Put this at the end of your newsletter

September 17, 2026 by
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Attorneys tend to be aggressive. We like telling people what to do,and clearly, that’s part of the job description, but it can backfire. Because nobody likes being pushed. Even if what they’re being pushed to do, or not do, is in their best interests.

If you must push, push. But instead of pushing, consider pulling.

Pushing means telling recipients of your newsletter (et. al.) to call and make an appointment, fill out a form on your website, read something or do something or pay attention to something you sent them, because they need to know it or do it. 

Pulling means showing them what’s available, what you recommend or advise, describing the benefits, and reminding them why it’s important and/or time-sensitive.

It’s a kinder, gentler approach and can be just as effective. 

One way to pull your clients, prospects, subscribers, and followers, is to put a statement, reminder, or offer in your newsletter, under your signature or in a P.S. Something simple and non-confrontational. Along the lines of, “Here’s something you might find useful” or “Here’s how I can help you…”. 

One newsletter I follow (not a lawyer) puts this at the end of every newsletter, “P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s 3 ways I can help you [benefit]”. He lists 3 things his readers might want to do, e.g., buy [his course], watch one of his videos, sign up for an upcoming event. 

Depending on the scope of your practice and what you have to offer, you might want to do something like that. 

For example, 

P.S. Here are 3 ways I can help you: 

  1. [One (or more) of the services  you offer or types of cases you handle]
  2. [Content: Articles, blog posts, your podcast, your next seminar, downloads] 
  3. [Consultation, second opinion, referra, recommendation]

You don’t have to give 3 options. One or two are better than zero. 

On the other hand, if you’re shy, or too cool for school, you could simply link to your blog or latest article and/or invite them to call you with questions about a legal situation (of any kind). 

You can add something at the end of every newsletter, as this marketer does, or attach it to any content you produce. You could do it every week, once a month, or once in awhile, but do it some time because when you do, you help your readers recieve the benefits they want or need, and you get more business, calls, downloads, appointments, subscribers, social sharing, or referrals.

Without being pushy. 

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Filed Under: Blogging, Marketing legal services, Newsletters, Online Marketing

Nobody wants to read your newsletter. Write it anyway. 

September 15, 2026 by
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One of the best decisions you can make for growing a law practice is to write a newsletter. 

Even if nobody reads it. 

The act of writing a newsletter will not only improve your overall client development skills and (eventually) bring you a lot more business, it will also make you a better lawyer. 

Writing is the quintessential communication skill for a professional and there’s no better way to improve that skill than to put more words in the hands of more clients and prospects and professional contacts. 

Yes, even if nobody reads what you write, 

Think about it, every time you write something and send it to somebody, you are reminding them that you are still alive, still practicing law, still able to help them or someone they know. 

Yes, they might remember you if you don’t send them a newsletter, but you’ll get more business if you do. People are busy. Many can’t remember your name, haven’t thought about you in years, and don’t care about what you do if they don’t presently have a problem or need legal advice.

A newsletter let’s you stay in their minds and their mailboxes, reminding them what you do and how you can help them. And gives them a link or phone number to make it easy to take the next step. 

That’s the “no brainer” part of the equation. 

But there’s more. 

Writing a newsletter also provides you with content you can use in other aspects of your marketing. You can recycle your newsletter content into articles, white papers, handouts, presentations, videos, podcasts, social media posts, blogs, and books. 

Easy, free content you write once and use over and over again. 

Writing a newsletter also “forces” you to read and listen to content created by other lawyers or experts. I reguarly get ideas for this newsletter that way. 

Okay, you are a good writer and have something to say that’s worth reading. What if you don’t have enough subscribers to justify the time it takes to write a newletter?

Your “small” list can be used to introduce your other services, put more butts in seats at your presentations, and solicit success stories from clients you can use on your website and other marketing content. 

And, if you stay with it, your numbers will grow. And compound.

If you have 50 people on your newsletter list today, next year you might have 500. Two years from now, 5000. 

Start, or start again, and give it time. Even if a newsletter is the only marketing you do, it might eventually be all you need.

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Filed Under: List building, Marketing legal services, Newsletters

Go your own way

September 1, 2026 by
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Why do clients hire you? I don’t mean your services and the outcomes you deliver. Other lawyers in your field do what you do. Why do your clients hire you instead of them? 

There are three possible reasons. 

The first reason a client hires you instead of another attorney is that they know, like, and trust you. They hired you once, you delivered, treated them well, and they believe you will do it again. 

