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The Perfect Welcome Email to Send to EVERY New Client!

One of the greatest frustrations clients have with their lawyers centers around the issue of communication.  Many people lament that they never hear from their attorney until it’s time to write another check.  Even if that’s not really the case, the “perception” of such can quickly make a client standoffish… always questioning your time and your motives.

Who wants that as the start of a business relationship?  At the same time, you don’t have the time to “chat” or answer questions all day.  And really, it’s equally frustrating that clients would EXPECT that of you.

What’s the attorney to do?

Well, I’ll tell you a super easy way to cause your new clients to “stand down” and put away their negative ammo… attitudes (particularly the bad ones):

Start sending the PERFECT welcome email when someone engages your firm.

Sounds simple, right?  In reality, it is.

Within 24 hours of a client coming in to meet with you, there needs to be at least one email that goes out, from the ATTORNEY, that personally welcomes the client to your practice and sets positive expectations up front.   Here are a few points you may want to cover:

·  Your gratitude for the client choosing you as an attorney.  You realize it’s not an easy decision to make and you look forward to earning their trust.

·  An introduction to EVERYONE on the team who may have a hand in their matter.   This is your chance to EDIFY EDIFY EDIFY your team members and let your clients know they are in wonderful, capable hands.  Let them know that the team will be responsible for keeping in touch with the client regularly and answering any questions they may have so that the client is NOT resentful if every call does not come from you, the lawyer.

·  Clearly walk them through how to proceed if they have a question and what to expect.  Each office has their own unique processes and nuances, so let them know how yours works.

·  Provide the client with links to any helpful articles, blogs or materials that they can be reading to learn more about the legal journey they are embarking on.  It will help them to feel more apart of the “team” and the overall process.

·  If you have a newsletter or email newsletter, let them know exactly when they can expect to hear from you (ex. Until we meet again in the office, I’ll be communicating with you bi-weekly via my newsletter.  I’ll be sending you helpful tips that I think you can benefit from, and you will have the opportunity to reply over email if you have any questions.”)

Truth is, it doesn’t take much to make the lawyer-client relationship a less adversarial one.  Simple little gestures, like sending the perfect welcome email, will work wonders in showing your clients that you are different from all of the rest.

If you don’t have a great welcome email in place, sit down this afternoon and draft one.  Give the copy to your assistant and ask him or her to ensure it goes out from an email address with your name on it after every client comes into meet with you.  The results will be immediate and you’ll significantly cut down on client drama in your practice!

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

How’s that newsletter working out for you?

If you are struggling to find the time to keep in touch with your clients and/or prospects, might I suggest you start sending a regular newsletter with great content and promotional materials for your firm?

When I start working with a new client, I pretty much insist that they start sending at least an electronic newsletter to their database.   My absolute preference is that a client sends BOTH an ezine each month (or bi-weekly) and a print newsletter by mail.  I want to be infiltrating the prospect’s inbox AND their mailbox whenever I can!

The reason I insist on mailing newsletters is that they WORK.  Newsletters are cost effective, they keep you at the top of mind of your client/ referral base and they provide something of value to the people receiving them.  With a simple mailing your clients and prospects feel nurtured, attended to and empowered by the great material you are sending them each and every month.

That’s just some of the benefits that the CLIENT experiences. But what about YOU?

When my attorneys give me a breakdown of where their business is coming from each month, it NEVER fails that they are brining in new business directly from their newsletters.

Think about it: when your content is written in such a way that is intriguing and informational, people will forward your electronic newsletter to their family and friends.  Or they’ll save a print newsletter and hand it to a loved one to check out. You are making it easy to share your services with others and new business will often come in as a result.

Same is true when you are promoting workshops and seminars. Again, many of our clients get a good number of sign ups from their newsletter mailings.  Whether it’s old prospects that are finally convinced that they need your help and raise their hand to attend, or new leads who have been forwarded your content by their family or friends, sending a newsletter is a really effective way to put butts in seats for your events!

If you are not sending newsletters in your practice, let me urge you to make this the month that you start!

If you don’t have anyone on staff who can handle creating a newsletter for you from soup-to-nuts, including writing a personal note from the attorneys to keep your readers hooked on your content and opening your materials each and every month, let’s chat!

We specialize in electronic newsletters, print newsletters, advertising inserts and complete management of your electronic database systems (i.e. Infusionsoft, iContact) to create beautiful HTML content emails.  We also handle printing and mailing.

I’d be happy to send you a sample of some of our most recent client mailings if you would like to see for yourself what we can do for you and your firm..  Just email me and I’ll send you the goods!

 

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

Think twice before setting up a “review station” in your firm!

I talked to an attorney this week who wanted to get some more reviews posted online from happy clients following the completion of their legal services.

He was thinking about setting up a “Review Station” in the firm where clients could spend a few minutes at one of 5 dedicated computers he would set up in the office and leave feedback about their attorneys before leaving.  He felt this would get around the issue of clients forgetting to review the firm when they got home… and that the reviews would be mostly favorable because he was “striking while the iron was hot” when clients were pleased with their service.

While in theory the idea of having a review station or a few dedicated iPads in the office for reviews is a great plan, it’s just not doable.  Why? You run the risk of not getting your reviews published, or worse, your entire account shut down.

The idea of “Review Stations” is nothing new to Google.  One business owner recently wrote the following post in the “help” section online:

“We work really hard at doing the right things with our customers and in doing so we feel we earn the right to ask for them to review us on Google Places.  As of 2 weeks ago our reviews stopped showing up.  We offer the use of our computers to make it convenient for the customer to write a review.  Are we being penalized for having reviews come from the same IP address?  We do business with thousands of people every month, so it is not unreasonable to have a very small percentage actually leave us excellent reviews.”

The Google team had a swift response to why reviews may not be showing up anymore:

There have been a lot of questions about reviews lately in the forum, and we wanted to address some of the more common ones.

1. Where did my reviews go?

Edit, December 12: Please note that the Review content policy now states that business owners or employees should not review their own businesses. We also discourage review stations or kiosks set up at your business location that are solely for soliciting reviews.

