Finding What’s Missing From Your Marketing
When it comes to attorney marketing I find there is of the one thing missing, even from the law firm marketing plan of the most dedicated attorney. That one thing is tying as many of your daily actions to a goal as possible.
This is one of the keys to success I share with my clients. Here is how it works:
Take a look at your list of daily action items. (If you do not have a list of daily action items, make one). Each of those daily action items should bring you one step closer to one of your goals.
For example, one of your action items could be: Write an article for my law firm newsletter. That action item gets you one step closer to obtaining a new client, which helps you fulfill your goal of making a certain amount of money.
Another example could be to follow up with an event planner on a specific speaking opportunity. This will also get you closer to your revenue goal because you could secure some new clients as a result of speaking at this event.
Ultimately you want to fill your list of daily action items with tasks that help you get closer to your goals and you want to eliminate or delegate all the things on your list that do not help you achieve this objective.
Implementing this slight change in the way you organize your daily work will have a dramatic effect on your success in attorney marketing.
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EmailAttorney Marketing Takes Away the Sting of Losing
The sting of losing a client never goes away completely. But attorney marketing does help keep the pipeline full of good qualified prospective clients.
This means that if one client leaves (or a prospective client elects not to work with you) you have an opening for another qualified client to step into.
If you are anything like me and you hate losing, then having many new clients waiting to come to work with you is helpful at getting you past the disappointment of not closing the last deal that walked through the door.
Attorney marketing also makes you less needy. This is always a good thing.
You never want to sign up a client because you NEED them to work with you. You should only sign up a client because they are the right client for the way you practice law.
Attorney marketing helps you get to that point. But it requires time, energy and focus.
When They Show Up, Bill ‘Em
Do you feel like you need to offer a free consultation?
Isn’t that part of law firm marketing 101?
No it is not. In fact, it is terrible law firm marketing.
Free advice is worth what you pay for it.
If you want to do anything for free, have an administrative assistant or an associate interview the prospective client to see if they qualify to work with you.
Yes. I know. Your competitors all offer free consultations. They all sit with clients for an hour at a time and listen to their tale of woe. They empathize and then, if they are lucky, the client signs up with them.
Did they teach that in law school? Was the class called; “How to be a doormat?”
The lawyers I work with do not give free consultations. They realize the value of their time and they demand clients respect it.
This is one of the easiest changes to make in your law firm yet it gives so many attorneys anguish. I am not sure why. Maybe it is insecurity or maybe it is fear of the competition.
If you do none of the other things I recommend on this website, at least start charging for consultations.
And so that you know that I remain congruent with my own advice: I charge $1,500 for a consultation. But that payment can be applied to any subsequent work we do together.
Few people waste my time. But you don’t have to be a law firm marketing expert to have people respect your time.
If you want people to respect you, you must respect yourself. That starts with respecting your most valuable resource, your time.
Law Firm Marketing Plan Starts With Client Selection
Most attorneys do not link their law firm to their lifestyle so linking their law firm marketing to their overall life design is not even in the realm of possibility.
Before I start sounding like someone you would see on Oprah, let me explain what I am getting at:
Your work should enable you to live the kind of life you want. For example: If you want to spend every Friday with your kids, then you should come up with a plan to be able to take Friday’s off. If you only want to work on certain types of matters you should come up with a plan to source only the kinds of clients who have the type of work you are seeking.
If this sounds a bit far-fetched to you, you are too close to the situation to be objective.
Take a deep breath and think about why you started your own practice (or why you assumed your current role) in the first place.
You work to live you do not live to work.
Here is how law firm marketing can help you achieve your goal of developing a practice that will fulfill your lifestyle needs:
Law firm marketing is a broad term for the systems you put in place to attract and retain clients. As with any system, if you put garbage in, you get garbage out. If you put nothing in, you get nothing out.
The first step in developing a law firm marketing system that will help enable you to build a fulfilling law practice is to decide who your ideal client is.
Once you have targeted the ideal client, you can then lay out the necessary steps to attract and retain the ideal client.
And herein lies the problem.
Most attorneys never get beyond this step. Most lawyers cannot decide who their ideal client is, or should be.
Take a few minutes right now and think about the clients you have worked with over the last few years. Who were ideal? What qualities did they possess? What type of matters did they bring you? What made those matters better than others you have worked on?
Answering these questions is step one in reshaping your law firm. You need to know who to target before you develop a law firm marketing plan to attract them.
