Marketing insights for sole practitioners

June 25, 2012 by
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My post on going solo brought emails from lawyers who appreciated that I didn’t varnish the truth about how hard it is.

If you are a solo or thinking of opening your own office, I recommend you read Philly attorney Jordan Rushie’s candid post about his experiences in staring his own practice. It’s interesting reading if you want to compare notes, required reading if you’re about to open that office and need to make a shopping list.

Rushie agrees that going solo is almost a crazy idea–a lot harder and more costly than some would have you believe, far more work and far less income than you can imagine. Although he acknowledges that it’s never the “right time” to go solo, if you have a choice, wait until you have the experience, money, and contacts to be able to do it right.

Rushie’s has some interesting comments about marketing for the new solo. Actually, his advice rings true for just about any attorney. He says you don’t need:

  • An expensive, fancy web site. I agree. You need a place to send people to get information about your practice and how to contact you. You can add more content and make things look nicer later on, after you’re making money.
  • A logo. Right again. Although you can get a decent one designed for a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, you’ll waste too much time deciding on the right look. You don’t need a logo, you need clients.
  • “SEO Optimization”. Rushie suggests that more traffic won’t necessarily bring you good clients but that it will certainly bring you tire kickers. You can set up mechanisms to screen and filter out the low-quality inquiries and, therefore, get some decent clients, but the time (and money) you will spend are probably better spent elsewhere. Put this on the list for later.
  • A marketing/PR firm. I agree with this, too. Even if you could afford the cost and could find a firm that really knows what they’re doing (many don’t), you’re better off building relationships. Rushie says, “take potential clients to a ball game,” family, friends, and other lawyers out to dinner. No question about it, you will get far more business by leveraging your existing relationships for business and referrals than you will get hiring a marketing firm. I’m not saying you don’t need marketing information and advice. You do. But you’re better off learning it yourself so you can do it yourself.
  • Social Media or a social media consultant. Rushie says he doesn’t rely on social media to build his practice. He gets about 5% of his work from Facebook friends, “but they are usually people I knew from high school who would have called me anyway.” I know there are exceptions, but I hear something similar from a lot of attorneys. Don’t ignore social media but don’t depend on it, either. Use it as an excuse to connect or re-connect with real people because the magic happens when you talk to people or meet with people in the real world.

Rushie says not having a plan on how to grow your practice is a big mistake and of course, I concur. The good news is that the plan is a lot easier, less technically challenging, and less costly than you might think. Build your practice by building relationships.

Unfortunately, unless you know a lot of (the right) people, building relationships may take up a lot of time. Fortunately, as a new solo without a lot of clients or work keeping you busy, you have time to go meet some new people. Unless you’re too busy learning how to practice law.

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Filed Under: Career satisfaction, Inspiration, Legal industry, Marketing legal services, Relationship marketing, Social media, Social media marketing Tagged With: , , , ,

Attorney-to-attorney referrals video replay: learn how to “mine your practice for gold”

June 14, 2012 by
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This morning, I participated in a video discussion about attorney-to-attorney referrals. The featured guest was Los Angeles personal injury attorney, Lowell Steiger, who maintains a popular attorney referral Facebook group. Our host was attorney Mitch Jackson, who hosts a variety of interviews of interest to attorneys on his Spreecast Channel.

We started off discussing how attorneys can dip into their client database to find cases they can refer to other attorneys. We talked about the mechanics of making those referrals, how to protect your referral fees, and how to make sure secondary referrals from your clients come back to you.

In addition, we talked about referrals from clients and other professionals, and shared other tips for getting more referral.

Got to this page to watch the  replay of, “Mining Your Practice For Gold”. I’d love to hear your comments about the interview. Please post them on the blog.

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Filed Under: Attorneys fees, Referral sources, Referrals, Relationship marketing

Why you should create an “inner circle” for your clients

June 13, 2012 by
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An attorney liked my post about the magic of practicing law and asked how we can “capitalize on the mystery, the magic, and the utility of the work we lawyers do?”

In other words, how can we use this mystique about what lawyers do to bring in more clients?

Yesterday’s post provides one answer: eliminate the mystique. By educating prospects and clients about what you do, they see that what you do isn’t magic at all. It’s years of study, the scars of many battles, and hard work, harder than they ever imagined. By removing the veil of mystique surrounding what you do, clients are more likely to appreciate what you do.

For most attorneys this is the best way to capitalize on the mystery of practicing law. It’s easy to do and it works. And since most attorneys don’t do this, you can easily stand out when you do.

