Law Firm Marketing: On Successfully Chasing Prospects Instead of Ambulances
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The new John Grisham novel The Litigators is out and the reviews are good. The author is turning up on all the morning talk shows to promote his new tome, which is about a small law firm of...well, there’s really no other way to say it...ambulance chasers.
CNN interviewed Grisham, who said the spark for his new book was “what seems to be a deluge of lawyers advertising on television. The airwaves are just flooded these days with what I find to be unseemly appeals for cases...I’ve been intrigued with that aspect of the practice of law and advertising in general, and one thing led to another.”
Most people find the kind of attorney advertising Grisham talks about to be distasteful, and are distrustful of lawyers who sell legal services in this fashion. Which is why we have always been an advocate of education-based marketing rather than mass media advertising.
Education-based marketing is one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of lawyers. There is a great amount of basic information you know that prospects want. And there are a number of tools available for you to disseminate this information to them, including:
Blogs – Blogs are a great, inexpensive way to disseminate your knowledge quickly – plus, search engines love blogs because they provide fresh content and are usually very search engine friendly.
Online Article Marketing -- Did you know there are hundreds of websites that will publish your articles for free? All you have to do is submit them and within a matter of weeks you will begin to see your online presence grow. These short, education-based articles are written specifically for your niche. If you can write 500 words on a topic, you can use this simple strategy.
Free Reports -- Think about some of the questions your clients have and put together a short report (three to six pages long), a PowerPoint presentation, or even an audio CD, and offer a free copy to website visitors who give you their contact information. (Remember, if you cannot get visitors to call you directly, the second-best alternative is to persuade them to give you their contact information with permission to contact them.)
This kind of free educational information is a great tool you can use to start building relationships with many people who need your help but aren’t ready to walk in your door. It is not enough simply to offer people a free consultation. Almost every lawyer does that. Take it one step further and give them some great information that will help them think through the issues and challenges they are facing.
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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: Volumes 1 and 2!
Want to discover Proven Marketing Strategies that Top Law Firms are using right now to generate more leads and referrals and convert them into paying clients?
Rainmaker In A Box: Volume 1 and Rainmaker In A Box: Volume 2 contains highly valuable legal marketing information you absolutely need to know!
Rainmaker in a Box: Volume 1 includes:
- The 5 Immutable Secrets to Building a 7 Figure Law Practice
- Secrets of Building a Referral-based Law Practice for Busy Practitioners:
- The Top 6 Most Powerful Online Marketing Strategies for Attorneys:
- Action, Accountability and Next Steps
- 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 watch the 4 intense DVDs.
Rainmaker in a Box: Volume 2 includes:
- 8 Proven Steps for More & Better Referrals
- 7 Strategies to Recession Proof Your Law Firm
- 6 Keys to Unlocking the Secrets of Social Media
- 5 Core Components for Highly Successful Websites & Blogs
- 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!
Purchase both sets on our website and get 25% OFF!
Click here now to order!
Law Firm Marketing in a Social Media World
Happy Friday! I am in Newport Beach today making a presentation to the Wealth Counsel Southern California Forum on Law Firm Marketing in a Social Media World – so it seems appropriate to share an interesting infographic I came across that shows how the world uses social networks:
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FREE REPORT: How to Use Blogs as a Secret Weapon in Your Online Arsenal
One of the secret tools of Internet marketing for attorneys is the power of having a targeted blog. In a new report on the influence of blogs, eMarketer.com found that in 2010, 51% of Internet users in the U.S. (that’s over 91 million people) read blogs, and they project that usage will go to 60% (150 million) in the next four years!
Still think blogs are a fad?
Here’s what you’ll discover when you read this report:
- Why you must have a blog in order to stay relevant
- 3 keys to successful blogging
- 7 Guidelines for achieving ROI
- Your 3 choices for managing your blog and social media efforts
- And much more!
Click here to order your free report now!
Phoenix Legal Networking Group Nov. 2: Get the Answer to "Why Should I Hire You?"
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Do you have an answer to the #1 question prospects are thinking but few ask: Why should I hire you?
If not, you’ll want to attend the November 2 meeting of the Phoenix Legal Networking Group on Wednesday, Nov. 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
When faced with this question, most attorneys fall back on talking about the quality of their services, their experience and the size of their law firm. Prepare to have your eyes opened to the truth:
- The #1 reason why prospects “shop you on price”
- How most attorneys completely miss the point when talking about their experience
- The 4 biggest reasons to emphasize when talking with prospects
- Overcoming common objections attorneys encounter
The networking event and marketing seminar will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at Target Market Media Publications (Attorney at Law Magazines), 4647 N. 32nd St., Suite B-280 in Phoenix.
Cost is $20 if you register by Oct. 31, $30 if you register by Nov. 1 and $35 on the day of the event. This covers drinks, hors d’oeurves, the networking event and the workshop.
What's different about this networking group from others?
First and foremost, it's for attorneys. While attorneys from all size law firms are welcome, it is specifically designed to help lawyers in small and solo practices to connect with one another and share referrals.
Second, there is an educational component at each event. Not MCLE or about substantive matters of law, but about how to build your business, make more money, generate more referrals, and run your practice like a business. We invite all local Arizona attorneys to join us each month. Upcoming topics will include:
- Practical ways to run your law firm like a business
- Generate more and better referrals
- Lessons from 7 figure attorneys
- Automating your online marketing efforts
- Increase your revenues and improve your receivables
- Take consistent action to build your business
- How to fix your follow up with every prospect, client and referral source
- Tools to increase referrals from CPAs, CFPs and other attorneys
- Learn cutting edge internet marketing strategies
- Apply practical tips and techniques to create a lifestyle law firm
To register for our Nov. 2 networking and legal marketing event, co-hosted by Attorney at Law Magazine, Coash & Coash Court Reporting and The Rainmaker Institute, visit www.therainmakerretreat.com/network or call 888-816-8935.
