Law Firm Marketing: Using Video to Move the Masses
Remember when you were in school and how happy it made you to show up for a class and find out the teacher was going to show a movie? I hope you recapture that feeling today, thanks to this little gem created by the Consumer Attorneys of California (kudos to the Gillin Jacobson Ellis & Larsen blog where I first saw it):
4 Tips to Generate Clients and Referrals Through Speaking and Seminars
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A very powerful law firm marketing strategy to generate more clients is to hold educational seminars or speak at events. Here are some tips to help ensure that the time you commit to this endeavor pays off for you in terms of new clients and/or referrals.
Tip #1: Always Speak to Decision Makers
Make sure you get in front of the right group (people who either can refer you clients or who are highly likely to need, want and be able to afford your services) by asking about:
- What is the average attendance?
- What is your average attendee like? Their job title? Description? Age? Decision maker?
- What percentage of your usual attendees are decision makers?
- What kinds of topics have had the best turnout?
- Who has recently spoken to your group and what did they speak about?
Tip #2: Educate Your Audience
Make your talk educational. Don’t stand up there and spout legal jargon and legal theory or sections and codes because that’s not what people want. They want practical, useful information.
You may say, “Well, I don’t want to give away the store. I don’t want to give them so much information that they can do it themselves.” Please understand, if you could give them enough information where they could do it themselves, the people who actually would do it for themselves are not your clients.
You want to target the people who have the money to hire an attorney and don’t want to do it for themselves. You don’t want to hire tire kickers or “do it yourselfers” because all they’re going to do is try to get your lowest price. I actually follow the opposite principle. I purposefully try to overwhelm my audience with practical, useful information when I give a seminar on law firm marketing. Why? Because I want them to walk out of the room with so many great ideas that they don’t know where to start so they will turn to me and hire my company to implement the law firm marketing plan for them.
You must recognize that not everyone in the audience is in your target market and you need to qualify them as much as they qualify you. You need to ensure that they need you, they want you and they can afford you. If you don’t want to attract “Yellow Page Clients” then don’t charge Yellow Page prices.
Tip # 3: Get Attendees' Contact Information
Have a plan for obtaining the attendees’ contact information both before and after your presentation. You want to get it before so that you can get ready to follow-up with them, but also after your presentation just in case somebody shows up at the door. If you can’t get the contact information from the conference organizer, do a giveaway for a prize and have them pass their business cards to the front or have them email you their contact information to get a free copy of the handout or PowerPoint slides.
Tip # 4: The Fortune is in the Follow-up
The number one reason why lawyers don’t get results is because they don’t have a written follow-up system. You must develop a follow up strategy before the talk.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say your follow-up strategy is a series of emails, phone calls and maybe a letter or postcard. Your follow-up system would include 4 emails, 3 phone calls and 1 letter.
Email #1 would be sent within 24 hours post-seminar. It would be a thank you email with an offer for a free consultation, special report or audio CD. Phone Call #1 would be made by your staff and would be made within 24 hours post-seminar. The call would be to thank them for attending and make the same free offer that’s made in the email. Your letter would be sent out the next day (they should receive it within 3 days if they are local.) and the letter would repeat what you have written in the email. All of this would happen in the first 24 hours after the seminar.
Some of you will question if that’s too aggressive. It’s not. It demonstrates a high level of professionalism and commitment to your attendees. We give dozens of law firm marketing seminars every year and this works.
Email #2 is sent 3 to 5 days after the event. Remind them about the seminar they attended and invite them to sign-up for a consultation for your newsletter. Email #3 might offer a brief tip about the topic you spoke about: top 10 tips or recommended resources, etc. Every person should be contacted by at least three phone calls before you stop trying to reach them. Every attendee should receive at least 5-7 emails and 1-2 letters from your law firm.
If you follow this script, you will attract both new clients and referrals from an audience that has been impressed by your knowledge, how you articulate it and the thoroughness of your follow-through. You’ll be the attorney they want to do business with, I promise.
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Phoenix Attorneys: Learn About Social Media at July 21 Legal Networking Group
Join us on Wednesday, July 21, when Stephen will address a meeting of the Phoenix Legal Networking Group on Unlocking the Secrets of Social Media for Lawyers: Facebook and Twitter.
