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Blogging to Grow Your Law Practice

There’s no doubt that the Internet has changed the way that most businesses work, especially when it comes to garnering new clients.  There are plenty of reasons for that, but web sites and search engines certainly play a huge role.  One of the most powerful tools on your web site is the blog feature.  (You do have a blog feature, don’t you?)

Blogs are an excellent marketing resource for several reasons, and if you’re not blogging yet, then it’s time to get started.  Just a few of the reasons you NEED to start blogging include:

  • Authority
  • Relationship
  • SEO

Authority
Just by virtue of being an attorney, you already have a significant amount of authority when it comes to matters of law.  It’s understood that you have extensive education and understanding in areas that most lay people do not.  But, what sets you apart from all of the other lawyers in your field?

Blogging about your topic gives readers the reassurance that you know what you’re talking about.  When they see your words on the screen, offering them information they truly need, they recognize you as being an expert.  When it comes time to hire an attorney, they’re going to remember you over the lawyer whose static web site does little more than offer some pretty pictures and a contact form.

Relationship
Blogging is a form of social media, and “social” means building relationships.  When people read your blog, they begin to feel like they have a relationship with you.  In addition, many blogs allow for readers to leave comments, questions, and feedback.  When you respond to a comment left on your blog, you are doing more than simply answering a question.  You are showing the reader you are responsive and  you care about their needs.  Simply put, you are building a relationship which creates a great starting point for further engagement with your readers.

SEO
SEO, or “search engine optimization” refers to using proper methods to help search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing to notice your site and to rank it as relevant to search terms input by users.  Blogging is great for SEO!  For one thing, the search engines notice that your content is updated often, which is a good sign to them that you’re engaged and active.  Additionally, you can use “keywords” in your content.  By dropping in terms that you feel others might be using when looking for your type of information, you can show the search engines exactly why you are relevant to certain topics.

There are other good reasons to consider blogging, but these three alone are enough to get you more business.  If you don’t have time to blog on your own, it’s possible to hire “ghost bloggers” to cover topics which fit your practice and give you all of these benefits.  We are happy to give you recommendations to companies we love, or if you are an estate planning lawyer, check out our Done-For-You program where we take care of this for you.  Either way, commit to blogging in 2013. As much as it can feel like a chore, the benefits are well worth the effort!

 

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.

Tracking Responses with Email Marketing in Your Law Firm

Like those in so many other fields, attorneys are beginning to really understand the benefits of email marketing. While there is so much that can be said about the importance of keeping in touch with former clients and reaching out to new ones, there are some less obvious benefits to the email marketing programs available. One of the most useful is the ability to track nearly everything that happens with your email newsletter from the time it leaves your inbox to the time it’s read…and beyond.

The features available to you will depend on the email marketing program you use, but some of those to consider include being able to see–in real time–who is opening your emails and when. Not only that, but you are able to track how much time they actually spend reading this communication from you. If you’ve included links (say, back to your blog or another really interesting article), you can also see if the recipient is bothering to follow them.

Don’t underestimate the power of the “forward” button, either. If someone reading your email newsletter feels like it is particularly relevant to a friend, they can easily forward it to that person. And, of course, you will be able to see that this activity took place.

By analyzing the information that you gather, you can improve the quality of your newsletters and better meet client needs. Perhaps you notice that people are spending more time than usual on a recent newsletter. If that’s the case, you can deduce that there’s something about it that is pulling them in and work to cover those topics again.

Many email marketing programs will allow you to split up your mailing list, too. This lets you do a little experimentation. Try sending slightly different versions of the newsletter to different sections of your mailing list to see if it brings about different results. Did people tend to spend more time on reading the version with the light, friendly intro, or were they more engaged with the straight-to-business approach?

Does a link get more clicks when the article appears earlier in the newsletter or later?
Rewrite your headline to see if that simple change brings about different results

Format your links differently to see if one style is more appealing than another

Write the same information from different perspectives to see if people respond differently

Use the content exactly as written, but place the articles in a different order
Email marketing is a really effective tool, and being able to track results makes it that much more powerful. By analyzing those results, you can create a newsletter that people actually look forward to receiving and want to share with others. When someone hits that “forward” button, they are endorsing you and letting others know that you are an expert that they trust.

The payoff, of course, is that your current clients keep you on their radar while also introducing you to new prospects.

 

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 Facebook’s New Search Engine Affects Google, SEO and YOUR Law Firm

The big news in the tech world today is Facebook’s unveiling of a new, “smarter” search engine known as “Graph Search”.

