Building a high volume law practice

May 8, 2013 by
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When I started practicing, my goal was to build a high volume law practice. Lots and lots of smaller cases and clients.

Why?

Because there are more of them. I figured I had more chances to get small cases simply because there were more of them.

And because when I was getting started, I wasn’t good enough to handle the big ones.

But even when I was good enough, I still focused on small cases. My thinking was that a high volume of small to medium size cases would scale. As I brought in more business, I could hire more employees and get a bigger office. Or, as I later did, I could open a second office. And, if things didn’t work out, I could just as easily scale down.

Small cases meant smaller risk. Big cases require a big investment of time and resources and with only a handful of those cases, I could suffer some big losses if one or two went south.

The other reason is that a high volume law practice would make marketing easier. More clients meant more opportunities to get referrals from those clients. 500 clients meant 500 fishing lines in the water.

And I was right. I got lots of referrals. And life was good.

I always thought my exit strategy would be getting one or two monster cases that would allow me to cash out and be “done”. In law school, we heard that’s what our torts professor had done and it sounded good to me. But it never happened. I got some decent sized cases, but no monsters.

Many attorneys turn away small cases. They want bigger cases, with a bigger potential payoff, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

They probably don’t get as many referrals as I did, but the referrals they do get are bigger. If they’re really good, they get referrals from other attorneys who don’t handle big cases.

Some attorneys do it all. Small cases, medium cases, big cases. Bring it! The small cases allow the firm to finance the bigger cases. That works, too.

There’s no right or wrong way. You have to find your way.

If you aren’t (yet) a great attorney, be a prolific attorney. If you are a great attorney, you’ve got options.

If you want to get more clients and increase your income, learn The Formula.

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Filed Under: Law office management, Legal industry, Marketing legal services, Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With:

How does a new attorney get clients?

May 1, 2013 by
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Yes, how does a new attorney get clients? I remember when I was opening my practice this was something I desperately wanted to know. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a good answer.

I was told that I should do the following:

  1. Send engraved announcements to everyone you know announcing your new practice
  2. Pass out business cards to everyone you meet
  3. Join groups where you can network and pass out cards to everyone you meet
  4. And, that was about it.

There was no Internet in those days. Yellow pages advertising was too expensive. Besides, I’d have to wait months for the book to come out and I needed business immediately.

I didn’t send out announcements, but I did tell everyone that I had opened my own practice. That brought in exactly zero business. I didn’t do any networking. I was 23 years old and looked it, and I didn’t think anyone would take me seriously. Hey, I didn’t take me seriously.

What I did do (on the phone and in classified ads in a bar journal) was contact other attorneys and let them know I was available for (a) appearances and (b) overflow work. And that actually worked. It gave me some breathing room until I could figure out how to get some clients of my own.

If you’re a new attorney today, opening your own practice, I suggest you do the same. It’s a great way to generate immediate income and get some hands on experience.

But the first thing you should do is set up a website.

Not a page in an online directory or a free website, but your own site. A domain name you own and a site that you host. You don’t need anything fancy. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can either do it yourself–if I can learn, you can learn–or pay someone $100 to set up the site for you. Monthly costs are less than $10.

Add lots of content to your site, to show people what you know and how you can help them. Educate people about the law and procedure. Show them what they need to know. Answer their questions, show them their options, and help them understand what to do.

Yes, you should also tell them about the services you offer. But fill your website primarily with information prospective clients want to know about their legal problems and the available solutions . Give them enough information and they will see that you can deliver those solutions.

Make sure your content has appropriate keywords so clients can find you via search. And make sure your site has social media sharing enabled so visitors to your site can share your content with their friends and contacts.

As you gain experience, update your site with additional content–articles, blog posts, reports, checklists–and stories of how you have helped your clients solve problems.

Start building a list. Not everyone who visits your site is ready to hire you. Capture their email address so you can stay in touch with them, notify them when you post new content, and remind them that you are still available to help them or people they know.