If you would like to be notified of specifics for future meetings, please go to www.therainmakerretreat.com/network and sign up by clicking the box “Can't Make It, Send Me Future Dates.”
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Can’t Make Our Nov. 2 Phoenix Legal Networking Group Meeting? You Can Still Get the Answers to “Why Should I Hire You?”
If you can’t make it to the November 2 meeting of the Phoenix Legal Networking Group but still want access to the information being given at the workshop, then get our one-hour How to Answer the Question, “Why Should I Hire You?”: Creating a Unique Competitive Advantage webinar online to watch at your convenience. Learn:
- Why quality does NOT matter! (Yes, you read that correctly, quality does not matter when it comes to closing a prospect)
- The #1 reason why prospects “shop you on price”
- How most attorneys completely miss the point when talking about their experience
- The 4 biggest reasons to emphasize when talking with prospects
- Overcoming common objections attorneys encounter
- Winning over skeptics by focusing on the numbers of your practice
- Case studies of how top attorneys respond when asked the ultimate question
- How to overcome price objections even before you meet with a prospect
- How to respond if someone says, “Your price is too high” or “That’s too much money!”
- How to get potential clients to stop making price an objection once and for all
- And 8 more effective ways to answer the question, “Why should I hire you?”
To access the webinar online, click here.
New Jersey Rainmaker Retreat Recap
Just back from our latest Rainmaker Retreat in New Jersey; we had a great bunch of attorneys who attended and I really enjoyed meeting them all.
Here is what they discovered by attending a Rainmaker Retreat:
“Beyond eye-opening – Marketing is a real moving target and now faster then ever. Stephen gave some great ammunition to attack it.” - Jeffrey Bloom
“Anyone who attends this seminar will have the tools to take their practice to the next level & the level after that.” - Leressa Crockett
“The program was a wakeup call. It helped me see where I need to improve client contact and focus on sales.” - John O’Boyle
David Scarinci expressed his enthusiasm for attending the Rainmaker Retreat in New Jersey...even on a Saturday. Although he felt he understood marketing well, he took notes incessantly and gained a huge amount of valuable information. He hopes to implement it all!
If you are interested in building a lifestyle law practice through effective law firm marketing, then come to one of our upcoming Rainmaker Retreats:
November 11-12, 2011: Chicago, IL
December 2-3, 2011: Los Angeles, CA
If you want to learn more about the Rainmaker Retreat and why it is a proven legal marketing system that has helped over 7,000 attorneys find more and better clients, then click here to receive a free DVD of your colleagues (and even your competitors) describing their experiences at our 2-day law firm marketing boot camp, the Rainmaker Retreat.
Yes, we know you are skeptical. So instead of us telling you how these 2 days will transform your business, you can listen to your peers describe their experiences in their own words.
Click here to order your complimentary DVD right now.
Law Firm Marketing Strategies: Speak the Right Language to Successfully Market Your Services
If your law firm is not growing (or worse yet, shrinking) and your revenue stream is down to a trickle, it's time to start being proactive with your marketing.
One of the most important aspects of successful law firm marketing is the ability to clearly define and demonstrate the services that you offer.
After years of helping more than 7,000 attorneys implement effective law firm marketing strategies, I have seen a common problem. Many attorneys communicate with prospective clients in a way clients do not understand.
One of the biggest mistakes a lawyer can make is to use "legal jargon" when speaking with prospects. No one wants to feel stupid and would rather save face than risk embarrassment by asking you to define what you believe is a "common legal term".
Effective marketing for attorneys rests on your ability to be understood; without a clear understanding of what you can do for them, most clients will head for the nearest exit.
As a lawyer, you must uncover the words and phrases your clients use to describe their goals, challenges and problems. You must cross their "language barrier" before you can begin to entice them to learn more about how you can help them.
For example, unless they have experienced it, most people don't know the difference between Chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcies. Nor do they know the difference between a will, a living will, and an estate plan.
Here is a simple exercise that will help you accurately demonstrate your product and services:
1. Write down the terms and language you use to describe what you do to another professional in your field.
2. Now, write down the key words and phrases your clients use to describe your services to you. (If you can't complete this step, start asking your clients and listen to them as they describe their problems.) Your ability to succeed in law firm Marketing will rely, in part, on your willingness to write down the key words and phrases your clients are using and committing them to memory.
These two lists should be very different. If they overlap by 50% or more, you are probably not listening closely enough to prospects and clients. It is recommended that you go back to square one and ask more questions, listening more intently, if you expect your legal marketing efforts to be effective.
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Free Report: 4 Myths That Keep Attorneys From Building A Referral-Based Practice
Referrals are the lifeblood of many law practices, and building a good referral program takes a proven process. Stephen Fairly unveils the 4 Myths That Keep Attorneys from Building a Referral-Based Practice in his new free report. Read and discover:
- How to determine the best source for your referrals
- How to explain your ideal target market to a referral source
- How to get referrals from other attorneys
- Whether online directories are a good referral source
- How to network effectively
- And much, much more!
Click here to get your free report today.
