The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

Who, not how

March 26, 2024 by David M. Ward

When you have a task to do, before you start, ask yourself ‘Who can do this for me?” Delegating or outsourcing work saves you time, leverages other peoples’ skills, and lets you focus on what you do best.

This philosophy and practice has been game changing for me.

In fact, in my practice, my motto was to “Only do what ONLY I can do (and delegate everything else).”

You might want to follow suit.

It’s not always easy to do. We resist delegating things because we believe we do them better, but that’s not always true. I’ve had employees who did things I could never do as quickly, efficiently, or as well.

We also resist because it’s risky to entrust certain tasks to other people. If they make a mistake, we pay the price or we have to spend more of our time fixing their mistake. But while that is generally true, crunch the numbers and you’ll see, in the long run, you come out ahead.

“It’s quicker and easier for me to do it myself.”

Also not true. Yes, we have to invest time training and supervising others; the question is, is that investment worth it? For me, it is almost always more than worth it.

So, that leaves our egos. We don’t like the idea of turning over our work, our important clients, to other people. But you get used to that. Especially when you see how much more profitable and satisfying your work is. And, did I mention how much more profitable it is?

Will it be as profitable for you?

Make a list of the things you do that ONLY you can do and imagine what it would be like if you could spend almost all your time doing just those things.

Yeah. . . it’s worth it.

Filed Under: Law office management, Productivity Tagged With: delegation, outsourcing

Let me make this perfectly clear

March 25, 2024 by David M. Ward

One reason people say “no” to your offers and recommendations is that they don’t understand what you’re offering or recommending.

It’s not clear. There are too many options or variables. They don’t know exactly what to do or why.

They’re confused. And a confused mind always says no.

One of the most valuable of your marketing tools is clarity. Clients like it when things are clear and simple. In fact, they might choose you over other lawyer or firms primarily for that reason.

So, go through all of your marketing materials, website, forms, emails, presentations, and documents, and make sure everything is as clear as possible.

Make sure a layperson can understand everything. Make sure there are fewer options,. Spell out the benefit of each.

If things aren’t as clear as possible, set up a project to improve it.

Answer all of their basic questions before they ask. Explain how you can help them. Tell them how long it will take, how much it will cost, and if there are any alternatives. Tell them the risks and rewards. Explain the process. And especially, the first step.

Look. At. Everything.

When they get done reading your message or listening to your proposal, they should know everything they need to know and have zero questions.

That’s the goal, anyway.

Of course, they will still have questions (even ones you’ve already answered), doubts, things they need you to explain. That’s okay. It’s part of the deal.

As you answer their questions, assuage their fears and doubts, and explain more about how you can help them, you’ll be able to add this to your marketing materials and make everything clearer for the next prospective client who comes along.

The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Communication

Your website is down

March 22, 2024 by David M. Ward

I needed a haircut. The place I go to instituted a “cash only” policy during the lockdowns, but I use plastic for just about everything and don’t carry much cash. I went to the shop’s website to make sure I would have enough with me (and hoping they’d finally gone back to accepting credit cards).

Their website was down.

I told the owner this when I got to the shop and she said she never checks the site and would tell her niece who takes care of these things for her.

Turns out, the site was down. The hosting company had emailed her niece that the company had been sold and she needed to (do something) but their emails went to an email address she no longer uses.

Her website is back up, but it looks like it was down for about two months. An eternity for a retail store that depends on new business.

How much business did she lose?

How much business would a law firm lose if their site was down that long?

Which prompted me to tell you this story and remind you to regularly make sure the hosting and domain names for your website are paid, the site is up and displaying properly, the subscription forms are working, the downloads are still downloadable, the links are linking, and everything is as it should be.

And to check your spam folder (and old email addresses) to make sure you’re not missing anything.

It doesn’t take a lot of time, and can spare you a bunch of trouble.

Filed Under: Law office management

Why should I believe you?

March 21, 2024 by David M. Ward

You’re in the convincing business. People either believe you (and hire you, rule for you, agree with you, etc.) or they don’t. Your success depends on getting more people to believe you and your clients.

You can always use logic and reasoning, and you should. But “telling” people and reasoning with them may not be enough.

That’s why you should also share:

PROOF: Copies of checks or documents, show them your awards, show them the statutes, let them hear eyewitness testimony, show them diagrams and photos of the scene, practice with them for depo or trial, show them your content, and offer free consultations so they can see for themself what you do and how good you are.
STORIES: Sare the words and experiences of people (like them), by showing them testimonials and reviews and thank-you notes from clients, telling them success stories about cases you’ve handled, and stories about people who didn’t hire an attorney (or waited too long).

Logic and reasoning work. Proof and stories (usually) work better.

Filed Under: Closing the sale, Marketing legal services, success Tagged With: persuasion

You and nobody but you

March 20, 2024 by David M. Ward

You work hard to serve your clients and build your reputation. You want people to see you as the best lawyer for the job.

