The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

Don’t take “no” for an answer

August 14, 2023 by David M. Ward

What do you do when someone says they’re not ready to sign up, or they “need to think about it”?

In other words, “no”? No soup for you.

You told them their risks and their options. You laid out a plan. Answered their questions. If they still said no. Should you let them go?

No. Give it another shot. Because “no” often means “tell me more”. They may know they need to say yes, they may want to say yes, but they’re afraid and won’t commit.

Follow these 3 steps to help them make the right decision:

Isolate. Put on your litigator’s hat, repeat what they’ve told you (their objection or reason for wanting to wait). “So what you’re saying is. . .” (It’s a big decision, a lot of money, you’re not sure this is right for you, etc.) Get them to acknowledge that these are the reasons they want to think about it, etc., and there aren’t any other reasons.
Validate. “I understand how you feel; many of my clients told me the same thing when they first came to see me. . .”
Differentiate. Show them why the benefits outweigh the risks or that this is the best time (and why). Tell them again why they need to do this. You might phrase it in terms of what your other clients (who initially hesitated) realized, e.g., “. . .and then they found out/realized. . .”

And “close” again. “So, shall we get this going?”

If they still say no, you might say, “Before you make your final decision.. .” and tell them a new fact or statistic or client story. Yes, they’ve already made their final decision, but you don’t have to accept it.

Reject their rejection. And close again.

More: The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Closing the sale

Writing practice helps your law practice

August 11, 2023 by David M. Ward

I don’t have anything planned to write today, so I’m going to do an experiment. I’m going to write whatever comes into my mind, to prove that in a pinch, I can write something cogent and useful.

I ordinarily have an idea set aside about what I want to write the following day. Nothing elaborate, just a few notes or bullet points. Yesterday, all I had was a one-sentence quote from author Ryan Holiday about deciding what you want to get out of something you’re about to read before you read it. That one sentence was enough to get me started and it turned into 300 publishable words.

A simple writing prompt, in this case that quotation, can be enough to start with because it taps into the subconscious mind, which is filled with information, memories, ideas, questions, and answers we’ve stored. We think about them or remember them and spit them out onto the page.

Sometimes, more often than you might think, this is all we need to write a workable first draft.

But it takes practice. Writing every day strengthens your writing muscles and makes you a better (and faster) writer.

And that makes you better at everything else you do in your practice.

To develop your writing skills, I suggest you schedule time for daily writing practice. Even 15 minutes helps. You can write about anything. Or nothing. Jot down something you saw or heard or thought about or want to know.

And do it again tomorrow.

Sometimes, you’ll turn a good phrase and want to share it. Sometimes, you’ll write something you want to bury in the backyard. It’s all good. It’s just practice.

Eventually, with enough practice, you’ll be able to quickly write a decent first draft. Even when you have no idea what to write about.

Like (I hope) I did today.

Filed Under: Writing

What do you plan to do with this information?

August 10, 2023 by David M. Ward

Best-selling author Ryan Holiday said, “When intelligent people read, they ask themselves a simple question: What do I plan to do with this information?”

That’s the reason we read, isn’t it? Yes, we also read for entertainment and to learn about subjects that interest us, but the primary reason we consume content is because we want to do something with the information.

We have projects to complete and goals to achieve. We want to grow our business and improve our life and we use the information we gather to help us get better results.

Holiday seems to suggest that deciding what to do with the information is best done before we read it, or at least while we’re doing it. We get more out of it that way because we see the information in the context of our work or an important area of our life.

So, when you buy a book or bookmark an article or video, think about what you want to get out of it. What do you hope to learn? To which project or area of your life do you think it will apply?

By considering this in advance, when you read the material, you’re more likely to pick up on things you might have missed, and ask yourself more probative questions that can improve your understanding and use of the material.

Then, when you read the material, take notes and put those notes in your own words. Don’t merely record the facts or ideas, write down what you think about those facts or ideas and how you can use them.

Do you agree with the author? See a better way? Think of additional ideas?

Add tags or labels to your notes to make them easier to find. Add links to your other notes to make them more useful.

And decide if the information is good enough to read more than once.