When you meet someone who might be a prospective client or referral source, send them to your website so they can learn about what you do.

What’s next? Well, that depends on you. You can continue to build your practice primarily online. You can join networking groups and do public speaking. You can create a free seminar or webinar and “allow” other professionals and centers of influence to invite their clients.

But here’s the thing. Your best source of new clients is referrals from existing and former clients. So, as soon as you have a few clients who are happy with your work, you should leverage those relationships to generate new business.

You can ask for referrals directly but you have another option: ask your clients to refer people to your website and the great content you have available.

How does a new attorney get clients? The same way an old attorney gets clients. Plus appearances and overflow.

The Attorney Marketing Formula. How attorneys get clients.

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Filed Under: Advertising, Business cards, Client loyalty, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan, Networking, Online Marketing, Referrals, SEO, Social media marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,

Promote someone else’s business or practice today

April 26, 2013 by
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I’m sure you know other professionals or businesses you would recommend to your clients and contacts. If someone asked you for a referral, you would enthusiastically offer up their name.

Instead of waiting to be asked for a referral, I want you to take some time today to tell everyone you know all about this outstanding individual or company.

Write an article and publish it on your blog or in your newsletter. Send a solo email to your list. Make sure you tell everyone you see in the office today or talk to on the phone.

Tell them why you recommend them. What makes them different? What do they do that is remarkable?

If you’ve used them personally, share the story. If your clients or friends have used them, mention that, too.

Give out their website. Tell people to subscribe to their blog or newsletter, download their report, or Like their page. Ask people to buy their products or services and refer everyone they know.

Promote someone else’s business or practice today.

Do it because you want to help the people you know find quality products and services. Do it because you appreciate the business owner or professional and want to support their good work. Do it because it feels good to say nice things about someone.

But don’t do it because you want that business or professional to do something similar for you.

Yes, they might reciprocate. If they do, be happy for them. It’s nice to receive, but the true joy is in the giving.

Marketing is easy when you know what to do. Here’s the formula.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Marketing legal services, Referrals, Relationship marketing

How to invoke the law of reciprocity to get more clients and more referrals

April 23, 2013 by
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A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I had a termite inspection. Just routine. It had been awhile and it was time. We got the all clear once again, and once again there was no charge for the inspection.

However, we now have a pest control maintenance contract with this company and told our previous company adios.

We had been with the other company for 15 years and we were satisfied with their work. They showed up when they were supposed to and were reasonably polite. They always called the day before, to remind us they were coming and to ask if there were any problems they needed to address.

So why did we switch?

No, it wasn’t price. Our previous company had never raised their rates and the new company actually charged a bit more (but was willing to match the first company).

Actually, there were two reasons.

The first reason we switched is that while we were satisfied with our first company, we were only satisfied. They didn’t do anything to tip the scale from satisfied to delighted.

Of course we didn’t realize what was missing until we had the new company come out. They were more organized. And cleaner. And more thorough. The man who came out was articulate and patiently explained everything. You could tell he wasn’t just doing his job, he really enjoyed what he did.

The first company was competent. The second company made us feel like they cared about having our business.

The second reason we switched? We’d had this company out twice and it was the same guy both times. Both times, there was no charge. And so when he offered the maintenance contract, the law of reciprocity kicked in and we took it.

The law of reciprocity says that when you give someone something, they have a psychological compulsion to reciprocate. Buy someone lunch, for example, and the next time you go out together they’ll pick up the check. It’s not politeness or friendship. It’s the law of reciprocity.

If you doubt this, the next time someone you know says good morning to you, don’t say anything in return. That awkward feeling you have is the law of reciprocity.

So, did we hire the new company out of guilt? In a way, yes. We had two free inspections and had never given them anything in return. We might have reciprocated by sending them referrals, but we liked what we saw and hired them.