This tool would seek to effectively rival Google, as users will receive more personalized results based on the interactions of people already in their social circles.  Here’s a great description of how it works from Mashable:

The search improvements involve the ability to ask questions in regular English, such as “which of my friends live in New York?” The search is now intelligent enough to rank your friends based on how much interaction you’ve had — so that closer friends will appear higher up the results list.

It can also search based on stories or photos you’ve Liked. One example Zuckerberg offered: the site can now display which of his friends have Liked the HBO show Game of Thrones. You can search for people who Like multiple products or services, which seems likely to be a bonanza for marketers.

And for those search queries that can not simply be answered by looking at the recommendations and “likes” of close family and friends, the graph search will default to a web-based search powered by none other than Google’s rival, Bing.

SO the big question in all of this is what do these changes mean for your law firm, SEO plan and current social media strategies?

Graph search was not intended to replace Google as a “traditional search engine” for web based results, but there is a very good chance that this “social” search engine will cut into a decent chunk of Google’s pie.  As we’ve seen with the integration online reviews and the popularity of sites such as Yelp, people are interested to hear honest feedback about local businesses from neighbors and friends before they make a buying decision.

As far as SEO, the writing has been on the wall for years now that social media would one day have a greater impact on SEO and search results.  Social sharing is already a factor that affects Google’s algorithm, and with Graph Search on the horizon, users may no longer have to turn to Google at all to find a local professional.  Again, from Mashable:

Facebook’s Graph Search isn’t just for looking up your old buddies and potential new friends, it’s also designed for Business Pages.

The company gave the example of a search for “sushi restaurants that my friends have been to in Los Angeles” and “TV shows my friends like.” Though these are largely organic results rather than paid ads (“There are no new ad formats available today,” Facebook noted on its marketer-friendly Facebook Studio blog), Sponsored Stories will show up in searches as will Sponsored Results.

Overall rankings will be based on top search suggestions including people, Pages, apps, places, groups and suggested searches. The results are also based on data shared by a business and connections of the person searching. In the blog post, Facebook urged business owners to “Continue to invest in your Page” by making sure it’s up-to-date. That means updating addresses to show up in local searches and cultivate “the right fans.”

http://mashable.com/2013/01/15/facebooks-graph-search-businesses/

Essentially, if you have been late to the social media marketing game for your law firm, now is a really smart time to jump in and get ahead of the curve (…and ahead of your competition!).   If people are going to be searching for legal services based on the recommendations of those in their network, you want to do everything in your power to get “liked” and show up on that list!

Here are a few action steps to ensure that happens:

  • If you haven’t done so already, set up a Facebook business page and claim your vanity URL.
  • Spend the money on a graphic designer to create a cover image that is professional and reflective of your practice.
  • Take the time to fill in all relevant details about your firm, including your current address and all contact information (this will be important for geotargeting reasons).
  • Use various Facebook apps to spotlight your events, opt-ins and free reports.
  • Start promoting your page by sending an invitation out to your Facebook friends.
  • Commit to updating your page daily.  Post helpful articles, videos, tips and more on legal topics and current events.
  • Interact and engage with people who comment on your links. Encourage shares and likes in a tasteful way.
  • Consider running targeted ads and sponsored stories aimed at prospects in your own backyard in order to increase your page “likes”, get new opt-ins for your free reports, generate referrals and more.

If you need help with this, our team at Legal Marketing Maven is available to get you up and running with an amazing Facebook fan page before these changes take place.

Our Fan Page set up for attorneys in any practice area is a one-time fee of $250, which includes a professionally designed cover image reflective of your branding and the values of your firm.   Prices on Facebook ad management and fan base growth vary depending on the length of the duration and campaign, so just “email us” to inquire of those services.

And of course, don’t forget to check with your local bar regarding any ethics rules that pertain to social media marketing—ESPECIALLY if you are going to have staff members contributing to, or updating your page!

I’m interested to see how this plays out.  Millions of people are already on Facebook, so I can see this new search engine being something that sticks.  Regardless, you still need to be there.  Follow the tips I outlined above and get started this week!

 

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.

5 great resources for a profitable 2013

We all make resolutions to be more profitable and bring in more business
in the New Year, but the real question is…

What specifically are you doing to ensure your goals become a reality
in 2013?

  • How will you command the attention of better quality prospects
    each month?
  • How will you increase your referrals from local professionals?
  • How will you pull together live seminars that fill your pipeline to
    capacity     for 2-3 months at a time?
  • How will you land FREE publicity in your local papers and on TV?

-and-

  • When will you find the time to focus on your marketing and create
    the materials necessary to make 2013 your best year in practice yet?

