The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

Deal or no deal?

June 2, 2023 by David M. Ward

When you have a client or prospective client who wants to negotiate on fees, you know what to do. Firmly and politely tell them no.

But tell them why.

Explain that your fees are reasonable, you do good work and deliver great value, your clients are happy, and if you were to give one client a lower fee than everyone else, it would be unfair to your other clients, and to you.

You might explain that yes, your fees are higher than other lawyers, because you have more experience, so you are worth it. And give them proof—verdicts, testimonials, endorsements, awards—and how this translates to better results for your clients.

You could offer a payment plan, or get set up to accept credit cards. Or ask if they have someone who might lend them the funds or co-sign for them on a bank loan.

You could suggest that you do part of the work they need or want, at a lower fee, and they can get the rest later. Or you could talk to them about waiting on everything until they’re able to get started.

Finally, if they just can’t do it, offer to refer them to a colleague you know who charges less.

If these don’t work for them, or for you, thank them for considering you and wish them well.

This kind of honesty, directness, and posture will often cause the client to figure out a way to say yes.

Many people have the money but do their best to “get a bargain”. Nothing wrong with that. Smile and tell them no deal.

You may lose a client or two but you’ll be better offer overall.

If more than the occasional prospect or client tells you no, however, don’t even think about lowering your fees across the board. You’re not expensive. You just need a different niche or group of clients who can afford what you’re worth.

Getting the Check: Stress-free legal billing and collection

Filed Under: Attorneys fees, Fees and Billing

New blog, newsletter, or podcast? This will help.

June 1, 2023 by David M. Ward

When I started writing a blog, one of the first things I did was to find other blogs in my niche, to see what they were doing. I learned a lot and was convinced I could do what they did. If you’re thinking about starting a blog or newsletter, or want to re-start or re-invigorate yours, I suggest you find blogs and newsletter published by other lawyers and use them as a model for your own.

It doesn’t matter where they are located, or even their practice area. You can learn something from each blog you follow or subscribe to.

Study them and take notes:

How often do they publish?
How long are their posts, articles, episodes, etc?
What is their writing style? Formal? Informal? Somewhere in between?
Do they write about news or evergreen topics?
Do they advocate or educate?
Do they write detailed posts, with citations, or something more beginner-friendly?
How are their posts structured? What formatting choices have they made?
Do they do interviews? Guest posts?
What do they offer as an incentive to sign up?
What calls-to-action do they use?
Do their blog posts get comments? Shares? Or is that function turned off?
Do they use images or mostly text?
Do they promote their services directly or just a provide a link to their website? If they promote their services, do they “pitch” hard or less so?

What do they do that’s working? What do you like? What would you change?

Also note ideas for topics you could write about.

You’re not looking for the perfect newsletter or blog to emulate, you’re looking for ideas and inspiration. You might like how one blog structures its content but prefer another’s writing style. You might like how one blog is consistent or how another uses a variety of detailed and lengthy posts mixed with brief and lighter fare.

Guess what? You get to choose.

This exercise might get you excited and ready to start or re-start your blog or newsletter. On the other hand, it might convince you that you don’t want to do this, at least not right now, and turn your attention to something else.

Before you decide, try something. Put some content out there and see what happens. Content marketing might not be your favorite marketing method (now), but if it makes your phone ring the way I know it can, you might just change your opinion.

How to start a blog that makes your phone ring

Filed Under: Blogging, Content creation, Newsletters

The key to getting new subscribers to take the next step

May 31, 2023 by David M. Ward

They came (to your website), they saw (what you do), are interested in hearing more, and subscribed to your newsletter. But they’re not ready to make an appointment or contact you with questions.

What should you do?

As soon as they subscribe, you should send them your “Welcome Sequence”–a series of emails that tells them who you are and how you can help them, invites them to learn more, and tells them what to do if they have questions or want to speak to you.

A “Welcome Sequence” is a series of 5-7 emails (but it could be more, or less), that everyone gets as soon as they sign up for your newsletter, sent automatically by your email service provider via an autoresponder.

Your welcome sequence acknowledges their problems and your solutions, provides information about you and your services, and tells them what to do to learn more.

And it’s important. It’s their second (third, fourth, fifth, etc. impression of you, the first being when they visited your website or blog, and it is the key to getting them to take the next step.

More than providing information, your welcome sequence needs to make the new subscriber feel a sense of relief about finding you. It should make them feel good about you and be hopeful about getting the soluton to their problem.

You do that by talking about them and their problem more than you talk about yourself. You also talk about your other clients who are like them or have had similar problems.

The good news is that you don’t need brilliant sales copy to do that. In fact, the best thing you can do is to “be normal”–talk to them the way you would if they were sitting in your office or talking to you on the phone.

Normal is vastly underrated.

Don’t try to impress them. Don’t make your messages all about you. Ask them questions about them and their situation and give them general guidelines about what’s possible via “If/Then” statements.

Tell them what to expect about your newsletter—what you’ll be sending them, how often, where to go to get more information, and what to do if they want to speak to you.