Law Firm Marketing: Differentiation is the Key to Getting Hired
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Nobody wants to hire a lawyer, but there are certain events that cause consumers and business owners to seek out a lawyer:
- Purchasing real estate
- Getting a divorce
- Starting a company
- Creating a estate plan
The struggle comes when consumers are faced with an overwhelming number of choices. Regardless of practice area, most consumers and business owners do not know how to distinguish a great lawyer from a mediocre one.
With over a million attorneys in the nation, there are thousands of lawyers in every major city who provide the exact same services. Unless attorneys seriously reconsider how they differentiate themselves from other law firms they will continue to flounder.
In Practice Made Perfect, our business development CD set for attorneys, we cover 10 specific ways to differentiate your services. Here are just 3 of them:
1. Create a micro niche. If you develop a tumor on your brain you would go to neurologist, not a general practitioner. It's the same way with law firm marketing. You must position yourself as a specialist, not a generalist. One way to do this is by focusing on a very defined niche. For example, "I concentrate on helping inventors and owners of small software development companies in Los Angeles with less than $1 million in revenues protect their intellectual property and develop creative ways to generate multiple revenue streams from their invention."
2. Focus on the benefits, value and results. Too many attorneys try to sell their legal services. People never buy legal services. They buy solutions to their problems. When meeting with a prospective client emphasize the benefits you offer to clients and the value you bring through your specific experience with their kind of legal problem. Discuss the results you have achieved for other clients, but be careful not to overstep the ethical boundaries or promise results based on someone else's case.
3. Build an online presence. The Internet has changed everything when it comes to law firm marketing and how consumers select law firms. Today, most people will check attorneys out online before they ever hire them. Having a robust presence on leading social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube), an interesting blog and a website that reinforces why you are different is key.
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Want to Learn More Internet Marketing Techniques for Attorneys? Attend a Rainmaker Retreat!
If you are interested in building a lifestyle law practice through effective law firm marketing, then come to one of our upcoming Rainmaker Retreats:
November 11-12, 2011: Chicago, IL
December 2-3, 2011: Los Angeles, CA
If you want to learn more about the Rainmaker Retreat and why it is a proven legal marketing system that has helped over 7,000 attorneys find more and better clients, then register now for one of our one-hour complimentary teleseminars:
Thursday, October 27
1pm PT | 2pm MT | 3pm CT | 4pm ET
Wednesday, November 2
1pm PT | 2pm MT | 3pm CT | 4pm ET
Thursday, November 10
12pm PT | 1pm MT | 2pm CT | 3pm ET
Join us and learn why the Rainmaker Retreat is the one law firm marketing boot camp you cannot afford to miss!
How Small Business Uses Social Media
Small businesses are rapidly learning how social media can enhance the bottom line when it comes to retaining and attracting new customers. It is currently estimated that 75 percent of small businesses now participate in social media – primarily for lead generation and client retention.
One of the most revealing statistics is that a majority of consumers who follow a brand on social media are more likely to buy the brands they follow – 64 percent of Twitter users and 51 percent of Facebook users. Here’s an interesting infographic that shows how small business is using social media:
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Stop Wasting Precious Time and Money
Feel like you don’t have time for marketing? Let us show you how to make a plan that runs on “autopilot” – one that attracts new and lucrative clients while you focus on your practice.
Learn how easy it can be to create an effective law firm marketing plan that performs by getting our Free Guide: 5 Easy Steps to Create Your Law Firm Marketing Plan.
After working with many ultra-successful lawyers we found five common threads in their marketing plans. This guide outlines these shared elements to provide insight into strategies that work and how to make them work for you.
There are two versions: one for Attorneys in Solo Practice and one for Attorneys in a Small Firm.
Click here to download, and start using these proven strategies today!
Social Media Marketing for Attorneys: Avoid These 10 Common But Deadly Mistakes
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I am in New Jersey today speaking to the New Jersey Bar on Becoming a Rainmaker, and will be putting on one of our Rainmaker Retreat sessions this weekend that is co-sponsored by the NJSBA.
Social media marketing for attorneys is the hot topic these days, especially since many busy attorneys find it increasingly difficult to keep up with the rapidly changing technology and new opportunities.
The fact is, social media is like any other marketing tool – if you don’t use it right, with forethought and follow-up, it is not going to work. And how you do it right can be gleaned from how so many do it wrong, in what I call:
The 10 Deadly Mistakes Attorneys Make When Using Social Media
- No clear objectives and specific goals.
- Too short of a time frame: social media is a long-term play of building relationships it's not a get rich quick scheme.
- No budget allocated: most social networks are free, but you either have to do it yourself or you have to pay. someone else to do it for you.
- No responsibility or accountability.
- No tracking of results.
- No blueprint of what works and what doesn't so you end up reinventing the wheel by trying to do it yourself.
- Only using 1 network: most attorneys are attracted to LinkedIn but more consumers are on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t try to just use one -- you need to experiment with all of them to see where you get the best ROI.
- Not using social media to build your database: s/he who has the biggest list wins!
- Not taking your social media contacts “offline”.
- Hiring a company to handle your social media that doesn't work with attorneys: While this may be a bit self-serving, it is important for attorneys who outsource their social media programs to ensure those executing the programs understand and abide by the rules and regulations attorneys must adhere to in their marketing.
The bottom line with social media is that – like most things in life – you get out of it what you put into it.
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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.
Law Firm Marketing: How to Build a Referral System That Delivers Results
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While you may get an occasional referral from a former client or someone you know, if you want to take your legal marketing to the next level, you need a referral system. How do you build a referral system that will bring you the results you need?