Another way to capitalize on the mystique is to add to it. Continue to educate prospects (blog readers, newsletter subscribers, etc.) about what you do but let it be known that you have a lot more that you share only with your clients. If your public information is good, anyone who is considering you for their attorney may tip the scale in your favor to get access to your best information.

Let it be known that your clients get “private” information, not just about your practice area, but on other topics: tax savings, consumer advice, strategies for improving credit, business building ideas, and so on, supplied by you and other professionals you know and work with.

But don’t stop with information. Promote the fact that your clients get other benefits as a member of your “inner circle”. They get discounts from local merchants you have negotiated with on their behalf, access to free seminars, gift certificates, and other benefits. You might have “client only” luncheons, picnics or retreats, or other activities exclusively for your clients.

And talk about those activities. Blog about them, show pictures from them, get quotes from your clients about how much they learned or how much they enjoyed bowling and pizza night.

When someone hires another attorney, they get the work done. When they hire you, they get to belong to a private club. Members of that club get far more than the basic services any attorney provides. They get specialized information, valuable benefits, and access to fun activities.

Yes, this takes more work. But it gives you something unique that you can use to build a culture of clients who would never think of hiring anyone else.

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Communication, Marketing legal services, Relationship marketing Tagged With:

How to make people like you–part 2

June 1, 2012 by
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Would you like to know how to make people like you? No, I’m not talking about cloning. (Sorry. And yes, I used the same joke in part 1 of this post. I just like that joke.) Being liked is important because clients prefer to hire lawyers they know, like, and trust. And no, “likable lawyer” is not an oxymoron. (Sorry. . . I can’t stop myself. . .).

Did you laugh when you read the previous paragraph? Maybe a snicker? If you did, there’s a good chance you like me a little more. Making people laugh is a great way to make them like you. If humor isn’t on your list of skills, try the next best thing: “a positive, happy outlook and perspective on life.” People like to be around happy people because everyone wants to be happy.

Another way to get people to like you is to find something you have in common. People tend to like people who are like them. When we meet someone for the first time, we ask questions to find out things about them, don’t we? We do that because we’re looking for commonalities.

Where did you go to school? Me too!

You know Joe Mantenegro? We used to be neighbors!

Your son plays soccer? Mine too!

When you find and acknowledge something you have in common, you have a bridge for moving forward. Tension dissipates, the conversation continues, and you tend to like each other because you share a common experience or interest.

I was getting my hair cut yesterday. Some of the men (and boys) were talking about sports. Okay, they were all talking about sports because that’s what you talk about in a barber shop. It’s what guys talk about, right? Because it’s a shared interest and because guys aren’t going to talk about weddings or graduations, thank you.

When you meet someone new, ask questions to find out what they do, where they are from, and what they are interested in. You can use this acronym as a reminder: F.O.R.M.: Family, Occupation, Recreation, Motivation. One of these will undoubtedly lead to something you have in common.

If not, you can always ask, “How about those Kings?”

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Filed Under: Communication, Marketing legal services, Networking, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,

I wish I knew this before I opened my law practice

May 30, 2012 by
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In high school and college I did some entry level work during the summers. I was a stock clerk at a department store, delivered flowers, that sort of thing. In law school, I worked as a law clerk.

By the time I graduated law school, the sum total of my work experience was. . . nothing to write home about.

I opened my own law office about a year after graduating and passing the bar exam. I had very little experience as a lawyer, no clients, and no money. Most importantly, my network of contacts was almost non-existent.

As you can imagine, my first few years of practice were very difficult. If I had known what it would take to start a practice and make a go of it, I might have done things differently.

Yes, I knew it would be rough. But I naively thought I would make up for what I lacked with hard work and determination. Like Mary Richards, Mary Tyler Moore’s character on the 1970’s TV show, I had spunk.

Unfortunately, spunk doesn’t buy groceries.

Anyway, things would undoubtedly have been different if I’d had a network of contacts before I opened my office. When you have relationships with the right people, you can leverage those relationships to get clients, leads, introductions, and advice. You can hit the ground running in a new practice. You’re not starting completely from scratch when you can tap into other people’s established networks.

The lesson is this: build your network before you need it. Or as Harvey MacKay puts it, “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.”

It’s more difficult to build a network when you need it. “Hello, I’d like to introduce myself and ask you if you can send me some business.” And yet, it can be done. If you approach them the right way, and you approach enough of them, strangers will help you. But it’s much easier to get that help from people who already know, like, and trust you.

If you’re thinking about opening your own practice, build your network before you make the move. You don’t need a huge network–a few well-connected individuals is all you need to start. They can lead you to others.

