Leap and the net will appear

July 31, 2024 by
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When I started practicing law, I took an office in a suite with other lawyers. It gave me access to a law library, receptionists who answered the phones and greeted my clients, copy machines, coffee service, and other features that allowed me to move in and get to work. 

When a client came to see me, I didn’t look like a “beginner.” I looked established and successful. 

The biggest advantage of this arrangement was that it gave me access to other lawyers with whom I could associate, learn from, and get some work.

I did appearances. I did research and drafted documents. And I got referrals.

If you’re starting your legal career, I recommend you consider a similar office arrangement. 

When you are more established, however, when you need room for your growing staff and can afford to build out your own suite of offices (as I did), do it if you’re ready but wait a bit if you’re not. 

Having your own office is nice. You get your name on the door and the building directory. Your clients like having an attorney who (looks) more successful than the average Joe. 

But is the additional overhead and responsibility worth it? 

Maybe. 

My practice grew significantly after I got my own office and hired more staff. But did it grow because it was my own office, or were there other reasons? 

I can’t say for sure, but I know one thing. The additional overhead forced me to do things I might not have done, or done as aggressively, if I hadn’t had to cover the additional overhead. 

I got bigger, faster, because I had to. 

If you are thinking about getting your own office or moving to a bigger office, if you’re considering hiring more staff, investing in more advertising, or spending more time marketing, I get you. 

My advice? Yes, run the numbers. Talk to other lawyers who did what you’re thinking of doing. And, most of all, pay attention to what your gut tells you.

I was nervous about expanding. What if this and what if that? Ultimately, I did what I wanted to do and trusted that everything would work out. 

And it did. 

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Filed Under: Increase your income, Inspiration

Have you lost your edge?

July 11, 2024 by
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If your practice isn’t growing, it might be because you’re not doing the things you did when you started out, or you’re not doing them the way you did before. 

You’ve become complacent. And lost your edge.

Fortunately, you can switch back to the way things were. But to do that, you need to get out of your comfort zone and be willing to take some risks. 

Risks that you might fail. That you might lose money or embarrass yourself. Or you might not like doing the work, and then what?

But you can do this. It’s not like the work is inherently difficult. You don’t have to dig ditches or work for peanuts like I did starting out, taking cases that paid total fees of $300 and doing things I was not (yet) good at, or things I hated.

Don’t dwell on the negative. Give it a try.

It might be rough and make you question life, but (surprise) it might not. You might find it more fun than annoying, more invigorating than daunting. 

Begin by making some goals. Make them big, nearly impossible; so big they make you laugh. 

Why?

Well, when you were new, you might have been desperate (like me) and willing to do anything, put up with anything, risk everything, but now, if you’re not desperate and the fear of failure and becoming homeless isn’t driving you, you need different motivation. 

To wit, big, hairy, crazy goals that put a smile on your face. That might be just what you need to let go of your resistance, get out of your comfort zone and get to work. 

But tell no one. Make a pact with your ego to make something happen first, and then you can surprise anyone who might care.

Then, make a plan. Choose a target market, ideal client, and one or two marketing strategies. Grab your calendar, schedule time for marketing and practice development, and put one step in front of the other.

One more thing. No matter how hard it might be, it will be infinitely easier than it was when you were new. You have experience, now, professional contacts, and satisfied clients willing to work with you and refer others.

Compared to the old days, it will be a cakewalk.

This will help

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Filed Under: Increase your income, Inspiration, Marketing Plan

You need another project

June 11, 2024 by
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If I looked at your planner or task app, I would no doubt see several projects you’re working on, or are about to do. That’s good. When you finish one project, or run out of steam and don’t want to work on it right now, you have other projects you can work without delay. 

That’s how you stay productive and get things done. 

At the risk of overwhelming you, I’m going to suggest you add one more project to your list. 

Not another regular project related to your work or personal “Areas”. Something different.  

It might be a side business, an investment, a social or political venture, or a hobby. Something fun and exciting to work on when you’re not doing what you usually do.

Maybe you’ll finally write the novel you’ve dreamed about, or do something else creative. Maybe you’ll start an online business that brings in extra income or (finally) allows you to retire. 

Your new project or initiative will give you something exciting to look forward to, and work on when you want to. No pressure. No guilt about taking time away from your usual work or obligations. 

And there’s the thing. Even if your new project or venture doesn’t go anywhere, even if you fall flat on your face or abandon it in a few weeks, you will have learned some new things, been able to forget about the news or your problems, and restarted your dream machine. 

We all need to tilt at windmills from time to time. It keeps us sane. And sometimes, leads to great adventures. 

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Filed Under: Increase your income, Inspiration, Just for fun

Study success

April 5, 2024 by
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Jim Rohn said, “If you want to become more successful, study success.”