You start by developing relationships with potential referral sources and generate consistent referrals from them. These sources may include accountants, investment advisors, business leaders, or anyone who has influence with your target market. Depending on your practice area, your referral sources will vary.
Developing a relationship is a two-way process. It can’t just be you asking them for referrals when you see them. It requires regular contact and you showing as much concern for their business as you are asking them to show for your practice. Ask them how you can assist them in achieving their goals.
Another key component of your law firm referral development plan is to create a system for connecting with prospects, clients and referral sources on a regular, consistent basis. This should include:
Monthly newsletters – keep them apprised of what your firm is doing, new employees, and content that is beneficial to them.
Annual Client Satisfaction Survey – find out what your clients think about the service they have received from your firm.
Keep In Touch letters – on a regular basis, every 2-3 months, send a letter to referrals, prospects and clients just to touch base. This top of mind awareness is crucial for generating referrals.
Referral Education System – your referral sources need to know what kind of prospects you are looking for. It does no good for them to refer prospects to you who are not looking for what your firm offers.
Keep your referral sources updated on your practice areas and any changes in your firm if you want to receive high-quality referrals.
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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.
Get your complimentary copy online 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.
Phoenix Legal Networking Group November 2: Creating a Unique Competitive Advantage
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One of the toughest questions attorneys get from a potential client is, “Why should I hire you?” The rest of that question is implied: “Why should I hire you versus any of your competitors?”
Even though most prospects never ask it out loud, every single one of them is silently asking it to themselves.
When faced with this question, most attorneys fall back on talking about the quality of their services, their experience and the size of their law firm. Prepare to have your eyes opened to the truth:
- The #1 reason why prospects “shop you on price”
- How most attorneys completely miss the point when talking about their experience
- The 4 biggest reasons to emphasize when talking with prospects
- Overcoming common objections attorneys encounter
The networking event and marketing seminar will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at Target Market Media Publications (Attorney at Law Magazines), 4647 N. 32nd St., Suite B-280 in Phoenix.
Cost is $20 if you register by Oct. 31, $30 if you register by Nov. 1 and $35 on the day of the event. This covers drinks, hors d’oeurves, the networking event and the workshop.
To register for our Nov. 2 networking and legal marketing event, co-hosted by Attorney at Law Magazine, Coash & Coash Court Reporting and The Rainmaker Institute, visit www.therainmakerretreat.com/network or call 888-816-8935.
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Can’t Make Our Nov. 2 Phoenix Legal Networking Group Meeting? You Can Still Get the Answers to “Why Should I Hire You?”
If you can’t make it to the November 2 meeting of the Phoenix Legal Networking Group but still want access to the information being given at the workshop, then get our one-hour How to Answer the Question, “Why Should I Hire You?”: Creating a Unique Competitive Advantage webinar online to watch at your convenience. Learn:
- Why quality does NOT matter! (Yes, you read that correctly, quality does not matter when it comes to closing a prospect)
- The #1 reason why prospects “shop you on price”
- How most attorneys completely miss the point when talking about their experience
- The 4 biggest reasons to emphasize when talking with prospects
- Overcoming common objections attorneys encounter
- Winning over skeptics by focusing on the numbers of your practice
- Case studies of how top attorneys respond when asked the ultimate question
- How to overcome price objections even before you meet with a prospect
- How to respond if someone says, “Your price is too high” or “That’s too much money!”
- How to get potential clients to stop making price an objection once and for all
- And 8 more effective ways to answer the question, “Why should I hire you?”
To access the webinar online, click here.
Social Media Marketing for Attorneys: The Role Social Media Plays in Referrals
If you dig down a little deeper into the most recent Social Media Report released by Nielsen & Co., you will discover some interesting information about the role social media plays for consumers as a source for product and service information.
According to Nielsen, more than 60 percent of social media consumers use these sites to gather information on a product or service, with ratings and reviews from others ranking as the two top sources they trust:
Nielsen research shows that three out of five active social media users create ratings and reviews of products and services, with women being more likely than men to do so (81 percent of females vs. 72 percent of males).
Consumers are increasingly using social media platforms to express their satisfaction – or dissatisfaction – with a product or service. A majority – 61 percent – said they do this to provide companies they like with recognition for a job well done; 58 percent of users post negative reviews to protect others if the user has had a bad experience with the particular product or service.
As I have noted previously, social networks are being used more and more as personal search engines mainly because Google has become too generic and consumers often don't trust what they find there.
This trend is especially true in the under-30 age group. In fact, many social media experts are starting to point to Facebook as the new Google! Tens of thousands of searches are conducted every day on Facebook for resources and reviews of products, services, and service providers.
This long-time phenomenon of asking your friends and colleagues for a referral has simply gone viral and online. Social networks are quickly multiplying the number of connections a person can ask when seeking a referral to a trusted advisor.
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FREE REPORT: How to Use Blogs as a Secret Weapon in Your Online Arsenal
One of the secret tools of Internet marketing for attorneys is the power of having a targeted blog. In a new report on the influence of blogs, eMarketer.com found that in 2010, 51% of Internet users in the U.S. (that’s over 91 million people) read blogs, and they project that usage will go to 60% (150 million) in the next four years!
Still think blogs are a fad?
Here’s what you’ll discover when you read this report:
- Why you must have a blog in order to stay relevant
- 3 keys to successful blogging
- 7 Guidelines for achieving ROI
- Your 3 choices for managing your blog and social media efforts
- And much more!
Click here to order your free report now!
