Reverse engineering your big goals

January 29, 2018 by
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Let’s say you have a two-year goal of having 20 referrals per month coming into your practice from professional contacts.

How do you get there?

You get there by asking yourself, “What has to happen first?” and working backwards until you know what to do today.

Let’s say you estimate that you can achieve this goal by having 20 referral sources who send you an average of one referral per month.

You don’t have that now. What has to happen first?

You figure that to have 20 solid referral sources, you need 60 professionals who tell you they’ll do their best to send you business. You know that some will send you a few, some won’t send any, and some will send you more than a few. You can’t possibly know how it will work out, but you figure (for now) that it will average out to 20 referrals per month. (If it doesn’t, you’ll need to change your numbers, find different referral sources, or re-assess your strategy.)

So, what has to happen first?

To get 60 professionals who have the ability to send you referrals and say they will, you figure that, over time, you need to have conversations with 300. If 80% tell you no, that leaves 60 who say yes.

What has to happen first?

Before you can have those conversations, you need to make a list of candidates. Professionals who seem to have the right client base that would be a good match for you. Let’s say that to find 300 who seem to have the right client base, you need to work your way through a list of 2000.

What has to happen first?

First, you need to do some research and find lists, directories, associations, et al, with names and contact information. You also need to work on a script.

And then, you need to schedule the time to make calls.

And now, you have a plan. And you can start working on that plan.

For help on finding lists and creating scripts, get this

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Filed Under: Law office management, Marketing legal services, Marketing Plan

A critical marketing skill

January 19, 2018 by
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Marketing requires a number of skills. One of the most important and valuable is the skill of being able to look at things the way prospective clients and others do.

Most people could use a little practice in this area.

This morning, on my walk, I saw a sign pointing to an open house. The name of the agent was on the sign, along with her phone number. I noticed that the phone number had a 714 area code, whereas the open house, where I am, is in the 949 area code.

I’m pretty sure the agent doesn’t live in the 714 area. It’s too far. My guess is that the agent used to live in 714 but moved here and kept her number. A lot of people do.

Another possibility is that the property is a “one-off” listing she’s handling in my area.

Here’s the thing.

When prospective clients, buyers or sellers, see her 714 number, some of them might think, even on a subconscious level, that she’s not the best agent for the job because she’s not local.

That’s just silly, isn’t it? Most people won’t even notice the area code. Most of those who do notice won’t care.

But some will, and instead of putting aside their doubts (or asking her about it), they’ll go with another agent.

This won’t happen often. It really won’t. But if it only happens once every other year and you factor in the loss of repeat sales and referrals, over the next ten years she could lose a bundle.

I may sound a bit nutty for thinking this, but if you don’t at least think about how people might interpret your actions and messages, you’re not thinking like a marketer.

Nutty people buy and sell houses. And hire attorneys.

It’s important to consider things like this. As you create marketing documents, update your website, talk to referral sources and prospective clients, speak, write, email, or do anything else to communicate with the world, before you click the send button or open your mouth, take a moment to do a “safety check”.

Think about how people might interpret your message. Think about the words you use and the context where your message will appear. Consider the details and nuances.

Because if you don’t, somebody else will.

Make your website great again

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Filed Under: Communication, Copywriting, Marketing legal services

Who’s coming to your party?

January 15, 2018 by
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If you were opening your practice this year you might hold a grand opening. Invite friends and business contacts to come celebrate with you and get some information they can share with their friends and clients and business contacts. It’s a great way to generate some momentum, make some new contacts, and take the first step toward signing up a few new clients.

Well, guess what? It’s not too late. You can hold a grand re-opening party and accomplish the same thing. Only now, it will be better because you have actual clients and referral sources you can invite. You can use the occasion to introduce your guests to other guests, helping them make some new contacts and get some new business.

You can also use your grand re-opening to make some new contacts.

