5 Steps to Make Your Law Firm Unforgettable
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No one likes to be forgotten, but how many law firms can say they are top-of-mind when prospects need a lawyer? Here are 5 steps you can take to own that important piece of mindful real estate:
1. Focus on the question that every client wants to know: What's in it for me? At the end of the day, clients are only interested in what you can do for them. Your job is to tell them what your service can do for them personally and remember- they do not want to spend time looking for the answer. The answer to this question must be one of the first things your clients see on your website and in your firm-wide communications. If your clients are going to remember you, you must first answer the question "What's in it for them?"
2. What differentiates your service from everyone else? For every service you provide there are hundreds if not thousands of other attorneys who can provide the same services that you can. So why should someone hire you versus your competitor across the street or down the suite?
In other words, what is your UCA-your "Unique Competitive Advantage"? What can a client get from you that they cannot get from anyone else? Perhaps it is your credibility or the creative way you bring solutions to your clients. You must determine what differentiates your firm from anyone else and market that point.
When creating your UCA, one of the keys is to not use either quality or service. The reason is that every attorney says they provide quality and service (even though we know they don't). Therefore quality and service have become meaningless when it comes to differentiating your service because every client expects quality and service and will not do business with any attorney that doesn't have both already. Your UCA must be creative, yet accurately reflect who you are, what you offer that no one else does, and most importantly directly addresses the challenges of your target market.
3. All of your communication must be emotionally impactful. Anyone can quote statistics or develop an advertisement on a cognitive level, but the most effective way to ensure a lasting impact on your clients is to communicate with them on an emotional level. You must find their "pain." What is it about their business, life, family, time, or environment that is causing pain? Are they not working or working too much? Is their business growing too fast or too slow? Is their family falling apart? Do they have a hard time tracking their employees? Find their pain and communicate with them on an emotional level about how you can help heal their pain and make their business, life, family, time or environment pleasurable.
4. Distinguish your benefits from your features and communicate them clearly. Features are what your service does. Benefits are why your client needs your service. For every feature you have, you must tell your client what the benefit is. Is your firm better, faster, guaranteed or more personal? Will your service create more clients, decrease turnover, or increase profit margins? These are all great features, but you must tell your clients how this benefits them specifically.
5. Reduce the risk of working with you. Many of our clients work at small law firms that have services similar to those at larger, more established firms. Why should your potential client buy your service over the big firm’s service? Are they taking a risk with a firm that may not be around 5 or 10 years from now? Is it just because you offer a lower price?
While no one can predict the future of your firm, the savvy attorney recognizes the need to develop creative ways to reduce the risk of their clients in working with them. How could you lower the risk of your clients if they are concerned about working with a solo practitioner or a small law firm?
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FREE REPORT: 8 Reasons Small Firms & Solos Should Publish an E-newsletter PLUS 3 Steps to Get Started
In less than a few hours a month, you can produce an effective electronic newsletter, also known as an “E-newsletter.”
An E-newsletter is a customized electronic newsletter that is commonly used in business, but rarely in the field of law. If you are truly interested in the long-term success and sustainability of your practice, you need to learn how to leverage technology and the Internet to build it.
Here’s what you’ll discover when you read this report:
- The cost benefits of an e-newsletter
- How to incorporate your e-newsletter with your social networking
- How an e-newsletter supports your marketing efforts
- How to get started right away with your e-newsletter
- And much, much more!
To get your free report now, click here.
How Social Media Figures Into Consumer Search for a Lawyer [INFOGRAPHIC]
The Rainmaker Institute recently commissioned a survey by The Research Intelligence Group to find out how consumers use social media in their search for an attorney. I blogged about the details of the survey on Friday at Survey Says Majority of Consumers Use Social Media When Looking for Lawyers.
This infographic was created using the results of that survey; feel free to pass it around:
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FREE "Top 10 Mistakes Attorneys Make and How to Avoid Them" E-book
In a newly revised e-book, legal marketing expert Stephen Fairley outlines 10 of the most common marketing mistakes attorneys make that can lead to the failure of their business, and provides specific strategies and proven principles for avoiding these deadly errors.
To get your complimentary copy online, click here.
Regardless of your specific situation, this free e-book will help you examine how you are currently finding new clients and recommend specific steps you can immediately start using to grow your practice.
We have helped thousands of attorneys achieve their goals of creating a financially successful and personally satisfying legal practice. In this e-book you will discover specific principles and tools you can use to grow your practice, too.