Do they?

When your clients and contacts need help or advice, do they automatically think of you? When someone they know needs help, do they automatically (and unreservedly) recommend you?

It comes down to this:

Do your clients think of you as their “trusted advisor” or do they not think of you at all unless they have a problem?

A trusted advisor isn’t merely “available” when their clients need them. The trusted advisor is an integral part of their life.

Other lawyers stay in touch with their clients, educate them about the law and how they can help them, and let them know they are available to do that. The trusted advisor actively looks for ways to help their clients and advises them even when those clients aren’t aware they need that advice.

Other lawyers refer business to their clients. The trusted advisor does that, but also educates themself about their clients’ industries and markets, problems and goals so they can proactively suggest ideas and opportunities.

The trusted advisor doesn’t merely stay in touch with their clients, they share with them useful information and strategies they’ve discovered, recommend books and other resources, invite them to relevant events, and introduce them to other professionals they might benefit from knowing.

And they do the same thing with their consumer clients.

They look for ways to deliver value to their clients beyond the scope of their legal needs and wants.

Their clients hear from them regularly, talk to them frequently, and know they can rely on them to protect them.

And because of that, the trusted advisor doesn’t have to persuade them to choose them or follow their advice, and they don’t need to justify their fees. The client trusts them and wouldn’t think of hiring anyone else.

It’s a very satisfying and profitable way to build a law practice.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations Tagged With: trusted advisor

“My secretary made me stop”

March 19, 2024 by David M. Ward

You may have noticed that I continually preach the value of staying in touch with clients and prospect via a newsletter. No, this is not another reminder to do that.

Instead, this is a reminder about the value of staying in touch with clients individually.

It’s a simple concept, as old as the hills, and even more powerful than a newsletter.

In a nutshell, every week, schedule a few minutes to connect with at least one of your clients or former clients. Call them, not to talk business, but simply to ask how they’re doing and catch up.

Ask about their business or family, their hobby or their golf game. Ask about their latest project or cause.

No selling or promoting. Just you connecting with people who are important to you.

But while you’re not calling to talk about (your) business, a funny thing happens when you call. Clients will tell you about another case or legal issue or question they have or a friend or business contact who does, and you get more business.

Many lawyers I’ve encouraged to do this have reported amazing results. One lawyer told me he got so much new business, his secretary said she couldn’t handle all the work and told him to stop.

For the record, this kind of thing doesn’t happen as much when you email. There’s something magical about the human voice. Especially when it’s your voice, not an assistant’s.

I’m not saying don’t send email (or regular mail) or stop your newsletter.

Just make sure to call.

Call your current and former clients, referral sources and business contacts, and (if you want to) even prospects you’ve spoken with. Everyone you know professionally, or want to know.

There’s another benefit to doing this besides strengthening relationships and bringing in more new business. It’s an opportunity to learn more about your clients’ industry, business, or market, which will help you do a better job for your clients and better market to their niche.

All you need to do this is a calendar and a list. And maybe another secretary or assistant to help you with all the additional work.

Filed Under: Client relations, Referrals

A simple way to get more reviews

March 18, 2024 by David M. Ward

Good reviews (and testimonials) from happy clients are one of the most valuable tools you could have in your marketing toolkit. But don’t expect clients to supply them on their own—you have to prompt them.

The easiest way to do that is with surveys.

Give every client a survey or link to one online and ask them to fill this out at the end of the case. “How did we do?” is a simple way to get more clients telling you how you did, which can then be converted to a review or testimonial.

Ask what they liked, and what they thought you could improve.

If you get a negative comment, talk to the client, fix whatever needs fixing, and improve your systems for the future.

If you get a positive comment, ask the client if you can use their comment in your marketing or ask them to post it as a review (and give them the link to a review site).

Surveys should provide multiple choice responses, to get the client thinking about how you did and begin filling it out, and open-end questions with blank spaces, to prompt them to say what’s on their mind.

The survey should ask about the results you delivered, how they were treated, if they were kept informed, were they seen on time at appointments—all the usual areas clients typically appreciate and/or complain about.

Send surveys after the case or matter is done and also perhaps once or twice a year. Some attorneys include a blank survey form with each billing statement. Get clients in the habit of seeing blank survey forms and they’ll be more likely to fill them out (eventually).

You can even send a survey after their first appointment, before you’ve done any work. Ask what they heard about you, why they chose you, and how they’ve been treated so far.

But wait. There’s more.

Keep your eyes (email) and ears (conversations) open. Whenever a client compliments you or thanks you for (anything), thank them (or tell them they’re welcome) and ask if you could use their comment in your marketing (or ask them to post a review).

Send the client a note quoting what you heard them say, so that when they agree that you can use that, they know what they’re agreeing to. Before you do this, “edit” their words (if you need to) for clarity and effect, to make a great testimonial or review even greater.

