It’s called “fear of loss” and it’s powerful. More powerful than the desire for gain. People want to protect what’s already theirs, their money, for example, and will take action to do that, more than they’re willing to take action to get more of it.
Watch what’s happening in the financial markets right now to see “fear of loss” in action.
So, when you write a blog post or article, do a presentation, run an ad, or create any message to prospective clients, et al., and you can point out what your reader or listener might lose if they DON’T hire you, accept your offer, follow your advice, etc., you would do well to mention that.
Sure, tell people what they can get if they hire you, talk to you, etc. and what they might lose if they don’t.
Which leads to the headline I promised to give you in my headline.
A headline that gets your prospective clients’ attention and motivates them to read your article, which is what a headline is supposed to do.
The headline: 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a [type/specialty] Lawyer
Because anyone who is looking for a lawyer who does what you do, surely doesn’t want to make those mistakes.
You could spice this up with words like “deadly” or “costly” or “exceedingly painful” to amplify the word “mistakes” and give it even more emotional firepower. Depends on your market, the tone of your article, and your style.
But “mistakes” will often be all you need, particularly if your headline is seen by someone who is decidedly afraid of making a mistake.
Once your reader reads your article, they find out what those mistakes are (and how to avoid them). They also learn what could happen if they do nothing.
And their fear of loss motivates them to take the next step, i.e., respond to your call to action.
In your article, make sure you explain why these are mistakes. This gives you the opportunity to show them you know what you’re doing and differentiate yourself from the crowd. You might tell them about one or more of your clients who made that mistake prior to finding and hiring you, and how you helped them out of that mess.
How to use a blog to make your phone ring