Internet Marketing for Attorneys: Communicating in the Age of Sharing
If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve begun posting infographics every Friday to help everyone ease their way into the weekend. Plus, I find that infographics are a really entertaining way to get across what we sometimes may not be able to wrap our minds around with just words alone.
Take today’s example, which is what happens in one minute in the social media world.
Communicating today is all about sharing. Just like we were told as children: it’s nice to share. But it’s no longer just nice – it’s becoming the way consumers communicate, by re-tweeting, re-posting and sharing content (usually other people’s content, like these infographics).
An important goal of your social media marketing program should be creating shareable content – articles, blogs, videos, etc. – that people find interesting enough to share. Doing so helps you establish your authority as an expert voice in your practice area.
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New Jersey Attorneys: Learn The 5 Rules of Internet Marketing at Oct. 20 Seminar
Rainmaker Institute CEO Stephen Fairley will be presenting two seminars on October 20 on The 5 Rules of Internet Marketing for Attorneys: How to Ethically Use Your Website and Blog to Generate High Quality Leads for Your Law Firm.
Sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Camden County Bar Association, each seminar will focus on how top attorneys are using the Internet, their websites and blogs to find more and better clients for their law firms. Stephen will be sharing:
- The 5 rules for Internet marketing for attorneys
- Do's and Don'ts: the intersection of ethics and online marketing
- The 3 keys to getting your website on the front page of Google
- How to set up your website right the first time
- Avoiding common ethical pitfalls with your Internet marketing
- Lead conversion pages: how law firms are converting 10-30% of website visitors into qualified leads
- 3 most important goals of your website & blog
- The "secret weapon" of Internet marketing for lawyers
Attendees will receive 2.4 New Jersey General CLE credits. Here are the details on the two upcoming sessions:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Location: ACUA, 6700 Delilah Rd., Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Cost: $77 for NJSBA members; $97 for non-members
Camden County Bar Association:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Location: Camden County Bar Association, 1040 Kings Highway N., #201, Cherry Hill, NJ
Cost: $77 for NJSBA or Camden County Bar Assn. members; $97 for non-members
To register online for either of these seminars, click here.
Internet Marketing for Attorneys: How to Keep Up With Changes in SEO Practices
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At our Rainmaker Retreat last weekend, one attorney asked, “How can I stay up with SEO since it changes so fast?”
The answer is, unless you’re ready to change careers, you probably can’t.
There is an entire industry devoted to the practice of SEO and keeping on top of the changes in search engine algorithms that directly impact how websites are served up to searchers. To become adept at practicing SEO, you would probably need to abandon the practice of law.
SEO takes time, and small firms and solos usually don’t have much of that to devote to something other than client work and running the business. If all your time is taken up with focusing on what you can’t outsource, you should consider outsourcing your SEO to someone who can be just as effective at it – or more – than you are.
Before you do, however, be sure you have measurable goals if and when you outsource so you can see if you’re getting the bang you want for your buck.
Many solos and small firms have already decided that outsourcing is the best option for them. If you're in that group, then whomever you choose to outsource your SEO program to, just make sure they have experience working with attorneys.
When you interview a legal marketing company, be sure they meet these criteria:
- They can point to other attorneys they work with;
- They have a written blueprint for how they intend to generate leads for your law firm;
- They clearly integrate blogs and social media and see one as an extension of the other;
- They charge a flat fee that’s reasonable based on results;
- They have clearly identified strategies to track and measure actual results from your blog and social media. Having a written guarantee of results is even better.
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Free Report: 4 Myths That Keep Attorneys From Building A Referral-Based Practice
Referrals are the lifeblood of many law practices, and building a good referral program takes a proven process. Stephen Fairly unveils the 4 Myths That Keep Attorneys from Building a Referral-Based Practice in his new free report. Read and discover:
- How to determine the best source for your referrals
- How to explain your ideal target market to a referral source
- How to get referrals from other attorneys
- Whether online directories are a good referral source
- How to network effectively
- And much, much more!
Click here to get your free report today.
Legal Marketing Seminar: Rainmaker Retreat Recap
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The term res ipsa loquitur – “the thing speaks for itself” – is commonly used in negligence cases, but in the case of our Rainmaker Retreats, we believe results speak for themselves. Here are the verdicts from attendees of our 2-day legal marketing boot camp last weekend in San Francisco:
“I am grateful to those attorneys who did not attend, because I will be servicing their clients.”- Peter Brewer, Partner, Real Estate Law
“The program is very informative.” - John Cook, Partner, Business Litigation
“Comprehensive and practical advice.” - Bruce Givner, Estate & Income Tax Planning, Asset Protection Planning
“Tons of great, practical strategies. Worth every penny. ” - Jeff Lerman, Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
“Immersive and relevant. I am ready to go! Thank you.” - Whitney Cicero, Marketing Consultant
“This was the jumpstart I needed for getting serious about marketing.” - Jerry Lowe, Bankruptcy Law
“I haven’t been more excited about marketing in years. I love knowing that a lifestyle firm is within reach.” - Rachel Miller, Partner, Construction Law
“Clean, step-by-step discussion of how to get more clients.” - David Pastor, Criminal and Estate Planning Law
“An excellent organization that will, I’m sure, be one of the best investments you could possibly make.” - Allen Rosenthal, Bankruptcy Law
The Rainmaker Retreat is different from other marketing seminars in several ways:
First, it is specifically designed for Attorneys at small law firms and solo practitioners. While attorneys at larger firms can benefit from the information presented, it is presented with the small law firm and solo attorney in mind.
Second, it is a working retreat. You will be creating many of your plans during the retreat.
