The Attorney Marketing Center

3 Essential Marketing and Communication Skills for Every Attorney

David M. Ward — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:03:06 +0000

When I opened my first office fresh out of law school I knew nothing about marketing and it showed. For several years, I struggled to bring in clients and pay my bills. Fast forward five years and I had built a very successful practice and was on my way to teaching other lawyers how to get more clients and increase their income.

What changed? I did. I had learned a lot about marketing and I acquired some new skills. Those skills allowed me to apply that knowledge in the real world, transforming the abstract into dollars and cents.

If you want to develop your practice, I consider these 3 skills to be essential:

I LEARNED HOW TO SELL

Many attorneys I speak to tell me, “I didn’t go to law school to become a sales person.” “Actually, you did,” I reply. “They just didn’t teach you very well.”

Okay, I get snarky sometimes. But the truth is, while attorneys may not be sales people in the literal sense of the word, attorneys do sell.

The best attorneys are very good at persuading people to do something they otherwise might not do (or do as much). Sometimes we use intimidation and thinly disguised threats to accomplish these outcomes. Sometimes we appeal to logic and reason. Sometimes, we appeal to emotion.

Some people see selling as manipulative but couldn’t the same be said for what attorneys do?

Actually, selling is not manipulative, at least not done correctly. If you’re among those who believe that selling is less than honorable, an article in INC. Magazine, How to Sell if you Hate Selling, might help you to see that selling is a natural extension of being an advisor and advocate, and a benevolent one at that. It is benevolent because it allows you to do a better job of helping people to get what they want and isn’t that what we are paid to do? Of course sales skills will also help you get what you want but isn’t that at least part of the reason you went to law school?

Learning how to sell was the most valuable of the 3 key skills I acquired in my transformation from struggling neophyte to successful professional. But 2 other skills were also essential.

I LEARNED HOW TO WRITE

It started with demand letters. I let go of the legalese and formality that I had been hiding behind and started writing letters that communicated and persuaded. I stopped writing in the “third person”. I began using active verbs and specific nouns. I used personal references and I told stories. I can’t say it always brought in higher settlements. Most of the time it probably made little difference. But it opened my eyes to what is possible with a good command of the written word.

I read many books about writing and I began journaling. I wrote as much as possible and continually improved my abilities. I also studied copy writing and with a lot of practice, got good at that, too. Eventually, I wrote all of the ads, sales letters, and collateral material that sold millions of dollars of my Referral Magic marketing course.

Yes, you can hire people to write brochures and sales copy for you. But just as learning how to sell makes you better at every aspect of marketing, so too does learning how to write.

I LEARNED HOW TO SPEAK

Seminars or luncheon presentations may not be a primary marketing tool for your practice, but becoming a good public speaker is an invaluable skill for every attorney.

Speaking is very different from writing. You may present the same information and you may achieve the same result, but speaking and writing are two completely different sets of skills.

I’ve spoken to small groups and to groups of thousands. I’ve been on many webinars and conference calls and done hundreds of live presentations. I’ve trained lawyers and business owners and influenced the buying decisions of thousands of prospects. In addition to bringing in a lot of business, my speaking skills have made me a better writer, a better sales person, and a better lawyer.

Selling, writing, and speaking are 3 marketing and communication skills that are essential for every attorney. I hope I’ve sold you on making them an important focus of your personal development.

Lawyers.com editor Larry Bodine on social media marketing for lawyers

David M. Ward — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:49 +0000

Yesterday, Larry Bodine, Esq., Editor in Chief of Lawyers.com, was interviewed by attorney Mitch Jackson on Mitch’s Spreecast video channel. The subject: social media marketing for lawyers.

In addition to his duties at Lawyers.com, Mr. Bodine writes a popular and well-regarded marketing blog for lawyers. I’ve been reading his blog for a long time and was looking forward to the interview. There were some technical issues and during those times when Larry needed to refresh his browser Mitch asked me to chime in and I was only too happy to do so.

It turns out that Larry and I have similar views. For example, when he was asked what advice he would give to a new attorney just starting to market her practice, without hesitation he said he would tell her to start a blog. That’s precisely what I said in my recent post on what I would do to attract clients if I was starting a law practice today. Larry offered some very good reasons why attorneys should have a blog. Let’s put it this way: if I haven’t yet convinced you, you need to watch this interview.

You can watch the replay here.

