Online Marketing Archives - Page 12 of 29 - The Attorney Marketing Center

The biggest mistake lawyers make with online marketing

March 10, 2015 by David M. Ward

Last week I referencedÂ an article about “lethal mistakes” lawyers make with their online marketing. I agreed with some of the mistakes, disagreed with some, and was mystified by the absence of others.

I asked what you thought was missing, and by your responses, you showed me that you are paying attention.

Your list of mistakes included things like

The absence of fresh content
Too much about “the firm” and not enough about the client/visitor and his problems
Â No call to action (telling visitors what to do)
Too impersonal, formal, unapproachable

Correctamundo.

You get it.

Why weren’t these in the article?

I don’t know.

Anyway, before I reveal to you the number one lethal mistake lawyers make with their website, I want to mention another article about lawyers’ websites that providedÂ some alarming, but not surprising, statistics:

According to this article

Nearly 40% of small law firms don’t have websites
70% don’t have a call to action on their home page
97% of law firm websites fail to deliver any kind of personalized content
Only 35% have been updated in the last three years
68% don’t have an email address on their home page [see my comments below]
27% don’t have a phone number on their home page
Only one-third are optimized for mobile devices

The last issue is especially noteworthy in view of Google’s recent announcement about penalizing sites that aren’t mobile friendly.

The article also saidÂ that “only 14% of law firms send a triggered email to a visitor who submits a form online”. That number is skewed, I am sure, because most law firm sites don’t even have a form that allows visitors to email them.

Your site needs a contact form, so visitors who aren’t ready to call you can communicate with you by email. Posting your email is good, but using a form is better. It makes it easier for visitors to contact you, and that means more will (and that’s a good thing, yo.). A form can also reduce spam and allow you to direct visitors to supply information you will need when you reply.

That form should send an automated reply so peopleÂ will immediately know “message received” and what will happen next. Without this, visitors are likely to keep looking.

Okay, now for the biggest mistake.

Your emails to me mentioned it. So you know it’s important. I’m not sure if you realize how important, however.

The biggest mistake is not having a form for visitors toÂ subscribe to your email list or newsletter.

You need a form and you need to tell peopleÂ to subscribe. Tell them on every page. And give them reasons why they should. Tell them how they will benefit by filling out your form. What will they get, learn, or avoid?

Why is it so important to get people to subscribe? Because most people who visit your website for the first time

(a) aren’t ready to hire you,
(b) aren’t ready to contact youÂ to ask questions or schedule an appointment, and
(c) aren’t likely to return to yourÂ website.

First time visitors are gathering information, about the law and procedure and their options, and about lawyers who can help them.

News flash: yours isn’t the only website they visit.

If you don’t capture their name and email on the first visit, and use that to stay in touch with them, the odds are you will never hear from them again.

Which means you’re losing business. A lot more than you may realize.

When visitors subscribe to your email list, you can continue to send them information, remind them about the solutions you offer, and show them why they should choose you instead of any other lawyer. You can continue to sell yourself and your services.

Six days, six weeks, or six months from now, you can continue having that conversation and convert more people into paying clients.

Even if they’re not ready to hire you, even if they never hire you, they can send you referrals and traffic and promote your events and share your content and help you build your email list further.

But none of that will occur if you don’t know who they are.

Without a list, you can’t stay in touch with visitors, earn their trust, seek their feedback, ask for their testimonials, invite them to your seminars, tell them about updates to your site, or do anything else to build a relationship with them.

And that’s why building a list is numero uno.

Your website’s content is critically important. But if that’s all you focus on, you’re asking your site to do too much.

You could take away my blog, my social media accounts, remove any mention of me from search engines, and cancel anything else I do to promote my products and services, and I would surviveÂ because I would still have my list.

Building a list is the most important thing a lawyer can do to market their practice, and most lawyers don’t do it.

Learn how to build your list and market your practice online.

Filed Under: Email, Legal industry, List building, Marketing legal services, Online Marketing, Web traffic

Internet marketing for lawyers: Is your website leaking?

March 6, 2015 by David M. Ward

I just read an article that made my head hurt.

While I agree with some of the author’s “mistakes” in,Â “7 Lethal Internet Marketing Mistakes Law Firms Make”,Â I’m wondering where on earth he dug up the others. I’m also chaffing about why he didn’t include some of the truly lethal (and oh-so-common) mistakes.

