Marketing legal services Archives - The Attorney Marketing Center

Go deep with fewer people

April 25, 2024 by David M. Ward

You don’t have to go to networking events, do seminars, write a newsletter or blog, advertise, or “chat” on social media. It can be beneficial if you do, but you don’t have to. As long as you regularly connect with the key people you know or want to know—your best clients, top referral sources, most promising business contacts.

The plan is simple. Make a list of 5-25 connections who fit that description and call or email them once a month.

What do you say? Anything. Because anything you say can make a difference. But here are some suggestions:

“What’s new with you?” What’s new in their business, what are they working on, what’s the latest in their personal life?
Congratulate them on something they’ve done (personal or business).
Comment about news you read about their company, industry or market.
How can I help? (Referrals, introductions, advice, information).
Compliment their new venture, campaign, website, product, or service.
Invite them to coffee or lunch; invite them to play golf.
Invite them to accompany you to your next networking event.
Volunteer for their committee.
Offer to do a private seminar for their business.
Contribute to their favorite charity or promote their favorite cause.
Interview them (or let them interview you).
Send articles, videos, books that may interest them.
Ask, “What are you reading?” Get the book, share your thoughts.
Introduce them to your other business contacts.
Help their kids (get into college, support their team, buy their Girl Scout cookies).

If you can’t think of anything else, just call and say hello.

Keep in touch with your most valuable business contacts. Help them, build relationships with them, be a friend. Inevitably, they will help you.

The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

How to get more prospects and clients to say ‘yes’

April 12, 2024 by David M. Ward

You’re in the risk mitigation business. You help your clients avoid or prevent risk and lessen the consequences when something goes wrong. The safer a client or prospect feels about the advice you provide them, the more likely they are to follow that advice.

The same is true for hiring you.

How can you reduce your clients’ (especially new clients’) perceived risks and, therefore, make it more likely that they will hire you?

Submitted for your approval:

Free content. Articles, blog posts, presentations, books, reports, webinars, podcasts. Show them what you know, how you think, and how you can help them.
Free consultation. Give them an hour with you to hear what you think about their problem, recommend solutions, and get a sense of what it will be like having you represent them.
Money-back guarantee. They are satisfied with your work or pay nothing. Limit this to one week or one month, or one case or engagement. Enough for them to see what you can do and decide if they like the cut of your jib.
Special offers. Discounts or free services for new clients, or for specific services, situations.
Testimonials and reviews. Lesson their risk by proving you can do what you promise, as you have done for others.
Likability. All things being equal, clients prefer hiring lawyers they know, like, and trust. Help them get to know and like you and they’ll be more likely to take a chance on you (and then you can earn their trust).

These may not be appropriate for every practice or service, but consider them. You don’t have to advertise or promote your offer to everyone, offer it ad hoc, and see what happens.

If something works, it could provide you with an incredible advantage over your competition, and bring in a lot of clients who otherwise might have said, “I need to think about it”.

More. . .

Filed Under: Marketing legal services

Winning

April 10, 2024 by David M. Ward

Okay, maybe you’re not the best lawyer in town. Other lawyers have better skills, more experience, a better track record, deeper pockets, more charisma, and better connections. They look better, smell better, and have a boatload of energy.

How can you possibly beat them?

By working harder than they do? Maybe. But that gets old.

You beat them not by outworking them, but by out-marketing them.

That doesn’t mean your marketing has to be amazing. Just better. You do a few things well and do them more consistently and enthusiastically.

It means knowing your market—what they want and need—and committing to helping them get it.

It means providing great “customer” service to all of your clients, and building strong relationships with your key clients and referral sources.

It means making marketing your top priority. Something most attorneys are unwilling to do.

They go through the motions. Or believe they only have to do good legal work and the growth of their practice will take care of itself.

You know, the ones who say, “I didn’t go to law school to become a salesperson…”. Who don’t understand that the legal work is only one part of building a successful practice. Or think marketing of any kind is unprofessional and beneath them.

You can beat them.

Because you understand that a law practice is a business, first, and job one is bringing in a steady stream of clients and keeping them happy.

When you do that, you might not be the best lawyer in town, but you might be the wealthiest.

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, success

Shrek would have made a good lawyer

April 4, 2024 by David M. Ward

On the outside, Shrek was tough and scary. A monster who could slay dragons and vanquish villains. On the inside, he was gentle and kind.