Finally, if you realize that the material isn’t what you hoped it would be, don’t hesitate to skim the remainder or close the book and find something else to read.

Because information is only as good at what you can do with it.

Filed Under: Personal development, Productivity, Writing

Successful bastards

August 9, 2023 by David M. Ward

Some lawyers are good at their work but severally lacking in people skills. They may be self-centered, short-tempered, or rude. They yell a lot. And always seem to focus on the negative.

Humbug.

Or maybe they just don’t have much of a personality. They’re all business. They rarely smile or say anything lighthearted or uplifting. Maybe there’s a good person inside their rough exterior but most people don’t get to see it.

And yet they are successful lawyers. What’s their secret?

Buffers.

They surround themselves with employees and partners and business contacts who have the people skills they lack. An assistant who is nice to the clients and makes them feel good about their case. A partner who is good in front of a crowd or a camera or a jury.

They’re charming. And good with people.

In an ad agency, they’d be account executives. Wooing prospects and taking the clients to lunch. In a law firm, they are the rainmakers and trial lawyers.

And there’s a place for both.

The point? Don’t try to be something you’re not.

If you’re better with the books than the folks, if you’re as exciting as drapery or as bad as Leroy Brown, let someone else on the team be the face and personality of the firm and keep the clients happy.

Even if you’re good with people, if someone else on the team is better, let them do the job. Or at least be around when there are clients in the house.

On the other hand, if you’re all warm and fuzzy and clients don’t always take you seriously, make sure to introduce them to your partner who channels Perry Mason.

Know thyself. And get ye some buffers.

Filed Under: Client relations

It’s not just what you say, but when you say it

August 8, 2023 by David M. Ward

It’s called “staging” and it makes your written or spoken message more effective by putting your points in the most effective order.

For example, you stage your material when you start an article or presentation with the problem, not the solution, and follow that by explaining the risks of ignoring the problem or choosing a poor solution.

After you describe the risks, you build on that with examples of what might happen, the costs, delays, pain and suffering, and secondary problems that can occur.

Now, you have your reader’s attention and the desire to hear the solution. When you then describe the solution, e.g., your services, they’re all ears and ready to know what to do to get this solution.

You tell them what to do, e.g., call, fill out a form, etc., and to seal the deal, you tell them the benefits of taking that next step—clarity, relief, a proven plan of action, saving money, etc.

That’s staging. That’s using a logical order to improve your audience’s understanding, build tension, and show them a way to release that tension precisely when your reader or listener is most likely to do it.

But staging isn’t just the order in which you present the elements of your message. It’s also about how you transition from one element to the next.

Want an example? (There, “Want an example?” is an example of a transitional phrase that pulls the reader forward to the next element, in this case, an example).

Transitional phrases keep readers reading and listeners listening. They do that by asking questions and painting pictures in their mind with statements that get them to focus on an image or feeling, ready to hear more.

There are many ways to accomplish this. For example, you can ask, “What do you think might happen if. . ?” and letting their imagination do the rest. Or, “Imagine how you’ll feel when you no longer have. . .”.

You can also use transitional phrases to transition to your call to action or close.

A few examples:

“At this point, there are 3 questions you should be asking yourself. . .”

“When I show this to people, they usually tell me/ask me. . .”

“Here are your options. . . which one makes the most sense to you?”

“If this describes your situation, here’s what I recommend. . .”

Think of this type of transitional phrase as a palate cleanser, making the reader ready for the next course.

Anyway, this is just a brief introduction to staging and transitional phrases. You don’t need to be a marketing expert or copywriter to use them. But do pay attention to how others use them in their writing and presentations, and consider how you might use them in yours.

Filed Under: Closing the sale, Communication, Content creation, Copywriting, Presentations, Salesmanship, Writing

Leveraging other people’s content

August 7, 2023 by David M. Ward

Some lawyers buy “canned” content for their newsletter or blog. They pay a company for the rights to publish individual articles or entire newsletters and don’t have to write anything themself.

It’s better than nothing because it gives them an excuse to stay in touch with clients and prospects but while these articles are usually well-written, they are necessarily generic—there’s nothing in them about the lawyer or his clients or cases, which is why people continue to consume that content.