Tell them enough, but not too much. Whet their appetite to learn more.

You know, be normal.

Email Marketing for Attorneys

Filed Under: Email, Newsletters

All you can do is all you can do

May 30, 2023 by David M. Ward

You hear about what other lawyers are doing for marketing and you realize you can’t do what they do. Or you don’t want to.

That’s okay. You don’t have to do what they do. Or as much or as often.

Just do something.

You can’t write a weekly blog? Don’t even try. Post 5 or 10 articles on your website, to show visitors you know something about your practice area and give them some insights about what you can do to help them.

It’s better than doing nothing. Better than what a lot of attorneys do (which is nothing). And it could bring some clients to your door.

You hate networking with a passion? Forget about it. You’re not going to get anywhere, forcing yourself to go places you don’t want to be and shake hands with people you don’t want to talk to.

But maybe you’re open to meeting someone once in a while for coffee. Coffee is good. No pressure. No agenda. And it might lead to something good.

You know nothing about social media and you don’t want to? Cross it off your list. But maybe before you do that, you choose a platform or two, set up an account and post your contact information, in case someone goes looking for you.

Someone might. And call or message you.

You don’t have to be “all in” on any kind of marketing (except the kind where you take good care of your clients). Many a successful practice is built that way.

Do what you can do, but do something. If you hate it, stop doing it and do something else.

And don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. But don’t ignore them completely. They might show you something you can do, and you might choose to do it.

Do what you can do, but only if you want to. Because doing things you don’t want to do isn’t a recipe for success.

All you can do is all you can do, but it is often enough.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Marketing legal services

Three networking rules (even if you hate networking)

May 26, 2023 by David M. Ward

Everyone networks. Whether formally, by attending events, or informally as they go about their day. They meet new people, in person or online, representing opportunities to grow their network, build their business or practice, or advance their career.

But not everyone gets what they would like out of these encounters.

If you want meeting new people to be a rewarding experience, there are three rules you should follow:

Make a friend. That means making the initial contact a pleasant experience for both of you. You exchange pleasantries and contact information, acknowledge anything you have in common, and look for opportunities to follow-up.
Find out what they want. This is the essence of effective networking. You need to know how you can help them, and how they can help you (and/or your clients). This is likely to take more than one conversation (unless you meet through a formal networking group where this type of exchange is expected), but it is the essence of effective networking.
Find out who they know (before they go). Most encounters with new people don’t bear fruit, for a variety of reasons. Expect it, and find out who they know who might need your services or have clients or contacts who do, or can help your clients get something they want or need. Someone who might be a better connection for you than the person you’ve just met.

You might hate networking, but you are going to meet new people. Follow these three rules and you may find networking to be fruitful and help you multiply.

Filed Under: Networking

Why we don’t do things we know we should

May 25, 2023 by David M. Ward

My dad always told his business clients not to sign any contracts without showing them to him first. More often than not, they didn’t listen, usually because they didn’t want to spend the money.

No doubt you’ve seen the same thing in your practice.

Why don’t clients listen?

For the same reasons you don’t do things you know you should.

You’ve repeatedly heard from me and others about the value of staying in touch with your clients and prospects. You’ve heard that you should delegate more of your work and not try to do everything yourself. You’ve heard about the value of improving your writing, speaking, and interpersonal skills.

You know these things, but don’t always do them.

Maybe you don’t want to spend the money, or the time. Maybe you’re busy. Maybe you intend to do them but forget.

But the biggest reason you don’t do these things, and others, is that you don’t believe they are important. Or important enough. Because if you did, you would.

Think about it, if you truly believed that staying in touch with your clients and contacts via a weekly email (for example) could help you double your practice in less than a year, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

If your clients truly believed that calling you before they sign a contract would save them a lot of money and a lot of grief, they would do it.

Reminders help. Accountability helps. But if you want to change your clients’ behavior, or your own, work on their (and your) belief.

Show clients and prospects what happened to other clients who didn’t follow your advice. Show them testimonials and positive reviews and success stories of people who did.

Because if you say it, they can doubt it. If your other clients say it, it must be true.

Build your practice with a weekly email newsletter

Filed Under: Email, Newsletters, success

Think bigger, run faster, work harder

May 24, 2023 by David M. Ward

We’re often told that hard work is the answer. I say hard work can be a path to success, but it’s not the only path. Just look at how many people bust their butt every day but make little (or no) progress.

Some people are successful by showing up consistently over a long period of time. Objectively speaking, they don’t work hard or run fast. They do a little every day, do it well, and keep doing it. They improve their skills, deepen their relationships, and allow their efforts to compound.

Slow and steady wins their race, while others burn brightly and burn out.

Some people have good business connections and leverage them effectively. Some have money to burn. Some people are smarter than average, some have more charisma, and some happen to be in the right place at the right time.

There’s also the “passion” factor. Some people love what they do and their enthusiasm and joy for doing it attracts people and opportunities that allow them to leapfrog others who are just doing a job.

