Attorney Marketing Creed: Do No Harm
Your goal in marketing as an attorney should be to attract better quality clients as well as a greater number of clients. Your focus is on both quality and quantity.
If attracting the ideal client means you have to become some kind of circus sideshow, you should probably rethink your career choice.
The lawyers we see on bus stop benches or billboard with cute phone numbers (you know what I’m talking about, they spell CASH or PAIN) are a joke. They harm the legal profession and they harm those of us who make our living trying to help LEGITIMATE attorneys build a law firm.
Your law firm is a business but it is also a profession. Attorney marketing should be designed to build relationships with clients. The sleazy, cheesy, pursuit of fast cash from people who are often in a difficult situation is deplorable.
In the medical community, the creed of DO NO HARM governs at all times. As a combative measure to the onslaught of bad attorney marketing that exists, I tell friends who need a lawyer to follow the same practice as if they were selecting a medical specialist.
First: They should ask their family physician for a referral. In the case of a lawyer, they should ask a lawyer they trust for a referral. The lawyer who handled their real estate closing knows a criminal attorney. The attorney they use for their business transactions knows a divorce lawyer. The lawyer who prepared their will knows someone who can help with a tax matter…and so on…
Next: The client should check licensing body for disciplinary action. Every state has a governing body that regulates the conduct of lawyers. In Florida we have The Florida Bar. The Bar’s website has a member search area which allows clients to check the disciplinary history of any lawyer in the state. It also allows the attorney to complete a profile. As an attorney, you should fill in complete profile information and encourage prospective clients to check your credentials at the site.
Third: Interview them. I tell friends to ask the tough questions of their prospective attorney (not about the matter at hand but about the attorney’s experience and background). Would you let a surgeon cut into you without meeting them first? Only in an emergency. The same should hold true for a lawyer.
Finally: The attorney should provide references and contact information from past clients. All attorneys should have at least three references they can provide to prospective clients. Even attorneys in highly secretive and confidential practices should be able to point to three people, somewhere on the planet, who will vouch for them.
Smart clients will not hire an attorney base upon a billboard or a bus stop bench. An attorney who is good at marketing would never allow his firm to place that kind of advertising. DO NO HARM also holds true to when it refers to your profession.
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EmailA New York Attitude Helps Attorneys Marketing
The only person who likes a pushy New Yorker is the client of the pushy New Yorker. When it comes to attorneys marketing their services, everybody needs a little New York in them. Since you may not be from New York (or South Florida which is the sixth borough) let me tell you about the qualities of a true son or daughter of New York – and how they apply to attorneys and marketing.
Urgency
Things happen fast in the big city. People who have lived in New York and who have run a business in New York know if you don’t get things done in a hurry you will get crushed.
Attorneys marketing with a New York perspective will hustle to get their message out. They will implement law firm marketing tactics quickly and effectively. Twenty four hours is a lifetime and a week is an eternity in New York and that’s the attitude of someone who knows how to build a successful law firm.
Persistence
If you have ever tried to get a cab on New Year’s Eve in New York City, in the rain, you know about persistence. New Yorkers never give up. Ever. They just keep coming at you over and over and over again.
Attorneys marketing like New Yorkers will have that same kind of persistence. They will demand a Return on Investment from every marketing initiative. They will relentlessly pursue progress in their marketing efforts. And if something doesn’t work they will adjust it and try it again.
Passion
People from New York talk fast and can sometimes be loud and animated. This comes from their passion. The Yankee fans scream at the Met fans. The Giant fans gesture at the Jet fans. The passion is everywhere.
Attorneys marketing with a New York attitude will be passionate about the value they provide for their clients. They will make sure everyone knows how they help people. They know that nobody is going to hand them anything and they need to aggressively and passionately make the case for their law firm.
Thick Skin
New Yorkers don’t care what anyone says or thinks about them. They get the job done in spite of all the crap people will sling their way. If you have ever had to fight for a seat on the subway you know that what people say about you is not important at all.
Attorneys marketing on the cutting edge will always be criticized for their effort. Most often this will be envy talking. As long as they are ethical, the attorneys marketing like New Yorkers should give everyone a Bronx cheer as they sign up client after client.
If you want to take your law firm to the next level you need to reach deep down within yourself. You need to find you inner New Yorker and channel. Attorneys marketing with a New York attitude will always lead the pack.