Mitch has conducted many interviews of well known attorneys, social media experts, and even celebrities. These interviews are done live, with viewers able to participate via chat or web cam. You can see a list of archived interviews, including the one I did about Evernote and my Evernote for Lawyers ebook, on this page. You can also subscribe to Mitch’s Spreecast channel and be notified of upcoming interviews.

Let me know what you think about the interview of Mr. Bodine and that guy who looks a lot like me in the comments.

How to get people talking about you and your law practice

David M. Ward — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:49:57 +0000

One of the best ways to help people understand what you do is to tell stories about the clients and cases you’ve handled in the past. All of your marketing documents and messages should be peppered with client stories for reasons I’ve written about before.

But if you want people to talk about you and remember you and send business to you, there’s one more story you need to tell: your story.

People are fascinated by lawyers. Yes, they criticize us and make jokes about us, but at the same time, they love to watch TV dramas and read novels featuring attorneys.

Of course we know that the real world of practicing law is not anything like that depicted on TV. By and large, what we do is boring.

Nevertheless, your clients and prospects and social media fans and followers believe you lead a fascinating life. They would love to peek behind the curtain to see what you do.

Don’t tell them. Remember, what you do is boring.

But who you are is not.

Tell them your story. What drives you? What gets you out of bed in the morning, ready to slay dragons and save princesses? Why do you do what you do?

Share your passion for your work and insights into who you are. What fascinated you when you were growing up? Who influenced you? What experiences made you the person you are today?

Share your feelings and beliefs, desires and dreams, and even your fears. Let people see that you are a real person, just like them.

Real stories, of course, have a dramatic arc. There is controversy, disagreement, hardship, struggle. Our hero (that’s you) wants something, but there are obstacles in the way. The dragon doesn’t roll over and die, you have to slay him.

Find the dramatic story of your life and tell it. It’s what makes you unique and memorable. It’s what will help you stand out in the crowd.

Your story will attract people and get them talking about you and sending you business. And hey, if your story is good enough, one day we might see it on TV.

Seth Godin’s latest example of bad advice

David M. Ward — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:40:43 +0000

I often comment on other blogger’s posts. I take their ideas, add my two cents, and re-frame their generic information so it is appropriate for attorneys. I think writing teachers refer to this as, “compare and contrast.” It’s an easy way to create interesting, timely, and relevant content.

But while “comparing and contrasting” might make for an interesting post, there’s nothing better than writing a post where you completely disagree with someone, especially when that someone is a respected and well known expert. Such was the case with a recent post by marketing expert extraordinaire, Seth Godin, with which I completely disagreed.

Oops, Seth did it again.

Seth’s new post is about “sampling,” offering free samples to prospective customers to get them to try your product. In the food market, shoppers are offered a taste on a cracker, for example. If they like it, they buy the product.

Seth says it’s a bad idea. A waste of money.

Au contraire, mon frère

Sampling works. Yes, you wind up giving free samples “to people who have no intention to buy,” as Seth points out, but you sell far more than you give away.

Seth claims merchants look at sampling as a cost of doing business, like overhead. Not true. It’s an investment. Done right, it earns the merchant a big return on that investment.

Spend X dollars giving away free samples. Take in Y dollars in resulting product sales. The difference is profit.

You spend money to make money. It’s how business works.

And let’s not forget that once you try a new product and like it, you might then purchase that product every week for years to come.

Or, you might not buy the product being sampled but you might like the cracker it was served on and buy that. You might see something on the shelf you had not noticed before because you usually don’t stop in that part of the store and buy that. Or maybe it’s as simple as coming back to shop at that particular store because you like the free samples and the store down the street doesn’t offer them.

Look, the retail industry tracks everything: every product, every price point, every penny earned as a result of a sale or promotion.

If sampling didn’t work, trust me, they wouldn’t do it.

Well guess what? Sampling works for attorneys, too. When attorneys invest an hour in a free consultation, they usually get the client to sign up. (If you’re not, we need to talk). Those consultations don’t cost you, they pay you, by bringing you more clients, some of whom come back again and again and refer others.

Give prospects a sample of what you sell and they will buy more of what you sell.

Not only is there a mountain of empiracal evidence to support this, it’s also been documented by psychologists. It’s called “the law of reciprocity” which says that when you give something to someone, they are psychologically compelled to reciprocate.

The more you give away, the more you get in return.

