Networking Archives - Page 10 of 17 - The Attorney Marketing Center

Work smarter by working backwards

March 4, 2015 by David M. Ward

Yesterday, I talked about networkingÂ and used it as a paradigm for creatingÂ a simple marketing plan. You plan, you do, you review.

Today,Â I return to the subject of networking and ask the question that may be on your mind: “How do I find the best networking groups for me?”

There are lots of ways to find them but the simplest, and arguably the best path to discovery, is to find out where your existing clients and contacts network and go there.

If you represent business clients, find out where they go to meet other people in their industry. If they don’t network (much), ask them to introduce you to professionals they know and ask them where they network.

For consumer clients, ask your existing referral sources where they network.

Keep in mind that some people don’t think of what they do as networking per se. They belong to groups–charity, hobby (e.g., golf club), social, community, etc.–and spend time at those groups’ functions, where they regularly meet new people. These non-business groups can also be a fruitful source of new business for you.

You can also turn to your clients and contacts for help with other kinds of marketing.Â If you want to know where to submit articles or guest posts, or a good place to advertise, ask your clients and contacts what they read or listen to.

Questions like these should be a fixture onÂ your new client intake sheet. Find out who your new clients know, what they read, who influences them, and where they spend their time. Ask the same kinds of questions (eventually) of your new professionals contacts.

Want more clients like your best clients? Talk to them. Work smarter by working backwards.

Lawyers are complicated. Marketing is simple. More here. . .

Filed Under: Leverage, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking

Plan. Do. Review.

March 3, 2015 by David M. Ward

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 leadersÂ 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.

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking

Why I didn’t earn millions of dollar per year in my law career

February 12, 2015 by David M. Ward

By most people’s standards, I had a successful law career. I helped a lot of people and earned a lot of money. Looking back, however, I realize that I didn’t help as many people as I could, or earn as much as I could.

One reason is that I didn’t want to work that hard. I wanted free time to spend with my family and do other things. I didn’t want to work all day every day and burn out (or die) at an early age.

But there may have been a way to earn a lot more without sacrificing quality of life. In fact, doing this one thing may have made my life more interesting and gratifying.

An article in ForbesÂ has the answer. “According to multiple, peer-reviewed studies, simply being in an open network instead of a closed one is the best predictor of career success,” the article says.

An open network is where “you are the link between people from different clusters”. A closed network, on the other hand, is where “you are connected to people who already know each other.”

In other words, the best predictor of career success is continually meeting new people, outside of your usual haunts. Most people, myself included, associate primarilyÂ with people they already know.

I’d much rather spend time with people I know, in familiar surroundings, doing things I am comfortable doing. The big boys, it seems, regularly get out of their comfort zone and “go hunting” in unfamiliar territory.

One of the studies showed that “half of the predicted difference in career success (i.e., promotion, compensation, industry recognition) is due to this one variable.”

Oh my.

Practically speaking, an open network means getting away from your regular bar association and chamber of commerce meetings, at least periodically, and attending other functions, even if they seem to be wholly unrelated to your current career path.

In his early life, Steve Jobs pursued many diverse interests that had nothing to do with business. Those experiences, and the people he met in exploring them, not only helped mold his creative eye, they introduced him to opportunities he was later able to capitalize on in his career.

In view of this, if I was building my law career today, I would spend more time pursuing things that fascinated me and meeting people who share my interests. I would be a kid again, exploring the world and all it had to offer, something Jobs did throughout his life.

Want more referrals but don’t want to ask for them? Here’s the solution

Filed Under: Career satisfaction, Increase your income, Leverage, Networking Tagged With: Creativity, Steve Jobs

The key to networking is to stop networking

February 2, 2015 by David M. Ward

Venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and consummate networker, RichÂ Stromback, says, “The key to networking is to stop networking. Nobody wants to have a â€˜networking conversation,â€™ . . . They are hungry for real conversations and real relationships. It just has to be authentic, genuine and sincere.”

Smart words from a smart guy.

I also liked what he said about not caring about your first impression, although I don’t know if I’m prepared to follow his advice:

Everyone gets this wrong. They try to look right and sound right and end up being completely forgettable. Iâ€™m having a ball just being myself. I donâ€™t wear suits or anything like that. I do not care about first impressions. Iâ€™d almost rather make a bad first impression and let people discover me over time than go for an immediate positive response. Curiously, research I read years ago suggests that you build a stronger bond over time with someone who doesnâ€™t like you immediately compared to someone who does. Everything about Jack Nicholson is wrong, but all of the wrong together makes something very cool.

You can read more of Stromback’s adviceÂ in, 99% of Networking Is a Waste of Time.

Filed Under: Image, Networking

Bundling isn’t just for political campaigns

January 21, 2015 by David M. Ward

I just got an email with a great offer on a “productivity bundle”: “For just $59.99, you can unlock one-year subscriptions to Wunderlist Pro, Pocket Premium, Evernote Premium, and LastPass Premium.”

If you’re interested, here’sÂ the link.

Now, put on your thinking cap. How could you use bundling to market your services?

Find one or more compatible service providers–lawyers in different practice areas, (including lawyers in your firm), a CPA, a financial planner, or a business owner–anyone with a product or service your clients or prospects might want and need–and create a bundle that each of you can offer to your lists.

It might bring in more clients but it will definitely get your name in front of a lot of prospects and help you build your list. It’s also a great way to deliver added value to your clients.

You could offer a “entry level” service, a review package, or a maintenance contract. Or you could also do this with information products. (If you handle litigation only, this is probably your best bet.)

