When I opened my practice, I looked at my skill set and experience, choose services to offer, and went looking for clients who needed those services. 

That’s how most lawyers (and businesses) do it. It’s also why they struggle. 

It’s much easier and more effective to do things in reverse. 

What I should have done (and eventually did) is to first choose the clients and market I wanted to serve, and only then choose services to offer them. It’s more efficient that way and much more likely to be successful. 

For one thing, you don’t have to hold yourself out to “everyone” and let “everyone” decide if what you do is right for them. Knowing what types of clients and markets you want to work with, you can (and should) tailor your marketing to the specific needs and wants of those clients and markets. 

Do you want to work with small businesses and professionals, big businesses, or consumers? Which industry, market, or niche? 

Do you want to work with clients who want premium service and will pay more to get it, or clients who want low cost, no frills services?

Do you want to work with clients who have lots of legal needs or clients with fewer but bigger matters? 

Figure this out first and then figure out what to offer them and how to package and promote it. 

You’ll have a lot less marketing overhead, a lot less competition, and a much higher “closing” ratio. You’ll also attract more word-of-mouth and referrals and build a much more lucrative practice. 

Use your existing “best” clients and markets and create a profile. Based on that, create content for your website, blog, or social channels, and marketing documents and offers, with examples, stories, and industry-specific language that will resonate with the people in that market.  

You’ll attract clients that are a good fit for you, and “weed out” clients who aren’t.  

You’ll also attract more referral sources and opportunities (speaking, networking, writing, joint ventures) who see you as a good fit for them and/or their clients. 

Market in reverse. Life will be good.

How to choose your ideal client and target market

You don’t have to go to networking events, do seminars, write a newsletter or blog, advertise, or “chat” on social media. It can be beneficial if you do, but you don’t have to. As long as you regularly connect with the key people you know or want to know—your best clients, top referral sources, most promising business contacts.  

The plan is simple. Make a list of 5-25 connections who fit that description and call or email them once a month. 

What do you say? Anything. Because anything you say can make a difference. But here are some suggestions: 

• “What’s new with you?” What’s new in their business, what are they working on, what’s the latest in their personal life? 
• Congratulate them on something they’ve done (personal or business). 
• Comment about news you read about their company, industry or market. 
• How can I help? (Referrals, introductions, advice, information).
• Compliment their new venture, campaign, website, product, or service.
• Invite them to coffee or lunch; invite them to play golf. 
• Invite them to accompany you to your next networking event.
• Volunteer for their committee.
• Offer to do a private seminar for their business.
• Contribute to their favorite charity or promote their favorite cause.
• Interview them (or let them interview you).
• Send articles, videos, books that may interest them.
• Ask, “What are you reading?” Get the book, share your thoughts.
• Introduce them to your other business contacts.
• Help their kids (get into college, support their team, buy their Girl Scout cookies). 

If you can’t think of anything else, just call and say hello.

Keep in touch with your most valuable business contacts. Help them, build relationships with them, be a friend. Inevitably, they will help you. 

The Attorney Marketing Formula

The formula is simple: to earn more, you have to bring in more clients (and/or more work from existing clients), reduce overhead, or increase your fees. 

You get the part about improving your marketing and bringing in more business, and you’re working on that. You’re also keeping an eye on overhead. But you’re not considering increasing your fees. 

Especially now when money is so tight for so many. 

Maybe you should. 

If you suspect you’re not charging enough based on inflation and increased overhead, and what other attorneys charge, maybe it’s time to think about increasing your fees.

I know, you’re afraid you might lose some clients who can no longer afford you. So, don’t do it—yet. Don’t increase your fees to existing clients until you bring in new clients at a higher rate. 

There, you have a plan. 

Well, almost. You still need to figure out how to justify higher fees for new clients. 

The answer is in the question. You “justify” higher fees by offering more value for what you charge. 

Want some good news? A big part of value is perception. If people think you’re worth more, you are. Which means you can increase your value by doing a better job of communicating that value.  

For starters, don’t hide the fact that you cost more. Lead with it. Tell your market you’re more expensive. You cost more because your clients get more. You get things done faster, with less risk, and better outcomes. 

Which is what clients want. (If they don’t, they’re price shoppers and you’re not the lawyer for them). 

So yes, tell them you’re worth more and tell them why—your experience, knowledge, training, connections, methods, staff, work ethic, and philosophies. 

And then prove it with testimonials, reviews, and a track record that speaks to that value. 

One more thing. Focus your marketing on referrals, the hallmark of a high-quality firm. 

How to get more referrals

You may be very good at marketing, write great copy (or hire great copywriters), invest time and money getting more leads, and a host of other things that make your phone ring. 

But as good as that is, there’s something better. Easier. More profitable. And more likely to lead to a steady stream of happy clients who help you build your practice. 

Instead of relying solely on good marketing strategies, target better prospects. 

Better prospects include people who 

• Know they need a lawyer and don’t even consider doing what needs to be done themself 
• Have the ability to pay top dollar for top level legal services (yours) and are not only willing to do that, prefer it 
• Sees you and what you offer as a good match for them. If you’re a sole practitioner with one practice area, for example, they understand how that benefits them and aren’t looking for something else.
• Doesn’t need permission to hire you, or can usually get that permission
• Are action-oriented. When they see the need, they don’t hesitate; they put you to work
• Have a lot of legal work for you—repeat business, big cases (if that’s what you want), or lots of smaller cases, with work you’re good at and enjoy
• Know other people with similar needs and ability to pay, i.e., they can (and will) send you a lot of referrals, introduce you to people you want to know, and otherwise promote and support you. 
• Are easy to work with, don’t complain, don’t micromanage, don’t slow-pay, etc. 

Feel free to add other attributes you consider important components of your “ideal” client. Because you should be targeting your ideal client, not “anyone” who has legal work you can handle. 

No matter what kind of marketing you do, or how much you do, targeting your ideal client is the force multiplier. It makes everything easier and better.

You may not always get them. They might have some of the qualities you desire, but not all of them. But if you want your marketing to be easier and more profitable, you should focus more of your resources on this type of client and less (maybe much less) on other types.  

Why wouldn’t you? You can always “tolerate” other types of clients or cases, at least until you’re ready to go “all in” on your ideal. 

Where do you find these dream clients? Primarily, eventually, through referrals. There’s no better way. But there are other ways, and they can lead to a lot of referrals. 

Start with your existing clients. You may only have a few who are “ideal” (or close to it) but if you spend more time with them and do more to help their business grow or personal life prosper, they will lead you to more people like themself.

The Attorney Marketing Formula helps you identify your ideal clients, and get more of them