If you keep doing the same things you’ve always done, you’re likely to get
the exact same results. Einstein called that insanity, right? I happen to
agree.

Instead, why not start off 2013 with some NEW tools in your arsenal?
I’m talking about tools designed to get the job done right, with a proven
track record of RESULTS (i.e. new quality clients, 1st page SEO rankings,
publicity in your local paper or TV stations, etc.).

To kick off the New Year, I’m releasing 5 of our favorite campaigns and
marketing resources that continue to bring in excellent results for our private
clients, and I KNOW they’ll do the same for you!

But I don’t want you to just take my word it. Here’s solid proof that they WORK:

  • Using our Estate Planning Seminar Mega Pack for spring seminars, our
    private clients in various parts of the country averaged 20-25 attendees
    EACH NIGHT during a 4 night seminar spree. Average amount of
    appointments madeat the seminars consistently ranged between 35-45.
    What would you do with an extra 30 appointments this month?
  • Our clients were regularly featured in their local media using our press
    releases and publicity campaigns. Here are a few links from 2012 for you
    to check out

Steven Spewak featured on STLtoday.com, “Estate Plan Strategies, LLC Offering
Free Health Care Directives For Local Heroes November 26-30th http://interact.
stltoday.com/pr/local-news/PR110112011010912

Darlynn Morgan featured in the Orange County Daily Pilot, “When Teens Become
Adults” http://articles.dailypilot.com/2012-05-24/opinion/tn-dpt-0525-mailbag-20120524 _1_water-taxi-service-harbor-commission-harbor-character/4

Albert Hehr featured in the Plain Dealer, “When Your Graduating Teen Becomes a Legal
Adult, Take Steps To Protect Your Right to Parent In a Crisis” http://blog.cleveland.com/
letters/2012/06/when_your_graduating_teen_beco.html

Need some more page one rankings? Here are a few screen shots showing how our
supercharged blog content packs great SEO results:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


And the BEST part with all of our products and campaigns? There’s no guess work.

We walk you step by step through EVERYTHING you need to know to implement the campaign fast and get the best results. We’re also easily accessible by phone and email if you need guidance purchasing mailing lists, fulfillment, etc.

So, if you’re ready to hit the ground running in 2013, you can now scoop up one… or ALL of our favorite resources for the next 48 hours ONLY at 25% off the regular price. This is a firm deadline…the page will come down and purchases will NOT be possible after January 10th.

Use the code SUCCESS2013 at checkout to apply the 25% discount to your order.

The only catch is that the materials are area exclusive, so they will be issued
on a first-come-first serve basis. If your area is no longer available because
someone purchased it first, or we have a client already in your territory, we will
contact you immediately and issue a full refund. We believe in marketing integrity
and do not work with competing firms.

With that said, I encourage you to check these resources out if you desire to build
stronger, more profitable relationships in your community this year. This New Year’s
blowout because is based on our commitment to YOU and YOUR success, so don’t
wait to take advantage of the materials at this pricing. As always, if you have questions
or would like more information about a particular campaign or product before you buy,
just email us and we’ll help you out.

If you are training someone to handle marketing and community relations at
your firm, purchasing these materials to use as a guide or template of a solid direct
response marketing campaign is an excellent idea. Check it out here!

 

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.

 

Are You Struggling To Get More Business From Your Website?

Are you struggling to get more business from your website? Are you driving regular traffic but it feels like no one is taking the next step to pick up the phone and call? 

As you probably know from browsing online yourself, people often bounce from website to website “vetting” local professionals and trying to find the answers to their questions. The whole process can feel very overwhelming, as most legal websites look the same and consumers are afraid to make the wrong choice. 

A great way to neutralize the overwhelm and capture a prospect’s information anyway–even if they aren’t quite ready to call–is to implement a strategy of lead generation. 

Effective lead generation is the process of offering something of value to the prospect in exchange for their contact information. They are getting something they want for free with no pressure to buy. You, on the other hand, are getting their email address and phone number so you can stay in touch and continue to build a relationship with them via your newsletter or other campaigns until the very moment they are ready to make an appointment. 

Can you see how this strategy is different than passively putting up a website and hoping people call? By focusing on lead generation, you are getting permission to put new prospects on your LIST, which means you can now communicate with them indefinitely. They may not call right away, but as you build the relationship and become someone they know, like and trust, you are creating a higher quality client and increasing the chances they’ll refer their friends and family to you. 