Law Firm Marketing is Your First Step Toward Freedom
Sometimes success can be overwhelming.
Many of the lawyers who implement my recommendations find themselves inundated with new clients inside of a year. This success leads to additional recommendations that are much harder to follow.
Meaning: I instruct busy attorneys to hire associates to take care of most of their clients (do the legal work) and simultaneously to increase the fees they charge clients who work directly with them. The associates should bill at a lower rate than the partner - who presumably has significantly greater experience, skills, knowledge and some kind of unique ability.
A good portion of my clients resist acting on this advice. This resistance stems from two specific fears:
1). Attorneys fear they will lose the clients they currently have and
2). They fear appearing different when compared to everyone else who does what they do.
Both of these fears inhibit the growth of the law firm. Both are as deadly as a bullet fired from a gun.
Here’s why:
Raising fees for new clients may result in a decrease in volume. The clients who choose not to pay your fee do not appreciate the value of working with you. They do not want the guidance and support of a true expert. Rest assured new and better clients will fill the vacuum created by the absence of these shortsighted individuals.
Appearing different is what marketing is all about. Your difference is a competitive advantage.
Most attorneys are sheep marching silently and compliantly into the slaughterhouse of the fee-cutting-client. If you provide more value, and you present that value in a unique way, you stand out from the flock. Not only do you avoid slaughter, but you establish ownership of your own flock. And if you are smart, you harvest wool from your sheep multiple times instead of slaughtering them once.
But this is old news. You have heard this from me before.
Yet you did not take action.
I realized something important a couple of years ago. I was speaking at an event and I was passionately advocating that attorneys raise their fees and fire problem clients. After I was finished with my speech, an attorney came up to me and informed me that she wanted to do everything I described. She wanted to attract valuable clients for life and she wanted to charge premium fees and she wanted to have an exclusive practice with fewer, more valuable clients.
But she didn’t know where to start.
She did not know what the first steps were or how to take them.
That was my fault. I had not been clear about specifically how to make this change in your law firm and develop the practice you deserve.
So I made a change. I did something I had never done before.
I took the information I use to help my clients get started and I packaged it into a system that not only shows you what to do but how to do it. I felt like this was my responsibility. I wanted to give you a cost effective way to get off to a fast start in building the law firm you truly deserve.
This is the exact system, with the exact recommendations that I follow. It works. In fact, I guarantee that it will work for you.
If you want to take a look at it, you can find it by clicking on this Legal Marketing Fast Start link.
Why does this fast start system work?
Because it allows you to make small, incremental changes to your law firm marketing each day. You move at your own pace.
Of course the faster you act, the more clients you attract.
If you seriously want to improve the quality of the clients you attract and you want to grow your law practice and you want to develop the kind of law firm you deserve, you need to take action.
What are you going to do today to take your practice to the next level?
Take that first step now. I want to help, but it really is up to you.
Please note that the reason I want you to visit http://LegalMarketingFastStart.com now is because the investment in this system will increase dramatically in a couple of weeks. If you have ever thought about making a quantum leap in your law practice, now is the time.
In Law Firm Marketing Success Follows Action
It is very easy to tell the difference between winners and losers. There is one particular quality winners possess. I guarantee if a person has this quality they are a winner.
In this context, the term winner refers to someone who seeks a desired outcome and then makes it happen. It does not mean they are rich. Some rich people are winners and some are losers. It does not mean they are famous. Some famous people are winners and some are losers. My definition of a winner is someone who sets their mind to achieve a goal and then they achieve it.
Winners talk differently than everyone else. They carry themselves differently than everyone else. But most importantly, they act differently than everyone else.
Winners have a bias for action.
Here is an example:
Three weeks ago I attended a party at the home of a friend. Several attorneys were present and a few of them and I gathered in the kitchen. We had a conversation about a specific marketing strategy I have been experimenting with for six months. I told the group I was happy with the results. This strategy was consistently delivering about three leads a week to my firm and to the firm of an attorney with whom I was working. I said I would be looking to teach this strategy to some clients over the next few months to see how it worked in various different kinds of legal practices.
There were four lawyers standing with me listening to me describe the results. They all asked questions. They all nodded their heads in agreement. But only one of them called me the next day to ask about the specific steps involved in this new strategy. In fact, this guy not only called and asked about this strategy, he made an appointment to come to my office and see it in action. He took copious notes and he implemented it within 48 hours.
This particular lawyer and I had a follow-up conversation yesterday. He has already gotten two new clients as a result of this particular strategy.
