Plan. Do. Review.

March 3, 2015 by
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I want to bring in more business.

Okay, what’s you’re plan?

I’m thinking of joining a networking group and meeting some prospective clients and/or referral sources.

Sounds good; which one(s) will you join?

I’ve narrowed down my choices to three groups. I’m going to visit all three before I make up my mind.

Makes sense. What else?

I’m looking at their websites to see what goes on at their meetings and what kinds of people attend. I’m learning as much as I can about their leaders and process, and writing down questions.

Nice. Doing your homework. Then what?

When I go to the first meeting, I’ll introduce myself to the leaders and ask my questions. Then I’ll try to meet other members, find out what they do, and see what they can tell me about the group. I’ll be looking for people who might be a good match for me, both in terms of practice area or business and personality.

Very good plan, my friend. Once you decide which group to join, what then?

Then I’ll start going to meetings and introducing myself to more people. I’ll exchange contact information and ask lots of questions about what they do, what kinds of clients or customers they target, and how I might be able to help them. I’ll take notes and see if I have any clients I can refer. I’ll look for other ways to help them, such as introducing them to other people in my network, offering advice, or recommending resources.

I’ll spend time with the people I meet and start building relationships. I’ll connect with them on social media, share their content and promote their causes. I’ll subscribe to their newsletters and blogs and go through their websites to learn more about them and what they do.

At some point, they will ask me about what I do. I’ll tell them about the problems I solve, the services I offer, my target market, and my ideal client.

I’ll also be on the lookout for people who are open to a joint venture. They may want to share my report with their clients and subscribers. They may have something I can share with mine. If they write a blog, I’ll suggest that we can do guest posts for each other.

That’s all I have in mind for now. I’m sure I’ll have more ideas after I meet some people and get to know them.

I know networking takes time and I’m prepared to invest that time. I might start out with ten new contacts and eventually narrow that down to one or two good ones. One or two good contacts could lead me to a lot of new business.

Sounds like a plan. A good one. Simple, flexible, a place to start. Which is all a plan needs to do.

Plan. Do. Review.

For a simple plan that really works, get The Formula.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking

Getting things done in burst mode

February 23, 2015 by
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I read an article recently about the work habits of a novelist. He said that he works best when he doesn’t write every day, as conventional wisdom suggests. Rather, he gets more done in “burst mode” (my term) where he will write up to 8,000 or 10,000 words in a day.

His job (full time as I recall) and family obligations make it difficult to carve out sufficient blocks of writing time during the week. He found that an hour a day wasn’t long enough to find his writing mojo and get up to speed. Give him eight or ten hours on Saturday, however, and he could knock out an entire book in record time.

The point is that each of us works differently and we need to honor what works best for us.

As you know, I advocate setting aside time each work day for marketing your practice. You can get a lot done in as little as 15 minutes a day, if you do it consistently. But I acknowledge the value of working in bigger blocks of time, especially on bigger projects. In fact, I do it myself.

In my practice, I would often show up at the office on a Saturday and plow through a pile of files. In a few hours of undisturbed time, I would do more work than I might do in an entire week.

In school, instead of studying every night, I often crammed for tests the night before and wrote entire term papers in a weekend. That’s how I liked to work and I got good grades. In fact, I’ve read that we often do our best creative work when we do it quickly.

All hail burst mode!

In school, we have deadlines and due dates. The same goes for most legal work. But that’s not true with marketing. So, if you want to do marketing in burst mode, you need to schedule the time in advance and stick to that schedule.

You might schedule one Saturday each month for marketing. In a few hours of undisturbed time, you could create a new seminar or produce a month’s worth of articles, blog posts, emails, or social media content.

Getting things done in burst mode doesn’t necessarily mean doing nothing throughout the week, however. The above mentioned author uses snippets of time throughout the week to take care of administrative and less demanding tasks related to his writing. You can, too.

During your Saturday marketing session, you might plan out the people you want to call that month. With your plan in hand, you can take a few minutes each week day to make those calls.

You can also use your weekdays to make notes and outlines and collect research material in preparation for your Saturday session.

Being productive is simple. Figure out what you want to get done this week or this month. Look at your calendar and decide when you’re going to do it. Then, do it.

As long as you’re getting important things done, when you do them probably isn’t that important.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Productivity, Time Management Tagged With: ,

Use your calendar to prioritize your work

February 11, 2015 by
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I did a consultation with an attorney yesterday. Like most attorneys, he’s a busy guy. In addition to his practice, he owns a small business which he hopes will allow him to transition out of practicing and into semi-retirement.

The first thing we talked about was his work schedule. To achieve his goals, he needs time each week for:

  1. Legal work
  2. Marketing the practice
  3. The business
  4. Marketing the business

I couldn’t tell him how much time to allocate to each function, only that he should allocate some time to each function. I told him to pick a number–an hour a day for this, two hours a day for that–but be prepared to change those numbers as experience and income dictate.

