The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

To dream (and achieve) the impossible dream

June 30, 2023 by David M. Ward

Think bigger. Follow your dreams. Don’t play small. We’ve heard all this before (and probably said it a time or two) but do we do it?

No. We’re lawyers. Logical, careful, traditional. We don’t like risk. At least when it comes to our business.

So we take ten years to reach our goals, if we reach them at all, when we might reach those goals in one. That’s what authors like Tim Ferriss, Benjamin Hardy, Grant Cardone, and others tell us.

“Impossible goals are easier to accomplish than “possible goals” they say. And they actually have a point.

When you set reasonable goals and seek incremental growth, to increase your income by 10%, for example, you have too many options and strategies to choose from. These are the “trivial many” in 80/20 parlance. Small ideas, common strategies, that are likely to only reach small results.

To grow by more than 10%, we should be looking at the “precious few”.

To increase your income by 10%, you might look for a new marketing technique or improve an existing one. You’ll do what you’re already doing or something like it. With hard work and a little luck, you might achieve the goal. But because the goal is small and unexciting, you also might lose enthusiasm, get busy with other things, or bump heads with every other lawyer who is trying to do what you’re trying to do.

Instead of walking, you need to run. Instead of playing it safe, you need to do things you’ve never done before.

Not only are these likely to be more exciting and motivating, they are the only things that offer you a chance of achieving massive growth.

The reason they do that is simple. Impossible goals force you to innovate and find things nobody else has thought of, let alone is doing. Find and focus on those precious few ideas, connections, or strategies, and you can grow much bigger and much faster.

Impossibly big goals help us to “shape the process,” in part by making us ask better questions. If you ask, “What would I have to do to increase my income by 10% this year?” you get a long list of options. If you ask, “What would I have to do, or what would have to happen, to grow my income by 1000%?” you get a very small list of options to choose from, and you only need one.

The idea comes from “constraint theory” which is explained in the book, “The Goal”. Every goal, but especially a big goal, has a core restraint or bottleneck that is keeping the business from achieving it. Most people don’t focus on the bottleneck or constraint. They focus on the 80% that doesn’t matter.

Growing by 10% is about doing more. Possibly a lot more and for a long time. Growing by 1000% and achieving your impossible dream is about doing something different.

Filed Under: Leverage, success Tagged With: 80/20 principle

Nobody messes with mom

June 29, 2023 by David M. Ward

Promise your mother you’ll do it and you’ll do it. Because nobody messes with mom.

Accountability is a proven method for getting things done you might otherwise not do. When someone else is watching and will call you out when you don’t do what you said you would do, you are much more likely to do it.

In school, you may have had a study partner you met in the library who kept you accountable. You showed up because you didn’t want to explain why you didn’t.

In law school, you might have been in a study group where you agreed to brief certain cases and present a summary to the other members. You did it because they were counting on you.

Today, it might be your spouse, your law partner, or a business coach. Someone you know who is watching and will call you out if you don’t do what you committed to do.

Try it sometime. If you are pursing a goal and having trouble sticking with your plan, having someone hold you accountable might be just the thing that gets you to stick with it.

But there’s something else you can do. You can hold yourself accountable to yourself.

Start your day with a written list of tasks you intend to do. At the end of the day, write down what you did and didn’t do.

That’s it. The simple act of writing down what you did and comparing it to what you said you would do keeps you self-aware and accountable. You can’t cheat because you know the truth.

You’ll either follow your plan or change it. Changing it is okay because it’s your plan. So when you change it, you’ll know, and either be okay with that or feel guilty and change it back.

Unfortunately, there is another possibility. You might quit.

You’ll quit because accountability is a bitch. That’s why it’s so effective.

And, if holding yourself accountable isn’t working, there’s only one thing left to do.

Yep, call your mom. She won’t let you get away with anything.

Filed Under: Productivity, success Tagged With: accountability

Your clients want this

June 28, 2023 by David M. Ward

Clients want you to be trustworthy, competent, and effective. Yes, you know that. But there’s something else they want that you might not know.

It has nothing to do with paperwork, verdicts, or settlements. It’s not work product, billing, or keeping them informed.