The same information is also found on the Review Guidelines for Google Plus.  The “conflict of interest” subheading specifically mentions Review Stations again by name:

  • Conflict of interest: Reviews are most valuable when they are honest and unbiased. If you own or work at a place, please don’t review your own business or employer. Don’t offer or accept money, products, or services to write reviews for a business or to write negative reviews about a competitor. If you’re a business owner, don’t set up review stations or kiosks at your place of business just to ask for reviews written at your place of business.

Sites like Yelp are even STRICTER about soliciting for online reviews.  They discourage the mere act of ASKING for reviews.  You can read more about that HERE.

Policies such as these have been put in place to stop folks from gaming the system.  A recent study shows that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they would a personal recommendation.  It is important for the Googles and Yelps of the world to put safeguards in place to help ensure people are only reading accurate and unbiased reviews of the companies they are investigating.

So, what’s a business owner to do?  How can you get more reviews without getting in trouble?

1.     Don’t think you can get around this.   It can be tempting to think you can “trick” the system and Google, Yelp, etc. would never know.  Reviews are tracked by IP addresses, so if multiple reviews are coming from one computer, there is a chance that all of your great reviews will suddenly disappear or your account will get shut down all together.  I have seen this happen!  Don’t take the chance, it’s not worth it!

2.     Make it easy as possible for people who ARE willing to leave you a review on their own time.   We make sure to put icons to review sites such as Google + and Yelp on one central page on our clients’ websites.  There is nothing wrong with telling people that you have a page where it’s really easy to leave their feedback with one click of a button.  When it’s easy to do and minimally time consuming, clients are more apt to take the time to help you.

3.     Keep an eye on your profiles.  While it may take you time to gather a bunch of great organic reviews, one bad review from a cranky client or prospect can really tarnish your online marketing efforts.  Take the time to watch out for such posts and respond whenever possible so that other people reading the review can see that you addressed the situation and that perhaps the reviewer was just a bad egg!

As long as you keep within the Terms of Service, online reviews are definitely something you WANT and need.  Again, it’s no secret that prospects often read such reviews before making a buying decision, so the more great ones you have, the better!  Just be sure to ask for them in an ethical way to protect your accounts and the integrity of your firm.

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

A Summer Networking Challenge To Help Market Your Law Practice

 

Networking Tips to Market Your Law Practice

The legal profession is a competitive one, and each law practice needs to determine how best to market their services. As with any other type of business, networking can be a key to unlocking new and repeat business, not to mention those sought-after referrals. Make your legal marketing more productive with these networking tips:

·   Make a point to network with other lawyers in non-competing fields.  Once you’ve developed a relationship based on mutual trust, mutual referrals just make sense.  Bonus Tip:  Also network with professionals in other fields, as there are plenty of opportunities for referrals that way, too!

·   Be a helpful resource.  Instead of always looking for the payoff, make a point to use your skills and abilities to help others succeed at their goals.  They will remember the role you played and be happy to tell others about it.

·   In addition to offering help to others, make sure you follow through.  If you tell your doctor that you will make an important introduction for her, that needs to happen as soon as possible.  You will show yourself to be reliable, as well as providing her with what she needs.  Bonus Tip:  Follow through is important, but follow up is important, too.  Check back in with your doctor to make sure the introduction happened and see if it provided the desired result.

·   Always support your brand when networking.  Your brand should revolve around who you really are, not some idea that you want to project.  This allows you to be yourself in your interactions, and that kind of authenticity makes a big difference in the fruits of your networking endeavors.

It’s true that most lawyers didn’t go through years of school, testing, and practice so that they could become expert networkers.  They want to be lawyers!  The fact of the matter, however, is that you must market your law practice in order to stay in business.  Networking is a vital part of any lawyer’s marketing plan.

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

 

I love this marketing strategy that NEVER goes out of date!

Lawyer Marketing Strategies: Direct Mail

As a strategy for marketing law firms, direct mail has been around forever. It was there before business websites, e-newsletters, and social media. Considering the convenience and low cost of digital marketing methods, many lawyers find themselves wondering if direct mail is even a good strategy for marketing a law practice in today’s world.

In a word, yes. Direct mail marketing might not seem as modern as the other strategies listed (which are also good strategies, by the way), but it’s still around for the simple fact that it works. We’ve told you again and again that the best way to succeed as a small law practice is to take care of the clients you already have. This keeps them coming back, as well as referring their contacts to you.

However, it’s impossible to overlook the need to cultivate new prospects, and that is where direct mail marketing really pays off. Direct mail allows you to target potential new clients based on a variety of factors such as income level and geographic area. One direct mail piece can reach thousands of potential clients at once, and it does it in a way that people don’t find particularly intrusive. According to a study done by Epsilon, 70% of participants reported that they prefer direct mail to email when receiving unsolicited information!

Another advantage of direct mail is that it’s less likely to get lost in the shuffle than email. For one thing, you can make a direct mail piece completely unique. Skip the boring form letter and find cool and unusual ways to market your law practice by using different types of paper, dye-cut brochures, interestingly folded documents, and so much more. A surprising direct mail piece can really capture potential clients’ imagination and is more likely to be kept for reference than an unsolicited email that would probably get no more attention than is necessary to hit “delete.”

Remember, prospects (and everyone else, it seems) can receive hundreds of unwanted emails a week. Because it’s an easier approach, many law practices rely on it far too heavily for marketing. That’s certainly not to say you shouldn’t use email to market to current clients, but it’s not necessarily the best path to take to reach new folks. On the other hand, it’s been found that direct marketing pieces can also bolster your email marketing. Consider sending a unique direct mail piece to current clients letting them know to watch their email inbox for an upcoming offer, and you’ll likely find that the open rate on that future email outpaces most of your others by a long ways. Similarly, you can use your direct mail piece to invite prospects to log on to your website in order to access a special promotion.

Law practice marketing is certainly a different beast than it was 20 or even 10 years ago. That doesn’t mean, though, that the old-school marketing techniques don’t still have their place in your strategy!

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

This is a little personal, but there’s something in it for you, too.

I don’t know about you but Spring is my absolute favorite time of year…even when we have April showers move in for a few days. Everything is coming back to life (yes, I live in Florida, but up here in the Panhandle we do have seasons). And, we are entering the 2nd quarter of the year where everyone seems to get a burst of energy to get things moving in their business.

