Marketing legal services Archives - Page 93 of 134

How much are you willing to invest in your law practice?

May 20, 2014 by David M. Ward

I read about a recent law school graduate who has $200,000 in student loans and can’t get a legal job. Not surprisingly, he questions the efficacy of taking on large loans for a spec legal career. But what if he did get the job he thought he would? Me thinks he might be playing a different tune.

We invest money in law school because we think we’ll be able to pay it back and make a handsome return on our investment. We do the same thing when we open a law office.

We also invest our time. We spend years getting our education, and more years working long hours for inadequate pay, with the knowledge that some day, it will be worth it.

When things go right, nobody blinks. When they don’t, that’s all anyone talks about.

The past is past. You either made a good investment or you didn’t. Don’t look back. Look forward.

Wherever you are right now, ask yourself what you are willing to invest in your future.

How much money? How much time? Especially time.

How many hours per week are you willing to invest in marketing and building your practice? How many networking events are you willing to go to without seeing an immediate return? How many blog posts or articles are you willing to write this week, this month, this year?

When I opened my first office, I spent the little funds I had on furniture, rent, and a typewriter. I needed the rest for living expenses. I didn’t have money but I had lots of time. Later, when my practice grew, I had money and no time. To continue to grow, I had to find the time because I couldn’t compete with the big budget advertisers in my market.

I found the time by delegating as much of my work as possible. I gave up personal time. And I invested this time in building my practice.

I talk to a lot of lawyers who tell me they don’t have time for marketing. Borrow the time. You’d borrow the money if you needed it, why can’t you borrow the time?

How much time are willing to invest in your law practice? The Formula will help you create a marketing plan.

Filed Under: Increase your income, Marketing legal services Tagged With: investing in your career, law school debt

Marketing legal services like a bookkeeper

May 6, 2014 by David M. Ward

Bookkeepers aren’t usually known for their prowess in marketing legal services, but if you put them in charge of marketing for your firm, they’d probably advise you to do something like the following:

STEP ONE

Make a list of your “best” clients over the last two years. These are the ones who pay you the biggest fees, give you the most business, and other factors (e.g., provide the most referrals, most enjoyable to work with).

STEP TWO

Write down a few details about each client. For business clients, record their industry, size (revenue, employees, units), etc.; for consumers, record their occupation, age group, and other demographic factors. Also note the client’s “presenting problem,” i.e., legal issue or objective they first approached you about.

STEP THREE

For each client, note how they found you (or you found them):

Referrals: From whom? Client? Professional? How did I meet that person? What prompted the referral?
Internet search: What keywords? What landing page? (Note, start tracking this going forward)
Internet other: What article, site, or page did they come to your site from? (Start tracking this, too)
Social media: Which platform? Which post/tweet, etc? Who re-posted/tweeted/recommended?
Networking: Which group? Who introduced you? What did you say, do, offer? What did they ask you?
Ad: Which publication? Which ad? Was it the first time they had seen it?
Other: Speaking, articles, etc.

If you don’t know the answers, ask the client, and update your systems to start tracking this data in the future.

STEP FOUR

Based on this information, think about what you can do to get more clients like your best clients. If most of them are coming from referrals from other professionals, think about how you can strengthen your relationship with those professionals and how you can reciprocate. If you’re getting a lot of referrals from certain clients, reach out to them to thank them and look for other ways you can help them outside of your legal services.

How much business are you getting from ads, speaking, or social media? If not much, cut down on or eliminate time and money in those areas. If you do get good clients from these efforts, do more of these.

Now that you’ve identified your “best” clients, speak to them and find out more about them. What groups do they belong to and network at? What publications do they regularly read? Where are they active in their industry or community? The more you know about them, the more you can focus on activities that may help you identify and attract clients who are similar to them.

Ask your best clients to identify other professionals they work with and ask them to introduce you. Contact those professionals, let them know you have a mutual client, invite them to coffee.

Your bookkeeper would tell you to identify things that have worked best for you in the past so you can do more of them. She would also tell you to reduce or eliminate those things that have not worked well for you in the past.

The numbers tell the story.

Please say hello to your bookkeeper for me, and ask her if she would like to write a guest post for my blog.

Do you know The Formula? Go here now

Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

What do you like best about being an attorney?

April 28, 2014 by David M. Ward

It’s time to write another article for your website, blog, or newsletter. If you’re ready, say, “I’m ready!” and let’s get started.

The title of your post is: “What I like best about being an _______attorney in ________”. The first blank is your practice area. The second blank is your city or town. This will give you a title with some keywords prospective clients are likely to search for.

So, what do you like best about being an attorney? Your answer will give clients and prospects some insights into why you do what you do. They want to know what drives you because they want to hire an attorney who is passionate about what they do.

You might start your article by describing several things you like, followed by the one thing you like the most. You might describe a typical day, showing what you do and how you feel about what you do. Or a crazy day that tested you but ultimately defined you. You might talk about why you went to law school.

Whatever you like about being an attorney, make sure you tell the reader why. Sure, you like being able to help people solve problems, but why? Share a story about what you did for a client in the past, how it changed their life, and how this made you feel.

