The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

Ask me anything

July 14, 2022 by David M. Ward

A Chicago law firm encourages visitors to their website to fill out a contact form, or call their office, to ask questions about any legal matter, which a lawyer at the firm will answer free. Questions and answers are then posted on the firm’s blog.

“We get so many good legal questions that aren’t worthy of a full blog. So every few months I like to group the “best of the rest” in to one post. Here are some great questions we’ve received recently:“

They do answer these questions. But I see a problem with their approach.

They say they answer questions, “Every few months”. But when someone has a legal issue, the clock is often ticking and they need immediate answers. Even if they could wait a few months for an answer, most people don’t want to. They’ll go find another lawyer who won’t make them wait.

So I hope the lawyers review these questions every few days and reach out to the people who need immediate answers.

Help the folks now; post your answers for others to see later.

Besides, what do they (the lawyers) do when they can’t answer a question without getting additional information?

They need to talk to the folks. I hope they do that.

On the other hand, there’s a lot to like about this strategy and it might and it might be something other lawyers should consider:

It’s easy to do. And you can do research if you need to and edit your answers before posting.
It gives you new content for your blog, newsletter, and socials.
It might bring in new clients or cases. Probably not a lot, but even one new client a year could be worth it.
It’s free to the public and might generate publicity and positive word-of-mouth for your firm.
It can bring traffic from people with questions, helping you grow your email list and social media following.
It can bring you prospects you can refer to lawyers in other fields, earning their good will and reciprocal referrals.
It can help you promote your other services to visitors. There may be nothing that can be done about their immediate problem, but they might remember you favorably when they have another issue.
It gives you something to promote when you speak or network. Tell folks what you’re doing. They might send people your way, or want to know more about you and your services.

It takes time to do this so you might consider an alternative: periodic “call-in” days.

You talk to the folks and get additional information that allows you to provide more complete answers. They immediately know what they can or can’t do. And you know if they have something you can help them with (or refer).

Nobody has to wait months. Except readers of your blog who don’t care when the questions were asked or answered.

Your blog can make your phone ring

Filed Under: Blogging, List building, Publicity

Got referrals? Great! Here’s how to get more.

July 13, 2022 by David M. Ward

It’s makes sense to focus most of your attention on your clients and professional contacts who regularly send you business. But there are many other people who can send you business.

I’m talking about

Prospective clients. Folks who signed up on your list, attended your event, downloaded your report, or talked to you about their case.
Former clients. They hired you once and while they might not need to hire you again, they might know people who do.
Social media connections. Even if you’ve never met them or talked to them, you’re connected digitally and that gives you permission to communicate with them, which can lead to referrals.
Professionals, business owners, consultants, experts, and others in your niche or target market who don’t know you, or know you but have never referred, and others who don’t know you but are open to meeting you.
Your business clients’ employees, vendors, and other business contacts. Your clients know a lot of people who know a lot of people and have influence with many of them.
Friends and relatives. They have neighbors, co-workers, businesses they patronize, and more, who might need your help today or one day.

According to people who have studied the subject, the average person knows 250 people. You probably know more. If each of those people knows 250 people—do the math. That’s a lot of people in your extended network. An untapped source of referrals.

Why not tap into it?

You can do that by simply educating your network. Make sure everyone knows 3 things about you:

What you do—your services, practice areas, problems you solve, benefits you deliver. Many don’t know what you do or they don’t know everything you do, or all the ways you help your clients.
Your ideal client. Tell them what a good referral looks like for you. What do they look like? What do they do for a living? What are their problems and desires? And, what are the life events that typically trigger their need for an attorney who does what you do?
Your content—your book, blog, channels, seminars, etc., and how to access it. Many in your network might not be willing or able to refer clients to you, but they might do the next best thing—refer their contacts to your content, directly or through social media. That can lead to a lot of new business.

It’s also good to educate your network about what to do when they recognize someone who might need your help. What should they tell them about you? What should they tell them to do if they have questions or want to hire you?

Most of the people you know have never sent you a referral. Many are willing and able, but don’t know how.