Action.
It is what separates the winners from the losers. A winner hears a good idea and he finds a way to use it. He makes it a reality in his business as soon as possible.
Here is a little added bonus: People with an action orientation overcome failure more easily than stagnant people. Why? Because if they take action and it doesn’t work, they immediately take more action. To these folks, failure doesn’t exist. They view each action as a test. Even if the test produces positive results, they tweak it to make it better.
Now I have two questions for you.
Question one:
What was the last great idea you thought of or heard?
Question two:
What did you do about it?
It is not too late. You can still be a winner. Waiting is for losers. Take action now.
If you want to learn how to take action repeatedly give me a call. In 90 days I can instill this quality in even the most sedentary lawyer.
But you have to take the first step.
You have to make the call.
888.692.5531
Law Firm Marketing and The Benefits of a Narrow Practice Niche
Trying to be everything to everyone is a recipe for failure. There are dozens of reasons to focus your law firm marketing efforts in a narrow law practice niche. Here are a four:
Perception of Expertise: Prospective clients will perceive you as a qualified expert if you focus your marketing resources on a specific area. Educating people in this area will help demonstrate your understanding and mastery of it. Clients want to work with experts. Use case studies from actual client cases in your law firm marketing. This will help demonstrate your expertise and it will affect your clients’ perception.
Experience: The client will trust the person who has done this work previously. The patient who needs heart surgery wants to hire the doctor who specializes in this procedure. He doesn’t want the obstetrician who dabbles in this work on a part time basis. In your law firm marketing you should reflect back upon the number of matters you have handled in a particular area. Highlight your successful track record and your length of service.
Client Confidence: This goes hand-in-hand with experience. Your clients will have greater confidence in you if they know you have dedicated your practice to their area of need. The will believe in your ability to help them and they will trust your advice. Nothing boosts client confidence like testimonials. Once a client has called and asked for information about your law firm, ask them if they would like to “check your references”. This is an opportunity to pass along any testimonial letters you have received. Testimonials boost client confidence.
Competitive Advantage: A focus on a specific area of the law is a competitive advantage. While all other lawyers are touting that they can be everything to everyone you can point to your dedication and focus as a way to separate yourself from the crowd. This will allow you to win many more clients than your competition.
Focusing your law firm marketing in a narrow niche will help you attract more clients, gain their confidence and respect quicker and it gives you a competitive advantage. Start thinking of a way you can narrow your marketing focus and you will notice the difference in the clients you attract.
Attorney Marketing and Client Selection
Sometimes attorney marketing helps you decide which clients NOT to work with.
The most difficult decision for any attorney is one that involves turning away business. There are times with the client in front of you has enough money to work with you, has a problem you can solve and is ready to get started but you just can’t work with them.
How could this ever happen?
Here are three reasons to turn away a client:
Lack of Integrity
Clients lie to their attorneys all the time but this doesn’t mean you have to tolerate it. If someone comes to you with a matter and their initial story sounds “fishy”, walk away. Your gut instinct is always right. You do not need the headache of guessing which lie will take down the whole case.
Use your marketing as a tool to screen your clients. Have a member of your team conduct a thorough interview with the prospective client before agreeing to the initial meeting. Use the results of this interview to inform your initial consultation. Look for inconsistencies. If you find any, decline the case.
Lack of Engagement
Some clients will ask you to “just handle it” when it comes to their matter. The extent of their involvement ends when they sign the check to pay your fee. Unfortunately these clients usually become re-engaged right about the time the whole case blows up. That’s when they file the bar complaint.
In your pre-meeting packet (you should send your clients something before the initial consultation) stress the importance of the attorney-client relationship. Highlight it as a partnership designed to achieve the optimal result. Clearly spell out the consequences of a lack of client participation.
Lack of Decisiveness
Clients who are irresolute will kill you. They will waste your time and drain your resources. An indecisive client will take a victory and turn it into a defeat. Run away from clients who have difficulty in making decisions.
Many attorneys think it will be difficult to spot these people. It is easier than you think. In your screening interview ask questions about major decisions they have made in the past. Ask about things like home purchases, auto purchases and selecting other professional service providers. Finally, ask the prospective client how many lawyers they met with before they came to see you. If they have visited with more than one attorney prior to seeing you, decline the matter.
Attorney marketing is sometimes about the cases you do not take. Making wise decisions in client selection will save you money, it will save time and most importantly, it will save your sanity.