That’s how lawyers build a clientele. Repeat business is the not-so-secret sauce.

The second reason a client chooses you is that they know, like, and trust the person who referred or recommended you. They might not know you, but they know, like, and trust someone who knows, likes, and trusts you, and that’s usually good enough for them.

Repeat business and referrals. Got it. 

There’s a third reason you get chosen. No, it’s not because you have the lowest fees. You didn’t just say that, did you? Actually, having the lowest fees is often the reasons clients don’t choose you.

No, the third reason you were chosen is that you said something in your marketing message, content, or conversation that caught the client’s attention and showed them you are different.

You’re not like all the other lawyers they see or hear.

Most lawyers look and sound the same and, let’s face it, are the same. A small minority are different and that difference is enough to attract more clients than other attorneys who are essentially chosen at random.

That difference also allows an attorney to charge higher fees than they ordinarily might charge, more than other attorneys in their market charge, and clients happily pay it, simply because the attorney isn’t like other attorneys.

Now, here’s the thing. The differences that make you stand out don’t have to be huge. You don’t have to have billions of dollars in settlements, sit on prestigous boards, or be regularly talked about in the right circles. 

You also don’t have to “do” more than what other lawyers do for their clients. Sure, do that if you can. It’s better. But it’s not required.

So, what makes you different? You.

It is your personality, your style, your brand that makes you stand out. The things you talk about, the things that are important to you, who you are as an individual.

Do “you”. Go your own way. People will notice, remember, and choose you. They’ll also tell others about you.

Because there is a benefit attached to that difference and clients are attracted to that benefit.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services

Creative marketing for attorneys

August 20, 2026 by
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My father was an attorney and before he went into private practice, he worked in-house for a mid-sized company. Every summer, the company sponsored a picnic for employees and their families, customers, and business contacts. They grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, put out big piles of chips, soda, apple and cherry pie, ice cream, and more. 

They had games and contests and drawings with cool prizes. It was a day filled with fellowship and fun.

I know, I was there. 

Everyone looked forward to the picnic each year and told friends about it. It was a way to promote culture in the company, and an effective form of marketing. 

Marketing? You bet your sweet bippy. (Bonus points if you know where that (fun) phrase comes from). 

The point is, marketing doesn’t have to be dull. It can be fun. And when it’s fun, people look forward to it and talk about it and feel a part of something bigger (and better) than what everyone else is doing. 

Which is why I encourage you to put some fun into your marketing. 

It doesn’t have to be a picnic. Challenge another firm to a baseball game, do a movie night or bowling night, or do a “bring your pet to work” day. 

Something different, something that puts a smile on people’s faces, even if they just hear about it but don’t participate. 

If you’re too small to sponsor a picnic, or not inclined to do that on your own, you can pair up with another law firm or an accountant or broker or advisor. 

They need to have fun, too. 

The point is, most people think of attorneys as boring, and let’s be honest, we are (and that’s okay), but we don’t live in pin stripes and enjoy having fun, and so do our clients and the people they can refer.

You can have fun online, too. Probably not as much fun as a picnic or baseball game, but conducting a drawing or contest, posting a quote of the week or photos of your team wearing silly costumes for Halloween are easy to put together. 

And fun. 

Most lawyer marketing isn’t creative. It isn’t fun. Boring and professional (safe) might be de riguer for us, but there’s nothing wrong with breaking the mold, at least occasionally, and showing people the lighter side of our very serious image. 

Want to know know something else that’s fun? Sharing some of our creativity with our clients and contacts, letting them share it with their clients and contacts, and thus do some of our marketing for us.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services Tagged With:

Networking for lawyers who hate networking 

August 6, 2026 by
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I’m not a networker. Not naturally, anyway. And yet my practice and businesses grew significantly as a result of meeting new people.

Traditionally, networking meant going to meetings, shaking a lot of hands, making small talk and getting to know a lot of people, hoping someone might be interested in what you do.

It’s all about building a bigger list of contacts. And hoping you get lucky.

The good news is there is another option. You don’t need to go to a lot of meetings and shake a lot of hands. You don’t need a big network to be successful. You only need to connect with a few people.

If they’re the right people.

Call it Networking 2.0. Or, networking for people who hate networking.

What do I mean by “the right people”? I mean people who are influential in your niche or target market. They know a lot of people who might need your services, or can refer them.

The know a lot of the people you want to know and those people trust them.