Law Firm Marketing Required Reading Part 1
Many people have asked me what blogs I read regularly or what websites I visit to keep up with the ever-changing world of law firm marketing. Since there are dozens of blogs that are great resources for lawyers interested in finding clients, I decided to highlight a few each week and bring them to your attention.
Tom Kane’s Legal Marketing Blog is a terrific resource for law firm marketing information. Tom has been blogging for over 6 years and the information he provides is timely and accurate.
Amy Campbell has been blogging since 2003 and her blog is a must read. Start with her article on the benefits of blogging.
Larry Bodine’s blog is a great place to get the latest information on law firm marketing. He is not only on top of the trends but his commentary is spot on.
Kevin O’Keefe offers the best insight into the world on on-line marketing for lawyers. He is a pioneer in blogging for attorneys and you would be smart to read everything he writes about law firm marketing and blogging.
Carolyn Elefant is The Dean of Solo and Small Law Firm Management. You’re crazy if you don’t read her blog each week. Start with this article titled “When You’re the Boss, You Don’t Beg For Work Life Balance. You Make It So.”
I’ll point you to more blogs I love to read in the days and weeks to come. Rest assured there are dozens of them out there that focus on law firm marketing. The majority of them have something of value to offer.
Important Marketing Rule for Lawyers: Be On Time
Last week a lawyer invited me to lunch. He wanted help with the marketing for his firm. Since helping lawyers with marketing is what I do, and since I like eating lunch, I accepted the invitation.
I am a bit of a fanatic about appointments. I tend to get everywhere early. Fifteen minutes early is my standard but it is not unusual for me to get somewhere 30 minutes before the scheduled meeting time. This is not just because of my obsessive personality. I always allow extra time for traffic, the need to fill the car up with gas, a meteor crashing into my route to the meeting venue…you get the idea.
So when the day arrived for my lunch with this lawyer, I got to the restaurant about 20 minutes early. This gave me some time to read the newspaper while I waited. Not necessarily a bad thing. When I completely finished reading the front section of the paper I looked up and noticed that I had been sitting in that same spot for about an hour. This means that the lawyer was already 35 minutes late.
I folded up the paper and was about to leave when my lunch date arrived. He offered no apology and when I confronted him with the fact that I had been waiting for half an hour he simply replied: “There was a lot of traffic.”
Needless to say, I did not accept this man as a client. Here’s why:
A lack of time integrity is an indication of an irresponsible person. Being late is a sign that you do not take commitments seriously. We set a specific time for the meeting. Honor that commitment. To account for the traffic, leave early.
If you do not respect my time, you will not respect the advice I give you. How seriously can you take what I say when you don’t think I am important enough to show up on time?
People who are chronically late lack personal pride. If you do not care about your image enough to be on time for a meeting, you obviously do not care enough to represent yourself well. I certainly do not want to work with someone like that.
I realize many people will think this is harsh. I also realize many people will wonder what this has to do with lawyers marketing their law firms. Unfortunately, the world is a harsh competitive place. Since marketing for lawyers is all about helping them get the best clients, and time is an essential element of the execution of marketing tactics, a lack of time integrity kills the marketing process before it even begins.
If you think I should “give people a break” because “stuff happens” you are involved with the wrong guy. My feeling is that smart people anticipate the stuff that is going to happen and they adjust.
Be on time. It will help you get more clients.
Thoughts on Attorneys, Marketing and Hope
Most of my days are spent helping attorneys with marketing or business strategy. I love doing that. It’s part of who I am. It makes the client happy, improves his/her life and makes me feel good. I am fortunate to have found a career that allows me to do what I do best every day.
During the past couple of years many of us have faced some form of adversity. For many it was financial. Perhaps the loss of a job or a decrease in income has placed a strain on your household. For others it may have been the illness or loss of a family member. Many people placed their hope in the hands of the government and although the election of 2008 was historic, those who hoped for real change have been disappointed.
Although many of these things have touched me as they have touched you, I am grateful and thankful that you have invited me into your home or office, inbox or blog reader. When times get tough I help attorneys with marketing. That makes me feel better. It makes them feel better. I do what I am and I am fortunate that I can.
We are lucky- you and I. We both get to make a profound difference in the lives of our clients. If someone walks into our office in deep despair we can often give them the guidance they need to get back on track. If they have made a big mistake, we can mitigate the damage. If they have experienced loss, we can often help make them whole.
Thank you for making a difference in the lives of your clients. I’m sure you are as grateful for having the ability to help them as I am when I help attorneys with marketing.