So what kind of lead generation strategies can you implement to encourage prospects to take the next step and request a no-charge offering from you? Here are a few of our favorite ways to capture fresh leads online: 

1. Offer a free digital download that’s accessed by entering their name and email address on your contact form. You can give potential clients a free report, a digital brochure, an MP3 or even video series. An example of this would be the report we created this month for our Done-For-You program was entitled, “Surviving The ‘Sandwiched’ Years: How To Protect Your Parents’ Assets, Honor Their Wishes & Provide Long-Term Care….Without Losing Your Money–Or Your Mind!” By downloading this report, someone who is looking to do legal planning for their aging parents can get the information they need without pressure and you are able to capture their contact information so you can follow up and stay in touch. 

2. Require registrations (opt-ins) for your public seminars. Don’t just pass out flyers hoping people will come. Send prospects to a landing page that is designed to capture the full contact information of attendees. This allows you to stay in touch with your new leads after the event and reach out to no-shows with a special marketing campaign. 

3. Make available a free gift by mail. For consumers who would like more information on a key topic or about your firm, offer to send out physical products by mail. This could include Cds, DVDs, a copy of your book or a “shock and awe” package for your firm. This is similar to offering digital downloads but you may find that your ideal clients are less tech-savvy and prefer to receive things the old fashioned way. 

I encourage you to take some time this week and think of your most frequently asked questions or the greatest challenges your clients face and create an educational piece that addresses these issues free of charge. Then put this new lead generation piece on your website, social media profiles and even in your traditional advertising campaigns to entice more potential clients to reach out to your law firm. 

We will talk about some creative follow up strategies next time!

This is the complete marketing campaign from our Done-For-You program that includes a free report to help aging parents plan for long term care which will help you capture leads on your website, landing page copy, advertisement copy and a follow-up email campaign to help convert readers into paying clients of your firm. It’s one of our largest and most comprehensive packages that will WOW your prospects. Get the campaign now for just $497. 

 

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.

3 Ways to Get More Love From Referral Partners

Referral ImageIf your referrals from local professionals are running dry, it might be time implement new strategies to nurture those professional relationships and keep business flowing again. Rather than just asking for their recommendation, here are three creative ways to add value to your referral partner’s business and make it irresistible to work with you:

  1. Ask to promote their services, no strings attached- Let your referrals sources know that you have a blog or newsletter reaching thousands of families in the local area and that you’d love to tell your clients more about them. Offer to post a guest blog on their behalf or feature their upcoming events in your email newsletter. Besides creating good will with your referral partners, they’ll be more receptive to promote your events and services when approached in the future.
  2. Make Promoting YOU Beneficial For THEM- One strategy we use for our private clients is to craft a beautiful letter and custom certificates that the referral source can send to THEIR clients saying “…because you are so important to us, I wanted to personally send you a valuable gift to say thank you for your business.” The gift, of course, is a free session with the attorney, which we note has a value of $500. The referral partner’s clients feel great about receiving such a valuable gift (increasing business for THEM), while you benefit from all the new appointments!
  3. Share Without Selling- Don’t overlook the importance of sending along helpful articles or resources to your referral partners from time to time. It’s a great way to keep the relationship going without a huge time investment. We always like to include a note along the lines of, “Hey–I thought this information would be helpful to you and wanted to pass it along…hope you are doing well” at the top of the email for that extra personal touch. It’s almost always appreciated and keeps you at the top of your referral partner’s mind.

What are you favorite strategies for nurturing relationships with referral sources? We’d love to hear what gets you consistent results! Leave a comment below and let us know!

 

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.

Are You Gathering The Right Data?

Pie ChartIf your serious about having a greater impact with your legal marketing, it’s time to start gathering the right data so you know what’s working and whether you’re on the right track.

To do this effectively, your receptionist should be asking every person who calls the office how they heard about you. Keep a record, either a spreadsheet or in a database, and document if they are coming from the internet, an advertisement, a particular referral source, the yellow pages, etc.

Many of us know this is important, but it’s a marketing task that easily falls by the wayside when the office gets busy or if you are a solo and doing much of the administrative work yourself. These numbers are critical though, so for the next 30 days, make a commitment to track all calls.

If you don’t have Google Analytics on your website, now would also be a great time to get that installed. You can set up an account and follow the directions to put the tracking code on your website here: http://www.google.com/analytics/ This will help you discover how many people are visiting your website so you can watch for improvements in the future.

Finally, I want you to start tracking your conversion rates. This is the percentage of prospects you are able to convert into paying clients each month. If you are only engaging a small percentage of the people inquiring about your services, this will help you to quickly identify a disconnect in your presentation or procedures in your office where potential clients are falling through the cracks.

You’ll get a birds eye view of where you might be leaving money on the table, and where the majority of your business is coming from so you can continue to nurture those sources. Be sure to discuss these numbers during your staff meetings.