Even one or two of the right people could help your practice blow up.

Okay, what do you do?

The first step is to identify them by “category”.

Ask yourself, “What kinds of people are already trusted by a large number of my ideal clients or prospects?”

You’ll probably come up with a list of professionals and business owners or executives, financial advisors, consultants, and others who regularly work with, advise, or sell to the people in your target market.

You might go through your client list and ask yourself who provided you with your last three referrals or introductions. What is their background, specialty, niche, or area of expertise?

Don’t limit yourself to professionals and business people, however. Some of your “regular” clients or contacts might be influential in your target market.

After you’ve identified some categories, the next step is to identify some “candidates”.

The first way to do that is to talk to your existing contacts and find out who they know. people who know you and your work. Tell them you want to expand your network and ask who they know who might be a good contact for you.

And then, ask if they will introduce you.

Yes, it can be that simple.

If they aren’t comfortable introducing you, or you’re not comfortable asking them to do it, tell them you’ll look up their contact info and ask if it’s okay for you to mention that you have a mutual connection.

How could they say no?

You can also find candidates yourself. Probably on social media. Yes, that’s harder to do because the “right people” don’t know you and are undoubtedly approached by an endless number of people who want to get to know them (and gain access to their network), so they’re skeptical and unlikely to help you anytime soon.

It will take some time and effort on your part. Even if you are introduced to them.

Okay, after you’ve identified some candidates, follow them, learn more about what they do and what they want, and when the time is right (don’t rush it), approach them.

Comment on one of their posts or on someone else’s post they replied to, mentioned, or shared.

Get on their radar and then provide value.

Value means helping them with ideas, information, introductions, endorsements, referrals, ratings and reviews, and your opinion on things that appear to be important to them.

Value means promoting their event, sharing their content, telling them about resources you’ve discovered that could benefit them or their clients, and possibly offering assistance with something they might need or want.

Again, don’t rush. Don’t do it immediately after you follow them. First, show them you appreciate what they do, and that you are a serious professional worth knowing.

And give it time.

Don’t expect overnight success. Even if someone they know and trust introduces or recommends you, or you’re able to help them with something important.

it’s going to take time for them to trust you enough to help you.

It will be worth it. Remember, you chose them because they’re one of the right people (for you). And remember, you don’t have to go to endless meetings.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Social media marketing

If Rod Serling narrated your marketing story

August 4, 2026 by
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A picture of two attorneys. The first attorney works hard at marketing. They talk to a lot of people, share good content on a blog or in a newsletter or on social media, advertise or network to meet more people in their niche or market, and continually build their list of prospective clients, subscribers, and business contacts. 

Prospective clients call, follow their posts, read their articles, opt-in, respond to their ads, make appointments, and the attorney gets new clients. 

Unfortunately, those prospective clients don’t always hire them, or don’t have a lot of work for them, or can’t pay for the work they need done. 

The first attorney makes a living but, sometimes, only just. 

The second attorney also talks to a lot of people, shares content, builds their list, gets calls and regularly speaks with prospective clients, but unlike the first attorney, a high percentage of those prospective clients are glad they found them and glad to hire them. They have lots of work for the attorney, liberally provide referrals and introductions, and willingly pays the higher fees the attorney deserves. 

The first attorney gets clients from their marketing. The second attorney gets more clients from the same effort and they are usually “better” clients. 

What’s the difference? Why does one attorney get better results from their marketing? 

One reason? The first attorney “chases” clients and the second attorney “attracts” them. 

If you want to get better clients and better results with your marketing, never chase clients. Make them come to you.

How do you do that? 

Mostly, by believing you can. You’re very good at what you do, one of the best, and you can get most or all of your business from clients who seek you out and ask you to represent them. 

That belief gives you the posture you need to attract those clients. 

Marketing isn’t just about what you do, but how you do it. How you do it comes from belief in yourself. Even if you aren’t the best, you conduct yourself like you are.

In your content marketing, you provide helpful information and (gently, not urgently) invite them to get more. You give them examples of the kinds of work you do and problems you solve, show them (not tell them) you’re good at your job,  and tell them what to do to get that additional information or take the next step. 

Clients are more likely to believe in you when they see that you believe in yourself. You are confident. Calm, cool, collected. The successful professional in demand by others.

That means you don’t “warn” them or use emotional appeals or “fear of loss” more than is appropriate. You don’t push them. You give them the facts, show them what you have done for others, and let them decide to move forward or not. 