You will learn:
- Why Facebook is the 800 pound gorilla on the Internet
- Who is using Facebook (this will surprise you)
- What kind of practice areas are getting clients from Facebook
- How to get started fast
- Why Twitter is growing so fast
- How to leverage Twitter to drive traffic to your blog or website
- Top tips for using social media in your legal marketing strategy
The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21 at Monti’s, 100 S. Mill Ave. in Tempe. Cost is only $20 per person.
To register for this seminar, co-hosted by FindLaw, Attorney at Law Magazine and The Rainmaker Institute, click here.
Legal Marketing: Florida Bar's Proposed Online Ad Rules Bar Free Speech
That rumble you hear in Florida is not a typical summer thunderstorm, but a storm of protest from Florida attorneys regarding the Florida Bar’s proposed new online ad rules.
If you’re not aware: the new rules would ban online testimonials, summaries of case results and what the Bar terms “deceptive, misleading, manipulative or confusing” audio or visual content. In addition, consumers visiting a Florida attorney’s website would have to click through a series of disclaimers to even get to the site.
Many Florida attorneys think that these latest rules proposed by the Florida Bar are a violation of their First Amendment right to free speech. Florida-based First Amendment attorneys are organizing a loose coalition of some of the state’s largest firms, who received a recent extension from the Florida Supreme Court in which to submit commentary on the proposed ad rules.
First, let me say that I have an axe to grind and I recognize I'm not entirely neutral in this area because it directly impacts my business, which is teaching attorneys effective ways to market their law firms and in many cases actually providing outsourced marketing services to small law firms. These services often include lead generation and conversion from referrals and Internet marketing efforts.
Now that we have my biases out of the way, here's my take on these proposed Florida law firm marketing rules:
1. These rules are overly restrictive on lawyers and may run afoul of First Amendment rights.
While I'm not an attorney nor am I an ethics expert, on the face of it these rules seem to go beyond the point of being ridiculous! I thought it was rather sad to see the ACLU completely back off once they were granted an exemption. Aren't they supposed to be the champions of free speech for everyone—even to the point of protecting hate speech?
While I have disagreed with various stands the ACLU has taken in the past, I would wholeheartedly get behind them to force the Florida Bar to back down.
As a side note, I could be mistaken on this point, but if I understand it correctly, the Florida Bar does not actually set new advertising rules for attorneys. Instead it is the Florida State Supreme Court. If you know differently, please let me know.
2. They completely ignore the realities of Internet marketing and using websites and blogs to generate more business and new leads.
At one point, the Florida Bar required a law firm to have every change to their website reviewed and approved by the bar. These changes had to be submitted in writing along with a $50 fee per change. Then to go even further, they came out and said a blog is essentially a website. Imagine having to pay your bar association $50 and wait 2-4 weeks before you can post to your blog. Seriously, what were they thinking?!? They finally backed off that one.
It's going to be a little dicey if all Florida lawyers are suddenly “required” to use a 3-point disclaimer on every post they place on Twitter or Facebook.
3. These rules do not take into account the hyper-competitive nature of the legal industry due to the concentration of lawyers.
I came across an article recently that estimated Florida will soon overtake New York as home to the 2nd largest number of attorneys of any state in the U.S., second only to California, which has about 213, 000 attorneys. Yes, I realize that hyper-competition is not a great reason to be lax on ethical rules and regulations, but commonsense should tell you that with the down economy, the job loss in the legal industry, and the increase in competition will drive some lawyers to cross the line by taking cases they are not competent to handle or overcharging clients trying to make ends meet. I not making excuses for this kind of behavior, but someone with a clear mind must realize there are always unintended consequences of actions like this.
4. These rules do absolutely nothing to “protect the consumer” or the general public.
Is there a growing body of people in Florida we don’t know about who are complaining that “all these legal websites are confusing and misleading”? If so, I'd like to know who they are. Perhaps they are the same ones in Broward County who couldn’t figure out how to punch the ballot hard enough to remove the chad?
