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

Pulling is better than pushing

July 9, 2026 by
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There are times when you need to push a client to do something or stop doing something. There’s a deadline approaching, they’re dragging their feet and need to make a decision about something, new facts have come to light they need to consider but aren’t. 

Or they owe you money and you can’t continue working until they get current. 

You’ve told them, advised them, given them more time, but they’re not doing what they need to do. 

This isn’t just an issue with existing clients. It also exists with prospective clients who have a problem that isn’t going away. They need your services,  perhaps desperately, but don’t hire you, or apparently anyone else. You follow-up with them again and again but at some point, it’s clear they want you to stop. 

With clients, there is a relationship and you give each other the benefit of the doubt. With prospective clients, that dynamic doesn’t exist and the more you follow-up, the more they resist. Soon, things can get ugly.

Client or prospect, instinctively, or ethically, you want to push them. Remind them again, remind them more urgently, warn them, or otherwise push them to do what they need to do. And, it’s necessary and important, you should. The problem is, the more you push them, the more you run the risk of alienating them, or, in the case of getting them to pay you, appearing desperate. 

Not good.

You have to do what you have to do, of course, and if pushing them is what you have to do, you do it. But if you can, instead of pushing, it’s always better to pull. 

What does “pulling” mean? It means encouraging and suggesting and resasoning, not pressuring. It means building regular follow-ups into your management and marketing systems that, as much as possible, automate the process without making it look anything but reasonable and necessary. 

Instead of coming after the client or prospect and annoying them into compliance, you have a system that does most of the work for you, inviting, explaining, reminding, gently increasing the urgency and frequency of contact over time. 

It might also mean having someone else on your team contact them, someone who might be better at the job, but even just having a different person do the job could make all the difference.

If you don’t have to push, pull. Pulling makes you look like you know exactly what you’re doing and are doing it on their behalf. 

Pushing makes you look unprepared, adversarial, desperate. 

Nobody likes a pushy lawyer. Unless, of course you are that lawyer, you’re pushing the opposition on behalf of your client, and it’s working.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Closing the sale, Communication, Marketing legal services

Immediately, if not sooner

June 16, 2026 by
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My grandfather used to say that when he wanted to make a point about something taking too long. He was being funny, I guess, and didn’t realize it was good advice for lawyers and service providers who are responding to inquiries and questions from prospective clients and customers.

Don’t keep ‘em waiting. Get back to them immediately (if not sooner). 

Last week, my wife and I decided to replace some plumbing fixtures in the house and asked for a bid from the company we usually work with. Unfortunately (for them), they didnt get back to us immediately and we let our fingers do the walking (Internet version), and contacted another company that had good reviews. They responded immediately (with a lower bid) and we gave them the job. 

Customers and clients are impatient, even more so today than in the days when the Yellow Pages ruled commerce. They also don’t hesitate to contact more than one lawyer or plumber when they need to hire one. So, the lesson is the same. When a prospective client contacts you, you need to follow up with them mmediately. If not sooner. 

Actually, “sooner” isn’t flippancy. You can answer client questions and make the case for choosing you even before they contact you, by posting lots of information on your website. Explain what you do and how you work, answer frequently asked questions, and describe what happens when a prospective client contacts you to get more information.

Also provide multiple ways for clients to contact you, so they can get your help as quickly as possible. 

You should have pages that describe your services, in detail and with examples. “Personal Injury” and “accidents” clearly isn’t enough detail. What kinds of accidents? What kinds of injuries? What specific services do you provide? What kinds of clients do you work with? What do you do that’s different or better than other lawyers in your niche or market?

And, don’t just say it, prove it with success stories, testimonials, and endorsements from other lawyers and business professionals. 

Assume nothing. Show them why they should trust you and choose you. 

Prospective clients (and the people who refer them) shouldn’t have to ask “why you?” Most of that information should be in front of them, available 24/7, so they can see “why you” before they ever call or fill out a form. 

Do that AND get back to them immediately when they do contact you and you’ll get more clients choosing you instead of those other lawyers who didn’t. 

