The Attorney Marketing Center--Earn More. Work Less

What’s new?

June 12, 2023 by David M. Ward

In your blog or newsletter or other content, it’s okay to repeat yourself. Go ahead and write about familiar topics. As long you’re providing helpful information, or reminding them about important things you’ve told them before, you’re good.

Just make sure you follow Rule No. One: “Don’t be boring”.

On the other hand, when you have the opportunity to tell them something new, take it. Because new is better.

We watch the news (God help us) because it’s “new”. We believe we’ll see something different, helpful, or interesting. Your subscribers and clients and followers do the same thing when they click on your content.

And almost anything can be new.

Write about something you haven’t talked about before, or a new take on something you talk about often.

The law is always changing. You can always find something new to talk about.

New legislation, new decisions, new rules, and new cases you’ve handled or heard about. There’s a new consumer advocacy group doing something important (or wasting everyone’s time), a new idea making the rounds, a new blog or website or social media channel.

Write about it. Tell them what’s new.

Maybe you’re packaging your services in a new way, opening a new office, launching a new presentation, or tweaking your fee structure. Maybe you have a new employee, a new practice area, or a new page on your website.

Tell your folks about it and how it benefits them. Does it make you better able to help them? Will it help them save time or money? Make things easier or better?

It’s news. So tell ‘em. But don’t worry about it if it doesn’t do those things.

As long as your “news” is interesting, your clients and subscribers and followers want to hear about it, or at least won’t mind you mentioning it.

In part, because it’s coming from you and they’re interested in what you do, what you like, and what you think.

Your content isn’t merely a mechanism for educating your reader about things they need to know or do, or showing them how you can help them. It’s also a mechanism for building a relationship with them.

You talk to them (on paper), they listen. Sometimes, they reply. But always, they are a part of your world and you are a part of thers.

You don’t have to write anything amazing to foster that. Almost anything will do. Especially if it’s new.

How to write a newsletter that brings in more business

Filed Under: Content creation

Expensive? Damn right!

June 9, 2023 by David M. Ward

When you look through the app store, you see more than a few complaints about certain apps being too expensive. They’ll tell you why and compare the app to others that are available for less.

Guess which apps sell the most? Which apps are the most profitable?

Yep. The “expensive” apps.

People may complain but they want high quality and they’re willing to pay more to get it. The’ll tell you why, right there in their review. They say,“It’s expensive, but worth every penny.”

Which just happens to be what you want your clients to say about you.

Of course, you have to get the “worth it” part right first. You can’t raise your fees and expect clients to pay top dollar for services that aren’t “worth it”. But if you are worth more, you should charge more.

You will lose some clients who can’t afford you, it’s true. But more than make up for that loss by higher revenue from the ones who stick and the new ones to ome along.

What could you do to increase your value so you can justify higher fees?

That’s what you have to figure out.The good news is it doesn’t take as much as you think.

In marketing, perception is everything. You don’t have to get the highest verdicts and settlements or have the most prestigious clients to qualify. Other factors come in to play. The things your clients say about you, the people you associate with, the causes with which you are identified, are also important. So are the articles you write, the interviews you give, your videos and podcast and presentations..

They are all part of how people perceive you and thus part of the value you offer.

And guess what? Your fees are part of that, too. Charge more and people assume there is a reason. They assume that if other people pay those higher fees, you must be worth it, because people associate price with quality.

Bottom line, increase your fees and do what you can to get everyone to say you’re worth it. If enough people say it, it must be true.

The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Attorneys fees, success

Why clients hire you

June 8, 2023 by David M. Ward

Sure, they need help with a legal issue, but they have other options. Why do they choose YOU instead of any other lawyer?

Good to know that, isn’t it?

NB: Make sure you ask (survey) every new client about this.

Did they choose you because you have, or they believe you have, more experience? A better track record? Or because you specialize in the very thing they need or want?

Maybe they trust you (more) because they’ve met you or were referred to you by someone they trust. Maybe they read some favorable reviews or testimonials. Or maybe they saw something you wrote, or that was written about you, in a publication they respect.

Or they heard you speak and were impressed at how smart (and good looking) you are.

Do you provide extra services that other lawyers don’t (or don’t mention)? More reasonable fees? Payment plans?

Could it be something as simple as convenience? Your office is close to them or you make house calls? Or they’ve used your services before and it was just easier to use you again?