I love spring so much that it’s the season I chose to get married in.  Tomorrow would have been my 23rd wedding anniversary. So now, along with my anticipation of the season, there is also some sadness that comes at this time of year since Nick lost his battle with cancer.  Although, I’m learning to focus on all of the good times with my husband and the fact that I was so blessed to have found my best friend to spend 20 years of my life with.

Without a doubt, the work that we do for our Estate and Elder law attorneys not only comes from my many years experience as a senior paralegal and office manager of a top estate planning firm, but even deeper than that, I’m inspired by my personal struggles and “hard knock” lessons I learned while caregiving and preparing for end-of-life transitions with my husband, mom, dad, and mother-in-law over the past 10 years.

It is truly my passion to help attorneys reach as many people as possible with the message of solid estate planning and the importance of developing a lifetime relationship with a lawyer that will be there for them and their families, no matter what happens in the future.  It makes all the difference in the world when facing such challenging times.

If you’re reading this note right now, chances are you share my vision…and I love that.  I want to support you in reaching as many people as possible in your community! So in honor of my anniversary and my husband’s memory, I am going to lower the price on our DFY program by $200 a month for anyone who signs up in the next week. This is our dedicated marketing program that will put effective materials and campaigns in your hands each month to reach more families and local individuals with the important message of what you do.

Here’s where you can get all of the details about the program at your own convenience: https://legalmarketingmaven.com/dfy.

If you choose to join us, the discounted price will lock in for the entire time you are in the program. To get started, simply fill out this Authorization Form.  If your geographical area is already taken, you will not be charged and we will contact you ASAP to let you know.

That said, if you have been on the fence about signing up, now is the time to go ahead and lock in your territory because we do not work with competitors! And, remember, there are no long term commitments.  You can cancel at anytime without pressure or headaches.

Have questions? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee where we can talk determine if the program is a good fit for you and your practice.

 

20 Ways to Get Other People to Market Your Law Practice for You

20 Ways to Get Other People to Market Your Law Practice for You

Putting together a smart marketing plan takes some balance. After all, there are only so many things that you have the time and budget to make happen.  If you can harness your good reputation and other hard work in ways that make it so others market for you, then you can extend your law firm marketing to even deeper levels without a ton of extra effort on your part.  Here are 25 ways to do that, with varying amounts of resources required from you.

Promotional Products

Designing, ordering, and distributing promotional products will cost both time and money, but once they’re released “into the wild,” they continue spreading the word about your law practice, even when you’re nowhere in sight.  Promotional products can—and should—double as gratitude gifts for clients, but in order for them to be effective lawyer marketing, you need to make sure that the items you choose are ones that will actually get used.

1.     Travel coffee mugs

2.     High-quality sweatshirts

3.     Personalized pens

4.     Funny bumper stickers for clients

5.     A unique, branded item relevant to your area of law

Helping Others

There’s not much in this world that feels better than helping someone in need, and by engaging in these kinds of activities you can benefit your law practice, not just by marketing it, but also by building a culture of caring and loyalty amongst your staff and the organizations your law firm supports.  It’s a win-win.

1.     Underwrite a charity event

2.     Sponsor a youth sports team

3.     Donate services to fundraising auctions

4.     Put together a volunteer team

5.     Run a food/coat/toy drive for a good cause

In Writing

When someone quotes you in an article or provides you with a testimonial, others see it as a direct endorsement of your skills.  When it comes to lawyer marketing, it doesn’t get much better than that.  Even if you put in the work to write a press release, once it’s picked up by media, they suddenly become the ones doing your marketing for you.

1.     Ask for testimonials for your marketing materials

2.     Send out press releases

3.     Provide clients with referral cards (and a referral program)

4.     Join HARO (Help a Reporter Out)

5.     Exchange brochures with a non-competing colleague

Online

Every time you comment on a blog or Facebook post, you are getting your name (and probably a link to your business) in front of a new audience.  You can also gain the attention of those you admire by retweeting or sharing something they’ve posted, and oftentimes all of their followers or “friends” will also see what you’ve had to say due to the networked nature of social media.

1.     Encourage others to share or retweet your posts

2.     Share and retweet others’ posts

3.     Purchase advertising on targeted websites

4.     Run an ad campaign through Google

5.     Comment on relevant blogs and sites with a link back to yours

As you can see, these are just 20 marketing ideas out of THOUSANDS you could put in place this fall.  My advice is to focus on 4-5 and follow the tasks all the way through to completion. You can even recruit staff members who have a little bit of extra time on their plate to help.  The time and effort you spend now will be well worth it to have a full calendar when 2017 comes!

Generate more business, speaking engagements & expand your influence with our free 21-day legal marketing bootcamp.  Click here now to discover more.

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

[News] Helping Clients Take Advantage of Facebook’s New “Legacy Contact” Feature

As our lives become increasingly digital, more and more of the assets we accumulate are based in technology or created online.

Estate planning attorneys have the important job of educating their clients on how to handle “digital assets” in the event of a person’s death or incapacity, and then helping the client document such wishes in a will or trust.  Whether it’s an email account, blog, collection of domain names, hosting accounts, apps, ebooks, etc., a good estate planning attorney can help ensure that only a person the account owner trusts can access and maintain digital assets in their absence.

One area of digital asset planning that has received a lot of attention lately is the management of one’s Facebook profile page.  Until recently, loved ones of the deceased only had two choices: 1) Keep the wall public so everyone could continue to post messages and thoughts on the wall or 2) request to have the page “memorialized,” which meant the profile was no longer searchable or visible to those who were not already friends of the individual.

What Facebook did not allow to happen was for someone to manage the profile in the owner’s place.  Without explicitly having the password (and the permission to use it!), loved ones could not accept new friend requests, pin important information about memorial services to the top of the profile or update pictures.

That’s all changed this week, though, with the roll out of Facebook’s Legacy Contact feature.  Facebook users now have the opportunity to choose a “legacy contact,” either a family member or a friend, whom they want to manage their account when they pass away.  Or, they can let Facebook know that they want their account deleted immediately upon their passing.