In addition to inviting people you know, invite people you don’t know but would like to. Invite prospective clients, professionals, business owners, and other centers of influence in your niche market or community. Invite people who can hire you or recommend you. Invite people who are influential with a big network of contacts you’d like to target.

It’s your party; you get to make the guest list.

Imagine what your practice will be like by next year at this time if you invite 50 centers of influence to your party this year.

Everyone loves a party. Start making your list.

Once you meet them, here’s what to do with them

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Relationship marketing

Different vs. better

January 12, 2018 by
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You often hear me urge you to tell prospective clients (et. al.) how you are “better or different” from other lawyers who do what you do.

What’s the difference?

“Better” means that you deliver more value or better results. It might also mean that you give your clients better service–making them more comfortable with you and the process.

And it might also mean that you do things for them that go beyond the core services you are hired to deliver. An example might be your reputation for helping clients find other professionals, vendors, or business connections, for matters unrelated to the legal work you’re doing for them.

Okay, what about “different”?

Different often means you do what you do in ways other lawyers don’t do it. You conduct the first interview personally, for example, instead of having a staff member do it. Or you make house calls. In communicating with your market, your job is to translate how your differences are  “better” for the client.

Being different is also a way to stand out in a crowded market. You might always wear purple neckties, for example; that’s different, not better, of course. But if people remember you via your signature color, you’ll have more opportunities to talk to prospective clients and show them how you are better.

Look for ways to differentiate yourself from other lawyers. Show them how you are better. If you aren’t better, be different. You do that by being yourself.

Ultimately, most clients aren’t going to hire you because you offer dramatically better legal services than other lawyers. They’ll hire you because of you.

How to earn more without working more: the formula

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Filed Under: Communication, Copywriting, Marketing legal services

20 calls a day

January 9, 2018 by
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I listened to a podcast featuring a sales trainer for a very successful real estate broker. He said his brokers are asked (required?) to make 20 calls a day. They can do more, but 20 calls are the minimum expected of them.

I assume these calls are to property owners who might be open to selling. The goal is to get a listing appointment, or failing that, to find out when the property owner might be open to that and scheduling a date to contact them again. They would also ask for referrals.

The sales trainer said that consistently making 20 calls a day allows the brokers get enough listings and sales to earn a substantial income.

Okay, 20 calls a day (five days a week) is not difficult. I would think you can get it done in an hour or two, leaving enough time for appointments and other things agents do.

Can lawyers do something like this? Yes and no:

Problem: Lawyers usually aren’t allowed to cold call prospective clients

Solution: call prospective referral sources. Introduce yourself, ask about their practice or business, invite them to meet you or offer to send them information. See Lawyer to Lawyer Referrals to learn what to say and do, with lawyers and with other professionals.

Problem: Lawyers don’t have time to make 20 calls a day

Solution: Make 10 calls. Or 2.

Solution: Have someone in your office make the calls on your behalf.

Solution: Calling is best, but email can work too.

Problem: Lawyers don’t want to make calls

Solution: Have someone in your office make the calls, or send emails.

Contacting prospective referral sources (or prospective clients if you are permitted to do so) isn’t the only way to build a law practice, just as it’s not the only way to build a real estate business. But it is one of the best.

Lawyer to Lawyer Referrals

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Referral sources

The year everything changes

January 8, 2018 by
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15 minutes a day. You’ve heard me repeatedly preach and pound on that theme. I’ve told you that you can make a lot of progress towards your practice-building goals with just 15 minutes of marketing effort per day.

“Put it on your calendar, as an appointment with yourself,” I’ve said, “and keep that appointment. If someone wants to see you or talk to you during that time, they’ll need to wait until you’re done with your appointment.”

So, are you doing it?

If not, it’s a new year and it might be a good time for you to start.

I don’t know how I could possibly make this any easier for you—it’s only 15 minutes, after all—but I’m going to try. But you have to meet me half way.