What about money? I say, don’t hide from the subject. If you do well financially and that’s something you like about your practice, say so. Clients want to hire successful attorneys. I probably wouldn’t make it number one on the list, however, unless you can also show how you use the money to make the world a better place by supporting charitable causes and the like.

If it helps, you might want to pretend that you’re writing this to a young relative who is considering a career in law. What would you say to show them that it’s hard, but worth it?

Give your readers some insights into what you do and why you do it. Clients hire attorneys they know, like, and trust and your article will help them do just that.

Want more ideas about contentÂ for your website? Get this

Filed Under: Blogging, Marketing legal services, Newsletters, Online Marketing, Web traffic, Writing

Most Clients Find Lawyers Through the Internet, but. . .

April 24, 2014 by David M. Ward

Findlaw conducted a surveyÂ about how people go about finding a lawyer. To nobody’s surprise, the top two answers were the Internet (38%) and referrals (29%). This compares to results of a similar survey they did nine years earlier which found that only 7% used the Internet and 65% asked for referrals.

(If you’re curious, only 4% use the Yellow Pages, compared to 10% in the earlier survey).

So, yes, everything you’ve heard about having an Internet presence is true.

You know my position on this: even if they don’t find you through the Internet, you need a website to showcase your talents so that if they find you through any means, including referrals, they can “check you out” online. This includes YOU sending them to your site.

The survey says nothing about the type of case or engagement, fees, or other criteria. It just says most clients find lawyers through the Internet, but “most” doesn’t mean “best”.

I maintain that the best clients, the ones who pay the biggest fees, ask the fewest questions, and remain loyal over time, come from referrals, not the Internet. Clients who use the Internet to find attorneys tend to be price shoppers, harder to please, and fickle.

You need an Internet presence, and you will get clients that way. But Internet marketing will never replace referral marketing for building a law practice, no matter what the survey says.

Marketing online for attorneys. Click here.

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Online Marketing, Referrals Tagged With: findlaw

Lawyers: the world’s second oldest profession

April 23, 2014 by David M. Ward

We’re mouthpieces. Clients pay us to advocate their position. We don’t have to believe in what our client wants, or like them personally, we do their bidding. Kinda like the world’s oldest profession.

Now, now, don’t get your panties in a festival. I’m being real here. We don’t care if our client is ugly or smells bad, we only care if the check clears. We do our jobs. If we don’t, we’re out of business. Besides, if we don’t do it, some other shyster will, so all our righteous indignation and standing on principle is for naught.

At least that’s what some people think.

The truth is, we can decide who we will and won’t represent. We don’t have to represent anyone who shakes a bag of money in our face. We can refuse to take cases and causes we don’t believe in or represent any client who needs our help. And we can make a fine living doing it.

But I don’t want to talk about policy or the image of the profession. I want to talk about marketing.

At some point, you should have written a description of your ideal client. (If you have not and you need help doing so, get The Attorney Marketing Formula.)

Once you have decided on your ideal client. . . Don’t keep it a secret.

Tell people what kinds of clients you want to work with. Publish this on your website. Let everyone know.

Practice areas are easy: here’s what I do, here’s what I don’t do. (But I know a lot of other lawyers, so if you have X problem, give me a holler and I’ll introduce you to a lawyer who can help.)

What’s more challenging is describing clients by industry or demographics.

You represent only men or only women, only landlords or only tenants. You represent clients in certain industries or of a certain size or market sector.

“Yeah, but if I declare to the world that I represent clients in the automotive industry, I won’t get hired by clients who manufacture appliances.”

What you have to realize is that this is a good thing.

You may not get appliance manufacturers, but you’ll get more from the auto industry. They will be attracted to you because they see you are dedicated to serving them. They’ll see that you understand their needs and speak their language. You have helped others like them, so it’s obvious that you can help them, too.

We may be the world’s second oldest profession, but this doesn’t mean we have to represent everyone who can pay.

Specialize in the clients you represent. And don’t be afraid to announce it.

Choose a target market. If you don’t know who to choose, choose anyone. Jim Rohn said, “It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.”

On the great road of life (or business), some choose the left side, some choose the right side, and both can do well. The ones who stay in the middle of the road are the ones who usually get run over.

This will help you choose your ideal client and target market.Â

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Specializing Tagged With: choosing a target market, ideal client

Why you should offer multiple versions of your legal services

April 4, 2014 by David M. Ward

If you only offer one version of your services, you may be losing business and short-changing your income.

Think about it, when a prospective client thinks the fee you quoted is more than he wants to spend, he has two choices: hire you or go away. One of those choices is bad for both of you. If you offer two versions, however, the client might choose the lower cost version. They’ll get some of what they need now, they can get more later, and you get a client.

When I was selling my big ticket referral marketing course a few years back, I offered Basic and Deluxe versions. The Deluxe version offered more information and more help (consulting). Most lawyers chose the Deluxe package, which meant I got more customers and earned more on the average sale.