How to Use Your Law Firm Website to Build Trust with Prospects
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Getting prospects to hire you begins with establishing trust. Since recent research has shown that most people use online searches to look for an attorney, having a website that helps you build that trust is crucial.
Here are some tips on how to use your law firm website to build trust with prospects:
Third-party support. Use testimonials, articles and links to publications and news sites that mention your firm to build credibility.
Show your office. Add photos of your office or building and be sure to include your physical address on your home page.
Highlight personnel. Include photos and bios of your attorneys and support personnel to show prospects who they’ll be dealing with.
Easy to contact. Make it easy to contact you by including a contact form on each page of your website.
Professional design. With so many low-cost web hosting sites with professional design templates available today, there is no reason you cannot have a professional-looking website.
Easy to use. Make it easy to navigate your website rather than trying to impress with lots of flash design.
Update content. Keep your content fresh and relevant. This is especially important for your blog, which includes posting dates. An out-of-date blog says “We’re out of business.”
Avoid errors. Make sure all the content on your blog is error-free and that you don’t have any broken links.
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Secrets to Building a 7-Figure Lifestyle Law Firm: Proven Strategies from the Front Line
At The Rainmaker Institute, we define a “7 figure lifestyle law firm” as one that allows you to have the lifestyle that you want to live!
It’s more than just money or achieving a million dollars in revenue.
It’s about creating a lifestyle where you do what you love and building a business around your core values and interests.
In this recording of an interview between Stephen Fairley, CEO of The Rainmaker Institute, and nationally recognized attorney John Bisnar, Stephen asks John to share with us some of the secrets he has used to create a law firm that allows him to go into the office only one day a week and take, on average, 3 to 4 months of vacation every year - all the while managing a very successful, multi-million dollar law firm!
You will receive either a CD or MP3 recording, plus we will email you a pdf transcript of the interview.
This interview will help you discover:
- The difference between a law practice and a business
- How to identify superstar employees to help you run your business
- The difference between an Office Manager and a Business Manager
- The 7 essential systems your firm must have & how to implement them
- How to micromanage the client experience
- Critical keys to success
- And much more!
Click this link now to order Secrets to Building a 7-Figure Lifestyle Law Firm: Proven Strategies from the Front Line.
Survey Says Majority of Consumers Use Social Media When Looking for Lawyers
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A new survey by The Research Intelligence Group has found that 56% of consumers who looked for an attorney in the past year used social media in some way to conduct that search.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults was conducted in March by the international market research firm on behalf of The Rainmaker Institute. It found that 25% of those surveyed said they had sought an attorney in the past year.
Among those who looked for an attorney, 56% said they used social media during their search. The use of social media was higher among males (71%) than females (38%) and highest among younger adults. In the search for a lawyer, social media was used by:
- 81% of 18-29 year olds
- 73% of 30-39 year olds
- 57% of 40-49 year olds
- 30% of 50-64 year olds
- 25% of those 65+
In addition, 72% of minorities who sought an attorney used social media.
How Social Media Is Used to Search for an Attorney
According to the survey, here is how consumers used social media during their search for an attorney:
21% of those searching for an attorney checked out the social media pages of lawyers or firms and 17% indicated that the information they found on the social media pages made a difference in their final selection
Nearly one-quarter used a social media channel such as Twitter or Facebook to ask their friends for recommendations of lawyers or firms they have used for similar matters
20% used social media to create a ‘short list’ of lawyers based on referrals and recommendations received through social media
Almost 20% vetted the names of lawyers they were considering with their social media contacts
Nearly one-quarter made a final selection of a lawyer based in part on what they learned through their social media contacts
Social Media Now a Part of Everyday Life
Judging from the verbatim commentary from the survey, researchers found that consumers use social media to search for an attorney because it is now a part of everyday life and a natural place to turn to for information gathering.
This is especially true for younger consumers, who have grown up using social media and trust it for helping them make decisions. As one survey respondent noted, lawyers that are visible on social media “show that they are informed about the world and they are willing to communicate with potential clients through new and varying ways.”
It is becoming increasingly clear that simply having a website is not enough to attract new clients in 2013; an attorney’s online presence must extend to social media and outreach efforts like blogging to remain relevant to prospects under the age of 50.
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Get All the Law Firm Marketing Strategies You Need to Create A 7-figure Law Practice with Rainmaker In A Box: Volume 2!