All these rules seem to do is make it harder for small law firms to aggressively compete on the Internet. Let's face it; most large law firms do not really even try to generate new leads from their websites. The majority of them are simply “brochure” sites. They look pretty, but are completely ineffective for doing anything other than credibility building.
This is absolutely not the case for small firms! Many of them are completely dependant on their websites for lead generation, especially in the area of consumer law (personal injury, bankruptcy, family law, criminal law, and estate planning to some extent).
5. Florida already has the most restrictive legal marketing rules and regulations of any state and yet they want to make them even more limiting?
It's almost taking law firm marketing back to the Stone Age—or at least pre Bates v State Bar of Arizona (1977). State bars have long shown a tendency to over regulate law firm marketing. The line should be clear—do not put anything out there using any marketing format that is misleading, false or makes promises you cannot keep.
6. Why do they selectively focus on the Internet rather than the more pervasive abuses that take place everyday on attorney television ads?
I have a client in a major Florida city who emphatically states that virtually every single ad one of the major personal injury law firms puts on television violates long-standing ethics rules, yet nothing is done to that law firm. You may relegate this to professional jealousy, but I can assure you I have seen many of those ads and they absolutely run afoul of the current Florida rules.
Certainly, the Bar should be more concerned about TV ads, where people who aren't even looking for an attorney or legal representation are forced to watch them (unless they have a DVR). The only way a person surfing the Internet will come across a lawyer’s website is if they clicked on a link from Google or a legal directory or a paid ad that led them there. It's not as if they were reading an article on CNN.com or Sports Illustrated and BAM—there's a law firm marketing ad! Come on, people!
7. If these Stone Age rules actually take place, it may greatly increase the importance of fully utilizing social media and attorney rating sites like Avvo.com and Yelp.com.
Many attorneys don’t realize that since Avvo.com, Yelp.com and Yellowpages.com (along with other review sites) are 3rd party sites not owned or controlled by a Florida law firm that they are exempt from the Florida bar rules. Therefore, attorneys can and should actively seek to encourage clients to write and submit testimonials on Avvo.com, Yelp.com and other online legal directories.
Even the Federal Trade Commission doesn't agree with the Bar’s proposed restrictions on not allowing any kind of client testimonials. In their response to the Bar, the FCC stated client testimonials “can convey valuable information to consumers and help spur consumers.”
My hope is that law firms will line up to file suit to get these rules thrown out! Easier said than done, but kudos to the first law firm that does so. Please let me know who it is so I can profile them on this blog.
What are your thoughts on these proposed rules? Any Florida attorneys out there?
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Phoenix Attorneys: Learn About Social Media at July 21 Legal Networking Group
Join us on Wednesday, July 21, when Stephen will address a meeting of the Phoenix Legal Networking Group on Unlocking the Secrets of Social Media for Lawyers: Facebook and Twitter.
You will learn:
- Why Facebook is the 800 pound gorilla on the Internet
- Who is using Facebook (this will surprise you)
- What kind of practice areas are getting clients from Facebook
- How to get started fast
- Why Twitter is growing so fast
- How to leverage Twitter to drive traffic to your blog or website
- Top tips for using social media in your legal marketing strategy
The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21 at Monti’s, 100 S. Mill Ave. in Tempe. Cost is only $20 per person.
To register for this seminar, co-hosted by FindLaw, Attorney at Law Magazine and The Rainmaker Institute, click here.
Law Firm Marketing: Using Video to See (Results) & Be Seen
If you believe the latest Internet statistics regarding online video viewership, you might think that most Americans are spending a very big portion of their day watching videos on their computers.
And you may be right.
According to comScore Video Metrix data, 178 million U.S. Internet users watched 30.3 Billion online videos in April.
You read that right. Over 30 Billion video views in one month.
For 178 million viewers, that averages out to 171 videos per viewer in April. Or an average of almost six per day.
So are you using video on your website or in your blog? If not, why not?
Video is hot, hot, hot! People are watching more videos online than ever before (see above). It’s easy to get started with a Flip video camera, or by hiring a local high school or community college film student to shoot and edit your video.