So I encourage you not to go any further into the year without collecting these critical stats. You can’t improve your business if you don’t have an accurate baseline from the start. Put someone from your team to work on this and be sure to keep in touch with us if you have questions about any disconnects you immediately identify in 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.

What Attorneys Need To Know About Facebook’s Timeline For Pages


Meet the Rockstars

Laura Lee Sparks

Founder & CEO

Laura Lee founded Legal Marketing Maven in 2005 after 20 years of working with attorneys (both in house and virtually) as a solution for attorneys seeking to slash overhead expenses without sacrificing skilled marketing and practice management support.

 

After years of working with attorneys, organizations that support attorneys and personally being a member of many legal mastermind groups; she knew firsthand that what attorneys struggled with was not what to do but instead, it is finding the time or the staff to actually get it done.

 

Utilizing her 30+ years of experience, today LM2 employs an outstanding team of marketers, copywriters, designers, techs, and social media experts – most of whom have a legal background and/or studied the practice of law.

 

Their specialty is working with Estate and Elder law attorneys, creating educational, ethical marketing content and then getting it implemented in a variety of ways that drive leads, and most importantly builds and nurtures relationships both online and offline resulting in increased initial appointments and revenue.

 

To book a call to discuss your law firms marketing strategy & goals visit: www.CoffeeWithLauraLee.com

Amber Tardiff

Title

Laura Lee founded Legal Marketing Maven in 2005 after 20 years of working with attorneys (both in house and virtually) as a solution for attorneys seeking to slash overhead expenses without sacrificing skilled marketing and practice management support.

 

After years of working with attorneys, organizations that support attorneys and personally being a member of many legal mastermind groups; she knew firsthand that what attorneys struggled with was not what to do but instead, it is finding the time or the staff to actually get it done.

 

Utilizing her 30+ years of experience, today LM2 employs an outstanding team of marketers, copywriters, designers, techs, and social media experts – most of whom have a legal background and/or studied the practice of law.

 

Their specialty is working with Estate and Elder law attorneys, creating educational, ethical marketing content and then getting it implemented in a variety of ways that drive leads, and most importantly builds and nurtures relationships both online and offline resulting in increased initial appointments and revenue.

 

To book a call to discuss your law firms marketing strategy & goals visit: www.CoffeeWithLauraLee.com

Michelle Foster

Title

Laura Lee founded Legal Marketing Maven in 2005 after 20 years of working with attorneys (both in house and virtually) as a solution for attorneys seeking to slash overhead expenses without sacrificing skilled marketing and practice management support.

 

After years of working with attorneys, organizations that support attorneys and personally being a member of many legal mastermind groups; she knew firsthand that what attorneys struggled with was not what to do but instead, it is finding the time or the staff to actually get it done.

 

Utilizing her 30+ years of experience, today LM2 employs an outstanding team of marketers, copywriters, designers, techs, and social media experts – most of whom have a legal background and/or studied the practice of law.

 

Their specialty is working with Estate and Elder law attorneys, creating educational, ethical marketing content and then getting it implemented in a variety of ways that drive leads, and most importantly builds and nurtures relationships both online and offline resulting in increased initial appointments and revenue.

 

To book a call to discuss your law firms marketing strategy & goals visit: www.CoffeeWithLauraLee.com

How Do I Know I’m Targeting The Right Keywords For My Law Firm Website or Blog

keyword research Targeting the right keywords on your law firm website or blog is a critical step in attracting clients who are looking for legal services online.

But how do you know if you’re using the right ones?   How do you know that you are using the same language potential clients are typing into Google?

The only surefire way to tell is research.

Many times in the legal world there is a huge disconnect between how attorneys describe their services and what an average person would search for online.  For example, an estate planning attorney may call their services as such–but an average person unfamiliar with that term may simply look for an attorney who specializes in “wills and trusts”.

That’s why it’s so important to do the research and find out what your prospects are actually searching for.  Here are 3 easy ways for you to do this:

1. Ask Google- Google has a great keyword tool that you can use for free here.  Start by typing what you think someone would search for, so you can see just how accurate your hunch was.  Then check out the related keywords Google provides for a better understanding of how people are finding you in search.

2. Ask Your Family and Friends- Talk to people who aren’t familiar with the jargon and formalities of the law. Ask them to describe what you do and how they would search for you in Google if they needed your help.

3. “Spy” On Your Target Market- If you are a bankruptcy lawyer, check out online forums of people who have bankruptcy related questions and see what they are asking.  If you are a divorce attorney, spy out popular books on Amazon related to divorce and see what real people are saying in the comment section.  Pay close attention to the language they are using and how they are framing their questions so you can target them on your site.