Rainmaker in a Box: Volume 2 includes:
8 Proven Steps for More & Better Referrals
Discover the proven step-by-step system used to double your referrals from current and former clients and how to build a network of strategic referral partners. Top attorneys have used this exact system to double their referrals in 6 months or less!
7 Strategies to Recession Proof Your Law Firm
Watch and learn as I walk you through the specific strategies top lawyers are using to increase their revenues in this tough economy-and it doesn’t include reducing their fees!
6 Keys to Unlocking the Secrets of Social Media
Social media has emerged as the fastest way to build a massive platform of prospects! I pull back the curtain and let you in on little known secrets of how attorneys are generating dozens of leads every month from social media.
5 Core Components for Highly Successful Websites & Blogs
My interview with nationally recognized personal injury attorney John Bisnar on how his law firm uses search engine optimization and internet marketing to drive tens of thousands of unique visitors every month to his 30 websites and 10 blogs. Discover proven techniques for converting website visitors into paying clients.
Data DVD: Includes all 4 PowerPoint slides for all 4 presentations. We recommend you print all these off and take notes on them as you experience these information-packed DVDs!
***For Blog Readers, Facebook Friends, Twitter Followers and LinkedIn Connections – we are offering you a $50 discount for Volume 2 and a $100 discount for both Volume 1 and Volume 2 because of your social media presence with The Rainmaker Institute.
Click here now to order!
The Best Time to Market Your Law Firm
A post over on Lee Rosen’s Divorce Discourse blog the other day entitled The Risky Game of Needing a Client reminded me of my own mantra when it comes to legal marketing: the best time to market your law firm is when you don't “need” more clients!
The gist of Lee’s post is that one of the most dangerous times for a law practice is when you need a client. Those are the times when you tend to make decisions based solely on the money, which can wind up costing you big-time. We’ve all had the proverbial “client from hell” and if you think about it, they usually came to us when we were vulnerable financially.
Instead of blaming the unreasonable guy who became your client from hell, the blame really lies with you. Just like the fable of the ant and the grasshopper, you didn’t store up any business in the warm months to sustain you through a cold spell. You haven’t invested in creating a marketing plan for your law firm that will keep the phones ringing and the leads flowing. The fate of your firm will be decided by default rather than design.
So why be “that firm” when it’s so easy to get the information you need to market your law firm effectively? You can attend one of Lee’s seminars, or a Rainmaker Retreat, our two-day law firm marketing intensive where you will learn how to create your own lifestyle law firm through a variety of marketing strategies for lead generation, prospect conversion and client retention.
Here are upcoming dates for the Rainmaker Retreat:
- May 31-June 1, 2013 – New York City
- July 26-27, 2013 – San Diego, CA
- August 16-17, 2013 – Las Vegas, NV
- September 20-21, 2013 – San Francisco, CA
Go to www.rainmakerretreat.com or call 888-588-5891 to register now.
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Online Seminar TODAY: Rainmaker Secrets to Building a Referral-Based Law Firm for Litigators
Most litigation attorneys have a difficult time building a consistent book of business. They go from one extreme of having too much work to handle to the other extreme of waiting around for the next case.
On Thursday, May 16, at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET, I will share with you the secrets we have uncovered from working with thousands of top litigators on how they have transformed their business from the traditional “feast or famine” approach to having a consistent pipeline of clients by implementing a proven referral system.
You will discover:
- The top 2 reasons why you aren’t getting more referrals right now and how to fix it
- How litigation attorneys can easily keep in touch with all their former clients, prospects and referral sources in less than 1 hour a month
- 6 questions you must pro-actively answer to get more referrals
- The top 4 referral sources for litigators and where to find them
- How to use LinkedIn to connect with referral sources
- The 5 best times to ask clients for a referral
Register here for today's online seminar and discover how attorneys just like you are using this information to build 7-figure law firms.
If the time doesn’t work for you, register anyway and we’ll send you the recording of the full online seminar to watch at your convenience.
VIDEO: 4 Steps to Building a Network of Referral Sources
Last week, I was interviewed by Cindy Greenway, editor of LawMarketing.com, about how law firms can build a network of strategic referral sources.
Obviously, attorneys everywhere want to build a referral-based practice, but most don't how. In this video, I shared the nuts and bolts as well as steps that attorneys can take to implement these strategies into their legal marketing plan:
Here’s another bonus from LawMarketing.com: click on this link for a great free report on 15 Strategies for Attorneys to Increase Google Rank, Control Online Reputations and Maximize Content.