Educate them and you might awaken an army of new referral sources.

Step-by-step instructions

Filed Under: Referral sources, Referrals

Read this first

July 12, 2022 by David M. Ward

You have a lot of good content on your website and your visitors want to read it.

They want to know what you can tell them about their problems and your solutions. They want to know what you have done for other clients and what you can do for them. They want to know what you’re like as a person and why they should trust you as their attorney.

You have this information on your site, but your visitors don’t know where to find it. Or where to start.

Help them. Take them by the hand and show them where to go to get the information they want and the information you want them to know.

Provide a site map and an index of your content. Tell them which page to visit if they want to know X and which page to visit if they want to know Y.

Most visitors haven’t been to your site before. You might want to “greet” them with a page just for “first-time visitors” and give them a tour.

Some visitors have been to your site or heard you speak or read something you wrote on another site. They want to know what to read next or they have questions. You should have a page for them.

Your clients might come to your site to see “what else” you do or learn about updates or addons. Some want to refer a friend. Make sure they know where to go, what to read, and what to do next.

Consider adding “welcome” pages and indices for professionals who might have someone to refer, and for people who have spoken to another attorney and are looking for a second opinion.

Don’t leave it to your visitors to navigate their way through a forest of content. Give them a playlist.

Because if you leave it to them, they might get to your site, see a forest of content, and turn around and leave.

What to include on your website or blog

Filed Under: Online Marketing Tagged With: Website

The attorney marketing paradox

July 11, 2022 by David M. Ward

You want to stand out from other attorneys. Get noticed so you can show people an advantage to choosing you.

But you don’t want to be so different that you scare off prospective clients.

So, you need to fit in. Look like a lawyer who does lawyer things. But if you only do that, if there’s nothing to differentiate you, you become a commodity. Just another option among many.

You give people no reason to notice you or choose you.

You want to stand out, but you also want to fit in. Look like an attorney, not an anomaly.

How do you achieve that balance? How do you stand out and at the same time fit in?

That’s what you need to figure out.

If you do anything different in your practice, make sure people know about it. Tell the world what you do that other lawyers don’t do.

And if you do nothing different, you can make it appear that you do.

How’s that?

If you do what everyone else in your field does, but the other citizens of lawyer-town don’t talk about that subject, when you talk about it, you own it.

For example, if you handle plaintiff’s personal injury claims and your competition doesn’t talk about all the things they do to investigate a case, and you do, the world will see that you are different and better.

Even if you’re not.

When you are the (only) lawyer who uses a 12-point checklist to ensure all the facts and evidence are collected and documented, you appear to offer your clients an advantage.

Yes or yes?

But there’s another way to stand out and also fit in.

When you look at your competition, you probably notice that not only do most of them appear to do the same things, they also tend to look and sound the same.

Like identical cousins, Patty and Cathy Lane. You can lose your mind.

But they’re not identical. One likes the ballet, the other rock and roll.

All of us were humans before we went to law school, and most of us still are. We can use our humanness to stand out and also fit in.

And it’s easy to do.

Don’t hide your personality or personal interests from the market. Let the market see that you like the ballet or rock and roll, and that while you do the same work other lawyers do, you are different individuals.

Market yourself first, your services second, and your firm a distant third.

Because people buy you before they buy your services.

How to stand out and fit in

Filed Under: Marketing legal services

How to build a big law practice without advertising

July 8, 2022 by David M. Ward

Some attorneys do a lot of advertising. They invest heavily in media and consultants, generate a lot of leads, and build systems to help them convert those leads into clients.

But that’s a big stick to swing and not everyone can swing it. Or wants to.

Successful attorneys are also good at getting referrals, and that’s something every attorney can do.

But while that doesn’t take a lot of cash, it can take a lot of time.

You need a base of clients and contacts who have referrals to give and who like and trust you enough to give them, and that doesn’t happen overnight. But you can start small and eventually get big.

And if you get a few things right, it doesn’t take as long as you think.

What do you have to get right? Besides keeping clients happy?

Happy clients will naturally tell others about you, but they’ll do it more often when you prompt them.