But clients want this almost more than anything else.

They want to feel good.

Good about their future. Confident that their problems can and will be resolved or their situation improved.

They want to have hope. They’re often desperate for it. And it costs you nothing to give it to them.

Mostly, it’s about your attitude. No matter how bad things might be, your attitude and demeanor should be positive.

Show them you’re working on it. Making progress. Smile when you are around them. Remind them you know what to do and are good at doing it.

And that you are on their side.

Your clients might be up shit’s creek without a paddle. Give them that paddle.

When they know they can count on you, when they feel a sense of relief when they hear from you, they’ll feel better about their future.

Which means you’ve done your job.

Filed Under: Client relations

It takes a lot of emails to get a new client

June 27, 2023 by David M. Ward

Yes, some new subscribers will hire you immediately, or at least soon. Or call and ask questions and then hire you.

Of course, this depends on the urgency of their issue. If someone was just sued or arrested, they don’t have a lot of time to choose a lawyer.

But you shouldn’t assume that, either. Because you don’t know who is on your list.

Some subscribers need you but can’t afford you. They’ll try to fix their problem themselves, or hire someone cheap, and hire you later when they realize their mistake.

Some subscribers aren’t in a hurry. They’re going to take their time.

Some subscribers will never hire you (or any lawyer) but, if they like your emails, tell people about you.

And some subscribers are already your clients and don’t need anything else. But reading your emails reminds them they made a good choice in hiring you, making it less likely they’ll leave, and more likely they will hire you again when they need your help.

And no matter who they are, or where they came from, everyone on your list is busy. They might not see your message or read it. They might not be ready to take the next step.

All you can do is keep mailing until they’re ready.

And that might be a while. Weeks, months, or years.

And?

And until that happens, you should mail often.

If it takes you 25, 50, or 100 emails before some subscribers are ready to sign up, and you email only once a week, it might be a couple of years before that happens. If you email once a month, it could take forever.

Don’t be shy. Email as often as possible.

You might think you don’t need to. You might not want to. But the more often you do, the more new clients and repeat clients you’ll get and the more you will earn.

Is there such a thing as emailing too often? No.

No?

There will always be subscribers who think you’re emailing too often, and they will unsubscribe.

Let them go.

If your emails are valuable and/or interesting, as they should be, and they want to leave, they were probably never going to hire you.

At least you should assume that and focus on the ones who like hearing from you often because they are the ones who will help you build your practice.

Email marketing for attorneys

Filed Under: Email

4 ways to learn (anything)

June 26, 2023 by David M. Ward

Most formal learning occurs through reading, watching videos, listening to presentations and interviews, and taking courses. Learned knowledge is the most common way we acquire information, but it’s just one way we learn.

We also learn by doing activities—trying out the information, practicing the skills—and we often learn more because we’re using more of our senses and getting feedback about our activities.

You can learn how to how to improve your closing arguments by reading books, but you learn more by practicing the skills and techniques in those books.

Taking notes on what we read or hear is also activity knowledge. As we process the information we’ve seen or heard, and record our thoughts or questions about that information, we internalize our learned knowledge, give it context, and make it more likely we will remember it.

But there’s a third way we learn—by modeling others.

You can learn how to get more referrals by reading blogs and books and getting ideas and tips. Then, you might rehearse what to say, say it, and thus get better at it. You’ll get better still by observing someone who is good at talking about referrals with their clients or colleagues, because you can watch their body language, observe their timing, and see how they handle questions and objections. You can also ask them questions and ask them to observe you and provide feedback.

Finally, there is “teaching” knowledge. We learn the most by teaching others what we know and do. Want to learn how to get better at negotiating? Prepare a presentation on that subject or teach a CLE class.

Learned knowledge, activity knowledge, modeling knowledge, and teaching knowledge. 4 ways to learn new information and improve your skills.

Learn how to get more referrals from your clients

Filed Under: Personal development

Need a topic for your blog, stat?

June 23, 2023 by David M. Ward

It’s happens to everyone. They need to post an article on their blog or in their newsletter, but don’t know what to write. And the clock is ticking.

No problem.

