It may sound like I’m picking a nit but this is important.

When prospective clients search the Internet or ask their friends for a referral, they’re not looking to hire a lawyer or “buy” legal services.

Not really.

They’re looking for someone who can solve a problem for them.

They’re looking for relief from a failed marriage. They’re looking to collect money that is owed to them. They’re looking for protection from creditors, the tax man, or criminal authorities.

Your services are the solutions to these problems.

When you start marketing your services from this point of view, two things happen.

First, you’re now offering something people want to buy. Which means your marketing is much easier and more effective.

And second, because you’re solving painful problems and delivering valued benefits, you can charge more than if you were only selling your services.

Sometimes, a lot more than your competitors.

Because they’re selling a commodity, while you’re selling a way out of a seemingly hopeless situation, relief from pain, security, hope, and financial well-being.

So, the next time you run an ad, do a presentation, write a blog post, or talk to a decision maker, make sure you talk about the problems you solve and the results you deliver.

To learn how to do it right, check out my marketing course

Your services may be needed right now but many people who need them aren’t buying.

They’re watching their dollars and unless they have an urgent need to hire an attorney, those dollars are likely to be spent on something else–or on nothing at all.

So, right now, your marketing should primarily be focused on “after”.

After things get back to normal, after people are working again, after the kids are back in school, when people realize they need to talk to a lawyer, you want to be the one they choose.

What should you do now? Not much.

This is not the time to be making special offers or promoting anything.

Just be there.

Use email and social media to connect. Provide information, share stories, and let people know you’re around if they want to talk to you.

Don’t change who you always were and always will be–adviser, advocate, neighbor and friend.

If you ordinarily advertise or use direct mail, scale back for now but think twice before stopping completely. You may find there is still enough business available to cover your costs, allowing you to keep your name in front of your market.

Finally, now would be a good time to pick up the phone and call some of your clients and professional contacts.

Ask how they’re doing and wish them well.

Because personal connections are always the best kind of marketing, but especially now when everyone is hungry for human connection.

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So, what does Seth Godin say about niche marketing?

He says that it is one of the easiest ways to stand out in your market.

And he says you should choose “the smallest market you can imagine”:

“Stake out the smallest market you can imagine,” he says, “the smallest market that can sustain you, the smallest market you can adequately serve. This goes against everything you learned in capitalism school, but in fact, it’s the simplest way to matter.”

Of course, you know I agree.

Find a niche that’s large enough to sustain you but small enough you can carve out a significant chunk thereof.

And maybe dominate that market.

In other words, be the big fish in a small pond.

Most attorneys don’t target any market. They try to attract “anyone” with a legal problem they’re good at solving.

Hard to stand out that way.

Of the attorneys who do target specific niche markets, most choose markets that are too big and too spread out, and wind up spending a fortune and a lot of energy competing with a multitude of other attorneys.

Example? Targeting the Hispanic market in a city like Los Angeles.

Sorry, too big to be a niche.

Go smaller. “Hispanic restaurant owners in West Los Angeles,” for example.

Choose niche markets where you can identify key centers of influence and a way to communicate with them.

And then, once you’ve choosen a niche, figure out what you can do to make it even smaller.

This can help you choose your niche

I was at our local Staples store the other day and noticed that they had set up a sizable “meeting space” in the store, with tables and chairs, a white board and a screen for presentations.

There was a sign-up board that listed several local organizations, e.g., networking groups, toastmasters, etc., that had upcoming meetings.

Staples is obviously offering this free space to generate more foot traffic, something that has no doubt been waning in recent years.

People come to the meetings and some buy office supplies. And every time one of the groups advertises or promotes their next meeting, the name and address of the store gets free advertising.

Many restaurants do the same thing. I used to do breakfast and lunch presentations at restaurants with meeting rooms.

This makes sense for restaurants and office supply stores, but I also know some law firms that do it, offering their conference for meetings to business and networking groups.

If you like this idea but don’t have a conference room, you could offer free faxes or notary services.

This is a simple way to get other businesses and community leaders to mention your firm’s name, and bring more prospective clients and centers of influence to your door.