So, prompt them.

Educate them about how to recognize a good referral for you and what to say and do when they do. Ask them to introduce you to the other professionals they know. Provide them with information they can share with friends.

And stay in touch with them.

People are busy and don’t necessarily think about you, even when they talk to someone who needs your help. When you stay in touch with them, you remind them about the problems you solve and benefits you deliver and they think about who they know who can use your help.

Simple dimple.

They share your content with friends, co-workers, neighbors, or clients. They mention your name and give them a link to your website. They tell a story about what you did for them or someone they know.

You get more traffic to your website, more opt-ins to your list, more calls and appointments, and more new clients.

You also get more repeat business.

Getting referrals isn’t complicated. But if you wait for everything to happen on its own, it might be a minute.

Don’t wait for referrals to happen. Take some simple steps and make them happen.

How to get more referrals

Filed Under: Referrals

Help! I don’t know anyone!

July 7, 2022 by David M. Ward

You may be a new lawyer or moving to a new city or state. Or you might be at a point in your career where you realize you need to meet some new people.

There are a lot of things you can do; here are 3 of the best:

(1) Ask for introductions. Contact people you know and ask them to introduce you to a professional or business contact in your target market. Be specific about the type of people you’d like to meet, but not so specific they can’t think of anyone who fits that description.

Even better, ask them to introduce you to someone you know they (probably) know, someone influential you’d like to meet. If they hesitate to do that, ask them if you can use their name, and contact them yourself.

(2) Join something. Networking can be a drag, but it’s a good way to quickly meet some new people. Find organizations and groups in your target market, attend their meetings, introduce yourself to the leadership, and volunteer on a committee or two. You might meet someone who knows someone who needs your services or knows people who do.

You’ll also learn more about your target market and the people in it, and be able to use that in your marketing.

(3) Write something. A report, guide, or checklist that people in your target market might find helpful, and offer it to everyone you know and everyone you meet. It’s a great way to give people a “sample” of your expertise, and interest them in learning more.

One of the best things you can write is a book. Being an author, by definition, makes you an authority, and people want to hire and refer authorities. They also want to talk to them when they meet them, and interview them for their blog or podcast.

If you have a collection of articles or blog posts, cobble them together and self-publish your first book. If not, start typing. Or dictating.

Clients, and the people who can refer them, are everywhere. These strategies can help you meet them.

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking

Online marketing for attorneys made stupidly simple

July 6, 2022 by David M. Ward

You can complicate it, and many do, but marketing legal services online comes down to just 3 things:

Creating a list
Growing the list
Marketing to the list

“Creating a list” means setting up an autoresponder to capture email addresses of prospective clients who need a lawyer or are seeking information about a legal situation.

Why email? Because it’s the simplest and most cost effective way to build a list and it is incredibly profitable.

Michael Hyatt, bestseller author, and speaker said,

“I have literally built a million dollar business on the strength of my email list. 90% of my income comes from it. Even today, my email list is still my number one business priority-and asset.”

I’ll tell you the same thing about my business.

“Growing the list” is anything and everything you do to get people to visit your sign-up page and opt into your list.

And all of your marketing efforts should be focused on doing that.

People hear you speak, read your blog or article, hear about you from a friend, see your ad, or find you through social media or a search engine, and visit your page to learn more about you or what you offer.

At this point, many attorneys try to persuade prospects to call to schedule an appointment or ask questions. But most prospects aren’t ready to do that and want more information. You can direct them to your website to get that information, and that can work, but it is often better to do that after they join your list.

You want them on your list so you can stay in touch with them and continue to market to them.

Which is step three.

If you don’t have a list, all of your marketing is “one shot”. Prospects either contact you or they don’t. You can’t send them more information because you don’t know who they are.

When they are on your list, you can send more information about their legal situation, their risks and options, and what you can do to help them, and you can continue to do that until they’re ready to take the next step.

That might be months or even years down the road, but when they’re ready, they know who you, what you do, and have your contact information.

Staying in touch with your list can triple response to your marketing. It can also stimulate a lot of referrals.

