I Stink at Marketing My Law Practice—Now What?
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.