How to Prove to Prospects Your Law Firm is the Best Choice
Go back to your childhood and think about how many times you (or someone in your gang of friends) made a bold statement that was met by an echoing challenge of “Prove it!”
We are naturally skeptical social beings, more so today than ever before. If you want someone to hire you, you are likely going to have to prove why your firm is the best choice. Here are some ways you can do that:
Testimonials. If it’s not barred by your state bar, then testimonials on your website are a good way to verify that people who have used your services are happy with the outcome. It is even better to have testimonials on your behalf on third-party websites like Avvo, Yelp! or Google.
Social proof. Being visible on social networks and having a good crop of followers lets those considering your services get more comfortable with the idea of hiring you – we have a strong herd mentality, and like to know we’re not alone.
Case studies. Posting relevant case studies to your website and your blog that are written for the average person (not another lawyer) can be very effective.
Videos. Populating your website and blog with videos that give prospects a feel for what it would be like to do business with you is another good way to showcase your skills.
Third-party endorsements. If you’ve been profiled in an article or interviewed in the media, show it off on your website.
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May 16 Online Seminar: Rainmaker Secrets to Building a Referral-Based Law Firm for Litigators
Most litigation attorneys have a difficult time building a consistent book of business. They go from one extreme of having too much work to handle to the other extreme of waiting around for the next case.
On Thursday, May 16, at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET, I will share with you the secrets we have uncovered from working with thousands of top litigators on how they have transformed their business from the traditional “feast or famine” approach to having a consistent pipeline of clients by implementing a proven referral system.
You will discover:
- The top 2 reasons why you aren’t getting more referrals right now and how to fix it
- How litigation attorneys can easily keep in touch with all their former clients, prospects and referral sources in less than 1 hour a month
- 6 questions you must pro-actively answer to get more referrals
- The top 4 referral sources for litigators and where to find them
- How to use LinkedIn to connect with referral sources
- The 5 best times to ask clients for a referral
Register here for the May 16 online seminar and discover how attorneys just like you are using this information to build 7-figure law firms.
If the time doesn’t work for you, register anyway and we’ll send you the recording of the full online seminar to watch at your convenience.
How to Create Irresistible Calls-to-Action That Motivate Prospects
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Millions of people purchase products every day because they were enticed to do so through a strong call to action – a Buy It Now, a Limited Time Offer, a Click Here, a Sign-Up Now – whatever the incentive, it moved them to a purchase decision.
Calls to action work for several reasons, chief among them is that it’s human nature to follow instruction. A great call to action is one that creates a sense of urgency in a prospect’s mind, offers a solution to a problem or stimulates a desire.
A great call to action works when it:
- Triggers an emotional reaction;
- Shows exactly how to make a purchase;
- Creates a sense of urgency to make the purchase;
- Provides incentives or an offer that is too good to ignore.
There are many ways to integrate a great call to action into your law firm marketing efforts, including:
On your website. Even when you’re selling a service, you should create calls to action on every page of your website. Have a sign-up for a free report, a webinar or e-newsletter on every page.
In your newsletter. If you have a monthly newsletter, you should be featuring a new incentive every month to entice prospects to get in touch with you.
On your blog. Use your blog to connect on an emotional level with prospects. Tell a story about how your legal service has solved a problem. Include calls to action in your sidebars where they are easily visible.
On your social networking sites. Facebook and Twitter are great vehicles for reaching prospects in real-time and testing a variety of calls to action to see what works best for your legal service. These venues are an inexpensive and effective way to test what works best for your target market.
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Practice Made Perfect for Lawyers CD Set
The Practice Made Perfect CD set and manual applies Stephen Fairley’s unique High Impact Marketing System to the practice-building challenges faced by solo practitioners and partners at small law firms.
It includes dozens of specific marketing and sales recommendations that can be easily and quickly applied to your firm, including:
- The only 7 sure-fire ways to get clients in your door NOW
- Why advertising doesn’t work for most small law firms
- The 7 reasons why people don’t buy from you
- How to market and sell with USP’s (Unique Selling Proposition)
- Using audio logos to attract immediate attention for your business
- Using low-cost, high impact marketing strategies
- Strategies for achieving maximum results from all of your marketing efforts
- How to discover your Ideal Target Market
- 3 critical factors to remember when looking for new clients
- The NEW sales cycle for professional services
- How to retain your best clients
Click here to order your Practice Made Perfect for Lawyers CD set and manual now.