7 Legal Marketing Methods to Implement Immediately
There are lots of legal marketing methods that work. Many people are confused about where they should start. Here are 7 legal marketing methods that will help you get started growing your law firm.
Legal Marketing Method 1: Blog Daily
Writing an article each day is a great way to develop a relationship with your prospective clients. If you can’t get to it daily, three times a week will work. Legal marketing means building relationships. People who read your blog want to have a relationship with you. These are terrific potential clients.
Legal Marketing Method 2: Email Weekly
Each week pick your best blog article and email it to the people in your contact database. This will help you develop a deeper relationship with them. And no, weekly email is not too frequent. Communication becomes annoying when it is not interesting and engaging. As long as your content is good, you will be successful with a weekly email. That is one of the secrets to legal marketing. Good content is always appreciated no matter how frequently it is delivered.
Legal Marketing Method 3: Print and Mail a Newsletter Monthly
Regular mail works better than ever. People pay more attention now to regular mail than they do to email. Compile your best few articles from your blog, put them in a newsletter format, and mail them out. You will capture a portion of your audience that typically does not read blogs or email. This is a classic legal marketing method that never goes out of style…because it works!
Legal Marketing Method 4: Court Bankers and CPAs
Bankers and CPAs need to establish relationships with their clients just like you do. It makes good sense to develop relationships with these professionals. You can add value to the relationship your banker or CPA has with his clients and he can add value to your client relationships. Adding value is good legal marketing strategy.
Legal Marketing Method 5: Take on a Leadership Role in the Community
People want to be lead. They like leaders. Step up and take a leadership role in your community. It will show that you are responsible and reliable. It will help inspire confidence in your prospective clients. You can’t just sit back and wait to be successful. You must earn your success. Your leadership skills and your legal marketing will help you.
Legal Marketing Method 6: Share Your Friends
One of the fastest ways to gain favor with prospective clients is to connect people to others who can help them. If you do this, it benefits three people: First it benefits the two people you are bringing together and then it benefits you. If you selflessly share your connections with others, you will reap the rewards as both people will be appreciative.
Legal Marketing Method 7: Become a Follow-up Maniac
This is the cardinal rule of legal marketing. You must follow up with everyone, constantly. People need to hear your message a minimum of seven times before it begins to sink in. Follow up early and often and you will be successful.
Legal marketing is effective when you take action. Above are seven ways you can begin to grow your law firm. The next step is up to you.
Do Internet Directory Services Work for Lawyer Marketing?
This is a question I am receiving with more and more frequency. As the economy deteriorated these services ramped up their marketing efforts so that almost every lawyer in America received a call from one of them at some point (or so it seemed). Many lawyers added an online directory listing to their marketing and signed up for the service. Others remained skeptical and called me looking for my input. Since I have now seen more than my share of lawyers who have used the various directory and “client matching” services, I can offer some fair commentary about them.
Directory services are essentially the Internet replacement of the phone book. You list your law firm in there with other attorneys who do the same thing as you do. You provide your information packaged in the same way as all the other lawyers marketing their services. You even have the opportunity to list prices for your services. Then people call you. Some call seeking free advice and some call shopping around for the least expensive lawyer.
That’s right. You will get phone calls from most of these services. And in many cases you will get clients. In a few cases, you may even get enough clients to do better than break even on your investment. Many people would say this is a good lawyer marketing tactic since you are receiving a positive return on investment.
The problem with directory services is that they make you a commodity. You become the same as a can of peas on the shelf in a supermarket. Potential clients cannot see the difference in your service from all the other attorneys in the directory. You all look the same. When everything looks the same the only criteria the client has to make a decision is price. This is not good.
Let’s see how the directory services stack up against the three main elements of lawyer marketing:
Visibility: Will it help people find you? The answer here is “yes”.
Credibility: Will it help people believe your message? The answer here is “maybe”. I say “maybe” because credibility is in the eyes of the receiver of the message. To some potential clients, being in a directory service may signal legitimacy but to others it may signal desperation. It all depends on your potential client.
Differentiation: This is where we put the nail in the coffin. These directory services offer no way to differentiate you from everyone else. In fact, they make you a commodity which is the opposite of what good lawyer marketing is supposed to do.
In the end, advertising in a directory or a client matching service will not do any harm to your law practice. You will, if you have the time and the patience to sort through all the calls from price shoppers, probably get a few clients over the course of a year. But if you have other opportunities to invest in more productive lawyer marketing vehicles, I recommend staying away from them.