First, identify by category the types of people you would like to know. Then, look for ways to find and meet people in those categories.

If you have already opened your own practice, it’s never too late to start building your network.

The best day to plant a tree is 100 years ago. The second best day is today.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Referral sources, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

How to get new referral sources over the phone

April 24, 2012 by
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I talked to an attorney the other day about a class action he was thinking of filing on behalf of himself and similarly aggrieved attorneys. (I’m not at liberty to disclose the subject matter.) He wanted to know the best way to find other attorneys who might want to join him.

We talked about ads in his bar journal and on Facebook or other PPC. And then I suggested my favorite marketing method: picking up the phone and calling.

It should be easy to get other attorneys on the phone to see if they have had the same experience he’s had. He could find potential class members and also get feedback on his case. If an attorney wasn’t interested in joining, perhaps they could refer him to someone else.

But there’s another benefit to cold calling attorneys: making new networking contacts.

“So tell me about your practice. . .” is guaranteed to get attorneys talking. Naturally, they will also ask you to tell them about yours. Just like that, you have a new contact. You have opened the door to follow-up conversations that might lead to referrals, intorductions, or information.

It’s all good.

Calling about a potential class action on behalf of attorneys will certainly arouse curiosity and get other attorneys to take your call. But there are other ways to get attorneys to take your call. You can conduct a “sixty second survey” for an article you’re writing, offer them a free copy of your new report, or invite them to join your new LinkedIn group. Or, you can simply call to introduce yourself and offer to buy them a cup of coffee.

Like most forms of marketing, you can make a lot of progress by doing a little bit every day. If networking with other attorneys works for your practice, call three attorneys every day and see what happens. In a month, you will have reached out to sixty new contacts. If just one sees you as worthy of referrals, at the end of the year you’ll have 12 new referral sources.

And yes, you can do the same thing with other professionals, executives, and business owners.

Marketing is simple. Call someone and see for yourself.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Networking, Referral sources, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Success in legal marketing is yours for the asking

April 23, 2012 by
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Marketing your services is so much easier when other people help you. And help you they will. All you have to do is ask.

So ask.

Ask for referrals. Ask for introductions. Ask for advice from other attorneys. Ask your clients for information about your target market. Ask people to Like your Facebook page. Ask people to forward your newsletters and recommend your seminars. Ask clients what you can do to better to serve them and ask prospects how you can win their business.

Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find.

Often, attorneys have trouble asking for help for themselves. They have no problem asking a judge or jury for relief for their client but when it comes to asking people to help them, they get uncomfortable. Their ego gets in the way. They think it makes them look weak. But the opposite is true. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of confidence and strength.

And people want to help you. It makes them feel good to do it. It makes them feel appreciated and important. You flatter them when you ask.

Don’t you feel good doing favors for others? You know you do. You like being asked and you like being able to help. It feels good when someone says, “thank you”. So look at asking for help as an opportunity to make others feel good.

Now, I want you to do me a favor. I want you to ask someone for help today and let me know what happens. It will make me feel good to know that my advice worked for you. So will you do me that favor? Thank you, I appreciate your help.

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Communication, Marketing legal services, Personal development, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,

If I could use only ONE marketing tool

March 27, 2012 by
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I started this post intending to make the case in favor of email as my favorite marketing tool. There’s no question that it is one of the most effective ways to deliver messages to people who can hire you or refer someone who can. It’s (almost) free, almost everyone has an email address, and email is still more popular than social media.

With the click of a button, you can send out an email to hundreds or thousands of people, and almost as quickly, get orders or phone calls and appointments.

Strange that so many attorneys (most?) don’t use email in their marketing, at least not as much as they could. Or should.

You may have a list of people–clients, former clients, and business contacts–but if you’re not communicating with them on a regular basis, you’re not going to get their business. They forget about you, or they forget how to contact you, or they’re just not motivated to contact you because. . . you haven’t contacted them.

The point of having a list, indeed, of all of your marketing efforts, is to stay in touch with people. Or as I put it, “. . .to be in their minds and their mailboxes so that when they are ready to hire a lawyer, or know someone who is, there you are. . .”.  Email is one of the most effective ways to stay in touch.

So, I was going to say email is my favorite marketing tool, but that’s not quite accurate. Nope. My favorite marketing tool is. . . a sales letter.

Lawyers may not call it that. We’ll call it a newsletter or information or anything but a sales letter (because we don’t sell, right?)–but whatever you call it, and however you disguise it, if it’s designed to get someone to do something, it’s a sales letter. My favorite marketing tool.