When you offer a free consultation, your prospective client feels like they owe you. So, unless you give them a reason not to, they will be inclined to hire you. If they can’t or don’t need to hire you, they will be primed to send you referrals.

The same goes for anything you do for others. Send a lawyer friend a referral and they will probably send one to you. Give your newsletter subscribers helpful information and they will tell their friends to visit your website. Help a neighbor set up their new computer and they’ll be looking for ways they can return the favor.

The “Golden Rule” says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Now you know how it works.

The Attorney Marketing Formula shows you how to earn more than you ever thought possible.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Closing the sale, Marketing legal services, Personal development, Referrals Tagged With:

Where will your next client come from?

February 27, 2013 by
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Check your records. Where did your last twenty clients come from?

It’s important. You need to know because the odds are that’s where your next client will come from.

If most of your clients are coming from ads or search engines or social media, that’s not good. Most of your clients should be coming from referrals.

Nothing wrong with ads or search or social media. But if you’re doing a good job for your clients and you’re building relationships with professionals and other referral sources, at least seventy to eight percent of your new clients should come from referrals.

If your clients aren’t thrilled with your work and the way you treat them, you need to fix that. If you’re not letting clients know that you appreciate their referrals, you need to start. If you aren’t sending referrals and helping to promote your professional contacts, this needs to be a top priority.

Referrals are waiting.

Now, if most of your business does come from referrals, congratulations. But don’t rest on your laurels. You need to figure out how to get even more referrals.

And better referrals.

Better referrals? Yes. Bigger cases, higher paying clients, clients with lots of legal work, and clients who have lots of contacts they can also refer.

Better referrals.

You can get better referrals by continuing to improve on what you’re already doing. Even better service and more value. Not just sending referrals to your professional contacts when they fall in your lap, but actually going out of your way to look for people you can refer or introduce to them.

To get better referrals, you also need to make room for them.

Prune your client list and dismiss clients who aren’t the best. Get rid of the trouble makers, the no-pays and slow-pays. Let go of clients who can’t or won’t pay top dollar. Decline to take the smaller cases.

If you continue to accept less than the best clients, you’re telling the universe that you will settle for less and that’s what you’ll continue to attract.

It’s like cleaning out your closets: if you want new and better, you have to get rid of the old and tattered.

Marketing for smart people: The Attorney Marketing Formula.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Marketing legal services, Referral sources, Referrals Tagged With: ,

The hidden cost of social media marketing

February 13, 2013 by
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Social media marketing isn’t free. You pay with your time.

It takes time to

  • Read incoming tweets, stories, posts, and mentions
  • Reply and/or re-post incoming tweets, stories, posts, and mentions
  • Create or find content to share
  • Create and update your profiles and pages
  • Stay up to date with all the new tools and techniques
  • Try out new apps to manage all of the above
  • Read posts like this one. . .

Whether you do this yourself or you hire others to do it for you, there is a cost to social media marketing.

I’m not saying it’s not worth it. It could very much be worth it. If you spend $1500 a month (your time or someone else’s) and bring in $10,000 a month in new business, that’s a good thing.

But that’s a big “if”.

I don’t think most people get this kind of return on their investment.

If you’re not making a profit on your investment in social media, or you don’t “do” social media marketing because you don’t believe it will be worth it (and you don’t want to spend the time to find out), I have a suggestion.

Keep your social media profiles up to date. Promote your web site content to your social media connections so they can push it to THEIR social media connections. But instead of trying to interact with hundreds or thousands of fans, followers, and connections, instead of “one” (you) to “many,” use social media as a tool for marketing “one to one”.

Use it to find one person who targets the same market you do. Another professional, a business owner or executive, a consultant, a blogger. Someone who would be a good fit.

Learn about them. Approach them. And begin the process of networking with them, the old fashioned way. In case you’ve forgotten, that means talking to them and meeting them for coffee.

Find out what you can do for them and they for you. Networking. One to one.