Here’s the good news. We get to choose our path. Some choose to work hard, some choose something else.

We need to give ourselves permission to choose the path that’s right for us, and remind ourself to focus on our strengths instead of trying to run fast enough to overcome our weaknesses.

When we do, we can not only get where we want to go, we can enjoy getting there.

Filed Under: success

Ad Nauseum

May 23, 2023 by David M. Ward

Why do I tell you things I’ve told you before? While will I tell you again?

And why should you do the same with your subscribers, followers, clients, and prospects?

Because people don’t always hear us the first time. They might not get our email, or read it. They might read it but not believe they need to do anything, now or ever. They may have other things on their mind and can’t deal with anything else.

Maybe they see the need but don’t have the money. Maybe they need to get someone else’s okay. Or maybe the problem isn’t that bad and they think they can live with it or it will resolve by itself.

And then, things change. The problem worsens. The threats increase. Their desire grows. Or they finally have more time to take care of something you’ve been telling about but had forgotten until you mention it again.

You’ve heard me talk about the value of having a newsletter so many times, I’m sure you could write that message yourself. But you haven’t started a newsletter (or improved the one you have) because you were busy as hell last year and didn’t see the need. Or have the time to do it.

But this year, business has slowed, and you realize that it’s time.

Sometimes, people hear your message, need what you offer, have the money, but still hesitate. Then they hear the same message or advice from someone else. Or they hear about someone who did what you’re telling them to and were very glad they did.

And, let’s not forget that every day, new people find you, join your list, and hear your message for the first time. Some people call you and make an appointment immediately. Others might not do that for years.

Stay in their mailbox or feed, keep reminding them, and when they’re ready, they’ll give you a holler.

People are ready when they’re ready, not before.

How to use a newsletter to build your practice

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Newsletters

3 a day

May 22, 2023 by David M. Ward

Marketing your law practice doesn’t require you to do big, difficult, or time-consuming things. At least not all the time. As I regularly note, you can accomplish a lot in just 15 minutes a day.

The key is to do it consistently.

Schedule 15 minutes in your calendar every workday for marketing. It is arguably the most important appointment of your day.

During those 15 minutes, you can do anything related to growing or improving your practice. If this is a new habit, however, I suggest you decide in advance what you will do.

One way to do that is to pick a number. I suggest the number 3. 3 calls, 3 emails, 3 pages. That’s easy, isn’t it?

Here are some examples of what you could do:

Comment on 3 social media posts by people you know or would like to know
Call 3 old clients and say hello
Email 3 professionals in your target market—invite them to (something), ask them a question, share something you have in common
Collect 3 business cards
Like, comment, or share 3 videos of people in your target market (as a precursor to connecting with them)
Contact 3 people in your existing referral network and ask how/what they’re doing
Follow-up with 3 prospective clients you’ve spoken with
Send 3 thank-you notes, birthday cards, or holiday cards

3 calls or comments or emails today, another 3 tomorrow. Or mix and match, one comment, one call, one email.

Over time, you’ll connect or re-connect with a lot of people. Some will want more information, some will want to speak to you about their situation, some will see how you can help one of their clients or friends.

You could also use your 15 minutes to

Brainstorm 3 ideas for an article, blog post, or presentation
Write 3 pages (or paragraphs) for your new lead magnet, report, or book
Find 3 keywords to add to one of your ad campaigns
Find 3 groups that need guest speakers at their event
Find 3 blogs in your target market that accept guest posts
Find 3 podcasts or channels that interview lawyers

It’s just 3. It’s just 15 minutes. But it might be all the marketing you need to do.

Marketing is easy when you know The Formula

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

Sign here

May 19, 2023 by David M. Ward

It’s the moment of truth. You’ve talked to the prospective client, told them what you can do to help them, answered their questions, and quoted a fee. Will they become your next new client?

One way to find out: hand them your retainer agreement and a pen (or your tablet and a stylus) and tell them where to put their signature.

And say nothing.

Actually, I like to give them authorizations and other documents to sign first, to get them in the habit of signing. Then the retainer.

But there’s something you can say to them before you hand them the paperwork to find out if they’re ready (or you have more work to do).

Ask them, “Are you ready to get started?”

If they’re aren’t, if they need more information or have a reason they’re not ready, you want them to tell you. It’s called an objection, and when you get one, you know what you need to say or do to get them to move forward.

Another option, instead of asking if they’re ready, assume they are (and make them tell you they’re not). One way to do that is to ask, “Would you like me to get things started today or the first of next week?”

Either way, it means they want you to go ahead. But they still may ask more questions or offer more objections.

Answer these, keep asking about getting started, and eventually, you’ll get a yes or a no.

What if it’s a no?

Don’t push, negotiate, or try to scare them. That’s bad posture and isn’t going to help.

Instead, you simply say, “okay,” and ask, “Do you mind if I stay in touch?”

That’s good posture.

Keep your name in their mailbox and when they’re ready, they’ll let you know.

Email marketing for attorneys

Filed Under: Closing the sale