As the business grows, for example, he may allocate less time for marketing the practice. Or vice versa.

At least he has a place to start.

But will he? Will he do what he knows he needs to do each day? If experience is any indication, he’ll probably do the work, but let the marketing slide.

Unless. . . he blocks out time on his calendar for each function, in advance, and that’s what I told him to do.

When he looks at his calendar, he’ll see that it’s time to do 30 minutes of marketing for his practice. He’ll pull up his list of marketing activities and write something or make some calls. Since this has been blocked out in advance, he knows not to spend that time doing anything else.

Later in the day, during the legal work block of time, he’ll see that he’s got two client appointments. He also knows that he has to review a document and send some emails.

Now he’s cooking.

These blocks of time are appointments with himself. If a client calls during the “marketing the business” block, he doesn’t talk to them. He calls them back at another time.

You prioritize your work by scheduling blocks of time, in advance, based on what you know needs to get done.

This one concept could change everything for him, and for you if you don’t already do it. By deciding in advance how you will conduct your day, you stay focused on doing what is in keeping with your priorities and goals.

You are in charge. You make the rules. Decide how you want to spend your time and calendar it. Then, do what the calendar tells you to do and don’t do anything else.

Do you know The Formula to earn more and work less?

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Filed Under: Marketing Plan, Productivity, Time Management

If the IRS was in charge of your marketing

January 19, 2015 by
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In school, we had deadlines for finishing papers and projects and being ready for exams. If it weren’t for those deadlines, many of us would never have done the work.

Today, we have more deadlines. Statutes of limitations, court dates, appointments, CLE compliance due dates, bills to pay, tax returns to file, and many more. We also have deadlines tied to our promises to other people, e.g., when the work will be done or the papers will be delivered.

Sometimes we miss a deadline and suffer the consequences, but for the most part, the system works. It works not just because we are aware of the penalties for missing deadlines but because there is a specific date reminding us that something is due.

What about all of the other things we want to do, or need to do, that don’t have a deadline? Too often, we don’t get these done. They may relate to our most important goals but because there is no deadline, no due date, they get pushed aside.

Countless studies, which I am too lazy to look up, have shown that scheduling these “open” tasks dramatically increases the odds that we will do them.

Let’s say you set a goal to increase your income this year. Part of your plan is to bring in more clients by adding one blog post or article to your site each week. The weeks are flying by, however, and you haven’t written the first article, or you wrote one or two but aren’t keeping up.

Because there is no deadline, you’re not doing the work.

It’s not that you can’t do it. If you knew that you had to get the work done by a certain date or the IRS would seize your bank accounts, you would get the work done.

So, give yourself a deadline.

Decide when you will write those articles and schedule time on your calendar specifically for that purpose. Make an appointment with yourself and tell your staff not to schedule you for anything during that time.

When Thursday at 4PM rolls around and you see on your calendar that you have an appointment to write your weekly post, you’ll be more likely to write it.

Tell yourself that you can either write it or sit at your desk and stare at the wall for 60 minutes. Your “client” (you) has paid for that time. So no Facebook or reading or anything else.

You can also impose penalties for missing your deadlines. You might authorize your accountant to automatically send $1,000 to a politician you detest if you fail to send the accountant a copy of your completed post by the due date.

You can also reward yourself for making your deadlines. For each post your write, for example, you get to watch another episode of your favorite TV show.

But while penalties and rewards can help, just having a deadline will often be enough.

Try it. Choose something you need to do and put it on your calendar. Give yourself a deadline for getting it done. I’m betting you’ll do it, but just in case, I’ll tell the IRS to keep an eye on you.

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Filed Under: Marketing Plan, Productivity, Time Management Tagged With: , ,

Don’t break the chain

January 9, 2015 by
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You know a lawyer whose practice is rocking. More business than she can handle, lots of money, busy as all hell. Three years ago, she had just opened her doors. No clients, tiny office, nothing happening.

How did she get from a standing start to where she is today?

Many factors could have contributed to her growth, including talent, connections, hard work, and luck. But one factor may be more important than you might think.

Momentum.

When she started her practice, she did some things to bring in business, and then she kept doing them. She got better at them, and did them faster. She got progressively bigger results. Those results compounded and she continued to grow, until her practice reached the tipping point and became the juggernaut it is today.

Momentum is a critical factor in anything we do. Creating it is the hardest part of anything we do.

It’s like pushing a car from a dead stop. It takes a lot of effort to overcome inertia, but once the car starts rolling, it gets easier, and then easier still, until you have to do little more than lean on it to keep it going.

Alrighty then, how do we create momentum?

We do it with consistency.

Whatever it is you need to do, you do it regularly. You don’t “do” some marketing this week and pick it up again in six months. You do a little bit every day or every week.