Your clients want you to be Shrek on the outside, fighting their enemies, protecting them, and being tough. On the inside, where they deal with you, they want you to be warm and caring and easy to talk to.

How do you attract clients by showing them your strength without scaring them off with bluster?

By being open and friendly and warm in your writing and speaking, in your blog and newsletter, on social media, in the “About” page on your website, and in all of your marketing.

That means not writing like a lawyer. It means being informal and open, speaking directly to your readers and listeners, and not putting distance between you by writing the 3rd person.

It means being “normal” and friendly on social media. Some lawyers sound anything but. They come off as “too cool” to talk to people, sounding distant, or worse, sarcastic or confrontational.

It’s not complicated. If you want people to approach you, you need to appear approachable.

That means making people feel comfortable about talking with you and working with you.

You can do that. You can be warm and friendly and still be professional.

You can show people you’re tough and also easy to talk to.

Shrek did it and so can you.

Filed Under: Communication, Content creation, Marketing legal services

Soft advertising

April 2, 2024 by David M. Ward

Do you put your website address on your business card, letterhead, or in your email signature (under your name and phone number)?

If you do, guess what? You’re advertising.

Okay, let’s call it “soft advertising” but advertising it is. And it is good.

It doesn’t cost you anything; it doesn’t violate any rules, and it doesn’t make you uncomfortable.

But yes, it is advertising.

Let’s play with this idea a bit. Where else do you (or might you) mention the URL of your website (and/or blog)?

Lots of places.

How about in your email “away message”? Or the “thank you” email message you send to people who subscribe to your newsletter? In your bio on social media, on a flyer announcing your next speaking engagement, in cover letters and memos to clients—anywhere, and everywhere, because you want people to find you and learn more about what you do.

Yes?

Now, let’s face it, mentioning your website or blog is child’s play. So is mentioning your social media profiles. Anyone can do that, and almost everyone does. So, let’s play with this a bit more.

Besides your website (and social profiles), what else might you “mention” in all those places?

Here’s one: instead of just the “front page” of your website, you might provide the url to a list of your services, or your “About” page. So, when someone wants to know who you are and what you do, or “what else” you do, they can quickly find out.

They don’t have to search, they can click and see. When they do, they might do more clicking and see other things you want them to see and know.

What else?

Do you have an upcoming presentation or webinar? An article just published in your bar journal? Have you published a book? Achieved a milestone or received an award?

Couldn’t you put those in your email signature or your bio on LinkedIn?

Yes, you could. (And should).

You’ve got this. Anything you want to promote, you can use soft advertising to promote it. If not for you, maybe for a good cause. Do you have a favorite charity? Why not mention it and provide a link?

One more thing. In correspondence with clients, look for opportunities to promote (a) feedback (surveys, reviews, testimonials, and (b) referrals.

When you do, you will have mastered the “soft advertising” game. Be proud.

Filed Under: Advertising, Marketing legal services

Want to earn more? Offer more value.

March 29, 2024 by David M. Ward

The formula is simple: to earn more, you have to bring in more clients (and/or more work from existing clients), reduce overhead, or increase your fees.

You get the part about improving your marketing and bringing in more business, and you’re working on that. You’re also keeping an eye on overhead. But you’re not considering increasing your fees.

Especially now when money is so tight for so many.

Maybe you should.

If you suspect you’re not charging enough based on inflation and increased overhead, and what other attorneys charge, maybe it’s time to think about increasing your fees.

I know, you’re afraid you might lose some clients who can no longer afford you. So, don’t do it—yet. Don’t increase your fees to existing clients until you bring in new clients at a higher rate.

There, you have a plan.

Well, almost. You still need to figure out how to justify higher fees for new clients.

The answer is in the question. You “justify” higher fees by offering more value for what you charge.

Want some good news? A big part of value is perception. If people think you’re worth more, you are. Which means you can increase your value by doing a better job of communicating that value.

For starters, don’t hide the fact that you cost more. Lead with it. Tell your market you’re more expensive. You cost more because your clients get more. You get things done faster, with less risk, and better outcomes.

Which is what clients want. (If they don’t, they’re price shoppers and you’re not the lawyer for them).

So yes, tell them you’re worth more and tell them why—your experience, knowledge, training, connections, methods, staff, work ethic, and philosophies.