Which is why you need to make email a cornerstone of your marketing.

Email Marketing for Attorneys

Filed Under: Email, List building, Marketing legal services

Audit thyself

July 5, 2022 by David M. Ward

Once a year, or at least once in a while, sit down with your bad self and figure out how things are going.

Take inventory of what you have, what you want, and what you do, and see if you are on track to meet your goals.

Start with how you spend your time.

What do you do every day and every week to produce value for yourself and your clients?

Look at your calendar, task list, projects, and your plans for the next few months. What could you eliminate or combine with other activities? What could you delegate, outsource, or automate?

Cut out the fat and you’ll have more time to do things that produce more value, or more time for yourself.

Then, do the same thing for your expenses.

What could you cut out or cut down? Where should you consider spending more?

Changing these two areas—time and money—might allow you to claw back a few thousand dollars a month or free up several hours a week.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

You should also inventory your cases and clients. Some are worth more than others in terms of revenue and overall profitability. Which ones should you focus on? Which ones should you consider letting go?

Are you employees worth what you pay them? Maybe you should pay them more, or maybe it’s time to have that talk.

Examine the tech you’re using. Is it time for an upgrade? Are you still using something that is long overdue to be retired? Could one piece of tech replace two?

Examine your workflows. Go through your checklists, forms, and templates, and look for ways to make things more efficient and more effective.

Auditing your practice (and personal life) will help you reduce overhead, simplify (and shorten) your workday, and help you get more results with less effort.

That’s an audit you can look forward to.

Filed Under: Increase your income, Law office management, Productivity

Clone your best. Forget the rest.

July 1, 2022 by David M. Ward

No doubt you have a favorite referral source or two. You know who I’m talking about. The ones who regularly send you good clients and cases. The ones who introduce you to people you need to know and do other things to help your practice grow.

They’re low maintenance, highly profitable, and you wish you had more like them.

Seek and ye shall find.

Instead of trying to meet “anyone” who can refer business, set your sites on cloning your best referral sources. It’s better to have a few studs than dozens of people who might try but can’t deliver.

The most effective way to increase referrals is to focus on your existing referral sources.

Get to know them better. Learn about their niche. Meet the people they know and work with. They’ll lead you to more referral sources and opportunities.

This will require time and energy, which is why you should focus on a handful of people who have already proven themselves rather than the many who haven’t.

Invest 80% of your “networking” and relationship-building time with your best sources.

You may not be able to reciprocate with referrals, but there are other ways you help them. You might have information they want or need, do other things for them or their clients or family, or introduce them to people who can.

Help them prosper and they’ll do (more of) the same for you.

How to get more referrals from lawyers and business contacts

Filed Under: Leverage, Referral sources, Referrals

The 5-minute interview

June 30, 2022 by David M. Ward

If you like the idea of interviewing lawyers and other people with something to say, don’t be put off by the thought that an interview will take up a lot of time because it doesn’t have to—you can do everything via email.

Including “the interview”. No need to schedule anything or talk to anyone.

Step One: Email (or call if you want to), explain that you’d like to interview them for your blog or newsletter or book, tell them why you chose them and what they get out of it, e.g., exposure, supporting a good cause, etc.

And. . . tell them everything can be done via email and should only take a few minutes of their time.

Step Two: Once they agree, send them 5 to 10 questions and provide some context about your readers—what they do, what they know, what they want to know, and why this is important to them. Thank them for helping and give them a brief window of time to reply, say, a week or so.

Generally, don’t ask yes-or-no questions or questions that invite one or two-word answers. It’s an interview, not a survey. But don’t expect them to write long, detailed answers.

On the other hand, encourage them to add any additional information or thoughts they think your readers might like to know.

Ask for their bio or a link thereto so you can properly “introduce” them. Finally, ask if they have anything they want to promote or offer to your readers.

Step Three: When they respond, do a light edit, write your post (including their intro and offer), send them a copy and thank them again. When your post appears, email a link and yes, thank them again.

Because there’s always next time.

For more about email interviews, see my book

Filed Under: Blogging, Newsletters, Writing