So get researching and in the next article, we’ll tell you what to do with your top keywords once you’ve identified them!

 

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.

Law Firm Publicity Tips: 3 Things You Should Never Say In a Press Release or Media Pitch

ReportersWhen reaching out to your local media for coverage about your firm, there are 3 specific things you should NEVER say in your press release or media pitch.

Saying these things will almost always land your press release in the trash and alienate you from the particular publication or TV station you are trying to target in the future.

Here they are:

1. The word “publicity”. We all know that the point of reaching out to local media is to score free publicity for your firm, but if you actually say that in your press release or pitch, your story will never see the light of day.  You would be amazed how many lawyers craft pitch letters saying, “dear so and so, I am reaching out to you with hopes to secure media coverage or publicity about our firm”. FAIL.

2. Anything that resembles a blatant advertisement for your firm –  The media’s job is to run unique, interesting and timely stories for their audience, not just cover small businesses in the area, just because.  You should be pitching with this in mind and offering real story ideas or useful tips (i.e. 5 Ways to Avoid Financial Strain When Caring for Aging Parents or Getting Your Legal House In Order Before The New Year), and not just asking them to run a glorified advertisement about your practice (ex. Please cover why we are so great or what kind of results we get for our clients….).

3. “I’m really busy so please schedule an appointment with my secretary so we can talk further…”– Yes, you are busy, but so are producers and journalists.  If getting a hold of you for an interview is like pulling teeth, they will almost always move on to the next credible source.  So if you are serious about adding free publicity as part of your overall legal marketing strategy, don’t drop hints that you might be hard to work with or get a hold of in the future.

Know of any other “kryptonite” words or phrases that have backfired on lawyers in their media pitch or press release in the past?  Be sure to share your experiences in the comment section 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.

What Is the Point of Social Media Anyway?

Time Flies ImageI’ve heard this question over and over from lawyers who are wondering why they would want to invest their valuable time into what they consider to be some frivolous conversations that take place on social media outlets.

And yes, social media CAN be just that.  However, it is also much more importantly the new media way of marketing.  People are no longer turning
to the yellow pages or ads run in newspapers and magazines when they
are looking for a service provider.  Instead they are going to their network,
their “social network”.  And YOU need to be there!

The question then becomes about how you show up once you are there.

I see a lot of lawyers making what I consider to be three huge mistakes.

  • Setting up an RSS feed ONLY and just feeding the content from their blog onto their social media profile.  While this can be good for SEO, it is not doing much to build you a following of local prospects and leads.  Nor does it usually generate any interaction.
  • Building relationships with other lawyers but neglecting looking for prospects and potential referral sources in their own back yards to build relationships with that will turn into real ROI for the time they are investing in “new media” marketing.
  • Not realizing that social media contacts (fans, followers, connections) are worth FAR less than email and direct mail contacts. And failing to set up systems by which they *leverage* social media to build these much more valuable lists.

 

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.

 

 

Addressing Some FAQ’s

Wequestion mark‘ve had a ton of interest in the DFY materials that we have been talking about for the last few months but I’ve also received a quite a few emails and wanted to answer some of the frequently asked questions I’ve been getting.

Does Legal Marketing Maven also help with implementing the marketing materials? I don’t have enough time to do it myself.

Yes!  We are an implementation company!  The DFY packages were put together to help lawyers that have in house staff (or virtual teams that they are working with) so that they didn’t have start every month from scratch.  But we will happily put together an implementation package that meets your needs, just reply to this email and schedule a complimentary strategy session with me to explore those options.

Do all of your DFY materials focus on general estate planning (or focus on one particular niche)? I am an elder law lawyer, will it work for me?

Our DFY materials are eclectic and focus on estate planning for the young and old, we try to incorporate basic estate planning, elder law and administration into our materials each month because we believe your practice will benefit from serving clients in all stages of their life.

Do you have DFY materials for other practice areas? I am a bankruptcy lawyer and would love materials like this for my law firm.

Currently our DFY materials are only for Estate planning attorneys however, we are planning to launch 2 new practice areas this year.  If you are interested in these types of materials for your practice area please reply to this email and let me know what that is, it will help me determine which 2 areas we will roll out next.

If you need the services now, let’s schedule a time to chat about what your needs are and create a custom package that will meet your needs.

Does Legal Marketing Maven work with lawyers in other practice areas?