And then prove it with testimonials, reviews, and a track record that speaks to that value.

One more thing. Focus your marketing on referrals, the hallmark of a high-quality firm.

How to get more referrals

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

I’d like to buy you dinner

March 27, 2024 by David M. Ward

Client appreciation dinners are a great way to recognize your best clients and thank them for their loyalty. Basically, you invite them to a free dinner where you present awards and gifts, introduce them to other clients in their niche, and enjoy a good meal.

You might have guest speakers who may be willing to co-sponsor the event. You might invite your clients to bring guests. Or you might keep the evening information-free and pitch-free and just have a good time.

A Facebook friend of mine, a Realtor, mentioned his firm’s upcoming “Top Referring Client Appreciation Dinner.” I thought that was a smart variation on the idea because his clients have to do something to get invited to the dinner.

There’s a little competition involved. Clients hear about the event and want to come. After the dinner, they see photos on your website and do their best to get invited the following year. Those who do attend will work hard to make the guest list again the following year. They’ll also talk about the dinner to their friends and colleagues.

Of course, it also allows you to promote the subject of referrals to all of your clients by simply talking about the dinner in your newsletter.

When you recognize good behavior (referrals), you reinforce that behavior and it tends to be repeated. When you recognize that behavior publicly, many of those who didn’t get recognized (invited) will change their behavior so they can be included the next time.

The bottom line is that you get more referrals, not just from those who make the grade as “top referrers” but from all of your clients. Your top referrer may send you ten clients, but you may have 100 clients who send you one or two.

If you can’t or don’t want to do a client appreciation dinner (criminal defense lawyers, I’m talking to you), how about a dinner for professionals? Invite your best referral sources and recognize them for their efforts.

If a client or referral source appreciation dinner isn’t in your budget, consider a breakfast or luncheon. Or, invite your best referring client or referral source out to dinner, just the two of you, to say thank you for their support throughout the year. Next year, you can invite a few more.

Here’s another way to get more referrals

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Referrals Tagged With: client dinners

Why should I believe you?

March 21, 2024 by David M. Ward

You’re in the convincing business. People either believe you (and hire you, rule for you, agree with you, etc.) or they don’t. Your success depends on getting more people to believe you and your clients.

You can always use logic and reasoning, and you should. But “telling” people and reasoning with them may not be enough.

That’s why you should also share:

PROOF: Copies of checks or documents, show them your awards, show them the statutes, let them hear eyewitness testimony, show them diagrams and photos of the scene, practice with them for depo or trial, show them your content, and offer free consultations so they can see for themself what you do and how good you are.
STORIES: Sare the words and experiences of people (like them), by showing them testimonials and reviews and thank-you notes from clients, telling them success stories about cases you’ve handled, and stories about people who didn’t hire an attorney (or waited too long).

Logic and reasoning work. Proof and stories (usually) work better.

Filed Under: Closing the sale, Marketing legal services, success Tagged With: persuasion

Marketing quiz for attorneys

March 1, 2024 by David M. Ward

Where’s the best place to invest $1000 in your law practice?

Lead generation and list building: Ads, mailers, SEO, etc.
Hiring a part-time marketing assistant to help create content, do follow-ups, and assist with other marketing projects
Name recognition, e.g., sponsoring a golf tournament or charity, public relations, signage, handouts
Starting a YouTube channel or podcast

What do you think? What will give you the most bang for your buck?

The answer is… “None of the above”.

Yes, each of these might bring you new business. But if they do, you have to continue doing them. If they don’t, it’s not the end of the world. $1000 isn’t a lot of money. But the question was, “What’s the best place to invest $1000?” The answer: personal development.

Books, courses, training, coaching—to improve your skills and develop new ones.

Personal development provides an enormous ROI that can not only bring in business today, but for the rest of your career. It doesn’t just work, it compounds. You get smarter, develop better habits (and jettison bad ones), work more productively, become more attractive and referrable.

Becoming a better writer or speaker will make you a better communicator. More people will understand your message and be persuaded to act on it.

Learning the latest legal strategies and how to use them can help you win more cases and build your reputation.

Mastering client relations—getting more people to like and trust you and want to work with you and tell others about you—these are marketing superpowers that can attract better clients, bigger cases, and more opportunities to meet influential people and become a part of their inner circle.

Shall I go on?

Clearly, the best investment you can make in your practice is an investment in yourself.