Let’s start with some affirmations. This is you talking:

  1. “I want to get more clients, and better clients, and increase my income.” Go ahead and say that. Out loud. Click your heels 3 times, and say, ‘there’s no place like home’. Okay, you can skip the last part.
  2. “I understand that marketing is vital to the growth of my practice and I am ready to do it.”
  3. “I can work on marketing 15 minutes every weekday and I am committed to doing it.”

Are you with me? Are you ready to do this?

Remember, I’ve said (more than once) that you can start anywhere–sitting and thinking about marketing, reading about marketing, writing down marketing ideas, names of people to contact, or anything else. And, if you don’t know what to do, it’s okay to do nothing. Sit and stare at a wall. Just keep that appointment with yourself and don’t do anything else during that time.

Yes?

Okay. I think you’re ready for the missing piece of the puzzle. The key that unlocks the door to creating your new habit.

Get out your calendar. Not your task list. This is an appointment, remember?

Open to the week view and schedule a 15-minute marketing block, for tomorrow, as the first appointment of the day. Make it repeat every weekday.

The key is to make this your first activity. Before court or any other appointments. It’s important, right? You’re committed to it, right? So it should be done first thing. That way, you’ll get it done. You’ll also affirm to your inner child (the one who doesn’t want to do this) that it is important and you’re doing it.

Now, keep that appointment. Do it for two months and watch what happens. I promise, if you do that, you’ll see amazing things happen.

Make this your new habit of the new year and this will be the year that everything changes.

Key marketing strategies

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Personal development

One size does not fit all

January 5, 2018 by
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Your marketing has a personality. A style. In part, it is comprised of what you say to prospective clients and how you say it, but also things you don’t say because you presume prospective clients already know it.

That’s a dangerous presumption because not all clients are alike.

Some clients have a lot of experience dealing with legal issues and hiring lawyers. Others don’t. Some clients have deep pockets and understand how lawyers’ bill. Others have to dig deep to pay you and have trouble understanding why you charge $400 per hour when they earn only $25.

You have to understand these differences, and others, and groom your marketing and client relations playbook for each type of client. You need different content, different language, and different levels of hand holding.

You shouldn’t expect your clients to completely adapt to you and your ways; they are the client, you serve them, and you must be prepared to adapt to theirs.

“Know thy client,” I’m sure someone wise once said, and it’s good advice. It will help you attract good clients who will like you and trust you and hire you again, because they know that you understand them and care about making them happy.

Study your clients–their backgrounds, their industries, their cultures and personal lives. What do they know? What do they want? What are they afraid of?

Because one size does not fit all.

This will help

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Filed Under: Client relations, Copywriting, Marketing legal services

Any marketing is better than no marketing

January 4, 2018 by
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You have goals for the year. Resolutions. Plans. You intend to grow your practice, increase your income, and make this year your best year.

You’re ready to dig in and make it happen. Marketing is one of the big things on your list.

So you begin.

Three weeks from now, when the excitement and newness has worn off, when you’re bored or tired, when you’re not seeing results and you’re ready to give up, you need to remember something.

Any marketing is better than no marketing.

So do something.

Even if you hate it. Even if you’re terrible at it. Even if you give up after three weeks.

Do something. Anything. If you start, you may continue. Or you may learn something, about marketing or about yourself.

You might learn what doesn’t work (for you). You may confirm that you don’t want to do something ever again and free up some time and brain power for something else. You might mess up but learn from your mistakes and figure out how to do it better. You might get poor results, keep going, and finally have a breakthrough.

So choose something and do it. Something new or a new way of doing something you’ve done before.

Try it on for size. Maybe you won’t hate it. Maybe it will be okay. Maybe you’ll actually like it and want to continue. If so, great. If not, the effort won’t be wasted. Everything you do is an opportunity to learn and grow.

You may learn a new skill. Meet some new people. Write something you can use. Wherever you wind up, three weeks from now or later this year, you’ll be in a different place than you are right now.