You get better at it. It becomes easier. You do it faster and get better results.

Your results affect other areas of your life. If you build momentum with an exercise program, you get more energy to do other things. You might finally be able to read that book you’ve been wanting to read, or start that new website project.

When you write a blog post or newsletter article each week, you become a better writer, of course, but you may also become a better speaker. You may get better at networking, too, as you reach out to other professionals to invite them to do a guest post for you and as they do the same for you.

When Jerry Seinfeld was starting out, he promised himself that he would write one new joke every day. Every day he did it, he made a mark on his calendar. As the marks piled up, he kept going because he didn’t want to “break the chain”.

In any area you want to improve, find something you can do and do it. Walk for ten minutes three times a week. Write two paragraphs every morning. Invite one professional to lunch every week.

Get started and don’t break the chain. Consistency breeds momentum, and momentum breeds results.

If you need a marketing plan that really works, get this. 

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Filed Under: Increase your income, Law office management, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Personal development, Productivity, Time Management Tagged With:

Give it away, give it away, give it away (but not everything)

December 29, 2014 by
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You’re thinking about next year, aren’t you? If you’re not, just check your email. It’s undoubtedly filled with messages about goal setting, resolutions, organizing your work flow like a boss. . .

Oh, and don’t forget to register for the next goo-roo webinar that promises to reveal the secrets to profligate wealth. (Note to self: the free webinar is a sales pitch).

Not all free webinars are like that. Just most of them. You don’t learn that much. Or they tell you the “what” but not the “how”.

I know, they can’t give away everything for free. They’ve got a business to run. Just like you do. You don’t give away all of your wisdom and advice during a free consultation (nor should you), so you get that.

But you’ve got to give people something.

I’m not saying you can’t sell your services without “content”. You certainly can. Advertising still works. But if you’re asking people to invest an hour of their time with you at your seminar, watching your videos, or reading your blog, you’ve got to give them something in return.

And the more you give them, the more likely they are to see you as the solution to what ails them.

So, as you plan your next move, I suggest you add “content creation” to your list. If you already do this, ask yourself how you can do it more or make it better.

Put some articles on your website. Write a report or ebook. Make some screen capture videos. Teach people something about your area of expertise, so they can see that you know what you’re doing and get a sense of what it would be like to work with you.

People go online for information. Give them some.

The Attorney Marketing Formula comes with a simple marketing plan that really works. Go here.

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Filed Under: Goal Setting, Marketing Plan

How to make 2015 your best year ever

December 10, 2014 by
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Is next year going to be pretty much like this year? Or do you plan to do bigger things?

I’ll assume you plan on growing your practice next year.

More clients. Bigger income.

That’s what it comes down to, doesn’t it?

I’ll also assume you would like to do this as quickly as possible. You don’t want to stumble your way through the year, growing incrementally. You want to BLOW UP.

I’d like to help you do that.

A couple of years ago, I released The Quantum Leap Marketing System for Lawyers. It’s a video training series that shows you how to quickly bring in a lot of new business. Over ten hours of videos and a bunch of bonuses.

On the sales page, I make the ridiculous (but accurate) claim that the course can help you DOUBLE your practice in 90 days or less.

Yes, you will have to work your pants off to make that happen, but it is possible. If you don’t want to work that hard, would you be okay with doubling your practice in six months or a year?

Anyway, as you may know, I like to offer some kind of holiday special each year, and this year is no exception. I’m putting Quantum Leap back on the market for a few days and offering it to my subscribers (that’s you) at a huge discount.

See for yourself.

You’ll see that one of the bonuses is a personal coaching session with me. I consider this to be the most valuable part of the entire program.

In our coaching session, we’ll talk about your practice–where you’re at now, where you’d like to be next year–and I’ll tell you what you need to do to get there. You can ask me anything. You can even have me critique your website.

So, if you’re wondering what to do to make 2015 your best year ever, this is the answer.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

Keeping it simple

December 3, 2014 by
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Look at your phone. How many apps do you have? Now, look at your hard drive and answer the same question.

If you’re like most people, you have many more apps and programs (and tools in your garage) than you use. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever use them, or if you used them once, use them again.

But we can’t help ourselves. We like new. New apps, new techniques, new ideas. Even if we never use them, and even if what we’re already using works just fine.

There’s nothing wrong with looking. I do it, too. But I don’t spend a lot of time on it because what’s new today is often gone tomorrow. I’ll wait until others have vetted the app or the process and recommended it. Then I’ll look. Maybe. I might be too busy using what I’ve already got and getting some work done.

Anyway, the point is that simple is better. A few apps. A few tools. A few techniques. If you’re not keeping it simple, the odds are you’re not getting things done.

Take marketing for example. If it’s not simple, the odds are you won’t do it. True or true?