For the record, there are other ways attorneys can offer samples besides a free consultation. You can give away the service itself, a free will for example, knowing that in doing so, you’ll sign up many of those clients for living trusts or other services.

Of course marketing is both art and science. You have to know what to give away, and to whom. You have to keep track of your results so you know what works best. You don’t want to give away more than you need to get the client, but you don’t want to give away less than you need and not get them at all.

Sampling isn’t something an attorney must do. But clearly, it works. If you don’t want to give away consultations or services, you can give away digital products–reports, ebooks, audios, and so on–to provide prospective clients with a sample of your knowledge and expertise. Seth thinks this is a good idea and does this himself to promote his products. Digital products are good to sample, he says, “. . .because more free samples cost you nothing.”

Oh, now I get it. Seth does know that sampling works. He’s just cheap.

The best way to open and close your emails and letters

David M. Ward — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:10:27 +0000

“Dear Reader:”

Doesn’t make you feel all warm and fuzzy, does it?

“Dear Friend,”

A little better. And note that a comma is less formal than a colon.

“Dear George,”

Much better. Speaking to an individual. Nothing sweeter than the sound of one’s own name. But “Dear” is a bit old fashioned in an email.

“George,”

Arguably the best way to open an email. Much better than “Hey!” although it’s okay to use something like that for informal messages with people you know really well. Of course if you know the recipient really well, you could skip the salutation altogether and just get right to the message. Perfectly acceptable in email today.

What if you’re mailing to a big list of people? A lot of cc’s or bcc’s or your email newsletter?

Of course you must consider to whom you are writing and the context of the message. You don’t want to be unprofessional, but email is generally considered a less formal medium so a less formal greeting is almost always appropriate. If you don’t know which salutation to use, consider omitting it. You’ll probably be just fine.

What about signing off? “Very truly yours,” or “Regards”? “Sincerely,” or “All the best,”?

I usually sign my emails with “All the best,” followed by just my first name. Friendly, personal, informal. Or I just put my name with no close. With people I email to a lot, I often put my initials (just to be different) or no close at all.

Your emails should be a natural extension of who you are, but also reflect the context of your relationship with the recipient. Use whatever feels right to you, but lean towards informal. Formal messages put distance between you and the reader, and you generally want to bring them closer.

Snail mail is more formal than email, of course, but a personal salutation and warm closing will go a long way towards reaching out and connecting with your reader. “Dear Mr. Jones,” or “Dear Joe,” is much better than, “Dear Client:”.

If you’re sending something to opposing counsel and you want to be businesslike and maintain posture (and a little distance), you’ll probably continue using whatever you use now. With clients and prospects and colleagues, anyone with whom you have or want to have a closer relationship, a less formal and warmer approach is warranted.

Finding the right salutations and closings begins with greater awareness. Over the next few days, take a few minutes to review the emails and letters you send and receive. What do others do? How do they make you feel? What do you do and what affect do you think they have on your readers?

Chances are you won’t make many changes with letters and emails sent to counsel or insurance carriers, nor do you really need to. But there’s probably a lot you can do with letters to clients and friends.

What salutations and closings do you use in your emails and letters? Have you considered any alternatives?

Should attorneys list their fees on their web site?

David M. Ward — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:59:36 +0000

Do you post your fees on your web site or in your ads? Some attorneys do; most don’t, but should they?

Of course for many legal services, it’s nearly impossible to quote an accurate fee without more information. So we say, “it depends,” and encourage the prospect to call. In truth, most people don’t call, because they are intimidated or don’t want to listen to a sales pitch or be told they have to come into the office.

But if you charge a flat fee for a given service–incorporation, bankruptcy, real estate closing, living trust–should you list those fees up front? If you charge by the hour, should you post your hourly rates for the world to see?

Let’s think this through together. . .

PRO: Posting fees lets prospective clients see if you are “in the ballpark” of what they can afford and are willing to pay. Theoretically, you’ll get more clients hiring you who might not take the time or trouble to call to get an actual quote.

CON: Quoting fees invites price shopping and creates pressure to compete on price, which is a slippery slope for any attorney because there will always be someone “cheaper”. And, do you really want clients who are merely looking for the lowest price?

You could say, “fees starting at. . .,” or, “fees range from X to Y, depending on the complexity of your matter. . .”. This gives the prospect an idea of what to expect and may be an acceptable compromise for your practice.

