Integrity Marketing

Adding “Call to Action” to Your Social Media Posts

2013-05-16T13:59:37-05:00

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase thrown around before: Call to Action. Have you ever thought of what it means?

Basically, a Call to Action (CTA) is anything that prompts a reader/web visitor to follow through on what you’re asking. Here are some examples:

Contact Us Via Email
Click here to subscribe to our blog
Sign up for our eNewsletter list
Share this post with your friends.
Visit my estate planning website.
Join a Workshop
Request a free estate planning consultation.

And that list can go on… It’s a basically a request to move past just READING this information, and doing something with it. CTAs are (obviously) very important. If you are unsuccessful in getting a web visitor or user to take part in a call to action, you most likely won’t get a new client. Nobody wants that to happen.

Integrity Marketing strategically builds your website with a vast amount of call to action buttons, areas, platforms, etc. So your website is good to go (YAY!). But an online presence doesn’t just stop at your website: It continues to spider out to your blog and social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc).

As a social media and blogger, it’s your responsibility to continue implementing CTAs throughout your social media posting and interactions.

Here are a few tips to engage your readers to interact with you further.

1. Figure out what you want your prospects to do, and make them an offer they want.

Example: You want them to read an eBook about Medicaid planning and realize this is something they need to commit too, and then contact you.

Provide this eBook on your website. Write a social media post with this webpage link, and ask readers to take advantage of this “limited-time offer” a free eBook on the basics of Medicaid planning. Make sure you remind them to “contact you if they have concerns”.

Other great items you can offer are eNewsletter subscriptions; white paper downloads, and frees consultations.

2. Create a “hook” and let them know what’s in it for them.

Example: “Proper planning now can save your family money, time, and emotional hassle in the future. Make sure you know the facts - join me for a free Estate Planning 101 workshop on June 1^st, 2013 here in our private boardroom. We’ll discuss the 15 Estate Planning Essentials everyone should be aware of. [[Insert workshop sign up URL here]].”

Your request must make sense to them. This means not asking prospects to purchase if they’re still in an information-gathering mode.

3. Motivate your prospects to act with a sense of urgency.

Don’t use scare tactics – but let them know that your “offer” ends soon. “E-book provided for a limited time,” “free consultations in the month of June,” “Workshop space limited.”

Carefully remind your readers they need to “act fast” if they want to reap the benefits.

Developing proper social media skills takes practice, but if you follow the tips above and “be yourself” in the process, you will have an easy time directing people to the resources on your website.

Estate Planning -- Making it Relevant for Clients

2013-05-15T09:12:17-05:00

One of the biggest challenges of marketing estate planning services is breaking through the routines of people's daily lives with relevant, compelling messages. No one likes to talk about death, disability or taxes. So, how do you reach people with important messages that motivate them to take action?

Here are some ideas you can use right now:

Use news headlines to spark a conversation. You'll find lots of interesting articles in major news outlets like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg's Financial, Kiplinger's etc.. The great thing about this strategy is you are actually tapping into someone else's (sophisticated, expensive) market research. You see, major media like these know which topics most interest their readers. Chances are good your clients are interested, too.
What's happening in your neighborhood?
GRADUATIONS. You may be attending a few graduation ceremonies this month. Do you suppose, amid all the congratulations, families have thought about what new legal documents they might need now that their previously minor child has reached the age of majority? This is a good time to focus on the need for parents and their newly-minted "adult children" to consider durable powers of attorney and health care proxies. Most parents don't realize that they can no longer "automatically" make decisions for their adult children, including medical decisions should that child become incapacitated by serious illness or injury.
Think outside the box about special events. We're always thinking about ways to meet prospective clients, and I'm sure you've done the traditional ones from senior fairs to financial fairs. Why not break the mold and consider hosting a booth at some of these seasonal events (and, if not a booth, how about a workshop? or at least a blog?):

BRIDAL FAIRS. Yes, it's wedding-season. First weddings, second weddings, third ... you get the drift! Young couples frequently receive pre-marital counseling, and perhaps part of that counseling should include a primer on basic legal self-defense for the newly married. From beneficiary designations to new health care proxies to pre-nuptial agreements, weddings require a plethora of estate planning adjustments.

BOAT, SPORTS & TRAVEL SHOWS. You know that summer time is "travel time" for many families. Consider providing a packet outlining the legal protections every family should have in place before heading out for all of that fun.

Buiilding campaigns around these themes makes your message relevant to prospective clients. Remember, a most of estate planning is about successfully navigating life's transitions. Your estate planning messages become compelling when they relate to these transitions.

At the same time, try not to over-think it. A "campaign" could be as simple as a blog post and some timely comments on social media. Or, gear up for workshops, special events and direct-mail. Whatever you do, remember to relate to your clients on their terms.