From Facebook’s Newsroom:

Today we’re introducing a new feature that lets people choose a legacy contact—a family member or friend who can manage their account when they pass away. Once someone lets us know that a person has passed away, we will memorialize the account and the legacy contact will be able to:

  • Write a post to display at the top of the memorialized Timeline (for example, to announce a memorial service or share a special message)
  • Respond to new friend requests from family members and friends who were not yet connected on Facebook
  • Update the profile picture and cover photo

If someone chooses, they may give their legacy contact permission to download an archive of the photos, posts and profile information they shared on Facebook. Other settings will remain the same as before the account was memorialized. The legacy contact will not be able to log in as the person who passed away or see that person’s private messages.

Alternatively, people can let us know if they’d prefer to have their Facebook account permanently deleted after death.

As your clients plan for the handling of their digital assets after death, the Facebook Legacy Contact Feature is an important tool to mention during the process.  By simply logging into their account and following the directions below, they can easily make their wishes for their Facebook account known.

How do you feel about the creation of Facebook’s new “Legacy Contact” feature?  Will you take advantage of the opportunity to name a contact and share this information with your clients?  Sound off why, or why not, in the comments below!

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

I Stink at Marketing My Law Practice—Now What?

A trash can full of smelly garbage. Not really sure why he is smiling, but he is!

The weather couldn’t be prettier down here in the Florida Panhandle this time of year.  I’ve been enjoying some beautiful weather here at the beach soaking up some much needed sunshine after battling the flu for weeks!

If you get a chance to come down to the Panhandle be sure to let me know so we can meet up!

It is October now, and I hope that the marketing plans you made for your firm in January are rolled out and implemented full steam ahead.  Because 2017 is right around the corner.  You should have been reaching out to organizations about speaking opportunities, setting up coffee dates with key referral sources, or making fabulous offers for prospective clients if you’ve dropped the ball.

However, that window of opportunity in 2016 is closing fast, so strike while the iron is hot!  Even seemingly small connections can turn into bigger and more lucrative opportunities down the road.  Just a few months ago, we had a heck of a time getting a client into a well-known organization to speak to a group of HIGHLY targeted prospects.  So…we put our marketing hats on and got creative. We thought, “How can we get in the door just in time for the New Year?”

Here’s a big secret: When you get stuck, always approach things from the perspective of “What’s In It For THEM.”  Shift your mindset!

So, with 2017 approaching, we gave another call back and explained how much we love what the organization is doing and wanted to support them financially to help meet THEIR goals.  We were basically making a sponsorship donation.  And, as we had hoped (and planned for), the small donation FINALLY cracked the door open for the coveted speaking opportunity that other law firms in town would kill to have!

Even if you think you stink at marketing, there are so many ways to get the visibility for your firm that you want and deserve.  Sometimes you just have to think outside the box. My feature article below has some pointers for you…

I Stink at Marketing My Law Practice—Now What?

Not every lawyer has a gift for marketing a law practice.  On the other hand, pretty much every law practice depends upon marketing.  It can be a very difficult dilemma, indeed!  So, for those who don’t feel like they’ve got what it takes when it comes to marketing, what’s the answer?

Actually, there are a few good options.  Being a less-than-skilled marketer doesn’t need to spell doom for your law practice, rather it means that you need to dig deeper to uncover what will work for you.

Go With Your Strengths

If you’re reading this, then it’s probably because you already know the importance of marketing your law practice.  You’ve probably also noticed that there seems to be no shortage of ways to do just that.  But, it’s quite likely that you don’t feel comfortable with all of the possibilities.  For example, if you’re someone who doesn’t like speaking in front of a crowd, we could tell you all day how beneficial it is to give presentations without you deciding to give it a try.  It’s just not your thing!  On the other hand, you might be hugely charismatic in one-on-one situations.  If you also happen to like to eat, then you might just have hit on an area of marketing in which you excel: the lunch meeting!

  • I never want to cold call someone, but I love writing = direct mail
  • I have tons of info to share but no desire to do a seminar = blogging
  • I want to reach out to others, but I don’t have time to go in-depth = social media

Take the time to analyze your strengths and then build on those for an authentic and results-oriented way to market your law practice.

Educate Yourself

Maybe you don’t know a ton about marketing a business, but it sure does look like fun to you!  In that case, why not take a marketing class at a local college or even take a course online.  Nothing quite beats the enthusiasm that goes along with implementing new ideas, and classes are a great way to gain exposure to those ideas.

If a class doesn’t seem like it would work for you, you might also consider hiring a business coach.  This person will get to know your specific business, along with your personality, in order to make suggestions for strong methods to market your law practice.

Hire a Pro

Let’s face it.  Not every lawyer has an interest in marketing his or her firm.  With few exceptions, it’s just not typically why someone goes to law school.  If you’ve determined that you don’t enjoy marketing and/or that you’re just not getting good results from your efforts, it might be time to bring in the big guns.  Hiring a professional, especially one with a proven track record of marketing lawyers, can actually be the best course of action.  Not only does it free up the lawyer’s time to do Lawyer Stuff, but it can also save a fair amount of money in the long run by avoiding newbie mistakes and giving your legal marketing a more professional appearance.

So if you want to do this at no risk (well, actually for $1.00 to kick you off) click here to learn more about our Inner Circle Accountability & Private Group Coaching Program! What do you have to lose besides getting the phone to ring and revenue?

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

 

 

Creating a Marketing Plan That WORKS for Your Law Practice

There are so many parts and pieces when it comes to marketing a law practice, that it can get a little overwhelming.  Instead of taking a helter-skelter, see-what-works approach to marketing the practice, it’s a good idea to come up with a consistent plan to follow.  A law practice marketing plan doesn’t have to be set in stone, as you’ll want to monitor it and make occasional adjustments based on results; but it is a practical way to organize your approach and stay on track.

Just as with any other part of marketing, the marketing plan can be done in many different ways.  For those who need a place to get started, though, here is a great way to do so:

Legal Marketing Plan Step 1: Strategize

If you have no idea where you want to go, all the maps in the world aren’t going to help you get there.  The first step in creating a legal marketing plan is to figure out what it is that you are trying to accomplish.  Are your goals monetary?  Are you looking to serve a certain number of clients?  Perhaps you want to branch out into a new area of law.  It’s possible that you want all three!

Before deciding how you’re going to make your business successful, you have to define what success means to you.  By doing this, you can develop reasonable steps to take in pursuit of those goals.

Legal Marketing Plan Step 2:  Develop Goals and Objectives

The goal is what you want.  The best goals are quantifiable and have a deadline.