It’s more about content than quality these days when it comes to online video. Use education-based marketing to draw prospects in and entice them to connect with you.
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Law firm marketing ideas flowed at Los Angeles Rainmaker Retreat
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Last weekend a group of attorneys eager to take their legal marketing strategies to the next level gathered in Los Angeles for our Rainmaker Retreat.
The interest and spirits were high and the ideas flowed hot and heavy during the discussion sessions. From the testimonials we received from the participants, the information was exactly what they needed and were looking for.
Listen to the words of those who were with us in Los Angles:
“I haven’t been this excited in a long time to go to work and implement the knowledge I received today. The Rainmaker Retreat has given me more tools in 2 days than I could have imagined.” - Leatrice Kitchell
“Fantastic seminar! The presentation materials and subject matter are all obviously top quality and incredibly valuable. I feel like I got the secret keys to the kingdom.” - Mark Peacock, Solo Practitioner
“I used to think the only way you became a Rainmaker was to become old, get lucky, or become a member of an old boys’ network. Stephen has taught me to think, plan and execute to become a Rainmaker.” - Amman Khan, Partner
“Amazing program. So much information. Fantastic job.” - Ed Susolik, Partner
As you can see, those who attend a Rainmaker Retreat are not only pleased with the information they receive, they are also eager to put it to use in their law firm marketing plans. If you haven’t attended one of our Rainmaker Retreats, here is our upcoming summer schedule:
- Scottsdale, AZ, May 21&22
- San Francisco, June 18 &19
- Las Vegas, July 16 & 17
- Los Angeles, July 30 &31
Your law firm marketing plans will benefit greatly from joining us at a Rainmaker Retreat. Just click on the location of your choice and register today.
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Unsure about attending a Rainmaker Retreat?
If you are still unsure about attending a Rainmaker Retreat, sign up for one of our complimentary teleseminars. These free one hour calls give you valuable law firm marketing and business tips that you can implement in your law practice right now. Don’t miss this opportunity to preview something that can revolutionize your law practice!
Marketing For Lawyers - Mistakes Attorneys Make--and How to Avoid Them, Mistake #3
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MARKETING MISTAKE 3:
USING PASSIVE MARKETING VERSUS ACTIVE MARKETING
One of the mistakes I talk about in my book, Practice Made Perfect for Lawyers, is using passive versus active marketing strategies in Law Firm Marketing.
Passive marketing is when you wait for your prospective clients to come to you—like placing an advertisement in the newspaper or waiting for a referral to walk in the door.
Active marketing is when you go out and find those prospective clients—like giving a presentation or formal networking.
PASSIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES may include: Sending out direct mail letters, postcards, or flyers announcing my company, new services, or law firm websites. Researching area associations I can speak to. Refining my Unique Competitive Advantage. (UCA). Waiting for referrals to come in. Writing or reworking the firm’s brochure.
ACTIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES may include: Making a follow-up call to everyone I sent the direct mail pieces to until I reach them and ask them to attend or sign up. Calling a list of ten organizations a month and inquiring about speaking opportunities. Sharing my UCA with potential referral sources in a 1-1, face-to-face setting. Conducting a phone survey of leading experts in my target markets industry and interviewing them on a specific topic. Handing the brochure out to hot prospects I meet at a networking event and following up with them via phone & email within 24 hours.
What's wrong with using Passive Marketing Strategies in your law firm marketing plan?
There is nothing wrong with using Passive Marketing Strategies. Passive Strategies are not necessarily better than Active Strategies; however, as a law firm marketing consultant here are two common problems I frequently encounter with the attorneys I coach and offer legal marketing services to:
1. First, attorneys have a much greater tendency to use passive rather than active strategies. As I said, one is not better than the other. The key to success is using a powerful combination of both.
Take a look at your 12-month law firm marketing plans and ask yourself, does it contain a balance between the passive and active strategies or am I favoring one or the other?
2. Passive strategies tend to take a lot longer to produce results—which is fine if you have lots of time to make money and generate revenues, but if you're hurting for cash flow right now or want to quickly ramp up your revenues, you really need to use Active Marketing Strategies more frequently.
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