I read a book once about book writing. The author gave some sound advice. He said to write the book you can write, not the book you think you should write.
Some books are harder to write than others. A how-to book, especially in your area of expertise, is much easier to write than a historical romance novel, for example, especially if you’ve never written fiction.
Write the book you can write. Let others write the books they can write.
The same is true for marketing your law practice. The best way is to do what you can do, not what you think you’re supposed to do or what some expert says you must do.
If you allow yourself to do what you can an do, you may actually do it. You don’t have to learn something completely new and different or force yourself out of your comfort zone, you’re doing what you already know you can do.
You’ll do it better. And stick with it longer. And get results, which will inspire you to continue. As you grow, perhaps you’ll add something new to the mix. And then, you’ll be able to do things you previously could not do. Instead of forcing yourself to be something you’re not, or do something you can’t, you’ll grow naturally and you will enjoy the process.
Where do you begin? With something that feels right to you. Yes, feels. Don’t assume that because you have experience with something that this is where you should begin. You might have a lot of speaking experience, for example, but if you really don’t enjoy speaking, you shouldn’t do it.
Here are some common marketing tactics for attorneys. As you go through this list, imagine yourself doing them and note how you feel.
- Networking with other lawyers
- Networking with prospective clients
- Writing blog posts and articles
- Finding and engaging prospective referral sources on social media
- Working with your clients to foster repeat business and referrals
- Radio advertising
- Youtube videos
- Writing a newsletter
- Podcasting/webcasting (e.g., interviewing other professionals, authors, etc.)
- Creating websites to attract search engine traffic
- Self-hosted seminars
- Joint venture marketing
- Pay-per click advertising
When you think about some of these tactics, you feel anxious. It’s not a good feeling. You find that your thoughts want to intrude and tell you why you shouldn’t, can’t, won’t do that.
With others, you feel lighter. More relaxed or more excited, but better. You can see yourself doing it, or at least exploring it further.
Trust those feelings. If something feels good when you think about it, it’s probably something you should do.
What if nothing feels good to you?
You can continue doing what you’re doing to bring in clients even though you don’t particularly like it, but to be honest, if there’s nothing that feels good to you, you might want to re-think the idea of being in business for yourself.
Yes, you can hire someone to do some of your marketing, or you can partner with someone, but those are really only workarounds. Marketing is an extension of you and your commitment to your clients and if you can’t find a way to express that commitment in a way that feels good to you, perhaps that commitment doesn’t really exist.
On the other hand, maybe you just need more information.
I find a lot of lawyers who say they don’t like marketing don’t really have much experience with marketing. They made up their minds early on that marketing wasn’t for them and they’ve spent years believing this to be true and acting in ways that are consistent with that belief.
If that’s you, do yourself a favor and take another look. Do some reading and try some new things. You may find that they’re not so bad and you’re not all thumbs and that there are some things you’re actually quite good at and enjoy.
The best way to market your law practice is to do what you can do and you can do more than you think.
The Attorney Marketing Formula will help you to choose the best marketing strategies and tactics for you