Marketing is simple. If it wasn’t, you wouldn’t do it. Here’s proof.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Referral sources, Referrals, Social media, Social media marketing, Time Management Tagged With: ,

Easy way to get fresh content for your blog or newsletter

February 12, 2013 by
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Last night, I hosted a one hour conference call for one of my businesses. There were six speakers, each of whom spoke for a few minutes. My job was to introduce them, let them share their story, and ask a few follow-up questions.

Easy.

We got good feedback on the call. People liked the stories and the information. Told me I did a great job. Hey, I just asked questions. Someone else lined up the guests.

Anyway, if you’re looking for an easy way to get some fresh content for your blog or newsletter, here’s what to do:

  1. Contact one of your referral sources (or a professional you would like as a referral source) and ask if you could interview them for your blog or newsletter.
  2. Jot down five to ten questions, things you think your readers would want to know about the expert’s area of expertise.
  3. Interview them on the phone, in person, or via email. Post the audio or a transcription on your blog or newsletter.

Easy.

Your readers get valuable information from a subject matter expert. You get content for your blog or newsletter. The expert gets exposure to your list.

What’s next? The expert interviews you for their blog or newsletter, of course.

Marketing is easy when you know The Formula.

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Filed Under: Blogging, Marketing legal services, Newsletters, Referral sources, Referrals Tagged With: ,

How to turn $100 a month into a steady stream of referrals

February 5, 2013 by
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In his twelve year career selling cars at a Chevrolet dealership, Joe Girard personally sold 13,001 cars. Do the math. That’s 90 cars a month, every month, twelve years in a row.

Holy cow. That’s got to be a world’s record.

Actually, it is. The Guinness Book of World Records says so, giving Joe the title of “The World’s Greatest Salesman.”

How on earth did he do it?

In his book, “How to Sell Anything to Anybody,” Joe tells all. One of his “secrets” was sending everyone who ever bought a car or stopped in for a test drive a monthly greeting card. Each month had a theme. In January, it was New Years. February was President’s Day, March was St. Paddy’s Day, and so on. The cards were colorful and fun, with a funny or charming line or two. Each card was hand signed by Joe.

If you were on his list, every month like clock work you got a card from Joe. If it was your birthday that month, you got a birthday card.

Now that’s not all Joe did, but he says these cards kept his name in front of enough people that in a very short period of time, he was getting a steady stream of referrals. Every day, people would call and people would walk-in and ask for Joe. Eventually, he had to hire assistants to handle all the customers.

Could you do something like that? Of course you could. Would it work today when nobody sends regular mail anymore. It will work even better today because nobody sends regular mail anymore.

Start with $100 a month as your marketing budget. (Yes, you can do more.) Send out 100 cards a month to clients and former clients. (It shouldn’t cost you more than $1 per card, including postage.) Do this every month for the next six months and watch what happens.

Every month you remind people who know, like, and trust you that you’re still around and still thinking about them. And every month, they’re prompted to think of you and, naturally, people they know who might need you.

Eventually, Joe’s customers looked forward to getting his cards each month. One month he was late and he got a bunch of worried calls from folks who thought he might be sick. Talk about a following.

Once you’re convinced that this is working, you can expand it to include your prospects, referral sources, and other “friends of the firm”.

Will you get referrals? Yes. Will you get 90 referrals a month and set a world record? I don’t know, but if you do, have a drink on Joe.

Marketing can help you earn more than you ever thought possible. Go here and find out for yourself.

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Marketing legal services, Referrals Tagged With: , , ,

A simple way to add value to your legal services

February 4, 2013 by
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Our garage door was damaged when it closed on the rear bumper of my car.

We had three companies come out to give us estimates.

The first one said it was damaged beyond repair and explained why. He gave us an estimate to replace everything except the motor for $1129.

The second one agreed. Estimate: $875.

The third one said the door was fine. He said the track was bent and he could fix it. An hour and half later, he’d fixed the track, replaced some brackets, and installed a new weather strip. Total bill: $219.