Quote of the Month for Social Media Sharing

2013-05-14T13:27:41-05:00

This month's quote is: “If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.” — Maya Angelou

To use this month's inspirational quote, download one of the following graphics, share it to facebook (be sure to include a simple comment or call to action) and include a link to your law firm's Web site.

You may choose from three different color palettes: (follow the link, view the image, right-click and save; then share to your facebook profile!)

If you have a quote you would like to submit for consideration, feel free to pass it along to april@estateplanningpartners.com.

Dance like a Chicken!

In other important news, today is Dance Like a Chicken Day! So shake your tail feathers and do the chicken dance!

Building Your ENewsletter List: Think Outside the Box

2013-05-13T10:33:12-05:00

Compiling a list of contacts can be tricky, and we understand that it takes some effort to gather a good email list for sharing news about your law firm. Once you send us your initial email newsletter list and that first e-News goes out, I’m sure it’s a huge relief and a great accomplishment in regards to the e-News process!

What you may not know is that you really need to keep BUILDING your email list as you go, and some attorneys get stuck when brainstorming ways to add contacts. I have previously provided a thorough list of ways to grow your email newsletter list, and I know if you are an Essential Client™ you have integrated many of those strategies into your marketing through the Essential Solution®.

Let’s take these ideas one step further and think outside the box. Building an email list goes hand in hand with networking, so keep that mindset when you are venturing out to find more contacts.

Don’t be afraid to ASK. When you are out and about networking at events, just ASK the people you meet if you can sign them up for your free e-Newsletter. Explain what information they will be receiving and ask for their email address or business card. This allows them to get to know you through your law firm news, which is more casual than meeting for lunch.
Share the wealth, so to speak. Consider sharing a link in your e-News to another newsletter or blog from someone you trust and who has interesting content to share. This creates a great referral-style relationship, and in turn they may be willing to share YOUR e-Newsletter link to their contacts …which could turn into more subscribers for you.
The POWER of a PowerPoint. Are you giving a presentation any time soon that includes PowerPoint? Your audience will not be able to hold eye contact the entire time and will no doubt be drawn to look at the visual you are providing. So be sure to use the last page of your PowerPoint as a showcase for your e-Newsletter sign up link. This slide is normally up during the “Q&A” segment of a presentation, so your audience will be prompted to write it down as questions are being answered. You can suggest they do so and also offer to sign them up on the spot!

As you can see, there are many ways to branch out and build your email list. You never know when one of your subscribers is going to need your services, and if they are receiving your e-Newsletter regularly they will want to contact YOU for help.

Don’t Take a Vacation from Your Social Media – Planning Tips for Trips

2013-05-08T12:41:26-05:00

James and I are leaving for Mexico tomorrow! Jealous? Ok, we won’t rub it in too much. It really hasn’t sunk in yet anyways, because we have A LOT to prepare before leaving the office.

It is the busy season for conferences, business trips, and networking events as the weather improves for abundant travel. And soon enough, those summer vacations will be here and you’ll be scrambling to keep up with your Social Media efforts. How will you get it all done? Do you just stop posting updates while you are gone? NO. Please. Keep. Posting.

But how?

Well, it takes some preparation. And luckily, we’ve got some great tools and strategies for your upcoming trips:

Delegate, delegate, delegate. Take some time to pre-write Social Media posts and pass them on to someone on your staff. Make sure they are trained to use Social Media and have appropriate access to accounts. A good rule of thumb is a set of company-related posts with a few industry-related articles. This provides a nice balance of law firm information AND hot topics while you are away.
Schedule your blogs. Hopefully you are doing this anyways, but if not you can schedule your blog posts to go out when you are gone with your Typepad account. If you need a brush-up session on how to do this, contact Account Manager Dana Alley for assistance (dana@estateplaningpartners.com).
Make use of Social Media tools. There are some great tools out there to help you pre-post to Social Media. Check out www.IFTTT.com, which is a free service that will share posts through an “if-this-then-that” approach. You can create what’s called a “recipe” that is triggered by one Social action that in turn will post to a Social account of your choice.
Go Mobile or Go Home. Ok, you don’t really have to “go home” if you don’t have a mobile device to use …but it sure makes life easier if you do! You can post updates from your mobile device as long as you have internet access. Or consider getting WiFi in your hotel room for making or scheduling posts. Many resorts and hotels also offer a computer lab for your use.

Luckily we live in an online world, so it’s not very often that we find ourselves without access to these Social Media accounts and the Web. But if you don’t want to have access to the Net, be sure to get organized before you leave so that someone can take over and you can – finally – relax.