Third, it is NOT an introductory course. We work very hard to make the material easy to understand and simple to apply, but please understand this is an advanced, in-depth, hard-hitting course.
Fourth, it is designed to maximize your Return on Investment. Everything about this workshop is focused on one goal—helping you achieve the best results by finding more and better clients in the least amount of time using the least amount of money possible.
Fifth, it offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. We are so confident you will benefit from the Rainmaker Retreat that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied at the end of the first day, just let us know, turn your materials in and we will refund your money.
We have three more Rainmaker Retreat sessions scheduled for 2011:
October 21-22, 2011: Livingston, NJ
November 11-12, 2011: Chicago, IL
December 2-3, 2011: Los Angeles, CA
For more information, visit www.rainmakerretreat.com or call 888-588-5891.
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FREE Rainmaker Retreat Preview DVD – Learn Before You Go!
If you want to learn more about the Rainmaker Retreat and why it is a proven legal marketing system that has helped over 7,000 attorneys find more and better clients, then click here to receive a free DVD of your colleagues (and even your competitors) describing their experiences at our 2-day law firm marketing boot camp, the Rainmaker Retreat.
Yes, we know you are skeptical. So instead of us telling you how these 2 days will transform your business, you can listen to your peers describe their experiences in their own words.
Click here to order your complimentary DVD right now.
Internet Marketing for Attorneys: 3 Steps to Finding the Right Keywords
At our Rainmaker Retreat in San Francisco this past weekend, I fielded several questions from attorneys about keywords – how to find the right ones and how often to use them.
Here are 3 steps to finding the right keywords for your law practice:
Step 1: Make a list of 5-6 words and/or phrases that best describe your practice.
Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and think about what words they would use to find you. Hint: it is not the name of your firm. Choose words or phrases that describe exactly what you do, in laymen’s terms: i.e., Phoenix divorce lawyer, car accident attorney, etc.
Step 2: Choose your keywords or key phrases based on relevance and difficulty.
As you saw in my Tuesday blog, competition for the word “lawyer” is about as fierce as it gets, which means it would be very difficult for your site to rank high in search results for that word alone. The smaller you are, the more specific you want to get, choosing keywords that have less competition. Use Google’s Keyword Tool to see what the search volume is for your keywords and key phrases. Look for similar words that have less competition, but are still relevant to your business. Then strike a good balance between relevance and difficulty.
Step 3: Use your keywords and key phrases throughout your website.
Choose the best 3-5 individual keywords and your top 10 key phrases and use them in the content of your website as well as in the page titles and metadata. If you can secure a URL for these keywords, use that as well. Be sure not to “stuff” your content with too many keywords – your site should still be written for a human being, not a search engine.
If you would like to learn more about online marketing for law firms, sign up to attend one of our upcoming Rainmaker Retreats – we’ve got one coming up in two weeks in Livingston, New Jersey (Oct. 21-22), one next month in Chicago (Nov. 11-12) and one in December in Los Angeles (Dec. 2-3).
For more information, visit www.rainmakerretreat.com or call 888-588-5891.
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Looking for more proven tactics from The Rainmaker Institute?
Then subscribe to our FREE monthly e-newsletter. One click of your mouse will take you to our site where you can see the current issue and subscribe to our complimentary monthly e-newsletter that will be delivered to your inbox. Each issue is chock-full of legal marketing information you can put to use right away. I think you will find the information in every newsletter something you will want to share with your staff to maximize the effectiveness of your legal marketing plan.
Law Firm Marketing: Discover the Importance of Positioning
Positioning is one of those little-known and less understood law firm marketing ingredients that can make a very big difference in the success of your law firm marketing approach. So what is positioning?
Positioning is the unique place your firm carves out for itself in your area of practice.
It is the perception your firm wants to instill in the client’s mind.
It defines how your services are different from and how they are like the competition.
It spells out what place you hold in the competitive landscape.
In essence, it defines how you practice your particular area of law and why clients should choose you (and you can have more than one positioning statement if your firm practices more than one area of law).
But positioning is only valuable to your law firm marketing strategy if it is done well.
All too often, positioning in law firm marketing is used to make your firm look, sound and act like every other law firm in your field of practice.
Like many business people, attorneys sometimes think there is only one “right” way to position themselves in the minds of clients.
The problem is, if you look, sound and act like every other firm, you give clients no reason to choose you. In fact, if all firms were exactly alike, there would be no reason to choose at all. One firm would be the same as the next.
The truth is that there are unique reasons why clients should choose your firm.
Perhaps it is because you specialize in a little-served niche that no one else serves.
Perhaps yours is a personal injury firm with long-standing connections to the automotive industry that enable you to settle sooner and for a higher amount.
Perhaps you serve as an elder care advocacy firm and you make a point of getting to know your clients on a personal level.
Your positioning says something unique about the firm that is meaningful to the end client. That is the point. And by successfully positioning yourself as a specialist, you will enjoy these benefits:
- Significantly higher rate of referrals.
- Ability to charge higher rates.
- More opportunities to offer clients more expensive services.
- Better client retention.
- Not perceived as a commodity.
- Value is based primarily on credibility and expertise.
- Better positioned to get positive media coverage.
- Easier to dominate your niche.
If you want to increase the return on your law firm marketing investment, spend some time clarifying your law firm marketing positioning.
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Watch-When-You-Want Webinar: How to Answer the Question, "Why Should I Hire You?"
One of the toughest questions attorneys get from a potential client is, “Why should I hire you?”
When faced with this question, most attorneys fall back on talking about the quality of their services, their experience and the size of their law firm.