Yes!  We privately work with clients in a variety of practice areas – personal injury, medical malpractice, bankruptcy, business law and family law.  Our services span a wide range including but not limited to:

•    Development and execution of direct response marketing campaigns
•    Web writing, Copywriting and Blogging
•    Teleseminars and Webinars
•    Landing Pages/ Squeeze Pages
•    Email Marketing
•    Newsletters
•    Infusionsoft Management
•    Autoresponders
•    Search Engine Optimization
•    Social Media Marketing
•    Article Marketing
•    Reputation Management
•    Press Releases and Public Relations
•    Marketing of In-Person Events/ Conferences
•    Creation and Launch of Lead Generation Pieces
•    Product Launches

Do you have more questions, or 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.

 

Pick Up the Phone and Follow Up

Legal Marketing Tip of the Week

I’ve been doing a lot of hands-on outreach for our private clients lately to get them speaking gigs in front of referral sources ortelephone imageother relevant groups.

I literally spent hours on the phone this week following up with every organization we sent a pitch or speaker packet to, just to see what they thought and if they were interested in moving forward.

For every unfriendly voice on the other end of the line who couldn’t be bothered with my call (which would probably be discouraging if I didn’t have such thick skin!), there was another who was thrilled that I took the time to follow up.

Many had further questions (and real interest) about the materials we sent, but they just never found time to pick up phone and call us back (you know how that goes).

We eventually did land a few speaking engagements and invites to lunch as a result of our efforts–which shows how important follow up is during any marketing campaign.

If you can make one shift in your marketing plan this week, I would encourage you to assign SOMEONE on your team to follow up by phone, email or preferably both when you are reaching out for speaking gigs.

To make things even easier, send something tangible first (i.e a speaker packet, letter, postcard) and you’ll find the follow up call isn’t so “cold,” as you are already on the group or organization’s radar.

Now what are you waiting for–get to it!

Do you have more questions, or 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.

 

Perspective and Gratitude

Perspective and GratitudeA Personal Note From Laura Lee

“I’m sorry the cancer has metastasized into his liver, lungs and muscles and there are no treatment options”. It was almost a year ago, and the day my life changed forever; my husband of 20 years & father of my two children was embarking on a battle that didn’t have any odds of victory according to the doctors.

A lot of emotions happen anger, resentment, fear and grief to name a few.  Anyone who has walked down this path can attest to the fact that gratitude is hard to find.

However, during the past 11 months, we have learned to shift our perspective and focus on how much we have to be grateful for, every day that we get to share together, is a blessing.

We are never promised time, most of us just take for granted the minutes, days and years. We don’t cherish the small stuff and spend way too much time worrying about things that in the long run really don’t matter.

Time.  At first we worried about how much time do we have, and when will it run out. Perspective. We shifted it to gratitude for every second and cherish the gift.

I’m thankful to all my wonderful friends (even those whom I have never met in person) and my family, for all that they have done and all the prayers that have been prayed, I know that they have made a difference. Thank you for being a part of my life. And the hospice workers who visit us weekly and make sure his medical needs are taken care of, that he is as pain free as possible, and that he has as many “good” days as possible – thank you for the work that you do and being the special people in our lives that you are.

This Thanksgiving, take the time to reflect on what you really have to be grateful for, there is so much, even when things are going wrong, if we just take the time to look for it and do a little “shifting” of our perspective.

Also, never forget that miracles happen every day, all you have to do is look for them.

With deepest gratitude and blessings,

Laura Lee

T-E-A-M: The Key to Law Practice Managment Success

At some point in life, we’ve  all had to be a part of someone’s team. On that team, you were taught to work together, help one another, and act as one. Well in the professional world, I want to teach you to take the TEAM concept a step further as it relates to your law practice management success. As the leader in a law firm, you have to put more into the success of the firm by cultivating an environment where everyone feels like they are an important part of the team. To accomplish this you have to give the word team a new meaning:

T-Teach-As a leader you can’t assume that everyone already “knows” everything when they first step foot in your firm. Even though law is law, no two firms operate the same. Take the time to teach your staff the preferred way of doing things and make yourself available. Encourage them to ask questions and ask for their opinion. Assume that they want to advance in the firm and train them on what you are looking for in a leader.

E-Excite-Let them know coming in that they are important by having goals and rewards set in place to excite them. Don’t be afraid to take a different approach and try some of their ideas along the way.  Create a family environment where you do things together outside of work. Your team should be excited to walk in the office and see what adventure awaits them.

A-Appreciate-Every leader knows the importance of being appreciated. Just because it is the teams’ job to carry out certain task doesn’t mean that a thank you is not deserved.  Kindness and appreciation will take you a long way, because there will come a time when your team will volunteer to do things for you. As a part of the law firm industry I realize that time is not on your side so consider an annual team appreciation day. Whatever system you use just be sure and take time for your team.

