When you started practicing law, there were a lot of things you didn’t know and couldn’t do.

You put on a good face and hoped nobody figured out that that this was your first oral argument or your first negotiation.

You were nervous. Wished there was another way. But you did it.

Because you had to.

You took the chance that you would mess up or be found out, and you got away with it. Today, you can laugh at the memory of how awkward you felt and how bad your first efforts must have looked.

Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, says, “It is impossible to get better and look good at the same time. Give yourself permission to be a beginner.”

You did that when you were new and felt you had no other choice.

How about today?

What new skill are you avoiding learning because you don’t want to look bad or feel uncomfortable? What’s on your marketing to-do list, for example, that you keep telling yourself you’ll get around to but never do?

What are you not doing because you do have other options?

If you want your practice to continue to grow, you might have to pretend you don’t have any choice. You have to do what you’ve been avoiding or you won’t make the rent.

Because that might be the only way you’ll give yourself permission to be a beginner.

You’ve got an event coming up—a seminar, webinar, chat, podcast, meet up, question-and-answer session—and you want more people to show up. Normally, you would send out an email or post on social and invite everyone.

And that’s fine.

But if you want to get more people to join you, more people watching or listening or participating, more people not only tuning in but paying attention, instead of sending a mass invite, send a PERSONALIZED message.

“Hey (name), I’m hosting a webinar on Friday at 2 and I’d love to have you join us…”

If you have a small list, or a handful of key people or VIPs you would especially like to have at your event, it might be worth making a video or voice message addressing each person by name.

Personalizing your message will make that message stand out in a crowded inbox and dramatically increase response.

You can also use personalized messages to get more testimonials or reviews for your services or your book. Or to get more people providing feedback about your recent event or responding to your survey.

Now, if your event is especially important, there’s something else you can do.

You can pick up the phone and call people. Or have your assistant do that.

If you get voicemail, leave a message. In fact, you might want to schedule your calls for “after work hours” so you are more likely to get voicemail and don’t have to spend time chatting.

I’ve done this, it works, and you can do it, too.

You can also use this to get your former clients or prospective clients you’ve spoken with to schedule an appointment.

How will use personalized messages to get more people to join your event or respond to your offer?

You can also use personalized messages to get more referrals

A marketing consultant recommends that solo business owners (or lawyers) allocate 4 hours per week to marketing.

You can get a lot done in 4 hours, she says.

I agree. But what if you don’t have 4 hours to spare?

And what if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t like marketing, and don’t want the expense or bother of outsourcing it?

Are you screwed? Should you give up and get a job?

No, and no.

Marketing is a lot easier than you think and you don’t have to spend 4 hours a week doing it.

You can bring in more clients with just 15 minutes of effort per day—if you are consistent. 15 minutes a day will help you get started. Do it every day and you’ll get better, faster, and more confident, and you’ll get better results, too.

You don’t need complicated or expensive tools. Email, the phone, a website, and your ability to communicate clearly are the only tools you need.

You also don’t need to talk to strangers, in case that’s something you don’t want to do. You can build your practice with the clients and prospects and professional contacts you already have.

Later, once you’ve built some momentum, you may want to put in more time or try some additional strategies. But don’t even think about that now.

Get started. Keep it simple. Put one foot in front of the other and keep at it.

Before you know it, marketing might just become one of your favorite things.

And if it doesn’t, you’ll be earning enough to buy some of your favorite things.

Here’s a good place to start

How much time do you spend marketing to your current and former clients? You know, the people who hired you and paid you and were happy with what you did for them?

If you’re like many attorneys, the answer is “not much”.

“If they need me, they know where to find me,” they say. And that’s a shame because while your clients may be willing to hire you again and send you referrals, with a little prompting, they’ll do that more often.

By prompting, I mean reminding them of the other services you offer, and showing them how they (and the people they know) can benefit from those services.

I mean keeping your name in front of them, so that when they need your services, or talk to someone who does, they immediately think of you.

I mean giving them opportunities to help you even if they never need your services again or talk to anyone who does.

What kind of help?

For starters, they can share your content (blog posts, articles, videos, social media posts, etc.), bringing you more traffic and helping you build your list.

They may already do that, but they’ll do it more often when you stay in touch with them.

Your clients and former clients (and prospective clients) may be willing to hire and refer you, they may know where to find you, but they’ll hire you and refer you more often when you remind them.

Marketing to your clients and former clients can be as simple as staying in touch with them.

Email is the best way to get more repeat business and referrals