Finally, if you want clients to write better reviews or testimonials, show them copies of great reviews or testimonials from other clients so they know what a good review looks like, and because when they see what other clients have said about you, it makes it more likely that they will also leave a good review.

Filed Under: Law office management Tagged With: reviews

Not so fast

March 15, 2024 by David M. Ward

Your clients generally like when you get the job done quickly. It shows them you have the experience and confidence to do a good job and give them the solution or prize without delay, often at lower cost.

But if you move too quickly, they may wonder why.

Did you overlook anything? Take too many risks? Make mistakes that will come back to haunt them?

Did you push them to settle too soon, for less than they could have gotten?

At the other extreme, if you move too slowly, they may think you don’t know what you’re doing or you’re dragging your feet to bill more hours.

Too fast, or too slow, and you make clients nervous.

It’s the same with prospective clients.

After a meeting or presentation, if you follow up too quickly or too often, they may wonder if you need the work. If you take too much time to follow-up, however, they might think you don’t care about their business and won’t give them enough attention.

Each case or client is different, of course. Set the pace accordingly.

Consider the size and complexity of the case, the emotional aspects of the issues, the number of decision makers, deadliness, and the best practices in their industry or market.

Talk to the client and find out what’s most important to them. Some will tell you they want the best results, no matter how long it takes or what it costs. Some will want you to prioritize cost. And some will tell you they don’t know and ask what you recommend.

In that case, think about what you would want if you were the client—and do that.

Filed Under: Client relations, Closing the sale

Social media for people who hate social media

March 14, 2024 by David M. Ward

It’s no secret that I’m all thumbs when it comes to social media. I re-post my blog posts and articles each day and… that’s about it for me. I guess I’m just not social.

I didn’t start out that way. At first, I thought social media was a great way to find some people to “engage” with, and make some new friends and business contacts, and I wanted to do that. But I didn’t know what to do.

Sure, I could respond to what others posted, and I did, but it felt forced and awkward. Like I was in eighth grade again, forcing myself to ask girls to dance.

Maybe I need to find something of my own to post, I thought. All I could think of was to post a daily quote I liked and hope some others liked it, too. And that’s what I did.

Sometimes, pithy quotes, sometimes, funny.

I got “likes,” people who told me they were “stealing” my post, or asking for permission to share (?) and suggestions about other quotes I might like. I said thank you or gave them a smiley face.

Look ma, I’m engaging.

Eventually, I ventured out of my cave and had some decent conversations with folks, supervised a few arguments when some of my followers talked about politics with other followers, and did other things social people do.

And my list grew.

I thought about those days when I heard a story about the owner of a deli who did something similar. Every day, he posted a “word-of-the-day” on the menu board next to his “special-of-the-day”. Customers commented about it and took photos of it and shared them with friends (along with the name of the deli) on their social media.

His customers loved it, especially when the words were particularly obscure or humorous, and came back more frequently to see the new word and chat about it. New customers visited because they heard about his word-of-the-day and wanted to check it out.

All he did was post a new word each day and his business grew.

If you don’t do a lot (or anything) with social media, but want to start, could you post a word-of-the day or quote-of-the day in your newsletter, on social, in your waiting room or elsewhere your clients and connections might see it?

It’s an easy way to start.

You might find you’re good at it and like it. And it might lead to something for you.

Me? Maybe I’ll try it again someday and maybe I’ll like it. Right now, I’m going to have some lunch and think about one of my favorite quotes: “When I get a little money, I buy books; if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” — Desiderius Erasmus

Filed Under: Social media

Stop making it harder to hire you

March 13, 2024 by David M. Ward

More than a few lawyers talk themself out of the sale by simply talking too much.

Not all prospective clients want all the details. Which is why you should give prospective clients the opportunity to sign up immediately, without seeing your entire stable of dogs and ponies.

You need to give them enough information so they can make an informed decision (and you can CYA), but if you insist on telling everyone everything they “might” want to know, you’ll scare off a lot of clients.

You know, the ones who tell you they have to think about it. They really don’t want to think about it. They’re just scared.

Which is why you should give everyone the option to get started without hearing all the details.

Tell them what you can do to help them, assume the sale, and hand them the paperwork. If they have (more) questions or want to see more information, they’ll tell you.

If you’re not sure, ask them. “Do you want me to get started?” If they hesitate, then you can offer more information.

Yes, this is easier in person where you can read their body language. It’s easier with contingency cases that don’t require payment up front. But a surprising percentage of prospective clients will not only sign up without hearing all the details, they actually prefer it.

They want to say yes, so they can get on with their life and let you do what you do. They don’t want to think about their problem any more than they have to, they don’t want to wait for a solution, and they don’t want to talk to more lawyers.

They want you. Now.

At least that’s what you should assume.

Filed Under: Closing the sale