Prepare to have your eyes opened to the truth by accessing our one-hour How to Answer the Question, “Why Should I Hire You?”: Creating a Unique Competitive Advantage webinar online to watch at your convenience. Learn:
- Why quality does NOT matter! (Yes, you read that correctly, quality does not matter when it comes to closing a prospect)
- The #1 reason why prospects “shop you on price”
- How most attorneys completely miss the point when talking about their experience
- The 4 biggest reasons to emphasize when talking with prospects
- Overcoming common objections attorneys encounter
- Winning over skeptics by focusing on the numbers of your practice
- Case studies of how top attorneys respond when asked the ultimate question
- How to overcome price objections even before you meet with a prospect
- How to respond if someone says, “Your price is too high” or “That’s too much money!”
- How to get potential clients to stop making price an objection once and for all
- And 8 more effective ways to answer the question, “Why should I hire you?”
To access the webinar online, click here.
Law Firm Marketing: Tapping Into a Nation of Watchers
It’s no secret that we Americans have been addicted to television for years, and it seems as if that addiction has transferred right over to watching online video. Here is an interesting infographic from Wistia, an online video management firm, that clearly demonstrates why online video should be part of your law firm marketing program:
Infographic by: Wistia
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Stop Wasting Precious Time and Money
Feel like you don’t have time for marketing? Let us show you how to make a plan that runs on “autopilot” – one that attracts new and lucrative clients while you focus on your practice.
Learn how easy it can be to create an effective law firm marketing plan that performs by getting our Free Guide: 5 Easy Steps to Create Your Law Firm Marketing Plan.
After working with many ultra-successful lawyers we found five common threads in their marketing plans. This guide outlines these shared elements to provide insight into strategies that work and how to make them work for you.
There are two versions: one for Attorneys in Solo Practice and one for Attorneys in a Small Firm. Click here to download, and start using these proven strategies today!
On Steve Jobs
There are many eloquent eulogies filling the Internet on the death of Steve Jobs yesterday. Perhaps my favorite comes from a Facebook post; it reads, simply:
iSad.
All the words, all the quotes, all the accolades, yet this simple post captures everything about Jobs’ passing. One simple word to capture what we are all feeling. And the most perfect tribute to someone whose designs relied completely on tapping basic human emotion.
For whatever reason you came to the law, you probably thought at one time or another that you wanted to change the world through your work. He did that, truly. And I think what he had to say about work is worth remembering today:
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” (2005 Stanford commencement speech)
Words to live – and work – by, from a man who redefined the space at the intersection of technology and humanity...and in doing so, touched us all.
Law Firm Marketing Seminar: October is Rainmaker Retreat Month!
Lawyers looking to increase their number of referrals and size of their revenues should consider attending an upcoming Rainmaker Retreat this month. We have two in October – this weekend, Oct. 7-8 in San Francisco and Oct. 21-22 in Livingston, NJ.
These extremely popular 2-day law firm marketing boot camps are tailored for small and solo law firms and teach techniques for building your business and taking it to the level you desired when you started your practice. The Rainmaker Retreat teaches you our proven Rainmaker System that has helped more than 7,000 attorneys from hundreds of law firms across the country discover how to generate more referrals and find new clients fast.
The Rainmaker Retreat is a working retreat that will help you:
- Create a written 90-day Marketing Action Plan (MAP) for your law firm
- Discover your firm’s Unique Competitive Advantage (UCA)
- Identify a profile of your Ideal Target Market (ITM)
- Have written strategies for improving your Internet presence and search engine optimization
- Develop your own plan for leveraging the power of blogging and social media following the Rainmaker Social Media Blueprint
- Create a letter of introduction to potential Strategic Referral Partners (SRPs)
Some of the topics covered in each Rainmaker Retreat include:
- Achieving Expert Status as an Attorney
- Building a Strategic Referral Network
- Creating Credibility in Your Practice Area
- Secrets of Highly Successful Attorneys
- Social Media for Small Law Firms
- Leveraging Technology: Beating the Big Firms on the Internet
- Generating More Clients Using the Power of Speaking
- Advanced Technology Tactics for Small Law Firms and Solo Practitioners
If you are unsure about attending a Rainmaker Retreat, I encourage you to join our FREE Preview Call on:
Thursday, October 13 -- 12pm PT | 1pm MT | 2pm CT | 3pm ET
Wednesday, October 19 -- 11am PT | 12pm MT | 1pm CT | 2pm ET
These free, one-hour calls will give you a taste of what you will learn during a Rainmaker Retreat. Click here to register for a Preview Call.
You can also request a free Rainmaker Retreat Preview DVD, which will give you a look into the Rainmaker Retreats and an opportunity to hear from the participants. Click here to order your free Preview DVD now.
Each Rainmaker Retreat runs from 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Early-bird registration for the Rainmaker Retreat is still available for a limited time. A special VIP registration is also available for attorneys looking for more personalized attention.
Additional Rainmaker Retreats are scheduled for:
November 11-12, 2011 – Chicago, IL
December 2-3, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA
Registration information is available by visiting the Rainmaker Retreat website, www.RainmakerRetreat.com or by calling 888-588-5891.
Law Firm Marketing: 5 Steps to Using Social Media for Business Development
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One of the best reasons for attorneys to use social media is that it is a very cost effective business development tool. Below is a description of the 5 steps you can take to harness the effectiveness of social media for your law firm marketing efforts. (This is how we are using social media to build our business):
1. Set up a targeted landing page. If your target market is people looking to save their home from foreclosure by filing for bankruptcy, your landing page should discuss their specific need.