Don’t make people wait. Respond to inquiries immediately. If not sooner. 

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Filed Under: Closing the sale, Communication, Marketing legal services, Online Marketing

How to charge higher fees than your competition, without losing business

June 2, 2026 by
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I’m guessing you charge around the same fees as other firms in your market that do what you do. You don’t charge less because you don’t want to look like a “discount” firm or reduce revenue and profit, and you don’t charge more because you don’t want to be undercut and lose business. 

Something like that? 

If that works for you, fine. But what if there was a way you could charge more than your competition without losing business? What if you could charge more and actually bring in more business, not less? 

That’s not crazy talk. It’s business. 

The secret to getting more cases and clients and higher fees than your competition is to offer more value than your competition. 

But how? You basically do the same things they do. Offer the same services, deliver the same outcomes, and if that’s not literally true, that’s what clients think. So, what’s the secret? How can you charge more?

By telling a different story. 

Their story is about the law, services they offer, problems they solve, their experience and capabilities. That’s obviously important and it should be a part of your story as well. 

But your story should differentiate yourself from these other firms by doing something they don’t do, or say they do.

Specialize. 

Focus your efforts on a niche or segment of the market, a type of client or case, problem or solution. 

Other firms might be “full service”; you might specialize in litigation. Other lawyers might repesent clients of all sizes and shapes; you might specialize in small businesses. Other firms might represent clients who need advice about raising capital; you might specialize in advising the principles of start-ups, real estate developers, or clients with business in other countries. 

The actual specialty isn’t the issue. Choose a niche, a market, an industry, or other segment of the market, and own it. Choose something you’re good at and enjoy, and make it a part of your story. 

And yes, you can have more than one specialty. I built a successful practice targeting a few different niche markets and it was enough to sustain me for many years.

But pick something. Specialize.

When you specialize, you cease being defined only by your practice area or services. You develop a reputation in your market. Marketing is easier, less time consuming, and delivers better results. 

You get more clients, more repeat business and referrals, and you don’t have to work as hard to get them. 

Because you are no longer a commodity, offering the same services offered by dozens of other lawyers. You specialize and are more valuable to your clients who prefer you and are willing to pay more for your services. 

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services

The right way to share your knowledge

May 14, 2026 by
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If you meet with a prospective client, or even an existing client, and tell them what you know about a given subject, offering information and advice about that subject, some lawyers and so-called marketing experts will tell you you’re being foolish. Your knowledge and opinions are your work product, they say, and you should never give that away; you should be paid for it. 

There are others, myself included, who tell you just the opposite. If you do it he right way.  

“Give away lots of information,” we tell you. “Share your knowledge and ideas liberally, because education-based marketing is extremely effective at showing people what you do and how you can help them, and if you do it right, it can be some of the most profitable marketing you do. 

But first, it depends on your practice area and services.

If you handle plaintiffs’ personal injury, for example, free consultations convert to new clients often enough to make it worthwhile, which is why most lawyers in that area offer them. With other practice areas, it can be a different story, because it takes time to speak with prospective clients and indeed, time is our most precious commodity. 

The thing is, many lawyers refuse to use content marketing because creating content also takes time. 

What they don’t realize is that that while speaking with invididual prospects can be a costly use of your time and might not provide a sufficient return on your time, spending the same amount of time creating content is usually differeent, because content scales. 

You might spend an hour or two writing a newsletter or creating a video or article, but unlike meeting with prospects individually, that piece of content might be seen or heard by hundreds or thousands of people, which might result in dozens of new cases or clients. Over time, and with sharing and referrals, those numbers could be even higher. 

But there’s more to consider. 

Many lawyers believe in the value of creating content, and do it, but don’t put a lot of effort into it. Their content tends to be generic and overly simple. Their content tends to attract less sophisticated clients or freebie-seekers, and not necessarily the best clients.

Better clients are attracted to better content. 

Which is why you should give away not just any ideas but your best ideas. 