How do you do that? By studying successful people. People who have accomplished what you want to accomplish. People who inspire you. People you would like to learn from and emulate. 

Lawyers who have done what you want to do. Entrepreneurs. Business leaders. Great speakers and writers and philosophers. 

You can find successful people in your city or on the Internet, in biographies and the pages of history, and even in fiction.

Read their books. And books about them. Listen to their presentations and interviews. Most of all, watch what they do because their actions will tell you more than their words.

Reflect on what you learn. Ask yourself, why are they successful? What are their philosophies? What are (or were) their daily habits? What advice would they give you if you spent an hour with them?

Think about them often. When you have a problem, ask yourself what they would do about it. If you have an important decision to make, ask yourself what they would advise you to consider.

But don’t just read and think about them, write about them, in articles or in your journal, and talk about them and their philosophies in your presentations. Tell others their story and why you admire them.

If you want to be more successful, study success. And successful people.

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Filed Under: Inspiration, Personal development, success

All you can do is all you can do 

May 30, 2023 by
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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.

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Filed Under: Inspiration, Marketing legal services

It’s not supposed to be easy

March 27, 2023 by
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Practicing law. Marketing. Building your career. None of it is supposed to be easy.

Sometimes it is easy. But not always. Don’t expect it to be.

If it was always easy, if everyone you talk to wants to sign up, if everything you write goes viral, if everything you sell is purchased and clients keep coming back for more, you’re playing it too safe and limiting your growth.

Don’t do that.

Don’t make it your top priority to please everyone or avoid offending anyone. Don’t avoid all risks or wait until you’re 100% sure before you begin.

Don’t sell cheap. Don’t give it all away.

Be nice, but don’t be a pushover.

When you lose, accept the loss and keep going. Loss, rejection, struggle, pain—are part of the process. And you should welcome this because the more you lose, the more opportunities there are to learn and grow and do bigger things.

On the other hand, it’s not supposed to be unbearably hard. Don’t believe it, or accept it.

There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Success is truly just around the corner. Things do get better.

Assume that everything is always working out for you. Because it is.

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Filed Under: Inspiration, success

Getting unstuck

January 4, 2023 by
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It happens. You’re spinning your wheels or losing ground. What’s worked for you before no longer seems to. You’re bleeding money or exhausted out of your mind, scared or frustrated or angry, or all of the above.

You’re stuck and don’t know what to do about it.

The answer is to do something. Change something. Try something and keep trying until you get your mojo back.

Because you can. Nothing has to stay the same. Trust me. I’ve been there. And lived to tell about it.

I have some suggestions for you. To get you thinking. Maybe you’ve tried some of these already, or thought about trying them. Maybe you need to hear them again before you’re willing to try them, or try them again.

Quickly read through this list of strategies and note anything that catches your eye. Come back to it, meditate or journal on it, or talk to someone about it.

And then try it.

  • Fix a health issue. You can’t move forward if you’re not feeling well or don’t have enough energy. Maybe you need a new eyeglass prescription. Maybe you need to get off some meds. Maybe you have an addiction you need to free yourself from. Maybe you need to eat better or sleep better.
  • Fix a relationship issue with your spouse, child, law partner, employee, or friend.
  • Change your marketing. Try a new strategy, eliminate something, expand something. Learn more, get help, change your process. Your troubles might all go away when you’re able to get some new clients or better clients.
  • Hire someone: an office manager, a virtual assistant, a business coach, a consultant. Maybe you need a new accountant or financial advisor. Bringing some new ideas and/or personalities into your life might be just what the doctor ordered.
  • Fire someone. Someone who is making things worse, not better.
  • Change your practice area or target market. Something more lucrative or a better fit for you.
  • Delegate more. The source of your “stuckness” might simply be that you’re trying to do too much yourself. My philosophy: Only do those things that only you can do; delegate everything else.
  • Find an accountability partner to keep you on track.
  • Cut overhead. What can you eliminate? What can you reduce? Could you renegotiate your lease or move to another building? Find cheaper alternatives for anything? Every dollar you save allows you to do something else.
  • And/or. . . spend more on things that are working.
  • Farm out unprofitable cases; refer out troublesome clients.
  • Simplify (everything).
  • Make your workspace more pleasant to work in. Change the lighting or the furniture; get rid of the clutter. Buy some plants.
  • Track your time. You might find a lot of waste.
  • Reduce your work hours. Take more breaks. Take a vacation. Get more sleep.

Okay, one more. Try a side-hustle.

No, really. A business project unrelated to your current career or practice. Not as a way to supplement or replace your income, although that might happen, mostly as a way to shake the cobwebs off of you by doing something completely different.