And that’s why any marketing is better than no marketing.

So do something. Give yourself permission to stink at it. Accept that you might hate it. But pat yourself on the back for doing something.

Because any marketing is better than no marketing.

A simple marketing plan that works: here

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services

The 3 types of prospective clients

January 3, 2018 by
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There are 3 types of prospective clients you could target:

1) People who need your help (but don’t know it).

These people have a problem but don’t know they do. Or they believe the problem isn’t that bad, it will resolve on its own, or that they can fix it without an attorney.

Attorneys who target this type of client conduct seminars, post videos, write blog posts and social media posts, and do other things to educate people about the problem, the risks of inaction or self-help, the benefits of hiring a lawyer, the options for doing so, and the reasons why they are the best lawyer for the job.

It is a viable strategy but takes the most time.

To target this type of prospective client, the best course of action is to build relationships with prospective clients and especially the people who can refer them, before the client has a problem or is ready to hire an attorney.

2) People with a “felt need”.

It’s easier to market to people who know they have a problem and are prepared to do something about it. Your task is to show them the benefits of hiring an attorney and the risks of delay. As you do that, you’ll also show them that you have the knowledge and experience to help them with their problem and they will naturally be inclined towards choosing you.

Your best course of action is to build an opt-in list and stay in touch with these people. You should also educate your clients (and others) about your ideal client and how to refer them.

3) People who are actively looking for an attorney.

This is the most competitive and “expensive” option. Your task is to show prospective clients why you are the best choice. Show them how you are better or different from the competition.

An effective strategy here is to target specific segments of the bigger market (niche markets) and dominate those niches. Show prospective clients and referral sources that you focus on this market, have experience with the market’s needs and a proven track record of helping clients in that market solve their problems and provide for those needs.

Which of these 3 should you target? That depends on what you do and a host of other factors.

If you’re not sure what’s best for you, the best course of action, for now at least, is to combine strategies: target niche markets, build a list and stay in touch, educate people about their problems and the need for an attorney, teach people how to recognize your ideal client and how to refer them, and show people why you are the attorney they should choose.

For help sorting things out, get The Formula

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services

Stealing from other lawyers

December 29, 2017 by
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Yesterday, I said you should plagiarize yourself, that is, take your previously written, recorded, and presented material and re-use or re-purpose it. I also suggested that you pay attention to the emails, documents, and other materials sent to you by other lawyers, and use it for ideas for creating your own materials.

Today, I’m going to take things a bit further and suggest you blatantly steal from other lawyers.

Now, don’t lose your lunch. I’m not going to tell you to do anything illegal, immoral, unethical, or unbecoming of a professional.

What I mean is this:

Go online and find content in your practice area that other attorneys are publishing–on their blogs, in guest posts, articles and anywhere else you can find it. Look especially for material that is getting a lot of traffic, upvotes (Medium), Likes, shares, comments, and so on. You might use a tool like Buzzsumo.

Once you’ve found some popular articles, look for ways to cover the same subject or idea in a different or better way. A few ideas:

  • Take a post by a lawyer in another state and write a version of that post for your state
  • Write a more in-depth article on the subject, or a shorter, more accessible summary
  • Write a version of the article for a different type of client or market
  • Link to the article and provide additional arguments, stories, statutes, or case law, to support the argument posited in the article and why you agree with it
  • Link to the article and show why you disagree with it or explain when and why things can be different
  • Take one section of the article and explore it in depth
  • Take something barely mentioned (or not mentioned) in the article but relevant to the subject and write about it
  • Interview or survey other attorneys or subject matter experts on the subject for your own article

Re-write the headline, optimize the headline and body for keywords you target, and you’ll not only have new content for your blog or website, you’ll have something you know is likely to bring traffic and engagement.

And you’ll never again say, “I don’t know what to write about”.

More ideas here

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Newsletters, Online Marketing
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