Here are his “7 mistakes” and my comments.

1. Not having an online presence

Yep.

No question about it, this is a lethal mistake and many lawyers make it. If prospective clients can’t find you online, you’re loosing a boatload of business.

Many more lawyers do have an online presence, but it is ineffective. They have a website, it just doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. (If you have studied,Â Make the Phone RingÂ you know the 9 keys to an effective website.)

2. Advertising your fees on your website

I agree with this, too. It’s a mistake.

You can give people a general idea of what to expect (e.g., minimum fee, range) but make them call before you quote a specific fee.

3. Letting Membership in ABA lapse

Huh?

The author says (a) it’s important to network at ABA functions and (b) your membership looks good on social media.

Networking is good, and ABA functions may be a good place to do it, but there are many other options.

Does ABA membership look good on your website? It doesn’t look bad but most people really don’t care. The ones who know anything about the ABA know that any lawyer can join.

4. Ignoring Pro Bono work

Uhhh. . .

Pro Bono work is certainly a good thing, and mentioning it publicly may make you look good, but not mentioning it (or doing it) is nowhere near lethal.

5. Not understanding keywords and SEO

Yes and no.

You should have a basic understanding of the concepts, but you don’t need more than that. Read a few articles on the subject, and you’ll know what to do.

6. Not dressing professionally in photos

Absolutely.

Clients, referral sources, writers, et. al., expect to you see you looking like a lawyer. You can ALSO include some casual photos, e.g., you at the firm picnic, however.

7. Not having video on your website

Not lethal. Not even a mistake.

Video is nice but hardly necessary. Done wrong, you look cheesy. Done right, I don’t think it makes that much difference. (The author recommends hiring a professional crew to videotape you and make you look good.)

Now, what’s wrong with this picture? What’s missing from this list of mistakes?Â What’s more important for marketing online than belonging to the ABA?

If you’ve been reading my posts for any length of time, I think you can come up with a few ideas.

Post your answer as a comment to this blog post (or reply to this email) and tell me what you would include.

Yesterday, I was interviewed about marketing professional services. It wasn’t specifically about Internet marketing, but I was asked, “What’s the most important thing lawyers can do with online marketing?”

What do you think I said?

No, it’s not on the list of “7 Mistakes”.

It’s something I talk about a lot. It’s also something most lawyers, even ones with a decent website, don’t do.

More to follow. . .

Internet marketing for lawyers: How toÂ Make the Phone Ring

Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Online Marketing

What’s wrong with your website?

December 15, 2014 by David M. Ward

My wife is nesting. Getting the house ready for Christmas company. Cleaning, polishing, making sure everything is ship shape. You know the drill.

I am amazed at the little things she finds that need repair. A chip in the paint that needs touching up, for example. I walk by it every day but never noticed. Why? Because I walk by it every day.

I’m used to it. So it doesn’t stand out. If you came to the house, having never been here, that chip would probably be the first thing you’d notice.

My wife is also proofreading my latest book. I’ve been through it more times than I can count. To my eye, it’s done. She spots typos on almost every page.

We all need fresh eyes to look at our work. We’re too close to it. We can’t see what’s obvious to others.

Take your website for example. Do you know what’s wrong with it? Can you spot the things that are missing or need improvement?

Even if you know what you’re doing, there’s a good chance you’re missing things, simply because you’re too close to it.

You need someone else to look at your website. You need fresh eyes.

Have a client go through your site with you. Have them narrate what they see and what they’re doing. Note the pages they go to first, and where they go after that.

Have them find and fill out the contact form. Have them find your bio, your list of services, and the directions to your office. Have them follow you on Twitter or Like your Facebook page. Have them share one of your posts.

You’ll see how others see and use your site. I promise you, it will be an eye opener.

You should also have an expert look at your site. They’ll find more things that need fixing. They can show you how to get more traffic, more subscribers and more social media followers. They can show you how to get more visitors to see you as the lawyer they should choose, and get them to call or email to hire you or take the next step.

You can hire me to do that. I’ll go through the site with you and tell you what to do. Or, you can have me do this for free.

Remember, when you order The Quantum Leap Marketing System, you get a free coaching session with me as a bonus. You can use that session to have me go through your site with you.

