Grow My Law Firm

Building your brand 140 characters at a time

At the risk of sounding like a broken record... your brand isn't your logo and stationery, although they are elements of it. Your brand is the feeling that people have when they see your logo, hear your name, or are reminded of your product or service in any way. Your brand is completely about the emotion evoked.

Twitter is one of the most powerful branding tools available these days. Are you building your brand on Twitter? Is it possible to build a brand in 140 character bursts?

Case in point: Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh is on Twitter. Now let's face facts, the man sells shoes. What's so exciting about that? He tweets about his day. He tweets about meetings he has. He tweets when he is interviewed by the press. He tweets about making green tea, and what he had for dinner. He tweets when he sees a movie. What's so exciting about that? Individually, maybe nothing, but all together, they gave his followers...all 27,615 (as of now) of them, insight into Tony, the person.

I'm one of those followers, and when I read regular stuff about a regular guy who is excited about Christmas and spending time with friends, I think, "He's okay." Then I read the impressive stuff that he's doing with is company, and I am inclined to check out his website and maybe do a little shopping.

Reading Tony's tweets puts a human face on a company that I wasn't really curious about before. Now Zappos is on my radar, and my feeling about it is positive. "Hey, that's Tony's company." That's branding.

I know what you're thinking, "What can Twitter do for me? Is it worth my time? How can I learn it?" The truth is that it can be whatever you want it to be. Everyone in the Twitterverse is learning at the same time. There are no experts. There is no rulebook. If someone abuses your personal ethics, unfollowing them is as easy as clicking a button. Poof, they can't assault you anymore.

Twitter is a unique marketing mechanism in the fact that it is 100% permission based. Think about the potential of always speaking to an audience that signed up to listen to what you have to say, and always welcomes it. What company would argue that they don't want a 100% opt-in prospect list?

Companies are also reinforcing their brands by doing damage control on Twitter. Consider the importance of the job that head of social media at Ford Motor Company, Scott Monty has. I have the utmost respect for someone who embraces the challenge of rebranding one of "The Big 3." The automotive industry's reputation is so tarnished that I applaud Scott's efforts. He uses Twitter to educate followers about new features and industry news. He politely clarifies misconceptions and always maintains a positive attitude. Whatever Ford is paying him, he's worth more, far more, for the rebranding that he actively pursues daily on the company's behalf.

Finally, what better example could there be than the poster boy, Barack Obama? Some brilliant staffer realized that Twitter was on the verge of exploding, and the campaign embraced it as a marketing tool. I doubt that he was doing this personally, but somebody was posting several times/day about his appearances and speeches. They posted links to live feeds. Throughout the campaign, his followers got an inside, birds-eye view of what he was doing daily. We felt like a member of his team. We felt a spirit of camaraderie. We found each other, and supported each other, and cheered together on one glorious night. Obama's venture into the Twitterverse definitely helped build his brand.

So, if Twitter is good enough for Obama's brand, and Ford and Zappos, is it good enough for you?

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
My LinkedIn Profile
On Twitter

Why throw money out the window with bad ads?

I recently saw an ad in a business publication introducing new attorneys who had joined a law firm. I read like this...

Good for them.
Good for us.
Good for you.

We're proud to announce our continued growth with the following additions to our Firm.
(Let's not even bother griping about the misuse of capitalization of "Firm.")

Attorney #1's name
formerly of (competitive firm)

Attorney #2's name
formerly of (competitive firm)

Attorney #3's name
formerly of (competitive firm)

Attorney #4's name
formerly of (competitive firm)

Attorney #5's name
formerly of (competitive firm)

Name of firm
URL

Cities

That's it. That's the whole ad. There are many problems with this ad.

First off, how can I tell if I could use the services of one of these attorneys when I don't even know what kind of law they practice? Why would I hire one of these lawyers? What do I get? Why them? Good for me? How? Why?

This ad shows no distinction between this firm and all the rest. There is no incentive for me to do business with them. And even if I did want to hire them, there is no contact information, so I would have to go search for it.

This ad seems to be entirely about gratifying egos... egos of the lawyers who get to see their names in print and egos of those in charge at the firm who hired them. Unfortunately, who cares?

What a wasted opportunity and a waste of money. An good introductory ad shows the benefit clients get from hiring someone. Productive ads turn things around from boasting about you, to demonstrating what your clients get, because that's all they care about. They don't pay attention to anything that doesn't benefit them.

And finally, why on earth would a law firm advertise their competitors by listing them in advertising, thereby giving them credibility? This firm may as well have taken out an ad thanking those firms for doing such a wonderful job of training these lawyers.

I'm sure that the point of listing the names is to let clients and prospects know where these lawyers can now be found, but client relationships are typically built with an individual lawyer, not a firm. Clients know who their lawyer is, so what is the point of listing the competitive firms that these lawyers came from?

Unfortunately, I see an awful lot of advertising like this, designed by people who don't understand positioning and the psychology of marketing. The good news though, is that such advertising makes it a lot easier for me to do my job and help my clients market against such companies.