  • Increase billable hours by 15% in the third quarter
  • Sign XXX Company to a retainer by the end of the year
  • Conduct four new consultations a week

Each of these goals can be measured in order to see if they’ve been met or not.  Again, you can’t reach your destination if you don’t know what it is!

Objectives are the steps you take to reach the goal.  So, for the goal to develop four new contacts a week, you might implement the following objectives:

  • Pass out ten business cards a week
  • Check in with referral contacts once a month
  • Lead four workshops a year

These objectives are action steps that you intend to take in order to make the goals real.

Legal Marketing Plan Step 3:  Set a Budget

Once rent, payroll, association fees, etc. have been paid for the month, it can feel like there’s just nothing left to be spent on marketing your law practice.  Instead of looking at it as an expense, however, it’s a good idea to think of your marketing budget as an investment.  How much per year are you willing to invest in making your goals happen?  Spending a few hundred dollars for marketing collateral should lead to considerably more income as you reach that 15% billable hour increase goal!

Decide what you can/are willing to put toward marketing and make it a monthly part of the business’ budget.  Using those numbers and your best judgment, you can then tackle individual objectives on the way to meeting your goals.

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

[SWIPE] Our Best Email Subject Lines of 2014

I love January.  A New Year always brings new opportunities to review the inner-workings of our businesses and see how we can proactively make changes, or improve upon things that are already working for the year ahead.

This week I’m actually battling walking pneumonia (BOO!), so in between rest and loads of chicken soup, I decided to dig in and take a peek back at our top performing email subject lines of 2014.

Email marketing is such a HUGE part of our business and a huge part of our attorneys’ businesses, as well.  Whether it’s sending out weekly email newsletters, promotional emails for legal workshops or upcoming events or persuading referral sources to send new business and collaborate, email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to communicate with the prospects and clients of your firm.

But, please don’t be fooled.  Just because email makes direct response marketing more cost-effective and accessible, doesn’t mean that it’s EASY.  If your communications are constantly getting filtered into junk, or worse, no one is opening your messages, it’s a huge waste of your time and effort.

I always say that there’s a fine art to getting an email open and read, and it’s something we really focus in on here at Legal Marketing Maven.   And, once the email is opened, it’s a whole ‘nother animal to get people to respond and take action.

If you’ve sent out email communications in the past and felt ignored or that your efforts produced little to no response, I’d challenge you to go back and review the content of what you sent out.

Start with the subject lines.  Here are a few tips to get your readers to open up:

Make it personal:  If a prospect believes the email is coming personally from you, they are more likely to open it and respond.  Ex:  Can we talk for a second, <insert name>?

Create a little mystery:  Be purposely vague or intriguing with a subject line to entice readers to open and learn more.  Ex.  We announced the overhaul of a client’s new website with the subject line: “I got a facelift!”  Imagine the clicks!

Use numbers:  People like numbered lists and steps.  Examples include, “5 Ways to Avoid Probate” or “6 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing An Attorney.”

Shed a little light on your personal life.  Readers are nosy and want to know what’s happening with YOU behind the scenes. Give them a peek at your life outside of the law.

Get to the point:  Let them know upfront if there is an invitation or gift inside that requires their attention.  Ex.  I have a gift for you… open quick!

The other piece of advice I would offer you is to make sure that you are including a CLEAR call to action in your emails.  Are you TELLING the reader what you want them to do?  Are you letting the reader know HOW you want them to respond?

Many times we’ll help our attorneys spark communication with their readers by clearly asking for responses or suggestions about a whole host of topics that simply catch people by surprise, humanize the attorney and open up the lines to chat.  Try it in your own mailings.  For example, ask clients for their top suggestions of places to vacation within a two hour drive, or favorite local spots to buy art or discounted furniture for the office.  You may be shocked when your inbox fills up with responses and the occasional…”oh by the way, I’d like to come in and get your help with something.” I promise, this REALLY works!

And, if we want the reader to take fast action on something, we ASK.   There’s no beating around the bush.  The call to action is clear, concise and easy to act upon.

Remember that when it comes to email marketing, and marketing in general, a confused mind always says “no.” If it’s not clear what you are promoting or what you want the client to do, your emails will get deleted or lost in the shuffle.  Be sure to have a CLEAR call to action in every communication that you send.

I hope you find these tips helpful and that you are able to use some of these suggestions to craft more effective email marketing campaigns this year.   And, feel free to swipe some of our top performing subject lines from 2014.  You can see how they easily fall into the guidelines and tips I gave you above:

My facelift  (Note: This was the launch of a new website)

I’m moving, AGAIN + Info on our scholarship opportunity!

Thanks (insert name)

My naked mermaid saga

Hey… I need your help with something real quick

How Did We Get So Much Stuff?!

With Thanks

A tribute to my young client killed in a horrific crash

Saying goodbye to my old love  (NOTE: this was about a purchase of a new car)

I can’t stop laughing at this (truly) + a new workshop for you!

A friendly reminder for you… + my epic mom FAIL moment

See you this month?

Thanks for the pics + heads up for these warning signs!

Have a great week!

Laura Lee

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

New SEO Techniques for Lawyer Marketing

Anyone who is marketing a law firm online understands that Google is very important.  Most computer users will go directly to Google, type in their search term, and hope they get back good information.  Your goal, of course, is for your law firm to show up in results that come back.  There are methods for improving your ranking in those results, referred to as SEO, or search engine optimization.

No one knows with absolute certainty how exactly Google determines which sites to pull into a user’s SERP (search engine result pages), and the algorithms used change as much as 600 times a year.  The search engine giant is always tweaking the system to try and make it more accurate and helpful.  By being aware of what some of the algorithm’s criteria are, though, you can improve how you market your law practice online.

In a fairly recent major change to the algorithm, Google has placed more emphasis on location.  So, someone from California is more likely to get results from LA and Sacramento law firms than from some practice in Delaware.

There are some things that you can do in your law practice marketing that can have a positive effect on how and where your firm shows up in results.

First of all, Google tends to give more attention to businesses that have a Google+ page.  Law practices will often rank better when they have optimized their Google+ Local page.  This means making sure that you have chosen the right business category.  It’s also a good idea to ask your clients to leave positive reviews on your Google+ page.

