When someone asks, “What do you do?” hand them one of these

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I read an article recently that said that brochures are obsolete. I admit, they’ve never been one of my favorite marketing tools but they have always had their place.

They still do.

There is value in having something you can hand out to a client or prospect, telling them what you do and how to contact you. You can put brochures on the counter in your waiting room, in your new client kit, hand them out when you meet someone at a networking event, or put them in the mail with a cover letter when someone asks you to send them some information.

And, because fewer and fewer attorneys use a paper brochure, or do anything on paper, your brochure gives you an easy way to stand out.

And an easy way to be remembered.

A web page is only a click away from being forgotten. A paper brochure in a desk drawer provides prospective clients another way to find you when they discover that they need legal help.

A brochure, by itself, probably won’t bring in much business. They are usually staid and devoid of emotion or stories. They “tell” the world what you do, unlike a report or ebook which “shows” them, or a sales letter which “sells” them. But used in conjunction with other marketing collateral, brochures can be a valuable addition to your marketing mix.

After you have put together an effective website and written one or more reports to use as handouts and lead magnets, consider adding a simple brochure to your marketing toolkit.

Here are some common types of brochures to consider:

  • Capabilities brochure (aka “firm brochure): This describes your practice areas, services offered, and your ability to deliver results. It details your background and experience, awards and distinctions, and other elements that demonstrate your ability to get the job done. A firm brochure also describes your target market, languages spoken, office hours, and contact information.
  • Service brochure: This brochure is dedicated to one of your practice areas, one of your services, or perhaps a group of related services. It too describes your capabilities but provides more information, examples, and details about your services, packages, fees and costs and the like.
  • Problem/solution brochure: This brochure provides information about a legal need or problem common to your target market and presents available solutions, which of course include your services.

Most brochures present much of the information with bullet points more than narrative text. They provide an overview or the big picture. Make sure you point to your website where the reader can get more information.

Brochures needn’t be fancy or expensive. You don’t need full-color graphics, photos, or glossy paper. Your brochure can be all text, with black ink on a heavier weight paper or colored card stock.

On the other hand, a professionally designed and printed brochure does lend a degree of class to your practice. It tells the world that you are serious about what you do and that you do it successfully.

Brochures are by no means obsolete or ineffective. They don’t do a complete selling job on their own, but they can help.

Before you create a brochure, make sure your website is doing its job 

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What’s in your wallet? Briefcase? Desk drawer?

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When a client leaves your office, especially after your first meeting, what do you hand them? When you’re networking or running errands, what do you give to the people you meet?

It could be anything, as long as it has your name and website on it. Your business card, a brochure, your newsletter, a copy of your book or report.

I’m all for digital, but nothing beats a tangible handout for helping people to remember you and prompting them to get more information.

Put something in their hand they can take home with them and show their spouse or partner. Give them extras they can pass out to friends. “One for you, the other in case you talk to someone who might need my help”. Plant the seed and equip them to provide referrals.

Don’t rely on your handout to do the work, however. Use it as a mechanism to get their contact information. And make sure you follow-up with them, to tell them you enjoyed meeting them, to offer additional information, and to invite them to take the next step.

Marketing is simple. It’s even simpler when you have something to hand out.

The perfect handout 

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A simple way to promote your blawg you’re probably not doing

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increase-blog-trafficDo you have a print brochure for your law practice? Most attorneys don’t. They pass out their business card with the url to their web site or blog but a business card generally doesn’t tell people what you do or the benefits you offer. People have to go the your web site to find out and too often they simply don’t.

A brochure would help. But if you don’t want to spend the time or money hiring professionals to create one, there is a simpler alternative.

Take your best and most read blog post or posts and print them. You don’t need to re-set the text so it looks like a brochure, just print out the the posts as is. Add a cover sheet on your letterhead or add a screen shot of your blog’s home page. Or just staple your business card to the front and you’re done. Instant brochure.

No, it’s not slick and polished like a “real” brochure, and that’s okay, it’s not a brochure, it’s a reprint. In truth, your reprint is more effective than a brochure because it’s not slick and it’s not a sales document, it is valuable content that prospects want to read.

Hand out your reprints when you’re you’re speaking or networking. Put some on the table at the back of the room. Put a few copies in your new client welcome kits. Ask your referral sources to put them in their waiting rooms.

You can use this idea online, too. Gather up some of your better posts and assemble them into a PDF.

One of the easiest ways to get more traffic to your blawg is to give people a taste of what they get when they visit. This is a simple and very effective way to do that.

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