What’s wrong with your website? Have me take a look and help you fix it.

Filed Under: Coaching, Marketing legal services, Online Marketing, Web traffic

Why you should tell prospective clients to talk to other lawyers

November 19, 2014 by David M. Ward

I read an article this morning written for people looking for a lawyer on how to find the right one for the job. I’ll summarize it:

Attorneys specialize and it’s important to find someone who handles your type of case; [examples]
Keyword searches are a good way to find some candidates; avoid referral sites and directories, you don’t need a middleman
Check out their websites and choose three or four attorneys who handle your type of case; [examples]
Call all of them and ask questions about them (how long practicing, what percentage of their practice is this type of matter?), and about your case (what are the options, how much will they charge?)
Meet with them, ask more about the case, about how they will work with you, accessibility, fees, etc.
Most people looking for a client won’t do half of this, they will hire the first attorney they speak to, and that’s not wise. You have many lawyers to choose from so take your time and choose the one that is most qualified and “feels” right

Twelve paragraphs. Basic stuff. Something any attorney could write.

Including you.

Have you written an article like this and submitted it to blogs and websites in your target market? You should. It will bring visitors to your website who like your information and the honesty with which you presented it. They’ll want to learn more about you and put your name on their short list of candidates.

But here’s the thing. They probably won’t call other attorneys, as you advised, or if they do, there’s a good chance they will come back to you. They “met” you first. You helped them. You know what you’re doing.

And let’s face it, if they wind up hiring someone else instead of you, they were probably going to do that anyway.

One more thing. After you write an article like this, post it on your website, too. Yes, tell visitors that they should call other lawyers who do what you do, and tell them what to ask. Crazy? Not at all. They will respect you for being so forthcoming. They will see your confidence, and like it, and like you.

Just do it. You’ll thank me later. You’ll get lots of traffic from people searching for “how to find a _____ attorney,” and a good percentage of them will hire you.

Marketing online is simple when you know what to do

Filed Under: Blogging, Legal industry, Marketing legal services, Online Marketing, Web traffic

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

Even more ideas for writing quick blog posts

November 6, 2014 by David M. Ward

This week, you learned three ways to writeÂ quick blog posts. You learned the three point model (with opening and summary), you learned about commenting on someone else’s post, and you learned the question and answer post. Today, I want to talk about the another method of writing quick blog posts: the series.

Writing a series means taking a bigger topic and breaking it up into a series of smaller posts. This week, I could have written about the subject of writing quick blog posts in one long post. Instead, I wrote a series ofÂ short posts.

You might write a series about litigation, for example. You could write short posts about liability, damages, filing a complaint, statutes of limitations, discovery, motions, trial, and appeal. You could undoubtedlyÂ break down mostÂ of these topics into multiple posts.

With some series topics, you’ll have enough material for many weeks of posts, and yet each post will only take you a few minutes to write.

One advantage of a series of short posts is that each post represents another point of entry to your website for prospective clients who are searching for information about one of your topics. Put links in each post to the other posts in the series and you’ll get more visitors reading more of your content.

What’s that? You want even more ideas for writing quick blog posts? Your wish is my command:

Update old posts. Add new information, new links, newÂ or revised comments, and links to other resources, including your other posts
Round up posts. Grab five or ten of your old posts on a given topic and write a new post that simply links to each of them. Add a sentence or two describing each post
Graphic post. Photos, infographics, charts, survey results, videos, and the like, don’t require a lot of writing.
Re-purpose other content. Post excerpts or entire transcripts of your articles, slides, presentations, white papers, books, reports, videos, audios, and so on. You can also break these upÂ and create a series.
Resource post.Â A list of websites, apps, books, blogs, and other resources you recommend relative to a theme.
News. One paragraph summaries of recent news stories, appellate decisions, or upcoming events.
Interviews. Interviews with professionals, bloggers, authors, speakers, and other subject matter experts, make good posts and are easy to write. Ask questions (over the phone, via email) and let them supply the material for your post. You can post a video or audio, a transcript, a summary, or any combinations thereof.
Guest posts. Let others write posts for you. They get exposure to your subscribers, you get good content. You may also open the door for writing a guest post on their blog.

The more content on your site, the more opportunities you have to show visitors how much you know and how you can help them.Â I hope you can see that there are many ways to write quick blog posts and you are encouraged to do so.