The other aspect of improving your law firm’s marketing with SEO is to pay attention to your actual web site.  Sure, you want to do things such as keeping fresh, keyword-enhanced content going up on the site, but you can also make other minor changes that are helpful.  One suggestion is to add a “location” page.  In doing this, double check that the information you include on this page reflects exactly what you have on your Google+ page, especially when it comes to your address.  Additionally, it can be helpful to add “Services” pages.  Create an individual page for each service your provide and make sure that your location is included.

Search engines are a huge part of modern law firm marketing strategies, and being aware of important criteria and changes like these can help your web site rank higher when folks are looking for a lawyer in your area.

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

Online Reviews…The Good, Bad and Ugly

There are so many ways for clients to tell everyone they know about you, and thanks to the Internet, they can even tell people they don’t know!  This is great if the things they’re saying make you look good.  If they’re posting negative reviews and comments, however, it can feel like a punch in the gut to someone running their own small firm.

So, what do you do if someone is trying to sabotage your legal marketing plan by saying nasty things on Yelp, their blog, or your Facebook page?

First, don’t panic.  This is a time to keep your cool, because how you respond is more important than whatever this person had to say in the first place.  Keep in mind that even though this negative comment is out there, it is certainly not the only thing out there.  It is one person’s opinion in a sea of opportunities for you to present yourself as you’d like.  It’s annoying and infuriating, but it is not the end of the world.

Once you’re calmed down, not just pretending to be calmed down—take a day or two if you need to, you can plan how to respond.  Because of their background, a lot of lawyers jump right to the idea of writing a cease and desist letter.  There are some problems with this.  For one thing, it could theoretically add legitimacy to whomever made the claim against you.  It can also be really hard to even find out who made the comment as so many of those things are done anonymously.  And in the grand scheme of things, the letter might not even work.

With the idea of a letter considered and thrown away, you can now look at actually responding to the comment.  Most of the review sites will allow you a way to respond to the negative comment.  In doing so, you don’t want to come off as anything but professional.  You can use the opportunity to explain your side of the situation—oftentimes the individual is mad that they lost their case, not because there is actually anything wrong with you—but do it in a calm, rational way that doesn’t sound overly defensive.  If the person responds back, make a point to only engage if you can do so calmly and in a way that shows you in your best light.  Remember, too, that there’s no rule saying you have to respond at all.

Finally, consider asking your clients, colleagues, and supporters to visit the site and leave their own feedback. This will “bury” the negative comment down to a lower position that will probably not be seen by many.  In addition, when you have a bunch of five-star ratings or comments about your professionalism, it shows that the negative comment is not par for the course and is likely coming from someone who is bitter.

A bad review here or there isn’t going to completely destroy your legal marketing efforts.  If you find that you are getting a lot of negative reviews, however, it may be necessary to take a look at what you’re doing and make some changes.

Could you use some individualized help growing your practice?

Summer is almost here, our team has expanded significantly and we have room this quarter to accept a few additional private clients who could use some more individualized help growing their practices.

This is NOT exclusive to just Estate Planning and Elder Law attorneys.

This is more than just receiving marketing materials that your team can implement on their own (if that’s what you need, check out our Done-For-You program here).

Instead, this is OUR TEAM, doing your marketing FOR YOU, so that you can focus on what you do best: practicing law!

We serve attorneys in the following areas:

  • Copywriting and ghostwriting
  • Blogging
  • Website management
  • Email marketing
  • Email newsletter creation and management
  • Print newsletter creation and management
  • Graphic Design
  • Public Relations
  • Social Media management
  • CRM or Infusionsoft management
  • Mailing and fulfillment
  • Team coaching

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

 

P.S. Curious about what it’s like to work with us? Here’s what a few of our clients have to say:

“Laura Lee is a great motivator and implementer. She is passionate about helping her clients grow their practices and she has certainly helped me grow mine. Laura Lee and Legal Marketing Maven have been instrumental in helping me transition my practice from all divorce and family law to its current 50-50 mix with estate planning and probate, and that side of the practice growing each year. As a direct result of their materials, I have been on local television and radio shows featured as an expert on the topic of estate planning and probate. I have several ready-made and often-requested educational and promotional e-books and legal guides which they prepared and taught me how to deliver them to my prospects in a systematic and effective manner. Their team is highly trained in communicating the legal principles I with which I wish to educate my potential clients, so that they are already prepared to retain me before we even meet. Best of all, they are great people to work with and very loyal and dedicated to their clients and their needs. ”

~Steve Worrall
Attorney at Law

“Laura Lee is AWESOME. She listens, asks questions and works closely with you to achieve the best results, quickly and at a reasonable cost. She is number 1 in my book!”

~Nancy Cavey
Attorney at Law

The dirty “D” word for law practice owners

 

Make Your Law Practice Marketing Plan Work for You

Let’s be real.  You didn’t go into law because you wanted to be a marketer.  You studied and worked so that you could become a lawyer.  But, you are also a business owner, and that comes with the need to market your practice.  So, how does a lawyer successfully get the message out without becoming a full-time marketer?

The simplest way to do so is to develop a marketing plan that works for you.  That means identifying the things you can or should do on your own while looking to others to take on appropriate tasks.  You can narrow this down by asking yourself a few questions:

  • What do I enjoy doing?  If you’re the kind of person who loves to mix and mingle, then in-person networking could be a great opportunity for you.  Consider joining some groups or associations that allow you to meet others face-to-face to talk about how you can help meet their needs.  If you like being “the host with the most,” it might be fun to put together a referral group of attorneys with different specialties that gets together for dinner once a month.  When you turn something you enjoy into a marketing opportunity, it can make that aspect of being a business owner kind of fun!
  • What do you not enjoy?  You’ve got enough on your plate with running your business, taking care of employees, and—of course—representing your clients.  There’s no time in there to be forcing yourself to do marketing tasks that you don’t enjoy.  Maybe you really don’t like writing, for example, which means that your blog is never updated or your email newsletters are half-hearted, if done at all.  Skip the headache and the drudgery by hiring someone you trust to take on these tasks.
  • What are you good at?  Are you a heck of a carpenter in your spare time?  Do you have a way with animals?  By identifying those things that you do well, you can narrow down volunteer opportunities or speaking engagements that complement both your interests and your area of practice.
  • What should you leave to the pros?  Generally speaking, things like graphic design, search engine optimization, or even video production take some specialized knowledge that most people just don’t have.  Instead of forcing yourself into a role that will likely end up hurting your business anyway, recognize that there are times when you really do need to bring in the professionals.