M-Motivate-When a person is new to the team it’s clear that they are starting from the bottom. Create an environment that lets them know that hard work is appreciated will allow them to climb the ladder. This will motivate them to work hard and put their best foot forward at all times.

Now you know the secret to creating a profitable law firm. Who knew that the key to a success came in a four-letter word.

 

Do you have more questions, or 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.

Social Media & Legal Marketing – Remember You Are a Professional

I was having a conversation with one of my awesome team members yesterday about the role that social media plays in marketing a law firm and the impact it has when trying to land potential clients. It really got my mind to thinking (scary I know), and now I want to address just ONE of the things I believe lawyers should be thinking about sooner rather than later as it relates to their “public persona” online.

Authentic conversation on social media is great, transparency is awesome – but you have to remember that you are a professional.

Just like the big law firms telling law school students to watch what they are putting on social media sites because it will be reviewed as part of the hiring process, you also need to pay attention to what you are putting out there on the public platform. There are some attorneys (many that I know and like) that simply share TOO MUCH information online and run the risk of alienating clients.

I know I’m going to get some flack for this, but blogs and social media are the new yellow pages. And of course it’s also where clients are going to get to know professionals BEFORE they contact their office.

(Just like what you would do before YOU would hire someone to work for you).

So let me ask you, is the image that you portray online something that would make a good “first impression” to potential clients? If it is not, I really want to encourage you to re-evaluate your social media plan and create a guidelines and policies handbook for your law business. Yes, written guidelines for how your law office handles social media (even if it is JUST for you right now!)

Now don’t get me wrong– I’m not saying you can’t have personality and must make social media all about business without any viewpoints or friendships. What I am saying, however, is the same thing I tell my daughter who is in college – think before you hit submit or post.

I know you can set privacy levels for your Facebook profile, but who knows how long that will be good for, and twitter is not protected at all. Google your name + twitter and read through your tweet stream as if you were a potential client because trust me, more and more people will be doing just that before they call your office.
So bottom line—remember, YOU are a professional. Convey that each and every time you post.

PS- On a final note, if you are spending all day on twitter I highly encourage you to stop that too. I know “I” don’t want to see that my attorney spends most of their day chatting on social media sites (ok so I shared 2 things!) instead of working on client matters. If you have content you want to share, consider pre-scheduling it with another platform so you can focus solely on interacting with your friends/followers when you do have a chance to chat.

 

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.

Social Media Marketing for Lawyers Means More Than Trolling for Cases

An interesting article was published today by the Wall Street Journal detailing how plaintiff’s lawyers are using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to find, target and ultimately sign up new clients for their firms.

The article also briefly touched upon the use of Pay-Per-Click  and Facebook ads as part of this growing strategy, which are undoubtedly helpful for lawyers who engage in “quick strike campaigns” or campaigns designed to reach plaintiffs as a breaking injury or product liability story hits.

And while I agree that social media sites are a place to find and engage new clients in a systematic, consistent and authentic way, it’s only a small piece of the puzzle as far as an overall social media strategy should be concerned.

Remember, social media conversations happen in real time.   Never in the history of man have consumers had the ability to express their feelings (positive or negative) about a product or service to thousands of people the moment they experience them.

Of course that could mean disaster for firms who are ignorant of such conversations (ever read about the Motrin Moms debacle?) or for those firms who give less than adequate service to clients who are actively involved on Twitter or Facebook.

In the ignorance category, I’m specifically reminded of a lawyer who called me a few months ago for social media help.

Essentially, his firm (which is nationally known) did not have a social media strategy and they never quite got around to developing one either.  Until of course they were notified that their social media profiles were hijacked and someone was posting comments and information that made them look VERY bad in the public eye.

The partners of this firm did their best to jump in and fix the problem, but the damage was already done.  Yet had they been more involved in monitoring the chatter about their firm to begin with, they could have caught the imposter and started damage control right away.

So in talking about social media, I like to encourage lawyers to take a four-prong approach to their strategy in which they will:

  1. Consistently and systematically connect with, and educate,  prospective clients on their practice area/ services
  2. Show their firm (and trial lawyers in general) in a favorable light to the local jury pool
  3. Engage in real-time reputation management
  4. Connect with and reach out to the local and national media

Again, I want to reiterate that an attorney’s presence on social media sites requires more than simply trolling for cases or potential clients.

Instead, resolve to implement a comprehensive approach to social media and you’ll find the cases and clients come naturally in time.

 

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.