It’s okay to write about subjects you’ve written about before. Your “go to” topics. Things you know well and can talk about with ease.

It’s also okay to grab something you’ve written before and use it again.

Yep.

An article, part of a presentation or report, any content in your archive.

Re-post or re-publish it, as is. With no changes or additions.

I do it. Everyone does it. And guess what? Your readers either won’t notice or won’t care.

You have new subscribers or visitors who never saw it. You have old subscribers who saw it but didn’t care about it because they didn’t have that problem (but now they do). Your article might be precisely the thing they need to see today and they will marvel at how you must be reading their mind, and be grateful that you are.

Or forward it to a friend who just told them they have that problem.

And guess what? Even if your readers have seen it before, that doesn’t mean they paid attention. (How many times have you reminded your clients not to do something or say something? Or to come in to talk to you about something?)

Remind them again in your newsletter.

Of course, if you have a little time, go ahead and update your old post. Re-write or re-edit it, change the headline or title (or keywords), emphasize different points, add new examples, add a different graphic if you want to, or shorten or lengthen the post.

Your newsletter, your rules.

Okay, maybe don’t re-use posts you published last month; give it some time.

And relax. Be easy about this. You won’t get a knock on the door from the blog police hastling you for reposting something.

After publishing thousands of articles and blog posts, and endlessly repeating topics, I’ve never once had anyone say, “Again? Don’t you have anything else to write about?”

Of course, there’s always a first time

More easy ways to create content for a newsletter or blog

Filed Under: Blogging, Content creation, Newsletters

3 sentences

June 22, 2023 by David M. Ward

If you aren’t publishing a newsletter because it takes too much time, I have a question for you. What if it didn’t?

What if you could write, click, and send a newsletter in two minutes? Would you do it?

If it’s only a few minutes, once a day, once a week, or once in a while, you’d do that, wouldn’t you? Because you understand the value of staying in touch with clients and prospects and business contacts. You know that each time you do it, you remind them that you are available to help them and people they know, and you get more business.

Pop the champagne. You can do that because the definition of “newsletter” has changed.

A newsletter doesn’t have to contain news. Or advice. And it doesn’t have to be lengthy. A few sentences is fine. Because the point isn’t to impress them with your knowledge or give them a mountain of helpful information.

It’s letting them hear from you. To see your name and a link to your website and remember who you are. And you can send them anything to accomplish that. Okay, not anything. There has to be some value in what you send.

What is value? Whatever you want it to be.

Years ago, when social media was newish, I thought I’d try posting and see what happens. But I didn’t know what to say and didn’t want to take a lot of time saying it. So, once a day, I found a quote I liked and posted that.

People told me they liked the quote. Thanked me. Said they were going to share it.

Did I become a social media star because of this? Hardly. But I was able to stay in touch with folks and give them something to chew on that day. I kept my name in front of them with nothing more than a few words from someone else.

You can do the same thing in a newsletter.

Yes, just a quote. Or something you saw someone write in a book or say on a podcast. Or something you want to write or say or recommend.

“I just found this website, and it has a ton of great resources. I really liked an article about (whatever). Here’s the link:”

That’s value. That’s a newsletter.

Sure, you can publish something more lengthy and thoughtful and you probably will want to. But you don’t have to.

And because you don’t have to, you’ll write something. And get your name in front of people who enjoy hearing from you.

Everything you need to do (and then some): here

Filed Under: Newsletters

It’s your client’s birthday. What do you send them?

June 21, 2023 by David M. Ward

A birthday card is nice. Especially when it is handwritten and signed by you personally. It shows you took the time to acknowledge them on their day, and you did it yourself instead of having your assistant stick something in the mail your firm sends to everyone.

What about a gift?

That’s nice, too. Everyone enjoys getting gifts. But gift giving can be more complicated, and expensive, so maybe a personal gift for only your “best” clients. A gift certificate to a local restaurant is a good choice.

On the other hand, there is something you could send to every client (and business contact), that isn’t expensive but can make a lasting impression.

I’m talking about giving a book. Especially one you liked and recommend.

Add a note: “This is one of my favorite books” or “I got a lot out of this book and thought you might like it, too”.