You’ll learn new ideas, meet new people, discover different ways to market your services or build your career.

You might also have some fun, which might be the very thing that’s missing in your life.

Yes, this means diverting time and money away from your core business. But doing something else part time might be just what you need to jumpstart your core business.

If this isn’t in the cards for you right now, at least study other business models. I learned how to market my legal services, in part, by looking at what other professionals and business owners do.

The answer to getting unstuck is to do something different. Find something and run with it.

Quantum Leap Marketing System for Attorneys

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Filed Under: Increase your income, Inspiration, Law office management, success

Marketing. Me no likey.

October 11, 2022 by
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“I hate marketing. I’m not good at it. I don’t know what I’m doing.“

Can you relate?

Lot of lawyers do.

How do I find prospects? Get them to visit my website? Get them to make an appointment?

How do I convince anyone to hire me when there are so many other lawyers who do what I do?

Everyone tells you to read books and blogs and take courses or watch videos and you’ll learn what to do.

Which is true. But it’s only part of the answer.

And if you do nothing but reading, you might make things worse because the more you read, the more you start thinking there’s too much to do and you don’t want to do any of it.

Instead of “learn, then do,“ I suggest you “do, then learn.“

You don’t learn and get motivated and then do it. You do it, and that gives you the motivation and teaches you what you need to know to get better at doing it.

And forget about trying to do “marketing”. Forget making a plan. Put your spreadsheets away. Just do something.

Write an article or an email. Or a list of bullet points for a presentation or for your bio.

It doesn’t have to be long. Or good. You don’t have to show it to anyone yet. Or ever.

This is what I did when I first embarked on this journey. I started small and gave myself permission to do a terrible job.

And found out it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually pretty good.

And then I did something else, and that wasn’t terrible, either.

One foot in front of the other. Before you know it, you get some results. Positive feedback. Clicks. Sign-ups. Clients. Repeat business. Referrals.

Forget marketing. Just bring in some clients.

A good place to start

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Filed Under: Inspiration, Marketing Plan

You are amazing

September 29, 2022 by
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You’re having a bad day (or week). You don’t want to listen to one more problem or complaint from a client who doesn’t appreciate all you do for them.

Yeah, it goes with the job, but sometimes. . .

And then, you get an email from a client thanking you and praising you. Or you get a review that tells the world how great you are. Or a client fills out your survey and gives you top marks and smiley faces in all categories.

It makes your day. And reminds you why you do what you do.

We all get these. Letters from clients, from business contacts thanking us for a referral, from meeting holders and bloggers thanking us for our great presentation, interview, or article.

Save these. Put them in a file or add a tag or label so you can quickly find them.

Don’t forget the kind words you receive in person or over the phone. You might get one today. When you do, send yourself an email, recount what they said, and add it to your file.

Call it your “praise” folder or “kudos” file. And when you’re having a bad day, think nobody cares, or start questioning your choice of career, re-read some of these letters and feel better.

You are appreciated. People do recognize your abilities and hard work. You have proof.

And, if you want to, you can use some of that proof in your marketing.

Testimonials and positive reviews aren’t just good for what ails ya. They’re also good for prospective clients who want to know if you’re good at your job.

Good? You’re amazing. And you can prove it.

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Filed Under: Inspiration, success

Are you sitting on a nail?

September 26, 2022 by
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There’s a dog on the porch and he’s sitting on a nail. It’s painful, but he doesn’t move. He likes his spot on the porch and the pain isn’t that bad. It’s more annoying than anything else. And he’s used to it. And thinks it’s too much effort to get up and find another spot.

So he stays put.

Old joke but reality for many people.

Sometimes, there’s something going on in our life that’s painful, but not painful enough to do anything about it.

I’ve been there. I’m sure you have, too. You might be their right now. A problem, a situation, an unfulfilled dream. We might not like our current situation, but we put up with it because it’s not that bad.

And we don’t. Until we’re in enough pain.

One day, we wake up and admit to ourselves that this can’t continue. We’re fed up and finally going to do something.

That day even has a name. It’s called our “day of disgust.”

I had that day a long time ago, early in my practice. I was in pain, unhappy with my situation, and myself, disgusted actually, and that disgust lit a fuse under me and I finally took action.

Don’t fear a day of disgust. Welcome it. It’s a day of clarity and a day of change. The first step towards a better future.

You might wake up and say to yourself, “I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore”. And you don’t.

Unfortunately, for many people, things have to get worse before they have their day of disgust. A lot worse. They have a nail in their butt, but it’s not that bad.

But nobody has to wait until things get worse. They can decide to change any day of the week.

If things aren’t where you want them right now, why not make today that day?

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Filed Under: Inspiration, success
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