For years, I’ve said it’s okay to buy canned content but to re-write it. Put it in your own words, with your advice and comments and stories about your clients and people in your readers’ world.

On the other hand, you don’t have to pay for content, canned or otherwise. The Internet is awash with it, and free.

Find blogs and articles or videos about topics that will benefit or interest your readers and put that content in your own words.

But you have another option.

Instead of rewriting other people’s content, simply mention that content in your newsletter. Tell your readers why you recommend the article and provide a link.

It might be an article by someone in your target market’s industry or market, or someone who sells to or advises that market. Even other attorneys.

That content could be anything. A how-to article, a product review video, a book review, a new website or product that might interest your readers—literally anything. All you need is a sentence or two about why the article caught your eye and why you recommend it.

Is there something new (or newsworthy) in it? Something helpful or interesting or different?

You don’t need to write more than a sentence or two and provide a link. But you can add whatever you want.

Explain how your readers might use this information, or why they shouldn’t. Quote from the video or summarize parts of it. Share your thoughts and experiences, or those you’ve observed or heard about from clients, colleagues, or friends.

This is a quick and easy way to create content and provide value to your subscribers, without doing a lot of writing yourself.

Filed Under: Content creation, Newsletters, Online Marketing

Make them come to you

August 4, 2023 by David M. Ward

You’ve heard it before—don’t chase clients. Because it looks bad (and feels bad) and usually pushes cliens away because you look needy and unsuccessful.

Clients want to hire successful lawyers, and if you’re chasing, that’s not you.

Something else, when they chase you, they’re usually willing to pay more to work with you.

So don’t chase, make them come to you.

How? What marketing strategies are best for attracting clients?

First (by a long shot) are referrals. When clients and professionals and business contacts recommend you, it is the ultimate affirmation of your success. They know you. They’ve seen your work. And their recommendations make their referrals easier to sign up.

You also tend to get better clients and bigger cases through referrals than any other marketing method.

On the other hand, you can’t scale as quickly as you might like via referrals, which leads to my second recommendation—advertising.

Surprised? Don’t be. Advertising allows you to maintain posture.

You’re not chasing anyone because you’re not talking to anyone—until they decide they like what they see and want to talk to you.

Yep, they come to you.

And advertising scales. And can pay for itself. When you have an ad (or campaign) that works, you can run more ads in more places. You can run bigger ads and run them more often. And bid on more competitive keywords.

You don’t have to advertise your services directly if that’s not something you want to (or are allowed to) do. You can advertise your book or report, your channel or blog, your seminar, or anything else that gets your name and offer in front of prospective clients and the people who can refer them.

They see, they like, they come to you.

The third way to get clients to come to you is through content marketing.

You share information about the law, explain problems and solutions, and show people what’s possible, and in doing that, those people see that you know what you’re doing and become interested in learning more about how you can help them.

They come to you.

You can do content marketing via a blog, newsletter, podcast, video channel, or by being interviewed on someone else’s channel or for their newsletter. You can speak at industry events, conduct seminars, network with people in your target market, or offer your content via social media.

Or through advertising.

Referrals, advertising, and content marketing. Three proven strategies for making clients come to you.

Filed Under: Advertising, Content creation, Marketing legal services Tagged With: attraction marketing, posture

Useful Idiots

August 3, 2023 by David M. Ward

You have people on your email list(s) who have never hired you, hired you and fired you, or hired you one time ages ago and you’ve never heard from them since.

They are dead weight—just taking up space.

Keep them on your list.

They are useful, because one day they may realize they need help, find one of your emails and contact you.

Email is cheap. Don’t delete anyone. They are useful, even if their usefulness isn’t presently clear.

Even if they never hire you (again), they might forward your link to someone who does hire you, or who forwards that link to someone else who does. They may tell someone about your upcoming webinar, your book, or your article, or share something you’ve said or done.

Keep everyone. Old clients, prospects, leads, and business contacts who couldn’t pick you out of a lineup.

And, unless you have very large lists, I wouldn’t bother sending out a “Click here if you want to continue receiving email from me” message, or reminding anyone they can unsubscribe.

Keep everyone. Because anyone may become your next client or lead them to you.

Are there exceptions? Subscribers you might want to delete?