You attract clients by inviting them to look at information, ask questions, and raise their hand if they want to take the next step. You follow-up regularly, with additional information and new success stories. You stay in touch with clients and prospects and professional contacts, even though you’re busy (and want them to know that). You are successful, in demand, and don’t need more clients, but for the right one, you’ll consider it.

That’s posture.

In a nutshell, clients want to hire the attorney who can help them but might not be available. 

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services Tagged With:

Promote trial

July 28, 2026 by
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No, not that kind of trial. Trial as in the way many apps are sold in the App store: “Download our app and try it before you buy it”. Customers try the app, see how it works, decide they like it and buy it. For many developers, a free trial results in more sales and higher profits. That’s why so many companies offer them. 

And then there’s the legal world. Most lawyers don’t let anyone try before they buy. Clients either hire them or they don’t. 

The risk is on the client and if a competitor offers any kind of free trial, many clients will hire them instead. 

But that doesn’t mean lawyers should always offer a free trial, or even free consultations. They work for some practices and niches but may not work for yours. Or they might work but you might not be comfortable offering them. 

Fortunately, there are other ways to get clients to try you before they hire you. And you may already use some of them. 

Trial can be accomplished through free seminars, a newsletter, writing articles, blogs, and books. You might offer free downloads (forms, checklists, case studies, or other resources) on your website. You might do podcasts or videos or get interviewed by experts or influencers on their podcast or channel.

Prospective clients read or hear you speak about their legal situation or their industry, learn about solutions and opportunities that are available to them, and get a sense for what it would be like hiring or working with you. 

They get a sample of what you offer, even though they haven’t actually hired you.

If they like what you say, and how you present it, they are more inclined to hire you than they might be if you required them to pay you first.

Free content, free consultations, free seminars, or even just a brief conversation with you could help let clients (and referral sources) try you before they buy you. 

If it does, you might have a great way to bring in a lot of new business, and you don’t need an app to do it.

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Filed Under: Closing the sale, Content creation, Increase your income, Marketing legal services

How to create a marketing plan that works for you

July 23, 2026 by
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So much to do, so little time to do it. You may not like it, or be good at it, but you realize that marketing is critical for attorneys and you need to do it. 

And you need a plan

You can delegate or outsource many marketing activities, including a lot of the planning, but the important bits need to be done by you. 

Even if that means using otherwise billable time to do it. 

Much of the relationship building inherent in marketing professional services cannot be delegated. Clients hire and want to work with you, not a secretary or assistant. Or your partner. 

You can hire people to do things like following-up on your behalf, but you need to talk to the clients and prospects, at least at some point in the process. The same goes for referral sources and other business contacts. 

You can’t simply write a check and expect others to do everything for you. You need to be involved in the planning and execution. You’ll get better results when you do. 

If you don’t have any plan, where do you start? You start with where you are and what you know. 

It may sound daunting and it would be if you tried to do it all at once. You won’t. You’ll do it incrementally–one step at a time. 

Start by making an outline of the steps for each part of the process you use. What do you do that could be called marketing, lead generation, follow-up, or client relations? What do you tell prospective clients about your services, when and how often? What do you send to leads or inquiries and to existing clients? 

Write it all down. Write down what you do and identify things you don’t do but think you could or should.

If you advertise or do seminars, you might start there because you’ll have some quantifiable data to look at. What do you spend, what publications or keywords, how much business does that bring in? 

You might want to start with existing and former clients. What you do between engagements, during holidays, to remember birthdays, or to otherwise stay in touch and keep your name in front of people who have already hired you?

You could start with your newsletter subscribers or social media followers. What do you send them and how often? How many subscribers do you have and how has that changed in the last six months or a year? What subjects do you typically write or talk about and how much engagement does that create? 

You might start by identifying the steps you take to respond to inquiries or leads. What do you send them or say to them? What do you offer or tell them to do? 

It doesn’t matter where you start. What matters is that you start, because that will help you identify what you need to change or add or stop doing, even if you’re not sure what that could be.

Keep at it. Eventually, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s working for you and what needs to be improved. 

At that point, if you haven’t done so already, you might want to talk to marketing experts and see what they tell you to consider, or use an ai to give you additional ideas.

You’ll realize there are many options and variables and you’ll start making some decisions, some of which will be a waste of time but some of which could make a huge difference.