Even if they don’t read the book, or like it, they will appreciate you for thinking of them. I know I would, wouldn’t you?

Filed Under: Client relations, Law office management

Build family to build your practice

June 20, 2023 by David M. Ward

Your clients and former clients, your professional contacts, everyone who knows your name and would take your call—that’s your family.

One of the simplest and best ways to grow your practice is to grow your family.

That means (a) increasing their number, and (b) increasing the strength and depth of your relationships

And you do that by going out of your way to serve them and help them, not just with legal matters but with other areas of their business or personal life.

Make them feel good about themselves for hiring you or referring people to you

You also increase their number by looking for opportunities to meet the people they know—their employees, partners, friends and colleagues. People they can introduce to you and who can become a part of your ever-growing professional family.

As your family grows, look for ways to get to know these people better and help them. Give them referrals, advice, and introductions. Give them helpful information and stay in touch with them.

In other words, by networking with the people you know and the people they know., your family will grow and so will your practice.

What does it take to do this successfully?

You need to be willing to talk to people who aren’t necessarily in need of an attorney, and be genuinely interested in them and not just what they can do for you. You need to be a good listener, because that’s how you show them you are interested in them and how you learn what they need or want so you can help them get it.

And you only need to find a few.

Yes, you need to talk to more than a few to find that few. But just long enough to learn what they do to see if they might be a good match for you.

Find a few of the right people and they can lead you to more.

To start, commit to getting to know your clients better than you do now. Call or email them off the clock, say hello and ask how they’re doing. Don’t be surprised when they’re glad you called and ask you about a new legal matter or tell you about someone they know who might need your help.

If that happens, enjoy the win. But don’t contact them solely for that purpose. Contact them to say hello.

Heres a step-by-step plan for growing your professional family

Filed Under: Leverage, Networking, Referrals

Always be closing?

June 19, 2023 by David M. Ward

Sales people are taught to continually look for opportunities to close the deal and that these can occur at any time. When a prospective customer or client says something about price or fees, for example, this is often one of those opportunities, because it usually means they have decided they (probably) do need or want the product or service and are thinking about how they can get it.

So, generally speaking, “Always be Closing” is good advice. But there is such a thing as trying to close too soon.

When you talk to a prospective client for the first time, handing them a retainer agreement and a pen may be the right thing to do, or it might blow up in your face if they see it as being too presumptive or aggressive.

Which is why sales experts tell you to not only look for opportunities to close but to see if you can create them.

You do that by using “trial closes” or questions designed to elicit responses that are consistent with someone who is ready to buy. “Are you leaning towards (Package A) or (Package B)?” is one example.

When the prospect looks they are ready, go for the close. If they don’t, don’t push it. Don’t close before they’re ready.

But we see marketers do this all the time.

You see ads with a call to action that says, “Call today for an appointment”. That might be the right way to go, but what if the prospect is just starting to research their problem and isn’t ready to consider hiring an attorney? If the choice is between “Call for an appointment” or nothing, guess which one they’re going to choose?

On the other hand, doing nothing might be best for you, too. If you’re doing lead generation advertising, you might only want leads of people who are ready to talk to or hire an attorney.

But what about people who are ready to make an appointment? Shouldn’t you encourage them to do that?

Maybe. Or maybe you should give them a choice: “Call for an appointment or to learn more. . .”

What should you do?

Should you close for the appointment? Tell them to sign up or your webinar? Tell them to call to ask questions or to download your report? Visit your website to learn more about the law or to learn about you and how you can help them?

Lots of options.

I can’t tell you the right approach and neither can your marketing or advertising team. The only way to know for sure is to try several approaches and see works best.

One offer may get lots of leads, but very few new clients. Another offer might bring in relatively few leads, but result in enough new clients to be very profitable. Another offer might lose money on your promotion but bring in a few clients who have lots of work for you after the initial case or engagement.

You “test” one offer against others. And let the numbers tell you what works best. And it works the same way with closing. When a prospective client looks like they’re ready to sign up, close them. If they aren’t ready, they will let you know.

Filed Under: Advertising, Closing the sale, Marketing legal services