The Best Marketing for Law Firms Never Promises Anything
The bodies that govern law firms in every state have legislated against representing a potential outcome to a client. In part, this stems from sleazy practitioners making false or misleading statements in order to engage a client.
I am regularly approached by attorneys who “want to know the tricks around” this rule. Let me be clear: There are no ETHICAL ways around this. Excellent attorneys do not want to get around this. Good marketers and good marketing for law firms should never attempt to get around this rule. Here are three reasons why:
Outlining all the potential outcomes in a case increases your credibility with the client.
Attorneys can never promise an outcome in a case. Even giving the hint that a positive outcome is possible can sometimes lead to trouble. But most attorneys are also hesitant to discuss the potential negative consequences of the legal action.
Covering the entire spectrum of possible outcomes is something that good attorneys do with potential clients. They don’t stress the positive or the negative. The simply help the client understand the implications of each decision.
Giving the client the information about all realistic scenarios, up front, is something that enhances the attorney’s credibility in the eyes of the client.
Being transparent about the possible negative outcome increases the urgency.
Setting realistic expectations helps clients evaluate you fairly.
You can promise to return a call within 24 hours. You can promise to be honest with your client at all times. You can promise to deliver the developments on the case to the client as quickly as possible. But making promises you can’t keep is never a good idea in life or in marketing for law firms.
How to Get Clients As a Lawyer
Does it bother you that you spent all that money on law school, invested all that time and energy in your education and they never taught you how to get new clients as a lawyer? If it does, this may be the most important article you have ever read.
During the next few paragraphs I am going to reveal the secrets of how to get more clients than you can possibly handle. Sit back in your chair. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and relax. Lawyer marketing is going to seem different in a few minutes.
Five ways lawyers get new clients:
Don’t think about marketing. Think about relationships.
Too many lawyers want to learn the tips, tricks, tactics or techniques to getting more clients. Ultimately, marketing for lawyers is not about learning some kind of business development judo. It is about building relationships. Everyone you meet has the potential to refer someone to you. Everyone you meet is one or two connections away from bringing in the huge client that could change your life. The people who believe in you most will refer people to you over and over again. Start off by looking to establish relationships with people first and the business will come.
Don’t forget about anyone, ever.
One of my clients, a personal injury attorney in the Midwestern United States, got his best client ever from an electrician who worked on the wiring in his home. How did this happen? The electrician was replacing some outdated wiring in the attorney’s home. This was a project that took several days.
A couple of days during that time period, the attorney had coffee with the electrician. They didn’t talk about electrical repair and they didn’t talk about the law. They talked about their kids, sports and the local town politics.
When the job was finished, the attorney added the electrician to his newsletter list. Each month, the electrician read the newsletter and enjoyed the personal stories it contained. One afternoon at the electrical supply store, he heard that a guy he once worked with had gotten hurt at a job on a construction site.
Since he knew the guy and since he had been involved in some close calls himself, he went to visit his former coworker in the hospital. The injuries were serious and the construction company who supervised the site cut several corners on that job. The electrician immediately reached out to “his friend” the attorney and made an introduction.
Getting clients as a lawyer happens naturally. It is not scripted. Your next client can come from anyone, anywhere.
Communicate with people as often as possible.
Frequency of communication builds trust. If people see you and hear from you often they will rely on you.
Too many attorneys feel that they will be bothering people by sending out a weekly electronic newsletter or a monthly print newsletter. The opposite is true. If you do not communicate with people often enough, they will be hesitant to trust you.
Focus on the client.
Don’t talk about yourself. Don’t write about yourself. You should only give people information about your law firm if they ask for it.
Give people information they need to make better decisions. Help them solve problems. Demonstrate your expertise.
TELLING someone how smart you are is awful. SHOWING them how smart you are by sharing your knowledge is great.
Be a connector.
As a lawyer, if you want people to help you get clients, if you want them to send you referrals, you have to become known as someone who connects people. Making valuable introductions to others is one of the best ways to demonstrate the behavior you want from others.
Connecting your friends and acquaintances is an important and valuable way to deepen your relationships. Deep relationships produce referrals.
These five ways to get clients may not have been exactly what you were looking for. You were probably thinking you were going to hear about some advertising strategy or some new and exciting social media.
During the past 20 years I have worked with countless attorneys and legal professionals on marketing. These five ways of getting clients are timeless and foundational. Focus on these first and you can add everything else into the mix later.