Maybe they hired you because, unlike other attorneys they’ve spoken to, you followed up with them after the initial consultation or conversation. Maybe they’ve been getting your newsletter for a long time and feel like they know, like, and trust you.

Lots of reasons. Pay attention. Your clients will tell you why they choose you, so you can keep doing those things.

NB 2.0: When someone doesn’t choose you, that is, they consulted you or considered you but hired someone else, it’s even more important to know why.

Often, the reason someone chooses you, or doesn’t, isn’t because of how many boxes you ticked (or didn’t). It comes down to a feeling.

They liked you or felt good about you. There’s something about you that tipped the balance in your favor. Something you said or they read about you that made them feel like you were the one.

Simon Sinek, in his famous TED talk, said, “People don’t buy what you do, they by why you do it”.

So, no matter what else you tell them about yourself and your services, make sure you also tell them why you do what you do.

The Attorney Marketing Formula

Filed Under: Marketing legal services

The simplest (and best) way to improve your marketing results

June 7, 2023 by David M. Ward

We had some work done on our house recently. We researched contractors, read reviews, got a couple of bids, and then choose the contractor we preferred.

The bid we chose was thousands of dollars higher. Why did we choose it? There were a few reasons, but one thing the winning bidder did, more than anything, made the difference.

After they sent their bid, they followed up. The other company didn’t.

One company “hit and ran”. And never contacted us again. Like a lot of lawyers do when they say, “They know where to find us if they’re interested”.

The other company, the one we chose, called to confirm that we received their proposal, asked if we had any questions (we did), and gave us additional information about the job that convinced us they were the better choice.

And that, my friend, is the simplest and best way to improve your marketing results.

You can do okay in a business (or profession) by getting in front of more prospective clients. But if you want to do more than okay, one conversation or appointment or bid isn’t enough.

The fortune is in the followup.

Follow up by phone. And email. And text. And phone again. And email again. And continue to follow up until you get the job (case) or they tell you to stop.

Give them more information. Remind them about what they said they wanted and show them again how you can help them get it.

The more you follow up, the more the prospective client sees that not only can you help them, you want to help them.

No, that isn’t bad posture on your part. It doesn’t make you look desperate, any more than the athlete who asks for the ball.

It’s a sign of confidence, not weakness.

Following up shows prospective clients that you’ve done “this” before—you are a professional and work hard at what you do. Just like you’ll work hard for them.

People find that attractive. And will choose you instead of the competition who might cost less but aren’t as diligent.

We did. And we’re glad we did.

One more thing.

When you find out that the prospect signed up with another lawyer, or decided not to do anything right now, continue to follow up. Because they might change their mind or need help fixing what the other lawyer messed up.

You want to be in their mailbox when that happens.

Filed Under: Marketing legal services

Everyone tells you this is important, but is it?

June 6, 2023 by David M. Ward

You have an email list, for your newsletter, podcast, or seminars, or a list of your clients and prospects and professional contacts. You mail to that list regularly, or plan to, because you know that the more you stay in touch with people, the more clients and revenue you get.

Everyone tells you to segment your list, to separate people by status (client, prospect, professional, blogger), or profile (consumer or business, big or small, type of services they need or want), because doing that lets you send targeted emails to each segment, thus increasing your conversion rate.

Segmented lists allow you to speak more directly and specifically to each segment, addressing their needs in the context of their background and experience. You’re able to use more relevant examples and success stories for each segment, and speak to them in ways they relate to. You get more people accepting your offers, and fewer people opting out because your message doesn’t apply to or interest them.

Maybe you do this now. “Why send a newsletter about the benefits of a living trust to people who’ve already hired me to do that?”

It makes sense. And it doesn’t. Let’s look at the math.

Let’s say you identify 100 people on your list who have not hired you to prepare a living trust. By writing just to them, let’s say you get 20% of these subscribers to hire you. On the other hand, if you write the same message to your entire list of 2000, and get only 2% to sign up, you get 40 new clients, double what you get from the smaller but more targeted list.

You might also get other business by writing to everyone.

Your message might prompt someone who has already hired you to do X to update X. Or it might prompt them to ask you about your other services, or refer a friend. Business clients need consumer legal services; consumer clients have friends who own a business, or want to.

And so, segmenting your list and mailing to fewer people might be very costly.