2. On the landing page offer them something of value. You could offer web visitors a free special report, audio CD or white paper on a topic of interest to them. For example,
The Top 10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Divorce Attorney
The 7 Deadly Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Personal Injury Case
The 5 Reasons Why Business Owners Get Sued and How to Avoid Them
3. Drive traffic to your landing page by promoting it via your social media outlets. You can announce your free special report on your Facebook fan page or promote your complimentary audio CD by including the link to your LinkedIn account.
4. When they visit the landing page they can only obtain your valuable information if they give you their contact information (name, phone and email address) and by agreeing to opt into your database and be contacted by your law firm for further follow-up.
5. Use their contact information to follow up with them either by letter (good), an email (better), or a phone call (best). When you connect with them you qualify them to see if they are a good prospect for you and then offer them a complimentary consultation, if that's part of your business model.
Here at The Rainmaker Institute, we have successfully used this exact process with attorneys across the country for over 3 years. During this time we have generated thousands of qualified leads, for our company directly from our social media efforts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter!
In fact, if you would like to see a few of our landing pages and get one of our free marketing reports, click on the links below:
"How To Use Blogs As A Secret Weapon In Your Online Arsenal"
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New Jersey Attorneys: Learn The 5 Rules of Internet Marketing at Oct. 20 Seminar
Rainmaker Institute CEO Stephen Fairley will be presenting two seminars on October 20 on The 5 Rules of Internet Marketing for Attorneys: How to Ethically Use Your Website and Blog to Generate High Quality Leads for Your Law Firm.
Sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Camden County Bar Association, each seminar will focus on how top attorneys are using the Internet, their websites and blogs to find more and better clients for their law firms. Stephen will be sharing:
- The 5 rules for Internet marketing for attorneys
- Do's and Don'ts: the intersection of ethics and online marketing
- The 3 keys to getting your website on the front page of Google
- How to set up your website right the first time
- Avoiding common ethical pitfalls with your Internet marketing
- Lead conversion pages: how law firms are converting 10-30% of website visitors into qualified leads
- 3 most important goals of your website & blog
- The "secret weapon" of Internet marketing for lawyers
Attendees will receive 2.4 New Jersey General CLE credits. Here are the details on the two upcoming sessions:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Location: ACUA, 6700 Delilah Rd., Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Cost: $77 for NJSBA members; $97 for non-members
Camden County Bar Association:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Location: Camden County Bar Association, 1040 Kings Highway N., #201, Cherry Hill, NJ
Cost: $77 for NJSBA or Camden County Bar Assn. members; $97 for non-members
To register online for either of these seminars, click here.
Law Firm Marketing: How Social Media Accelerates the Referral Process
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Social media has become a fundamental shift in the way we communicate and find information -- or rather, the way information finds us.
When you consider the overwhelming number of people who are now using social media, the question you should be asking is not, are my prospects, clients, and referral sources using social media? The question you should be asking is, which network are they using most often?
A recent survey by the American Bar Association's Legal Technology Resource Center found that 56% of attorneys are already using a social network! This means for you skeptics out there, if you are not maintaining a presence on at least one social network you are already behind the curve. Of those networks, LinkedIn is the most popular at 83%, Facebook is second with 68% and Plaxo is third with 18%.
However, for attorneys who are looking to connect with consumers (versus business owners), like criminal defense, personal injury, bankruptcy, estate planning, and family law just to name a few, Facebook should be your primary focus because of the sheer number of people that can be found there (over 750 million registered users and growing).
Depending on the demographic of your clientele, you may have more success with one social media platform compared to another -- but it is important that you have a presence on them all. For example: Business oriented attorneys, like business litigation, securities, and intellectual property, should focus more of their efforts on LinkedIn. However, LinkedIn also has the highest number of attorneys who use the network so it's a little more difficult to stand out as compared to Facebook or Twitter.
What many people fail to understand is how people are starting to use social media. Social networks are more and more being used as personal search engines mainly because Google has become too generic and they often don't trust what they find there.
This trend is especially true in the under-30 age group. In fact, many social media experts are starting to point to Facebook as the new Google! Tens of thousands of searches are conducted every day on Facebook for resources and reviews of products, services, and service providers.
As Bob Burg points out in his excellent book, Endless Referrals, all things being equal, people buy from people they know, like and trust. By extension, people trust their personal networks to point them in the right direction more than a generic Google search.
When you think about it, this is common sense. When you are looking for a recommendation, who would you trust more-a Google search or one of your friends who personally vouches for a specific service provider?
This long-time phenomenon of asking your friends and colleagues for a referral has simply gone viral and online. Social networks are quickly multiplying the number of connections a person can ask when seeking a referral to a trusted advisor.
Smart law firms are starting to see the importance of "fishing where the fish are" instead of trying to drag them to their office or by using interruption-based marketing like television ads or billboards.
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FREE REPORT: How to Use Blogs as a Secret Weapon in Your Online Arsenal
One of the secret tools of Internet marketing for attorneys is the power of having a targeted blog. In a new report on the influence of blogs, eMarketer.com found that in 2010, 51% of Internet users in the U.S. (that’s over 91 million people) read blogs, and they project that usage will go to 60% (150 million) in the next four years!
Still think blogs are a fad?
Here’s what you’ll discover when you read this report:
- Why you must have a blog in order to stay relevant
- 3 keys to successful blogging
- 7 Guidelines for achieving ROI
- Your 3 choices for managing your blog and social media efforts
- And much more!
Click here to order your free report now!