Your ebook, video course, recorded seminar, checklist, form set, or anything else, combined with something similar from other professionals, all bundled up and available for a small payment, or even free.

Of course putting this together is a great way to meet other professionals and start building a referral relationship.

Check with your handlers to make sure you are allowed to bundle services with non-lawyers. And note that some professionals (i.e., insurance, securities) probably cannot bundle their products, but they may have a service or information product that would work.

Talk toÂ another professional and tell him or her your idea and see what they think. You only need one other participant to create a bundle, but I’m betting that once there are two of you, you will quickly find others who want in.

Filed Under: List building, Marketing legal services, Networking, Referral sources, Referrals Tagged With: bundling, joint-ventures

Take a loser to lunch

January 20, 2015 by David M. Ward

An excellent way to grow your practice is to spend time with other lawyers. Once a week, invite a successful lawyer to lunch and get to know about them and their practice.

Look for ways you can help each other, with referrals, introductions, promoting each others events and content, guest posts, and so on. Ask lots of questions about what they want and need and look for ways to help them.

But don’t stop there. Learn from their successes. Ask questions about how they market their services and look for ideas you can use to market yours. What do they do, where do they do it, how did they get better at doing it?

Jim Rohn said, “If you want to be successful, study success.”

Also keep your ears open for what hasn’t worked for them, or hasn’t worked as well. Learn from their mistakes.

If you can see what they’re doing wrong, offer suggestions on how they can improve. If they aren’t getting as much traffic to their website as they want to, for example, share what’s working for you.

On that note, every once in awhile you might want to spend time with unsuccessful attorneys. Find someone who isn’t doing well and take them to lunch. Ask about what they’re doing and then do the opposite.

More on joint ventures: The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Personal development, Relationship marketing

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

November 13, 2014 by David M. Ward

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 hereÂ 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 peopleÂ 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,Â 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.

Filed Under: List building, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking, Online Marketing, Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With: first client, new law practice

What kind of attorney are you?

September 29, 2014 by David M. Ward

When you hand someone your business card and tell them you’re an attorney, what do they typically say to you? They ask, “What kind of attorney are you?” or “What kind of law do you practice?”

They can’t tell from the word “attorney” and most attorneys don’t identify their practice areas on on their card.

If you simply answer the question and state your practice area(s), you’re missing out on a big opportunity. Instead, you should say something like this:

“I handle [whatever you handle]. I also know a lot of attorneys who handle other matters, and many other professionals and business owners in town. If you ever need a referral to anyone, for any reason, please give me a call, okay?”

You can modify this to suit your practice and the people you’re speaking to. If you know a lot of financial planners, for example, and you’re speaking to people you think might benefit from financial planning, you can add “financial planners” to the list of professionals you know.

So what does this accomplish? It gets the person to see you as a resource and a nice guy or gal. Not just someone with a service to sell, but someone who can and will help them. All they have to do is ask.

It also suggests that you are very good at what you do. If you know lots of professionals, then lots of professionals know you. That speaks to your success and reputation.

Finally, it gives them a reason to hold onto your card. And, because you added the word “okay?” to the end of your statement, whether or not they verbalize a response, it makes it a little more likely that they will call you when they need a referral.

It’s a simple way to make a good first impression, and it gets more people calling. When they do, not only will you have a new contact who is grateful for your help, the professionals you refer them to will also be grateful and primed to reciprocate.

There are other things you can do when you meet a new contact, especially if you think they may be a prospective client, but this is something you can and should do with everyone. When people need help, you want them to think of you and remember that they have your card.

By the way, when someone asks me what kind of lawyer I am, the first thing I usually say is, “A good one”. I do it with a little smirk and it gets a laugh or a smile and suggests that I’m not overly serious or full of myself as many lawyers are thought to be. I follow that with my “real” answer.

Marketing legal services is easier when you know The Formula.

Filed Under: Business cards, Communication, Marketing legal services, Networking, Referral sources, Referrals, Relationship marketing

Networking by intent, not default

August 22, 2014 by David M. Ward

If you do any networking, either in person or online, you know that most of the new business you get through networking comes from a small percentage of the people with whom you network.

Wouldn’t it be great to know in advance who they are? Wouldn’t you like to know who will refer business, hire you, or promote you so you could focus your efforts on them?

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how to do that. But I can tell you how to increase the odds in your favor.

Instead of going to networking events and talking to whoever shows up, or adding and following people online who pop up in your dashboard, figure out who you would like to network with and then find ways to meet them.

Who are the centers of influence in your community or in your target market? Who are the players, the market makers, the ones who know everyone? Who could send you lots of business, give you advice, or introduce you to people you need to know?

Once you have answered that question, reach out to them. They may not give you the time of day, but if they do and you can build a relationship with them, it could allow you to take giant leaps in building your practice.

How do you reach out to them? You find someone they know and approach them first. Then, ask for an introduction.

Or just pick up the phone and call. You’re not some joker off the street. You have credentials. Smart people (the kind you want to meet) know that lawyers can be valuable contacts. They want to meet us as much as we want to meet them.

You’ll often find that the higher up the scale you go, the more approachable people are. It may take some time and you may have to go through other people first, but with a little effort you can meet just about anyone.

Of course that’s when the real work begins. Once you meet these people, you need to bring value to them. This too will take time, and effort, but you’ve already decided that it’s worth it.

Do you know the formula for building a successful law practice?Â

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking

Work smarter by working backwards

Plan. Do. Review.

Why I didn’t earn millions of dollar per year in my law career

The key to networking is to stop networking

Take a loser to lunch

What kind of attorney are you?

Networking by intent, not default

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