Are there exceptions where segmenting your list is warranted? Sure. But these are usually best addressed by using autoresponder messages that go out to specific segments of your list, in addition to your newsletter. Prospects who inquired about a living trust, for example, would receive follow-up messages about that subject.

Send your newsletter to everyone, because you never know what might interest them or someone they know.

Email Marketing for Attorneys

Filed Under: Email, Newsletters

TLDR?

June 5, 2023 by David M. Ward

I usually write short blog posts because long posts often get skipped (because readers are busy) or postponed (and then skipped).

I’d rather show up in your inbox frequently and give you something you can read in a couple of minutes.

But there are advantages to longer posts:

Longer, more detailed posts tend to get more traffic than shorter posts because they often rank higher in search engines.
Longer posts give you room to provide more tips and more thorough explanations of complex or abstract concepts, providing more value to visitors looking for help, and to find an attorney.
Longer posts are generally more authoritative than shorter posts because there is room to provide more examples, citations, graphics, and links to other posts (yours and other authorities).
Longer posts keep visitors on your blog longer, making it more likely they will read your other posts, as well as pages about your services, your upcoming events, and other content, and more willing to sign up for your newsletter.
Longer posts tend to get more Likes from readers and links from other blogs.

In short, longer, more detailed posts provide opportunities to get more readers, subscribers, and clients.

But none of that happens if people aren’t reading your posts because they look too long to read. In addition, longer posts take more time to research, write, optimize, and format, which means you can’t publish as often.

What’s the solution? A combination of long and short posts can give you the best of both worlds. Long posts for traffic, authority and engagement, short posts to get more people to read what you write, creating a gateway to your longer content.

If you’re new to blogging, you might write 1000- to 1200-word posts once or twice a month, and 300- to 500-word posts, once or twice per week. On the other hand, if you’re new, it’s better to write anything, because building the habit of regularly creating content is more important than how long it is or often you publish it.

How to write a blog people like to read

Filed Under: Blogging, Content creation, Newsletters

Deal or no deal?

June 2, 2023 by David M. Ward

When you have a client or prospective client who wants to negotiate on fees, you know what to do. Firmly and politely tell them no.

But tell them why.

Explain that your fees are reasonable, you do good work and deliver great value, your clients are happy, and if you were to give one client a lower fee than everyone else, it would be unfair to your other clients, and to you.

You might explain that yes, your fees are higher than other lawyers, because you have more experience, so you are worth it. And give them proof—verdicts, testimonials, endorsements, awards—and how this translates to better results for your clients.

You could offer a payment plan, or get set up to accept credit cards. Or ask if they have someone who might lend them the funds or co-sign for them on a bank loan.

You could suggest that you do part of the work they need or want, at a lower fee, and they can get the rest later. Or you could talk to them about waiting on everything until they’re able to get started.

Finally, if they just can’t do it, offer to refer them to a colleague you know who charges less.

If these don’t work for them, or for you, thank them for considering you and wish them well.

This kind of honesty, directness, and posture will often cause the client to figure out a way to say yes.

Many people have the money but do their best to “get a bargain”. Nothing wrong with that. Smile and tell them no deal.

You may lose a client or two but you’ll be better offer overall.

If more than the occasional prospect or client tells you no, however, don’t even think about lowering your fees across the board. You’re not expensive. You just need a different niche or group of clients who can afford what you’re worth.

Getting the Check: Stress-free legal billing and collection

Filed Under: Attorneys fees, Fees and Billing

New blog, newsletter, or podcast? This will help.

June 1, 2023 by David M. Ward

When I started writing a blog, one of the first things I did was to find other blogs in my niche, to see what they were doing. I learned a lot and was convinced I could do what they did. If you’re thinking about starting a blog or newsletter, or want to re-start or re-invigorate yours, I suggest you find blogs and newsletter published by other lawyers and use them as a model for your own.

It doesn’t matter where they are located, or even their practice area. You can learn something from each blog you follow or subscribe to.

Study them and take notes:

How often do they publish?
How long are their posts, articles, episodes, etc?
What is their writing style? Formal? Informal? Somewhere in between?
Do they write about news or evergreen topics?
Do they advocate or educate?
Do they write detailed posts, with citations, or something more beginner-friendly?
How are their posts structured? What formatting choices have they made?
Do they do interviews? Guest posts?
What do they offer as an incentive to sign up?
What calls-to-action do they use?
Do their blog posts get comments? Shares? Or is that function turned off?
Do they use images or mostly text?
Do they promote their services directly or just a provide a link to their website? If they promote their services, do they “pitch” hard or less so?

