You can’t control your results, only your activities. If you do the activities, you are successful. The results will come. If you focus on results, however, your ego gets in the way. If the results aren’t what you want, you may become discouraged and give up too soon. “Progress, not perfection,” is the byword. I wrote about this in this post about how to stop procrastinating.
  3. Start with easy. Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview, “I think a simple rule of business is, if you do the things that are easier first, then you can actually make a lot of progress.” I wrote about this before:

Many people who start a business project, myself included, tend to focus on the hardest parts first. My thinking has been, “I can always do the easy things, I need to conquer the toughest challenges first because if I can’t lick those, this project will never get off the ground.”

How about you? Do you start with the easy things or, like me, do you first jump into the deep end of the pool?

Perhaps we equate “easy” with “having less value,” but in the practical sense, that isn’t true. The things we can do without a lot of thought or effort are often of greater value because they allow us to get started and getting started is the most important part.

Most business projects never see completion because they never get started.

When you start with the easy things, you have started. You’re on your way.

I think these three tips for moving forward are effectively summed up by something Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

Do you find yourself procrastinating on projects? What have you done to move forward?

Share
Filed Under: Personal development, Productivity Tagged With: ,

Why a detailed outline may not save time in writing

August 10, 2012 by
Share

I just read an article that says you can write faster if you do a complete outline before you begin. I say that’s not always true, at least for me.

The author says a simple outline might be a series of questions–who, what, where, why, and when. A complete outline will answer those questions. With the questions and answers in hand, logically organized, you will have enough material to write faster than you would with just a simple outline.

Basically, she recommends thinking through what you want to say before you say it.

That’s often good advice. But sometimes, it’s not.

This blog post is a good example. I started with the idea that I wanted to say something about outlining, but I didn’t know what I wanted to say. It wasn’t until I started writing that I could see what I thought.

When you don’t know what you want to say, rather than forcing yourself to think it through, (a very left-brained process), just start writing. Let the right side of your brain, your creative mind, tell you what you think. It’s called freewriting. Just start typing or moving your hand across the page and see what comes out.

That’s how I wrote this post.

If you do know what you want to say, sometimes a short outline is all you need. That’s what I use for most of my blog posts. I jot down four or five points I want to cover and get started. It wouldn’t be worth it to take the time to create a detailed outline, nor do I believe it would make for better writing.

What takes the most time is crafting the opening and ending. You’ve got to get the reader’s attention and leave them with a memorable twist or marching orders. You can’t outline these. I often re-write openings and endings several times in order to get them right.

For longer writing, a detailed outline makes sense, and sometimes I use them. But sometimes, longer writing is nothing more than a collection of shorter writing and a detailed outline isn’t needed.

I just completed a new course and I did create an outline. Some parts were very detailed. Others were very brief. What I found is that the writing I wound up with is very different from the writing I imagined (and outlined) when I started.

Writing is like that sometimes. A creative journey. No maps, no GPS. You just fill up the tank, and go.

Share
Filed Under: Blogging, Communication, Newsletters, Presentations, Writing Tagged With: , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »