The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

Adapt or die

November 16, 2023 by David M. Ward

In marketing, nothing works forever. At least you shouldn’t count on it.

Laws change, rules change, trends and interests change, and you need to be prepared to respond when they do.

If your advertising used to work like gangbusters but it’s a different story today, your ad copy, keywords, or offers might be the culprit and need an update. If you do seminars and response is down (attendees, percentage of client conversions), it might be because of an increase in competition, or the economy has thrown a monkey wrench into your marketing machine.

Or it might be something else

No matter what the reason, you need to adapt. That might mean:

Reducing your overall ad budget or eliminating marginal campaigns
Increasing your ad budget but changing your copy or offers
Starting a new practice area or eliminating one that’s draining your resources
Changing the markets and clients you target
Reducing overhead and riding out the storm
Spending more time on X and less time on Y
Hiring different staff or advisors
Changing your fee structure and billing practices
Adopting marketing strategies you’ve never used before or resurrecting strategies you no longer use
Focusing more on evergreen strategies, e.g., referrals, and less on the flavor of the day
Improving marketing and sales training for you and your staff

But you need to do something.

But don’t wait for response to drop or your profits to languish. Be nimble and get ahead of things at the first sign of things going in the wrong direction.

Because you’re in a business and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing legal services

Why you shouldn’t focus on getting new clients

November 15, 2023 by David M. Ward

You want more clients, of course, but the best way to get them isn’t to focus on new clients but to focus on your existing clients, professional contacts, friends and subscribers.

Sure, you can get new clients through advertising and speaking and networking and writing, and I’m not saying you should give that up if it’s working for you. Or you’re new and don’t yet have a lot of clients or contacts or much of a list.

I’m saying it’s easier to get more of what you already have, your existing or “warm” market, than to do everything from scratch, which is what you do when you focus on strangers in the cold market.

In your warm market, you have leverage. In the cold market, you don’t.

It’s easier to get an existing or former client to “buy” more of your services. It’s easier to get referrals from clients and business contacts who already know, like, and trust you. It’s easier to get better clients and bigger cases when you have a good reputation in your existing niche.

Focus on your warm market.

Learn all you can about their businesses, their industries, and their local market. Strengthen your relationships with the people in those niches and their advisors. Stay in touch with them and help them in ways that go beyond your core services.

When you do, not only will you get more clients from your warm market, you’ll also get them from the cold market.

How? Your reputation. Word of mouth (as opposed to actual referrals, but you’ll get these, too).

People will hear about you and ask you to speak at their event or ask to interview you for their podcast or blog. People will hear your name a second or third time and decide to talk to you about their legal issue.

You want more clients and you’ll get them by focusing on people who know your name and what you do.

Just the way it works.

Filed Under: Image, Marketing legal services

If your clients wrote your marketing plan

November 14, 2023 by David M. Ward

Your clients know what they want (and don’t want) from you and can give you insights into what you can do to attract more clients like them.

Which is why you should survey your clients and find out what they want, what they like, and what you can do to get more clients and increase your income.

You can use surveys to learn about

Your image in the marketplace
Your services, fees, offers, and benefits
Your “client relations”
Your content—what they like, what they want more of, what they want you to do differently
Your marketing, advertising and social media—did they notice your ad? What did they like about what you said? Why did they choose you instead of other attorneys?

You can learn a lot by asking questions.

But surveys aren’t the only want to find out what your clients (and prospects) think about what you’re doing. You can also do interviews, going more in depth and asking follow-up questions, and find out what they “really” think.

Another way to do “market intelligence” is by tracking metrics—opens, clicks, downloads, sign-ups, how long a visitor stays on a page, etc.

Finally, you can find out what clients think by listening. Nothing formal, just listen to what they talk about, what they ask you, how they feel about their situation, and what they complain about regarding your competition (and about you).

It can be a lot of work, but if you have the numbers, it could be worth the effort. If you don’t have the numbers, or don’t want to invest the time or money, stick with surveys.

At the least, survey every new client, to find out what they want and why they chose you, and survey every exiting client (at the end of their case or engagement), to find out if they got what they wanted.

Surveys are easy to do and can tell you what you’re doing right and what you need to improve.

Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing Plan Tagged With: surveys

One (for now)

November 13, 2023 by David M. Ward

“Do one thing at a time,” we’re told, and for good reason. When we focus all of our available time and resources on a single task, project, or goal, we’re more likely to start and complete it, and do a better job of it.

But it’s not always necessary or practical to do that.

You might have several projects on your “current” list—moving your office, hiring new staff, starting a new marketing campaign, preparing for trial—the list does go on, doesn’t it?—and you can’t do everything “today”.

You need time to find candidates or ideas, make a list or outline, talk to different people, draft documents, or time to finish up other projects before you can start working on the next one.

Which is why you work on a project and switch to another before the first project is done.

You know what that’s called? Normal. Another day at the office.

Hold on. You’ve probably heard the expression “task switching,” which is what we do when we multitask, meaning going back and forth from one task to another, and why this isn’t recommended.

Starting a task and then switching to another task before you finish the first one isn’t optimal because when you stop working on a task before it is complete, your brain tends to keep it in “RAM” and your mental resources are still being used for that task and you can’t use those resources to work on other tasks.

Better to finish one task before moving on to another.

But task switching isn’t the same thing as simultaneously working on multiple projects, and you often don’t have a choice.

If you’re planning to move your office, hire and train a new assistant, prepare a case for trial, and start a new marketing initiative, you might not be able to finish one project before you start another.

Do it if you can. You’ll be glad you did. But if you can’t, if you need to work on multiple projects in parallel, do what you have to do.

Start working on one, take it as far as you can for now, start another project, and keep going back and forth until you finish everything.

Messy, but often necessary.

For tasks and for projects, one thing at a time is the default, and when possible, finish one thing before you start another.

But you know this, right? So why am I mentioning it? Because if you’re like me (and we both know you are), you’re reading this because you took a break from doing something else you need to do, and I’m just reminding you to get back to it.

You’re welcome.

Filed Under: Productivity

How much research is enough?

November 10, 2023 by David M. Ward

I have a problem. Unless I have a fixed deadline, I often find myself endlessly researching a subject because, you know, there might be other citations, articles, examples, or ideas. Something I need or might be able to use.

And I don’t want to miss it.

Do you ever feel that way?

Why are we like this? Perfectionism? Self doubt? Fear of making a mistake or leaving out something important?

Anyway, does it really matter why we do it? We do it and we want to know how to stop. Maybe we innately know that the more time we spend on research, the greater the risk we’ll lose interest in the project or get another idea and start working on that instead.

Rabbit holes.

We can do the grownup thing and ask ourselves if we’re seen this idea (or something very similar) before. Is it cumulative? Does it give us the essentials—the 20% that deliver 80% of the results?

Sometimes this works. And sometimes, it makes it worse because we feel compelled to “re-search” to confirm or deny what we see or what we think it means.

It’s a curse.

Okay, advice. If you don’t have a fixed deadline, pretend you do.

Promise the client you’ll get the work done by a certain date. If there is no client, promise your secretary, your wife, your coach, or your partner. Maybe put some teeth in it by also promising a penalty if you don’t deliver.

When we are accountable to someone else, we usually do it.

What if that’s not in the cards? It’s just you and your unfinished project or unrealized goal?

What then, you ask?

I don’t know. I need to do more research.

Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With: research

Be normal

November 9, 2023 by David M. Ward

I don’t know what “weird” means, but I know it when I see it. (Why does that sentence sound oddly familiar?) Anyway, lawyers come in all shapes and sizes, colors and accents, and the world is better because of it.

But let’s face it, clients judge lawyers by a lot of things beside their legal acumen, including their appearance—clothing, hair, manner of speech, sense of humor, and more—and if a lawyer is too different from what those clients are used to and expect, some clients might be uncomfortable and stay away.

On the other hand, it depends.

In the not-so-distant past, long hair for men was odd, and no doubt scared off many a client. Smoking was common. Tattoos weren’t. Casual clothing was considered unprofessional. And the list goes on.

Anyway, my point is that while we don’t necessarily have to conform to current styles, we shouldn’t ignore them. That means we should probably “look like a lawyer” and act the way our clients expect a lawyer to act, and be willing to accept the consequences if we don’t.

If you handle estate planning and work with a lot of boomers, for example, you might want to cover your tats, wear a suit when you meet with them, and talk about the new Beetles song (and video) instead of that Swift person. If you handle entertainment law, you might make different decisions.

Clients want their lawyer to be normal, and they get to decide what that means for them. Unless you have a good reason to do otherwise, consider giving them what they want.

Hmm, maybe I should dust off my old Nehru Jacket. . .

Filed Under: Image

Make it easy for clients to find you, hire you, and work with you

November 8, 2023 by David M. Ward

In the world of marketing and client relations (which is a sub-set of marketing), one of the best things you can do is to make things easy for your clients and prospects.

Because the easier it is for them, the better it is for you.

Here is a simple checklist of things to do, and a reminder to do them.

MAKE IT EASY FOR CLIENTS TO FIND YOU

Website (SEO, links from authority blogs, other professionals)
Referrals
Advertising
Content (Blogs, articles that get indexed, shared, etc.)
Networking and speaking
Handouts
Directory listings
Newsletters

MAKE IT EASY FOR CLIENTS TO CHOOSE/HIRE YOU

Website (About/bio, service descriptions, FAQs, navigation, contact forms)
Testimonials, reviews, success stories
Everywhere: Explain “why you” instead of doing nothing, doing it themself, hiring someone else, or waiting
Flat fees, guarantees
Simple hiring documents: agreements, disclaimers, authorizations

MAKE IT EASY FOR CLIENTS TO WORK WITH YOU

Explain everything, copy everything
Keep them informed about everything
Remind them of deadlines, appearances, updates, appointments
Encourage them to contact you with questions
Be available. Tell them what to do if they can’t reach you, after hours.
Don’t nickel-and-dime; give them the benefit of the doubt
Make it easy for them to refer, post a review, promote your content

I’m sure you can add to this list and you should. Then, periodically, survey your clients (and prospects) about how you’re doing (and not doing) so you can continue to improve.

Because the easier you make it for your clients and prospects, the better it is for you.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Marketing legal services

Mo (value)

November 7, 2023 by David M. Ward

Clients hire you because they want value from you. They want the results you deliver via your legal services, but there are other ways you can give them value.

Give them more value than they expect, more value than other lawyers deliver.

This doesn’t mean giving away your core services or discounting your fees. (Don’t do that).

You can deliver more value with

Bonus services. Include add-ons or small additional services they need or might need soon.
Better terms. Payment plans, guarantees, more manageable retainers, hybrid fees.
Information. Forms, guides, reports, templates, checklists, seminars, and other things they can use in their business or personal life.
Speed. If possible, give them the results they seek in less time than they think it will take. Return calls and emails quicker. Show them into your waiting room a few minutes after they arrive.
Support. Proactively refer them to other professionals or businesses who can help them with business or personal matters. Promote their business, their charity or cause. Give them advice, feedback, or a shoulder to cry on.

Ultimately, clients want to feel good about their decision to hire you. They took a chance on you and may be nervous about that. Show them you will protect them, work hard for them, and treat them exceptionally well.

The more value you deliver, the more value they will deliver to you. They’ll be easier to work with, give you more work, recommend you, promote your events, and otherwise help your practice grow.

The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations

If they snooze, you lose

November 6, 2023 by David M. Ward

For writing “content” (blog posts, articles, presentations, etc.) many lawyers struggle to get results for one simple reason–they write like lawyers, meaning they write like they were taught in law school.

The inverted pyramid, IRAC, et al., are fine when you’re writing something “for people who are paid to read it,” as the author of an article I read recently put it.

Your clients and prospects certainly aren’t.

Your content needs to have helpful information, the kinds of things prospective clients look for when they’re searching online, but if it has to be interesting. If you write it the way they taught you in law school, you risk boring people into clicking away.

Structurally, capture their attention with a good headline or opening and keep their attention by continuing to write about things that interest them.

Here’s how to get better at doing that:

Read a lot. Read the kinds of things your audience reads. Look at the subjects, the structure, and the pacing of the information. See how they capture attention with a good headline or opening and use sub-heads and/or bullet points to draw the reader into the article and through it.
Write a lot. Practice and you will improve.
Edit a lot. Your first draft is usually not your best draft. Shorten sentences and paragraphs, use active verbs (and active voice) and make sure everything is clear. If you write about anything “legal,” explain the terms and provide context.
Put people in your articles. Talk about their desires, their problems, their pain, and the solutions they seek, and how things turned out (with your help).
Have fun (if appropriate). Give readers something to smile about, nod their head about, think about, and remember.
Tell them what to do next. Don’t leave them guessing, tell them to call (and why), tell them to join your list (and why), or tell them what to read or watch next.

Give them a good experience and they will come back to read more and contact you when they’re ready to talk to you about their situation.

Finally, if you are writing for other lawyers, or others who are paid to read your writing, it’s okay to write like a lawyer. But you don’t have to. And if you don’t have to, don’t.

How to write an email newsletter clients want to read

Filed Under: Content creation, List building, Online Marketing, Writing

You stink (but you can still be successful)

November 3, 2023 by David M. Ward

At one of the first network marketing trainings I attended, we were told that the business is a “level playing field,” meaning that anyone can build a big business and be a top earner.

“You can make up in numbers what you lack in skill.”

You might not be the best presenter or have the biggest list, but if you work harder than most, you can accomplish more than most.

And this is true. In any business or professional practice.

Someone else might talk to ten prospects and sign up 2. You might not be as good, but you can talk to 50 and sign up 5.

You might not have their talent or charm, but you can outwork them.

Is it really as simple as that? Well, look around you at the lawyers who aren’t as good as you, but have bigger offices and bank accounts.

Wait a minute, maybe they had more money or better connections. They had an advantage you don’t have.

Also true. Money and connections often do make a big difference. But so does a burning desire and the willingness to work.

Which is what you bring to the table.

And why the law business is a level playing field.

Filed Under: success