If someone is a complete jerk and you never want to work with them or hear from them again, you might think about sending them to digital hell.

Think twice.

They may be idiots, but they are still useful.

They may never realize they are the problem, apologize, and change their ways, but they can still send you referrals. And traffic that turns into new business. Unless they’re completely in your face and making you miserable, keep them on your list. Forever.

Besides, if you delete them, what’s keeping them from signing up again with a new email (and IP address)?

Jerks do that, you know. Just to mess with you.

Don’t worry your pretty little head about the jerks and the idiots. Don’t try to figure them out, don’t engage them.

Ignore them and go do some work.

Email Marketing for Attorneys

Filed Under: Email, List building, Newsletters

Start with the end in mind

August 2, 2023 by David M. Ward

What does it mean to ‘start with the end in mind’? It means instead of starting from where you are and moving forward, you start with your goal and work backwards.

We usually start with where we are right now, and that’s okay, but it’s not always clear what to do next. You’re shooting into the dark and make it more likely to get distracted or waste time figuring out what to do.

When you start with the end, the last step before reaching the goal is the first step in your plan.

Sounds crazy, but try it with your next project or goal.

Let’s say your goal is to sign up 10 new estate planning clients in the next 60 days, who pay you an average of $10,000, and you want to accomplish this via referrals from your current and former clients.

That’s the goal. What do you do?

You ask yourself if you could accomplish that goal tomorrow and when you say you can’t, you ask, “What would I need to do (or what would have to happen) first?”

You might say that you would need appointments with 20 prospective clients (assuming you typically close one out of two). “Could I see 20 prospective clients tomorrow?” No. “What would I have to do first?”

You might answer that question several ways, but let’s say you decide you would need to have 75 clients contact 3 people they know and tell them about you and what you can do for them.

They would explain to their friend why they hired you and why their friend should do that, too. Your clients would send them information you provide about estate planning, your services, and a special offer or incentive.

Could you send all that to your clients tomorrow?

No. First, you would have to write the email you want your clients to send to 3 people they know, your report or other information, and the terms of your special offer.

You’d also have to compose the email you will send to your clients asking them to email this information, or the outline of a short script you can use if you call them instead.

Could you write and send all that tomorrow? Let’s say you can’t. You first have to outline what to write and make a list of clients to send it to.

Could you do that tomorrow? If you could, that’s your plan for tomorrow. That’s your first step.

There might be more steps, different variables, or a completely different plan, but this is the process for laying out everything you need to do, in the order in which to do it.

When you have a goal or a project and you’re not sure how to get started, start with the end in mind and work backwards.

Filed Under: Productivity, success Tagged With: planning

How to promote (anything)

August 1, 2023 by David M. Ward

Promotion is the art of getting people to do things you want them to do. This might be attending your event, watching your video, buying your book, reading your blog post, downloading your report, making an appointment, or. . . hiring you.

You can promote a meeting or phone call. You can promote people—a business or professional you want to support, for example, or someone you’re working with and want your clients or prospects to meet.

You can also promote an idea, like a judge granting your motion, or why it’s important to have an attorney review important documents before signing them.

It’s an art because it takes skills and finesse. You don’t want to turn people off by your clumsy or overly aggressive manner; you want to turn them on and do what you’re asking them to do.

Sales skills are part of it. (NB: study salesmanship). More than that, it requires commitment to getting the results you want, and consistency in how you go about it.

Most of all, the art of promoting has these 3 key elements:

Intensity. Don’t merely announce it, put energy and emotion into your words, to show people why it is important, why you believe in it, and why they should act on it immediately. Let them see and feel your excitement, because excitement is contagious. (NB: if you’re not excited about it, pick something else to promote.)
Vision. Emphasize the benefits they get when they do what you’re asking them to do. What do they get? How will they be better off? Tell them what others got when they did it, so they can see how they can get it, too.
Repetition. Once is not enough. People don’t listen to or believe you, or they have other demands on their time. Promote it again and promote it often.

The art of promotion is one of the most valuable things you can learn and do. Use this skill in all aspects of your practice and watch your practice grow.

Filed Under: Marketing legal services Tagged With: promoting