What much of boils down to is being true to yourself.  You don’t want to adopt some sort of phony marketing persona for the sake of drumming up business.  It’s not authentic and will end up putting people off.  Instead, focus on the things you like and do well, and take a pass on those things that would benefit from outside assistance.

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

Exposing yourself (decently, of course!)

When it comes to successful marketing, the name of the game is exposure.  You’ve got be willing to “put it all out there,” as much as possible so more people can become acclimated to your practice.

I always say there are two ways to do this.  You can throw money at it.  Or, you can get creative and invest your time.

If your budget isn’t where you would like it to be at the moment, one of the easiest ways to expose your business to others is to simply TALK about what you do to everyone you meet!

At first glance, this might seem icky, slimy or embarrassing. But it shouldn’t!  Let me give you an example of how beautifully this can work when done the right way.

My right hand gal, Amber, went on a cruise to Cozumel last week.  While sitting on the beach with her 3-year-old daughter, a woman walked up to her and asked to share a bucket and shovel.

She casually asked Amber where she was from and what she did. She then proceeded to tell her that she was a swim coach who teaches children to swim in 5 days and people from all around the country fly in to use her services.   In fact, her toddler was swimming freely in the Caribbean, while Amber’s toddler was still wearing swimmies close to the shore.

But the “exposure” of her business didn’t stop there.  After the trip, she found Amber on Facebook.  She wanted to stay connected and reminded her that she was there if she ever needed anything for the kids.

Amber was so impressed that she’s now considering flying her two kids down to take her classes after many failed attempts with private instructors (and her own lack of patience lol).

But my point is, if the instructor had been afraid to EXPOSE herself and what she did, she wouldn’t have earned a potential client who was willing to fly halfway across the country to use her services.

If she was too afraid to open her mouth and share how she helps children and parents have peace of mind to swim safely, her business wouldn’t have the national reach that she currently enjoys.

You must be willing to expose yourself, all the time, every day about what you do and who you serve.  For some people, this is a natural thing, but for others, it’s more dreadful than having teeth pulled.

But remember, it’s FREE marketing!  And nothing beats that in my book!

I would love to hear if you have had similar experiences like this.  Please feel free to email me and let me know how it worked out for you and if it generated new business.

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

 

9 Signs You Need A Website Overhaul

Spring is just around the corner (thank God!) and now is the perfect time to do a quick audit of your website.

The design and functionality of your website is critically important. A website that motivates clients to call the office must be clear, easy to navigate and built to rank well in the search engines.

This is your first impression—and you must make it a good one if you expect phone calls from the internet.

Here are a few areas to “audit” as we head into spring:

1. Is your contact information displayed prominently on the site? You would be surprised at how many websites we audit that force us to HUNT for this information!

2. Do you have a page for each of your practice areas? A bulleted list of what you do is simply not enough. If you want to rank better in the search engines and clearly explain your expertise to prospective clients, you must have a dedicated page for each area in which you practice.

3. Is your site visually appealing or does it look like a DIY job? If you’re seeking high-end clients and cases, the “face” of your company should have a high-end look too.

4. Is the website designed to “build your list?” Are there free reports, audios or kits that people can download? Is it easy to join your mailing list? Do you even have a mailing list?

5. Does the website tell your “firm story?” Of course you need a professional bio, but what about the story of why you do what you do? What makes you different and unique? This type of copy helps clients feel like they know you and helps you stand out from the crowd.

6. Are you displaying badges and logos of your affiliations, media appearances and awards? These help to give 3rd party credibility and validation that you are who you say you are and can do what you say you do.

7. Do you have testimonials from happy clients on the site? Testimonials from happy clients SELL legal services!

8. Do you have correct title tags on each page that are properly optimized for SEO?

9. Is your website a WordPress site? WordPress is one of the best sites for SEO, functionality and usability (translation: it makes it SUPER easy for you to edit your own site without help from tech geeks!).

These are just a few things to look for when reviewing your site this spring. If you determine your website is not up to par and you would like information on a redesign, please feel free to reach out to us for help. Whether it’s a few copy edits or an entire website overhaul, we can help you get it done in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Happy Auditing!

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

Get First Page Google Rankings In 5 Days Or Less (…Yes, Really)

Imagine for a moment if your best prospect found you sitting on the first page of Google, anytime they came looking for your services…

They type in their relevant keyword or question, and boom, there you are representing yourself and your law firm.  Best part…they click on your link and land on your website.

Pretty cool right?

I’m sure you’ve heard it all before.  Get on page 1 of Google, and your lead generation / traffic problems will be solved.

But it’s usually never that straight-forward.  There are plenty of companies out there promising to get you on page 1, and they’ll do it for a small fortune.

But do you get results?

Sometimes…  Maybe!

But what if you could get on the first page of Google, and stay there?

What if you could have two spots on the first page of Google?

What if your work, your website, and your videos took up all of page 1 of Google?

Would you like that?

Of course you would!

Oh, and did I mention that it won’t cost you a small fortune?  It can be done in as little as 35 minutes and all you need to do is smile and look good on camera.

Take a look at one of our clients…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here she is, being featured as an expert on Page 1 of Google.  It took our team less than 5 days to snag this premium organic spot.

Pretty cool right?

Mixed in with all of the other law firms, here is our client with the only video (aka, picture of her) smack in the middle of the results.

What do you think a busy, desperate prospect is going to click on, especially someone looking for an attorney right away?

Which result stands out?

Yes, the video!

The video is different.  It’s unique.  Your eyes are drawn to it.

The best part yet, is that when someone clicks on that link and watches your video, they have the chance to connect with you before even picking up the phone.

So let’s cut right to chase. You probably want to know how we did it. How in the world did we get a page one ranking in just 5 days using a video?

If you weren’t already aware, Google purchased YouTube not to long ago, and videos are now featured prominently in search results.  All you need to do is optimize your videos correctly with the right keywords and you can rank on page one for your search terms SUPER FAST.