Indicating the fees you charge with any degree of specificity may not be something you want to do, or can do, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid the subject completely.

If you charge flat fees, explain why the client is better off knowing in advance how much they will pay, in contrast to the open-ended nature of hourly fees. If you charge by the hour, explain why the hourly rate isn’t the only factor, that while they can probably find an attorney who charges less per hour, that attorney’s comparative lack of experience may wind up costing the client more. Explain how contingency fees work to the advantage of the client. Explain costs and retainers and trust accounts.

In addition, you can help prospective clients to appreciate the value of what you do by explaining how fees are determined, the information you need to know (and why), and the options and possible outcomes their case may entail.

When you are open with prospective clients about the subject of fees, they may be more inclined to trust you, at least enough to make that call to find out “the bottom line”.

I’d like to know what you think and what you do in your practice. Do you post your fees on your web site? Do you explain how your fees are determined?

Build a more profitable law practice by relaxing and doing less

David M. Ward — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:11:34 +0000

Yesterday, I spoke with an attorney who is on the verge of burnout. I could hear it in his voice. After thirty years of practice, he’s struggling to attract clients, he’s stressed out and he doesn’t know what to do.

He tells me he’s competent and people like him when they meet him. “Put me in front of someone and they’ll sign up,” he said. He doesn’t do a lot of networking and admits he doesn’t get in front of enough people.

He has a web site and a blog for each of his five practice areas. He’s spent considerable time and money creating content for his blogs and optimizing them for search engines. Unfortunately, the clients who have contacted him through his site have had little money or were looking for free advice.

Within a couple of minutes, I could see his problem and told him what I thought. I could do that because his “ailment” is so common. Like many attorneys, he’s spread too thin and trying to do too much.

I told him he needed to slow down and get focused. Choose one practice area, the one he likes and is best at, and stick with it. His background is in business law. He doesn’t like doing divorces but that’s the kinds of clients his web site seems to be attracting so he added that to his repertoire. While you can’t ignore what the market wants, you are never a slave to it.

I also told him to specialize in the kinds of clients he represents. Some clients are better than others. They have more money and more legal work, the kind you enjoy doing, and you should concentrate on attracting them. Choose an industry or market niche where you have some knowledge and experience and own it. Everything is easier when you do.

His blogs have a lot of content but I suspect it is content created for search engines more than for real people. When you write for SEO purposes you often wind up with content that is mechanically correct but lifeless. When your content is organic, coming from your experiences with real clients, you attract similar clients who resonate with your message.

The process I recommended was one of subtraction: getting rid of most of what he was doing and starting over with a clean slate. Most of his good clients had come through referrals and that’s where they will continue to come from, once he stops trying so hard.

Marketing professional services should be a natural outgrowth of who you are. It starts with knowing what you want and giving yourself permission to have it, choosing your clients instead of letting them choose you.

Relax, do less, but do what you are, not what an SEO expert says you should be.

What to do when you stink at marketing

David M. Ward — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:40:46 +0000

Many attorneys claim they aren’t good at marketing. You know what? They’re right. They aren’t good at marketing. You know what else? It doesn’t matter.

That’s why God created partners.

I know some attorneys who don’t know the first thing about marketing but have thriving practices because one or more of their partners are good rainmakers.

If you’re not good at marketing, don’t sweat it–partner with someone who is. Your strength may in drafting complex documents, negotiating big settlements, or scoring courtroom victories. Your partner brings in the business and you convert it to cash.

It’s a match made in heaven!

“But I don’t have a partner” you say.

No problem.

“My partner is as bad at marketing as I am!”

Also okay.

The solution is to find a workout partner, someone who has the skills you lack and is willing to help you, in exchange for your help with something they need.

You meet once a week, or check in over the phone once a day, and coach each other and hold each other accountable to your stated goals.

You don’t have to find someone who is good at everything you need. If you know nothing about web sites, find someone who can help you get yours started. If social media is an enigma, find someone who will let you watch what they do, answer your questions, and be your guide through the social media maze they find so natural.

Workout partners can also be study buddies. You share what you’re reading, tips you have learned, resources you have discovered, as well as your ideas and plans. You provide feedback and encouragement to each other as you learn and grow together.

Your workout partner doesn’t have to be an attorney. Your skillset may be more useful to a business owner or other professional. And they don’t have to be local.

Where do you find a workout partner? Everywhere. Networking events, through social media, even on your client list. Once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll find plenty of folks who can help you.