You want prospective clients to think “which package should I get?” instead of “should I get this?” In marketing, it’s called “alternative choice”. It’s used extensively Â in direct response. Â And sales people use it to set appointments: “could I come out tomorrow or would some time next week work better?”

If you currently offer a menu of different services, see if you can combine some of them into bigger packages. You’ll make it easier for clients to choose, because they will have fewer options, and you’ll earn more for the same work.

If you charge by the hour, see if you can break off some of what you do, package it, and offer it for a flat fee.

And, if you currently offer a package of legal services for one set fee, see if you could break up that package into two or three separate packages. You can charge more for each package separately, or offer a lower price if they sign up for both (or all three). Not only will you get more first time clients, you’ll also earn more for each component of your work.

Learn more about packaging your services. Click here.

Filed Under: Increase your income, Law office management, Marketing legal services Tagged With: alternative choice

What do clients want from their lawyers?

April 3, 2014 by David M. Ward

What do clients want from their lawyers? You can ask your clients what they want. You can conduct surveys. You can do research. But as Steve Jobs once said, “A lot of times, people donâ€™t know what they want until you show it to them.”

A client comes in, thinking he wants a certain document or course of action. You show him his other options, recommend one, and tell him why.

A prospective client visits your website, looking for a solution he thinks he needs. He reads your articles and learns that something else might be better for him.

A client comes to see you, asking about your cheapest solution. You show him why this will cost more in the long run, or expose him to too much risk, and suggest a more expensive option.

A client wants you to go to trial. You show him why it makes sense to settle.

But your job is about more than the delivery of your core services. It is about creating the complete client experience. This includes how you answer the phone, how you schedule appointments, how you keep clients informed during the case, your billing practices, how you dress, your office decor, your bedside manor, and everything else.

If the client has hired an attorney in the past, they are probably expecting you to treat them the way other attorneys have. It probably won’t take much to exceed their expectations.

If they client hasn’t hired an attorney before, they may not know what to expect. That means you have to work a little harder to explain your recommendations. It means you have to manage their expectations, by under-promising, so you can over-deliver.

In your marketing, are you advertising or promoting the same services and features other attorneys offer or are you taking some risks and offering something different?

In any business or professional practice, you have to give clients what they want. But sometimes, they don’t know what they want until you show it to them.

Filed Under: Client relations, Law office management, Marketing legal services Tagged With: exceeding expectations, innovating

How to stop procrastinating

April 2, 2014 by David M. Ward

I don’t believe all procrastination is bad.

Sometimes, procrastination is our subconscious mind telling us that what we are resisting is not in our best interests. Without procrastination, we might rush into projects that waste time or money and distract us from our most important objectives. Procrastination is a buffer that allows us to examine our plans, make sure that they are appropriate and that we are ready to move forward.

And yet we all have projects we know we need to do, and often want to do, but still procrastinate. Many books have been written about how to stop procrastinating. One of the best strategies, and also the simplest, is to just get started.

Do something related to the project and you will have begun. And beginning is the most important part.

What have you been procrastinating about in connection with marketing? Something you know you should do but haven’t done?

Updating your website? That’s a good one. Okay, let’s see if we can get you started.

Procrastination is often a sign that we need more information.Â Start by making a list of things you need to look into. You might set up an electronic file and use that for your notes, ideas, resources, and links.

Write down some ideas. Make a note to do some searches on keywords like “self-hosted wordpress,” “wordpress themes,” “email autoresponders,” and content marketing. Save the links to your file. Here is a list of resources I recommend to add to your list.

Also, when you see a website that has features you know you need, or a layout you like, add the link to your notes.

Hey, you’ve started this project! You may have a long way to go, but you are closer now than you were before.

Let’s do another.

You’ve been thinking about finding and joining a new networking group. Let me help you get started:

Write down the names of people you know who are good networkers; make a note to ask them for advice
Search online for groups in your local market that might be appropriate, in two categories: (general networking groups (chamber of commerce, Rotary, BNI), and groups that cater to your target market (industry, trade groups, etc.)
Do a search for “how to choose a networking group” and get some tips for your notes
Visit the websites of candidate groups and get information about when they meet, what kind of members they have, and who can join
Narrow your list to five candidates and put their meeting days on your calendar

There. You’ve started.

One more? How about a project to increase referrals.

Schedule a Saturday this month to update your database or contact management system; make sure everyone you know is in it; if you have to manually go through closed files, schedule time for that
Add a field or tag so you can identify contacts (client, former client, prospects, professional contacts, and other)
Write a few lines for the first draft of a “touching base” email you can send to your contacts

Yep, you started that project, too.

You can do this for any project you have been putting off. Do anything related to that project, even if it’s just opening a file and jotting down some notes.Â Once you have started, you are on your way.

Next, choose some aspect of one of these projects and “start” on that. Take some action that moves you forward.

They say the hardest part of going to the gym is going to the gym. Once you’re at the gym, the rest is (relatively) easy.

For help with your website, get this

Filed Under: Inspiration, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Personal development Tagged With: overcome procrastination, stop procrastination