It’s messy and might take a long time. And, once you’ve done it, you’ll need to continue doing it because it’s a process, not a one-and-done event. 

The hard part is starting. It’s also the most important part so if you don’t have a plan right now, or know you need to update your existing plan, I encourage you to start immediately. 

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

Bad marketing advice for attorneys

July 16, 2026 by
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“Stop talking about yourself”. That’s the advice we’re often told about marketing, but I don’t agree with it. Most lawyers need to talk about themself more, not less. 

But there is a limit. 

If you added a new article to your website or recorded a new video, if you’re writing a book or speaking at an upcoming event, if you were just hired by a well-known client, tell your subscribers and followers about it. 

And tell them why they should care. 

If they read your article or come to your event, what will they learn? How will they be better off? If you hired a new adminstrative assistant, how will this help you do a better job for your clients?

If there’s a benefit to your reader or follower, talk about it. That’s something they will definitely want to hear. 

Why should they care that you were just hired by a well-known client? You may be proud or excited but what’s in it for your other clients?

Sometimes, the benefit is implied. If a well-known company in their niche hired you, it suggests to your other clients that they are in good company. Clients want to hire attorneys that are in demand by other clients, especially when they are well-regarded in their market or industry. 

Okay, but what about sharing personal stuff? Nobody cares about what you ate for breakfast or where you went on vacation. 

Maybe they do. 

Clients and prospects and colleagues–the people who read our newsletter or blog or follow us on social, the people who hire us or refer others to us–want to know that we have a life outside of our work. 

But again, there’s a limit. 

If you did something or saw something on your vacation you believe will interest readers or followers, tell them about it. But make sure it’s interesting. 

Maybe it’s a lesson you learned about how things are done in a different country or culture, something you’ve never experienced or thought about before, and maybe your readers will be interested to hear about that difference. 

Why would anyone be interested in what you ate for breakfast? 

Well, maybe you tried a high-protein, low-carb meal on the recommendation of a friend who has lost a lot of weight or improved a medical issue by doing that and you’re encouraged. Maybe some of your readers will be interested in trying that because they have a similar challenge, or they simply care about you and want to know that you’re doing well. 

Sharing personal stories is fine. But make them interesting. Relevant. Or fun. 

And don’t go on an on about it.

People want to know things about you beyond your resume. Tell them something. Just don’t tell them everything.

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Filed Under: Communication, Content creation, Marketing legal services

Content marketing: is it right for your practice?

July 14, 2026 by
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Content marketing is a simple and effective way to market legal services. It helps prospects and the people who can refer them to find you, through search and sharing, shows them what you do and how you can help them, and shows them why they should choose you instead of other lawyers or firms who list their practice areas and services but provide little or no evidence of their knowledge and abilities.

It’s “education-based marketing” and has a long history of success in marketing professional services and other service businesses in a multitude of niches and markets.

But is it right for you?

Many attorneys say it won’t work for them because they don’t have enough time to do it, or they don’t have enough to write or talk about.

If that’s you, I urge you to try it, or, if you have tried it, try it again. Find a way to make it work because not only is it a simple way to bring in new clients, repeat business and referrals, it’s a great way to build your reputation as a leader in your practice area or market.

Even if you already have an effective marketing program in place and don’t “need” anything else, find a way to write or record something.

It doesn’t have to be brilliant. You don’t have to write journal-quality content, just a few words or thoughts or ideas relevant to the people in your target market or niche. A short message that lets you connect or re-connect with people you know and people you want to know is more powerful than you can imagine and takes less effort than you might fear.

Sending an email to 50 people is a lot easier than meeting with them in person, and nearly as effective.

You can write about subjects you’ve written about before (as I am doing right now); if it’s worth saying once, it’s worth saying again. And it doesn’t have to be original to you. Write about what other lawyers, experts, business leaders, authors, and others write or speak about. Tell why you agree with them or where you differ. What you liked about what they said and what you didn’t. Give your opinion, share your stories or thoughts, or just summarize theirs.

Or “steal” their ideas and write your own piece. Yes, you can. I do it all the time.

How often do you need to create or publish something? Once a week, or once a month, or even once in a while. Anything is better than “never”.

Hold on. Enough with all the questions. Instead of trying to figure it all out before you start, just start. Write something and send it to someone. Send it to one person. Someone you know or someone you want to know.

Can’t think of anyone? Send it to me.

Do it today. You’ll be glad you did.

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Filed Under: Content creation, Marketing legal services, Newsletters
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