Don’t hold back. It’s just information. If you give these away, you still have them and can use them again and again. 

If the information is good enough, it shows clients that you’re not like other lawyers, you’re different and better, and they can see why they should hire instead of those other lawyers.

If you want to attract the best clients, give away your best ideas. 

One marketing expert got it right when he said, “Be stingy with your time but generous with your ideas.”

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Filed Under: Communication, Content creation, Marketing legal services

How to get people to listen to you, hire you, and tell people about you

May 7, 2026 by
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I remember my eighth grade history teacher, Mr. Fourgis, these many decades later, because he did something most history teachers don’t do or don’t do well.  Most teachers talk about the facts and recite the dates looking backward through time. They talk about history. Mr. Fourgis talked about the historical figures as though he knew them.

He told us what they did, how they felt about their decisions, and how they felt about what happened. We heard about their fears and struggles and their hard-fought victories. Sitting in Mr. Fourgis’ class was like sitting in a movie theater and watching history in real time. 

The difference, the reason I still remember him and am telling you about him today, is that he didn’t just tell us the facts about long-deceased figures with powdered wigs and long coats. He told us stories about people as though they were still alive.

Facts tell but stories sell. Which is why you should tell more stories in your marketing. 

Don’t just tell prospective clients about your services, tell them what those services have done for real clients. What problems did they have and how did they feel about those problems? Describe their pain and desires, what you did to help them, and how they felt about what you did.

Tell stories about cases and clients they might relate to or at least find interesting, stories that illustrate what you do and how your clients are better off when you do it.

The facts are important, but stories make prospective clients feel something. That emotional experience is what makes them pay attention to you and hire you. And maybe tell others about you, decades later. 

One more thing. Unlike a history class, you were there. You witnessed some of what happened and were instrumental in creating a better outcome. So, when you tell client stories, remember to talk about yourself.

Your story is an important part of their story.

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Filed Under: Communication, Copywriting, Marketing legal services

How long has it been for you?

May 5, 2026 by
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When was the last time you asked a client why they chose you instead of another lawyer or firm? When was the last time you tried a new marketing strategy, billing method, or productivity tool? 

How long has it been since you did something new or different in your practice? If it’s been a long time, maybe it’s time to do something about that. 

Contact an old client to say hello and ask how they’re doing. Write some content on a subject you usually don’t write about. Interview a new ad agency to see what they think about your existing campaigns. 

Any change could make a huge difference in the success of your practice. 

Anything. 

It might be small compared to what you currently do or have done in the past. It might be only slightly different from what other attorneys in your market do. It could be as seemingly small as adding a new success story or testimonial to the “About” page on your website, or sending hand-written thank you notes instead of doing everything digitally. 

It might be as small as updating your forms or editing your form letters. It also might be big as starting a new practice area or opening another office in another part of town. 

You might write your first article or blog post or record your first YouTube video. You might talk to other attorneys about a possible partnership or marketing alliance, or interview a new office manager or business coach. 

Maybe you’ll do something with ai. Or commit to writing short, daily posts instead of your current once-a-month schedule. 

The question isn’t how big or small it is, or even what it is. The question is when was the last time you did something different?

Change is uncomfortable for most people but especially for attorneys. What if it fails and I look bad? What if it costs too much and returns too little? What if it takes up too much time or distracts me from my billeable hours?

I know. I think those things too. 

Instead of thinking what if it doesn’t work, we should think about what if it does.

What if ian idea leads to bringing in twice as many new cases this year? What if it allows you to increase revenue by thirty or forty percent? What if it gives you more free time you can use to do something else?

What if it makes you happy?

By definition, most changes won’t work, or won’t work well enough to be worth the effort. But the fact that most ideas flop doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try new things, it means we should try more of them. 

Because one good idea could be worth a fortune to you. 

I know, you’re skeptical. Don’t have time to think about what you might do, let alone try it. Need to stop reading this and get back to work.

Okay, but I have one more question for you. 

When was the last time you thought like a business owner and not like a lawyer? 

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Personal development, success
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