A sales letter is words, on paper (or electrons), that communicate a message and an offer or a request. People read it and call for an appointment, Like your web page, or sign up for your seminar. You can send it by postal mail, or by messenger. Hand it to someone in person, or deliver it via fax or text message. You can post it on your blog, web page, or on Facebook.

Oh, and guess what? Every time you talk to a prospective client on the phone or in person and you tell them about your services and what you can do to help them, you’re delivering a sales letter. A spoken sales letter.

Do yourself a favor and write it down, so you can send it by email.

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Filed Under: Communication, Email, Newsletters, Online Marketing, Relationship marketing, Salesmanship, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A stupidly simple way to get referrals

March 23, 2012 by
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So you want more referrals, eh? Okay, here are two questions you can ask people that should do the trick:

  1. “Who do you know who. . .?” (and yes, I know it’s “whom”), and
  2. “Will you introduce me?”

Yep, that simple.

Of course you have to finish the first question so that it frames the referral request properly. If your request is too broad (i.e., “. . .who might need my services”) you’re making it too hard on the person you’re asking. They can’t see, in their mind’s eye, anyone who fits that description, at least not without a lot of work on their part.

If your request is too narrow, (i.e., “. . .who owns an ios app development company and wants to file a patent claim against Apple”) you’re probably not going to get a lot of positive response.

Your work is to write a question that’s not too hot, not too cold, but just right for the person you are asking. Don’t ask them to mentally inventory everybody they know in search of someone they can refer to you. Help them narrow their focus to a handful of candidates so that they can spot someone who fits the description.

You can do the same thing to get referred to prospective referral sources instead of directly to clients: “Who do you know who is a fee-based financial planner in West LA or the South Bay?”

Even though you ask the right question, you’ll still get people who don’t know anyone they can refer, or don’t realize that they do. That’s okay. You’re follow-up question is, “Who do you know who might know someone who does. . .?”

If they don’t know a fee-based financial planner in West LA or the South Bay, they might know an accountant who does. Or a commission-based planner who does. Or a planner on the other side of town who does. Help them to help you by asking a question they can answer, and they will.

Oh, and always ask, “Who do you know,” not “Do you know anyone. . .?” The former assumes they know someone and, through the power of suggestion, makes it more likely that they will come up with a name or two. The latter begs them to say no.

Ask enough people, “Who do you know. . .” and “Will you introduce me?” and before you know it, you’ll be talking to someone who can hire you or refer you to someone who can.

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Filed Under: Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With: ,

To build your practice faster create a “Focus 30 List”

February 23, 2012 by
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Most attorneys know a lot of people. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of people–clients, former clients, attorneys, referral sources, prospects, friends and family, business contacts, community leaders. Your contact list is your most valuable marketing asset.

People who have inquired about your services are more likely to hire you than people who don’t know your name. People who have hired you before are likely to hire you again. People who have referred clients in the past are likely to refer in the future. The best way to grow any law practice is to stay in touch with the people who know, like, and trust you. Nurture this list and the people on it and your practice will grow.

But you can’t possibly give everyone on your list the same amount of attention. There simply isn’t time. And some people are more valuable to you than others. Your best client is obviously in a different category than someone who has never hired you. Someone who refers you two or three clients every month deserves more attention than someone who sent you one client last year.

You need a “Focus 30” list– a list of your 30 most valuable contacts.

These are your best clients and referral sources, your most promising prospects, the most influential and helpful professionals you know. Put their names on a list and carry it with you. Post it next to your computer. Keep it in front of you everywhere you go.

Why 30? Because experts tell us that’s about the maximum anyone can effectively work with at any one time. Whereas you will write and occasionally call the people on your master list, the people on your Focus 30 list get your personal time. You will talk to them every week, maybe even every day. You will meet with them every month. You give them your time and energy because they are the 30 most important people in your professional life.

Build or strengthen your relationship with your Focus 30. Call them, just to see how they’re doing. Send them business. Get to know their families, their employees, and their best contacts. Dedicate 80% of your time to your Focus 30 list, 20% to everyone else.

Your list will change over time. You will add people as they play a more prominent role in your life and remove those who drift away. Someone you thought deserved to be on the list will disappoint you. Someone who isn’t even on your radar today will emerge as a valuable ally tomorrow.

Your list may start out with only five or ten people. No hurry. Start with them.

When you get to thirty, you’ll need to pare some names to make room for others. Continually upgrade your list so that you focus on the best. And when you have 30 of the best, upgrade your list to the “best of the best”.

Eventually, you will have 30 people who send you so much business you won’t be able to handle it all.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Leverage, List building, Marketing legal services, Referrals, Relationship marketing Tagged With: , ,
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