The door has never been this quiet or run this smoothly. Even when it was first installed. My wife and I keep opening and closing it, marveling at our splendid “new” door.

Oh yeah, my wife sent the guy over to talk to our neighbor about her door. One of the previous estimators had noticed a gap or something and said to tell her she needed to have it serviced. Nope. The guy who got our business said her door was fine.

Imagine that.

Yes it does pay to shop around. And yes you should be leery of what so-called experts tell you, especially when they have something to sell. And yes you should pay attention to what other people say on Yelp and other such sites. The company we hired had dozens of five-star reviews and sterling comments. We’ll be adding ours.

Now, suppose you had this experience with your garage door and the next day a client asks if you could recommend a garage door company. Would you tell him about this one? Of course you would. You’d be doing him a big favor.

You probably know other companies you would recommend to your clients and contacts, as well as CPAs, insurance brokers, and other lawyers. And if your clients call and ask for a referral, you’d be sure to tell them.

But why wait for them to ask?

If you’re looking for a simple way to add value to your legal services, it doesn’t get any simpler than this. Contact your clients and tell them that if they ever need a referral to a garage door company, auto dealer, roofer, or anything else, they should call your office. Tell them you have a list of companies you have used personally or that other clients have used and recommended.

Encourage them to call. “What do you need? I’ll help you find it.”

Your recommendations help your clients save time and money and avoid problems. Do you think they might love you even more and tell all their friends about their wonderful attorney?

Your recommendations also help the vendors and professionals you recommend. Do you think they might be thankful for your referrals and inclined to reciprocate?

What’s that? You don’t know if you have time for all those calls?

Trust me, you want your phone ringing off the hook with people asking for recommendations because every time it does, you plant more seeds that grow into repeat business and referrals.

One more thing. Encourage your business clients and referral sources to do something similar for their clients and prospects. Why? So you can get your name on their list, of course.

Marketing is simple, if you know The Formula.

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Marketing legal services, Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With:

If J. Paul Getty were managing your law practice

December 21, 2012 by
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Billionaire J. Paul Getty, once described as the richest man in the world, wrote a book describing how he made his money. In “How to Be Rich,” he offered three keys to wealth:

  1. Be in business for yourself
  2. Have products in demand
  3. Multiply your efforts through other people

If you are self-employed or work for a firm that compensates you for helping the firm grow, you are “in business for yourself”. If you offer services your clients want and are willing to pay for, you have “products in demand.” And if you have employees, you are “multiplying your efforts through other people”.

But if J. Paul Getty were managing your law practice, he might point out that while you are doing the right things, you might not be doing them enough.

If you are doing any work in your practice that could be delegated to someone else, you’re losing money. You should do “only the work that only you can do” and delegate everything else, he would tell you. “I’d rather have one percent of the efforts of 100 people than 100 percent of my own efforts,” he said.

Once he had you leveraging the efforts of the people who work for you, I think Getty would turn his attention to the efforts of people who don’t work for you: your clients and professional contacts. They may not be getting a pay check from you but every one of them can help your practice grow.

The quickest path to “multiplying your efforts through other people” is to get more clients to send referrals.

Getty made most of his money in oil and understood the power of leverage. The more wells he drilled, the wealthier he got. Your clients are like oil wells. The more of them who refer, the wealthier you will become.

But Getty didn’t stop there. When he found a well that produced oil, he had his engineers look for ways to increase the yield from that well. He didn’t settle for a well that produced 100 barrels a day when that same well might product 200 barrels a day.

Your clients work the same way. If a client is sending you one referral a month, you should look for ways to get that client to send you two referrals a month.

If J. Paul Getty were managing your law practice, he would tell you there’s oil in your client and contact list and while you will hit many dry wells, if you drill enough, you will also hit some gushers.

Download The Attorney Marketing Formula to learn more ways to multiply your efforts and your income

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Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing legal services, Referrals Tagged With: ,
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