When I was a kid I collected coins. I always carried two lists, “Have” and “Need”. Our weekly coin club allowed us to meet and trade (or sell) coins to fellow club members so we could complete our collections. These two lists made it easier.

You might do something similar. Write a list of what you “have,” i.e., what you can help others with, and a list of what you “want,” what you need help with. Carry these with you and you’ll soon find someone who has exactly what you need to complete your collection.

If I were starting my law practice today, here’s what I would do to bring in clients

David M. Ward — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:15:11 +0000

If I were opening a law practice today, my “marketing plan” would be very different than it was when I opened my office thirty-plus years ago.

The Internet changes everything.

So. . . here’s what I would do:

I would start by setting up a web site to showcase what I do. It would be my online brochure as well as a mechanism for networking and lead generation. It would be an information hub, the center of all of my marketing activities.

My web site would be a self-hosted WordPress blog so I could update it without depending on anyone else. I would spend less than $10/yr. for a domain, and less than $10/mo. for hosting.

I would keep things simple, with a clean, professional look. I would favor quality content over bells and whistles. The look would say, “competent, confident, accomplished and approachable,” because that’s what I would want if I was looking for an attorney.

I would add articles and other content to the site, to provide value to visitors and generate search engine traffic. I would continue to add content, seeking to make my site the most comprehensive in my practice area. When someone needed an answer, everyone would point them to my site.

I would make it easy for visitors to contact me through the site and I would encourage this. I want people to ask questions. My answers bring me one step closer to an appointment and a new client. Their questions and my answers would also give me fodder for new content.

I would add testminonials and success stories to the site, providing social proof of my capabilities and add a dramatic aspect to otherwise dry material.

I would set up a lead capture system, using an autoresponder to deliver an online newsletter. I would encourage visitors to subscribe so I could stay in touch with them. Over time, I know they will become clients, provide referrals, and generate even more traffic to my site through their social media channels.

Once my hub was set up, my focus would be to drive traffic to the site and grow my list. I would start by leveraging my existing contacts, telling them about my site and the benefits of visiting. I would ask them to spread the word to the people they know.

Every piece of printed collateral, including my business cards, would include a link to my web site. Every email I sent would link to the site. Every article I wrote would include a resource box and a link to my site.

I would become active in forums and on social media. I would do some networking and speaking to meet new contacts and to stay up to date with the news in my target market.

I would look for other professionals who target my market and propose writing for each other’s blogs and newsletters. If they were physically near me, I would meet them for coffee and explore other ways we could help each other.

I would regularly email to my list, notifying them of new content on the site and sending them other content I found that I thought they might like to see. I would stay in touch with them so that I would be “in their minds and their mailboxes” when they needed my services or encountered someone who did.

I would let people know I appreciate their referrals and thank those who have provided them in the past. I would suggest other ways they could help me, i.e., forwarding my emails to their friends and contacts, promoting my seminar or other event, or introducing me to people they know that I should meet.

I would look for ways to provide added value to my list and even more so to my clients. I would give them information and advice, but not necessarily in my practice area or even anything legal.

I would smother my clients with attention, exceeding their expectations in every way possible, because I know the best way to build a law practice is with referrals from satisfied clients and other people who know, like, and trust me.

Wait. . . the Internet doesn’t change everything. Marketing is the same today as it was thirty years ago. The Internet just makes it easier, quicker, and less expensive.

The easiest way to protect your privacy online

David M. Ward — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:25:28 +0000

I never worry about online privacy. As a result, I don’t spend any time reading articles about the subject. I don’t have to mess around with settings or permissions. And I’m never worried about “that photo” making the rounds.

I have a very simple rule of thumb that makes all of this possible:

Don’t post anything online you don’t want anybody to see.

Everything I post online is family friendly. I don’t care who sees it. In fact, I post it because I want people to see it. So please come and look, re-post, link, and have at it.

Of course there are times when someone else posts something I may not be crazy about sharing. But while I may think I look fat in that photo you caught me in, I know I’m not doing something inappropriate so I’ll be okay.

Look at the online world as an extension of the real world, because that’s exactly what it is. Be careful in thought and deed, mind your P’s and Q’s, and never have more than two drinks when there’s anyone with a camera nearby.

Yes, things may be a little boring, but you’ll never have to worry about online privacy. That is, of course, until Google figures out how to get their camera truck into your bedroom.