Shut Up! A Surefire Way to Increase Referrals and Client Retention Rates
When it comes to communicating with clients, listening is often more important than talking. It is by listening that you learn what clients want, and then you can give it to them. Which makes for more referrals and better client retention.
Here are some important methods you can use to actively listen to clients:
Open feedback. Always offer clients a way to provide feedback, through your website, an online survey and in your e-newsletter campaign. Simply asking for their thoughts is often enough to garner some important insights.
Transactional feedback. If you’re a regular Starbucks customer, you have undoubtedly received a free survey at some point with your receipt. You provide them with some feedback online and you get a free drink for your efforts. What attorneys can learn from this is the importance of asking clients for their thoughts about their experience with your firm after the case is over or at important points along the way. Keep your finger on the pulse of how satisfied they are with how your firm is treating them, and you’ll have a satisfied client.
Social media interaction. Monitor your social media channels to see what people are saying about you. You can search for your firm name on Twitter and Facebook , and you should be regularly monitoring Avvo, FindLaw, Yelp and Google for other comments about your firm.
Client satisfaction surveys. Using formal client satisfaction surveys is another good way to gauge client experiences with your firm. Send one out after each engagement is closed and respond immediately and personally to any negative feedback.
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Secrets to Building a 7-Figure Lifestyle Law Firm: Proven Strategies from the Front Line
At The Rainmaker Institute, we define a “7 figure lifestyle law firm” as one that allows you to have the lifestyle that you want to live!
It’s more than just money or achieving a million dollars in revenue.
It’s about creating a lifestyle where you do what you love and building a business around your core values and interests.
In this recording of an interview between Stephen Fairley, CEO of The Rainmaker Institute, and nationally recognized attorney John Bisnar, Stephen asks John to share with us some of the secrets he has used to create a law firm that allows him to go into the office only one day a week and take, on average, 3 to 4 months of vacation every year - all the while managing a very successful, multi-million dollar law firm!
You will receive either a CD or MP3 recording, plus we will email you a pdf transcript of the interview.
This interview will help you discover:
- The difference between a law practice and a business
- How to identify superstar employees to help you run your business
- The difference between an Office Manager and a Business Manager
- The 7 essential systems your firm must have & how to implement them
- How to micromanage the client experience
- Critical keys to success
- And much more!
Click this link now to order Secrets to Building a 7-Figure Lifestyle Law Firm: Proven Strategies from the Front Line.
How to Help Your Referral Sources Get You More - and Better -- Referrals
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I'm convinced one of the biggest reasons that attorneys don't receive more referrals is because they don't take the time to inform and remind their clients of the various services they offer. Most clients immediately put their attorney in a box and believe the only service the lawyer offers is the one they used.
I remember a conversation I had with an attorney who practices business law. He was upset because a former client, whom he'd helped set up an LLC three months earlier, referred a competing law firm to a friend looking for representation in a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
When the lawyer explained that this was precisely his specialty, the client was shocked and said, "I'm sorry, but you really need to do a better job informing me of what you do and what kind of cases you want because I don't know."
How much business have you lost because your clients simply aren't aware of the various services your firm can provide?
Another way to increase client referrals is to make certain that your clients can accurately explain your ideal target market:
Your ideal target market is the person or company most likely to hire you initially, repeatedly and at the highest profit margin. With so many attorneys struggling to define their ideal client, it's no wonder if your clients don't know whom they should refer to you.
Remember that memory is elusive and just because you wowed them once and they sent you a referral - doesn't mean they will ALWAYS remember. So don't take referral relationships for granted. Finding a high-quality lawyer is easy and it takes more than quality to make an impression - it takes a relationship.
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FREE "Top 10 Mistakes Attorneys Make and How to Avoid Them" E-book
In a newly revised e-book, legal marketing expert Stephen Fairley outlines 10 of the most common marketing mistakes attorneys make that can lead to the failure of their business, and provides specific strategies and proven principles for avoiding these deadly errors.
To get your complimentary copy online, click here.
Regardless of your specific situation, this free e-book will help you examine how you are currently finding new clients and recommend specific steps you can immediately start using to grow your practice.
We have helped thousands of attorneys achieve their goals of creating a financially successful and personally satisfying legal practice. In this e-book you will discover specific principles and tools you can use to grow your practice, too.