(If you’re new to video marketing, our friend Gerry Oginksi wrote a great book on the subject that we’d encourage you to read. You can purchase it on Amazon here.)

Video marketing really is that simple as long as you have the right technique.

Luckily for you, the video script and the step-by-step process is just one of the main benefits you can expect when you join our Done For You Monthly program.

That’s right!

You are just moments away from ranking on the first page of Google search results – organically.

No paid ads.

No costly SEO (that can be affected by the next big update).

YouTube is part of Google, and Google loves video.

That’s a win-win situation if I’ve heard of one.

Now let’s talk about your next win-win situation!

Let’s get YOU and YOUR FIRM featured on the first page of Google, complete with your very own expert video.

It’s all part of our monthly, done-for-you legal services.  We provide you with all the tools, resources, content, and materials your firm needs to stand out.

All you have to do is put it into action, and let the clients come to you.

You can have your first campaign up and running by the end of today.  Act fast and schedule your 1:1 personalized strategy session with me and together we’ll increase the visibility of your firm in 2014!

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

 

Still holding out for the client fairy? A story of consistency and OUR most skeptical client.

Around the time I wrote this post declaring that legal marketing is not magic (…and to stop expecting it to be!), we recently started working with a very skeptical new client who was hoping for such magical results.

He’d been around the marketing block quite a few times, having worked with all of the gurus who made beautiful brochures, fun websites….and he even tried public seminars a time or two, to no avail.

Every time a campaign seemed to flop, he’d put the brakes on hard and look for better solutions to bring in more clients to his practice.   A totally natural response.

He was no doubt frustrated with marketing and made a comment to us that he was hoping to see more results after just a month or two of work.  I assured him that they would come, not because I’m a rockstar, but because it takes a solid formula of consistency, sweat equity and time to make a big impact on referral sources and prospective clients in the community.  He had to give it more time.

Fast forward to last week.  After spending much of the summer traveling, he reported on our monthly strategy call that September was pretty well booked with lunch meetings with key referral sources and prospective clients for new business.   Old (and very high-net worth) clients were coming back in for more work in droves—partly fueled by the fact that he was now staying in front of them regularly with electronic and print communications and creating top of mind awareness.

And, after making it through the typical doldrums of summer that practically all firms experience, he was able to hire someone else part-time to take more marketing off of his plate and work with us to ensure he was communicating with clients, prospects and referral sources even more regularly.

I hung up feeling very proud… not of myself or my team, but of HIM.  He is a brilliant attorney and a very neat person that more people SHOULD know about. It was HIS diligence and HIS commitment to CONSISTENT marketing that brought results.  He literally had to put blinders on to all the bright, shiny objects that came his way, got a routine going and watched the snowball effect take place.

I had a similar conversation with another client out in California.  Through consistent marketing, we were able to infiltrate all of the nursing homes in her area.  Not only did we land on their speaker rounds, but managed to build meaningful relationships with the staff.  Beyond our automated communications, SHE worked hard to connect with them in very personal ways that no other attorneys were doing (remember, this type of marketing makes the shift from “What’s in it for me” to “How can I be of service/value to you?”). Although initially very introverted and hesitant to do it, she has such a wonderful and caring personality that made this type of networking and relationship building a great fit for her.

So while in the beginning, and even now, the seminars in the nursing homes are not very profitable (they are mostly for the residents and not too many family members show up), she now gets a tremendous amount of referrals from the staff…which is what really counts.  She is favored over other attorneys in the area and keeping them out of her “territory” that she worked hard to claim.  The seminars are just the FIRST step.   A great legal marketing plan always has a bigger picture, massive follow up and multiple long-term steps to achieve practice goals.

I just wanted to share these two quick stories again to reaffirm that legal marketing is not magic.  It doesn’t have to be slimey.  It doesn’t have to be a “hard sell”.  You don’t even really need all the bells and whistles. It simply needs to be educational, reach your target audience on an emotional level and designed in such a way to elicit a response (whether that be for coffee, speaking opportunities or direct offers for appointments, etc.—depending on your ethics rules).

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.

 

Making a Case for Hiring Out Your Legal Marketing Efforts

We’ve talked before about how a lawyer running a practice has to be a little of everything to everyone. In addition to actually using the skills that you went to law school to learn, you’re likely also overseeing nearly every tiny detail of running your business. When you’re busy juggling employees’ schedules, paying the utility bill for your office space, attending meetings—oh, and actually working with clients—it’s easy to put marketing on the back burner.

But, that’s a dangerous place for it. Your ability to do all of those other things relies on the fact that you have clients in the first place. You need to keep in touch with former clients, give great service to current clients, and reach out to potential clients. And you need to do it all simultaneously. That’s marketing.

Since good marketing builds a solid foundation for your law business, you either need to devote a lot of time to it or hire a marketing company with experience in law. That way, many of the activities that would otherwise fall to you can be taken off your plate. And, let’s be realistic, a lot of the marketing stuff that you “should” be doing, just isn’t getting done anyway. Am I right?

Let’s suppose that you make the argument that you do have the time to do your own marketing. I know a lot of lawyers that really enjoy marketing because they like talking and writing about their services. I love marketing too so I totally understand this! But, you need to be realistic; do you really understand the mechanics of marketing? Can you create your own professional-looking client newsletter using sophisticated design software? Can you use the right meta tags, URLs, and keywords to dominate Google? Do you have time to create brochures, fliers, e-books, white papers and other collateral that is critical to effective lead generation? If your answer is “yes” you probably do not have enough clients!

And, there’s the conundrum – not enough clients because you aren’t doing marketing well and not getting the professional marketing you need because you don’t have enough clients.

This is exactly why we created the Done-For-You program. We provide lawyers all over the country with professional marketing material that gets results at an absolutely rock-bottom price. All of the material is ready to customize, which they can do with minimal time invested. Then, they simply shoot it out of the door. Easy, peasy. 😉

So, how are you managing? Are you trying to juggle the many balls of running your law practice and letting the marketing ball fall helplessly to the ground? There’s really no reason for that. If you haven’t already, check out our Done-For-You program. I promise you that you will feel like a 50-pound weight has come off your shoulders!

 

Would you like to talk about how we can help you save time on your marketing and help you turn ideas into action? Simply schedule a time on my calendar for a no-strings virtual cup of coffee.