According to the 80/20 rule, “a minority of causes, inputs, or effort usually lead to a majority of the results, outputs, or rewards”. Figure out which inputs (efforts, tools, apps, techniques) are producing most of your results and do those. Don’t worry about (most of) the rest.

For a SIMPLE marketing plan that really works, get this

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Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing Plan, Productivity Tagged With: , ,

Doubling down on success

November 25, 2014 by
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Before you know it, you’ll be doing some planning for the new year. Setting some goals, writing out plans.

When you do, there’s something you should think about.

If you make a list of everything going on in your life, you’ll note that some things are great, some things are bad, and most things, perhaps 80-90%, are “okay”.

You might look at this way:

Bad: problems, weaknesses, issues, trouble, pain
Great: working well, profitable, easy, pleasurable
Okay: works most of the time, rarely needs attention, neither great nor terrible

Okay, you get the idea.

So, you sit down to set some goals and contemplate your future. Where do you begin?

Most people start by fixing problems. If you’ve got troubles that are causing you sleepless nights, and you can do something about them, that makes sense. Get those issues off your plate so you can think, and sleep.

But if have problems that aren’t causing you pain and loss, they are simply weak areas in your life, fixing them is probably not the best use of your time.

Instead, look for areas that promise the biggest opportunities for growth and happiness. You’ll find them on your list of  things that are already great.

Take what’s working and make them even better. As Thomas Edison put it, “There’s a way to do it better–find it.”

Let’s talk about your practice. What’s working well?

You’re getting lots of new clients every month. How can you get more? How can you get better clients and bigger cases?

Your cases are settling nicely. How can you settle them faster, for higher amounts and at lower expense?

Your employees work efficiently. How can you help be even better?

Your biggest opportunities for growth are in those areas where things are already working well. You’re doing it right. You’re successful. There’s always a way to do it better.

In blackjack, when you’ve got a ten or eleven, depending on the dealer’s up-card you don’t just play the hand and take the likely win. You double down and maximize your winnings. You don’t settle for good when you can have great.

Go through your list, find your good hands, and look for ways to make them better.

Want a simple marketing plan that really works? Get this

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Filed Under: Marketing Plan, Personal development, Productivity, success

How to get your first client (or your next client)

November 13, 2014 by
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An attorney who is starting his own practice wrote me asking how he could get his first client.

I’ve written before about the value of doing a S.W.O.T. analysis. “S” stands for “Strengths”; “W” means weaknesses; “O” is for “Opportunities”; “T” means “Threats”. You can read more about this here and here.

If you’re launching a new practice, or setting goals for growing and improving your existing practice, a S.W.O.T. analysis is a good place to start.

The attorney who wrote me didn’t tell me anything about his background or experience, or anything else, frankly, other than the fact that he doesn’t have an office. (I’d put the latter in the category of “Weaknesses”. Get thee some office space, my legal friend.)

Anyway, getting your first client. Or your next client. Start by assessing your “Opportunities” (and keep an eye on your “Strengths”).

Who do you know? Make a list of employers, your employers’ clients with whom you have a relationship, other lawyers, and business contacts. Include family and friends on your list.

Who do you know socially or from church? Do you have hobbies or something you do outside of work? If there are other people involved, put them on your list.

The point is that everyone you know, or have known in the past, may have legal work for you, or referrals. They may be able to introduce you to people who have work or referrals.

To get your first client, contact everyone you know and let them know what you do and what you want. Tell them how they can help you and ask them to do that. Ask them for referrals, ask them for introductions, and if they have experience in the business world, ask them for advice.

While you’re at it, ask them if they know where you can find an office space. Which reminds me, when you get an office, get in a suite or building with other lawyers. You can get work from them. That’s how I got clients when I opened my first office. Overflow, conflicts of interest, appearances.

What else?

Create a website. Add ten or twenty articles or posts that demonstrate your expertise. You need an an online presence so prospective clients and referral sources can find out what you do and how you can help them.

In fact, do this first. Then, when you contact everyone you know and tell them what you’re doing, you can send them to your website.

If you don’t know how to create a website that pulls in business, get my course, Make the Phone Ring, to learn what to include on your website and how to use it to get traffic, build a list, and get new clients.

Other opportunities? Look around you. Find some places to network or deliver a presentation. You’ve got the time. Don’t sit there organizing files, go meet some new people. Look for people you can help, and not just with legal issues. Send them business and introduce them to others who can help them. Build a relationship with them.

Every day, you need to build your email list. All of your marketing efforts from this point on should be designed to get more people to opt into your list. As your list grows, and as you stay in touch with them and remind them that you are available to help them solve legal problems, your list of clients will grow.

That’s enough for now. Do these things and you’ll have your first client. Or your next client.

Want more referrals? The 30 Day Referral Blitz shows you how.

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Filed Under: List building, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking, Online Marketing, Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With: ,
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