What do they do that’s working? What do you like? What would you change?

Also note ideas for topics you could write about.

You’re not looking for the perfect newsletter or blog to emulate, you’re looking for ideas and inspiration. You might like how one blog structures its content but prefer another’s writing style. You might like how one blog is consistent or how another uses a variety of detailed and lengthy posts mixed with brief and lighter fare.

Guess what? You get to choose.

This exercise might get you excited and ready to start or re-start your blog or newsletter. On the other hand, it might convince you that you don’t want to do this, at least not right now, and turn your attention to something else.

Before you decide, try something. Put some content out there and see what happens. Content marketing might not be your favorite marketing method (now), but if it makes your phone ring the way I know it can, you might just change your opinion.

How to start a blog that makes your phone ring

Filed Under: Blogging, Content creation, Newsletters

The key to getting new subscribers to take the next step

May 31, 2023 by David M. Ward

They came (to your website), they saw (what you do), are interested in hearing more, and subscribed to your newsletter. But they’re not ready to make an appointment or contact you with questions.

What should you do?

As soon as they subscribe, you should send them your “Welcome Sequence”–a series of emails that tells them who you are and how you can help them, invites them to learn more, and tells them what to do if they have questions or want to speak to you.

A “Welcome Sequence” is a series of 5-7 emails (but it could be more, or less), that everyone gets as soon as they sign up for your newsletter, sent automatically by your email service provider via an autoresponder.

Your welcome sequence acknowledges their problems and your solutions, provides information about you and your services, and tells them what to do to learn more.

And it’s important. It’s their second (third, fourth, fifth, etc. impression of you, the first being when they visited your website or blog, and it is the key to getting them to take the next step.

More than providing information, your welcome sequence needs to make the new subscriber feel a sense of relief about finding you. It should make them feel good about you and be hopeful about getting the soluton to their problem.

You do that by talking about them and their problem more than you talk about yourself. You also talk about your other clients who are like them or have had similar problems.

The good news is that you don’t need brilliant sales copy to do that. In fact, the best thing you can do is to “be normal”–talk to them the way you would if they were sitting in your office or talking to you on the phone.

Normal is vastly underrated.

Don’t try to impress them. Don’t make your messages all about you. Ask them questions about them and their situation and give them general guidelines about what’s possible via “If/Then” statements.

Tell them what to expect about your newsletter—what you’ll be sending them, how often, where to go to get more information, and what to do if they want to speak to you.

Tell them enough, but not too much. Whet their appetite to learn more.

You know, be normal.

Email Marketing for Attorneys

Filed Under: Email, Newsletters

All you can do is all you can do

May 30, 2023 by David M. Ward

You hear about what other lawyers are doing for marketing and you realize you can’t do what they do. Or you don’t want to.

That’s okay. You don’t have to do what they do. Or as much or as often.

Just do something.

You can’t write a weekly blog? Don’t even try. Post 5 or 10 articles on your website, to show visitors you know something about your practice area and give them some insights about what you can do to help them.

It’s better than doing nothing. Better than what a lot of attorneys do (which is nothing). And it could bring some clients to your door.

You hate networking with a passion? Forget about it. You’re not going to get anywhere, forcing yourself to go places you don’t want to be and shake hands with people you don’t want to talk to.

But maybe you’re open to meeting someone once in a while for coffee. Coffee is good. No pressure. No agenda. And it might lead to something good.

You know nothing about social media and you don’t want to? Cross it off your list. But maybe before you do that, you choose a platform or two, set up an account and post your contact information, in case someone goes looking for you.

Someone might. And call or message you.

You don’t have to be “all in” on any kind of marketing (except the kind where you take good care of your clients). Many a successful practice is built that way.

Do what you can do, but do something. If you hate it, stop doing it and do something else.

And don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. But don’t ignore them completely. They might show you something you can do, and you might choose to do it.

Do what you can do, but only if you want to. Because doing things you don’t want to do isn’t a recipe for success.

All you can do is all you can do, but it is often enough.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Marketing legal services