For more ways to use content to get more traffic, more subscribers, and more clients, get this

Filed Under: Blogging, Newsletters, Online Marketing, Web traffic

Look Ma, I’m blogging!

November 5, 2014 by David M. Ward

Over the last two days, I’ve provided you with a couple of ways to quickly write a short blog post. Today, I have another method for you and it’s the quickest of them all.

It’s also easy because it’s something you do every day.

You guessed it, I’m talking about answering questions.

People ask lawyers questions all the time. What does this mean? What happens next? What’s the best way to accomplish this? What are my options? What should I do?

Write down as many questions as you can think of and answer them. Quickly.

What questions do you often receive in emails? (Start saving those emails.)
When you do a consultation, what do people usually want to know?
What do new clients want to know about their case?
What do people ask you during your presentations?
What do people ask you at parties or while you’re networking?
Look at the comments on your blog (or another lawyer’s blog); what are people asking?
Go look at forums where people post questions. What are they asking?
Do a keyword search and see what people are searching for in your practice area
Ask your social media followers and email subscribers what they want to know
Find interviews of other lawyers in your practice area; what do people routinely ask them?

A blog post can be three paragraphs. You can write this type of post in a few minutes. In fact, you could write ten or twenty this weekend and post them over the coming weeks or months.

So get crackin. Here are a few more questions to prime your pump:

What should someone ask a lawyer in your field before they hire them?
How do I go about hiring a new lawyer if I already have one?
What is legal malpractice?
What should I do if I think my lawyer has committed malpractice?
My lawyer wants me to settle but I don’t think I’m getting enough. What should I do?
How much do lawyers charge in your area?
What are contingency fees?
How much of a retainer should I expect to pay up front?
My lawyer won’t give me a copy of my file. What should I do?
My lawyer won’t call me back. What should I do?
How can I get a second opinion about my case?

Simple questions that people ask (and search for) every day.

For more ideas for blog posts, this is what you need

Filed Under: Blogging, Newsletters, Online Marketing, Writing

How to write a blog post in 15 minutes

November 3, 2014 by David M. Ward

The other day I spoke to an attorney who wanted some help with his marketing andÂ made sure to tell me he didn’t have a lot of time to do it. As you know, I advocate doing things in short increments and often say, “You can market your law practice in just 15 minutes a day.” And you can. To prove it to you, I’m writing this blog post in just 15 minutes.

There are three parts to the post. The beginning captures the attention of the reader and introduces the topic.

The middle provides the meat and potatoes. This can be done in paragraph form, like this post, or with bullet points. Three points is enough, and that’s what this post includes, but you can certainly do more.

The last part is the summary and call to action. Review what you want the reader to remember and tell them what to do next.

Write quickly, not just because you have allocated only 15 minutes but because writing quickly usually results in better writing. Don’t try to be brilliant, just say what you want to say.

Obviously, things are much easier if you know what you want to say before you start writing. If you can write down three points about your subject in advance, the writing should go more quickly.

If it helps, pretend you’re speaking, not writing, and imagine you’re speaking to someone you know who is seated across the desk from you. Or, write your post like an email.

Include at least one story. This could be about you and your work, a client story, another lawyer’s case you are familiar with, or anything else. A story adds the human element, allows you to illustrate one or more points, and makes your post more memorable.

At the beginning of this post, I told you about the attorney I spoke with who said he didn’t have a lot of time for marketing. Does that qualify as a story? Sure, and it’s about someone you can probably relate to. An attorney has a desire but his lack of time is keeping him from getting what he wants. The solution is to work in 15 minute increments, which I am demonstrating with this post.

By the way, the opening of your post is a good place to tell your story. It sets the stage for what is to come. You can come back to it towards the end, as I am doing here.

So, there you have it. How to write a blog post in 15 minutes, written in 15 minutes. A beginning, three points, a summary, one story, and you’re done.

I’ll take another five minutes to email this to you and post links on social media. And that’s it for marketing for the day. I’m off to do other things.

I challenge you to write a blog post today and see for yourself how easy it is. It might take you a bit longer the first time you do it, but the more you write, the faster you will get. Send me a link to your finished post. Or post in the comments.

For more help with writing blog posts and marketing online, get this

Filed Under: Blogging, Communication, Online Marketing, Writing