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
My LinkedIn Profile
On Twitter

Top 10 mistakes people make on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is such a wonderful tool to sell yourself to prospects and potential customers, clients and employers. Unfortunately, a lot of people make a lot of mistakes and don't fully utilize LinkedIn to its full potential. Here are the top 10 mistakes that I see people make:

1. Unprofessional photo. LinkedIn is not Facebook. This is not a place where you should have on a baseball cap or be dressed inappropriately for your position. You should be represented exactly as people see you in your day-to-day work environment. If you're a police officer, you should be in uniform, and a banker better be in a suit and tie.
2. Not using a custom URL. You can change your URL where it says Public Profile/edit. Use your name, because this is a public link that you can use in marketing materials. Do this now before somebody else takes it.
3. Incomplete employment history. Your employment history is a powerful tool for people to find you. It is common for people to search employees of companies they worked for in the past to reconnect with old friends and associates. If you're not there, you can't be found as easily.
4. Not listing your specific URLs. Don't be satisfied with the default, "My Company," or "My Blog." By simply dropping down to "Other," you can customize these links to read your company's name. IE, "Grow My Company."
5. Using your company email address as your contact email. Unless you own the company, you should use a personal email address. If you ever leave the company, and no longer have access to that email address, you will lose everything that you've built on LinkedIn.
6. Not adding your LinkedIn profile address to your email signature. You've done all this work, flaunt it. Let everybody you email have easy access to the most complete info they could possibly find about you.
7. No recommendations. This makes people wonder why nobody has recommended you. Let friends, co-workers, clients, and employers sing your praises. These recommendations are extremely valuable insight for anyone considering hiring you for any reason.
8. Incomplete educational information. Like former employment, this is a strategy to be found. People search for people they went to school with. It's an instant bond and common ground.
9. Neglecting your connections. A critical key to your network is a robust and diverse list of connections. LinkedIn is built around establishing connections, so you are of little value to the LinkedIn community as a whole if you don't actively and consistently mine connections. This is not something that just happens. They won't come just because you built it. Work it, work it!
10. Not monitoring the answers component. Answering and asking intelligent questions provides an opportunity of you to raise awareness of yourself.

There are many things that can set you apart on LinkedIn. These are just a few of the more glaring mistakes that I notice on a regular basis.

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
My LinkedIn Profile
On Twitter

What I get out of Twitter

I manage a LinkedIn Group called Linked Western MA, and today someone posted a very interesting question: "Are you using Twitter and, if so, what benefits are you getting from it?"

I thought that my response might interest you too, so here's what I wrote:

I started tweeting at the end of September and quickly became addicted. It is an incredible resource to solve a variety of problems quickly. For example, I was having trouble with a Microsoft Word formatting issue, tweeted about it, and within 5 minutes, 2 people responded offering work-arounds. One of them was @jasonturcotte, who is a super-helpful Western MA guy who wasn't on my radar before Twitter. Problem solved.

I have also established collaborative relationships with several people from all over the world. We share ideas and discuss everything from current events to professional issues.

An additional benefit is that many companies are on Twitter. This is rapidly becoming one of the most efficient means on monitoring chatter about your brand. Comcast has done this very successfully. When someone tweets a complaint, @ComcastCares knows about it and takes appropriate action. Remember those 15-20 minute-long holds on the Comcast help line? Those are a thing of the past for people on Twitter.

Those of us on Twitter hear news almost instantly. We knew about Mumbai an hour before the Associated Press had the story and were reading live reports from people on the ground there. We saw photos of the jet crash last week before you saw them on the news.

We get to know the media and celebrities. A couple of the characters from Heroes tweet. Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow tweet. Shaq tweets. Dave Matthews tweets. Channel 22 and the Republican tweet local news.

In my couple months on Twitter, I have earned a grade of 94 out of 100 by sharing information that a lot of people find interesting, so they follow me. I have also found a new specialty niche in my marketing business - training people how to use social media, including Twitter and LinkedIn. After I published this article about LinkedIn, my phone started ringing: LinkedIn or Left Out. What You're Missing if You're Not Utilizing this Powerful Social-networking Tool.

When you jump on the Twitter bandwagon, please check me out: http://twitter.com/ChristinePilch



by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
My LinkedIn Profile
On Twitter

Earn trust by communicating your passion

A few weeks ago I talked about the importance of listening. That is important because when we listen we learn the issues and concerns of our clients. The key is to listen actively and always.

Speaking (or writing articles like this,) on the other hand is the only way our clients will learn about our expertise in providing solutions to their problems. Even though we may feel comfortable talking directly to clients, getting up in front of a group is not always as easy as it might seem. However, it can be if you learn and practice a few good tips.

There are all levels of speakers – some great – some terrible. If you compare it to teaching, it can be described this way; “A poor teacher describes; a good teacher explains; an excellent teacher demonstrates; a great teacher inspires.”

Regardless of what your presentation may say, what you are really trying to communicate is that this information really matters. It matters enough that you should consider retaining me as your advisor.


Every great presentation motivates

Great presentations are not intellectual; they are spiritual. Yes, spiritual. You’ve got to reach right into peoples’ hearts and souls. Your audience has to feel connected to what you are saying. That’s the secret behind every great teacher, coach, clergy member, politician and leader of every kind. They connect with you on an emotional level and you feel their passion.

Remember, people don’t make decisions or purchases based on intellect, they make their decisions emotionally. They go with what “feels right” to them. You can be the smartest person in your field, but if people don’t connect with you on an emotional level, you won’t have them as clients for very long. When they feel they like you and trust you (emotions,) they really won’t have any reason to go elsewhere for the services you provide. When you understand that every great presentation motivates – you’ll begin looking for new ways to make every presentation great.


The role of eloquence in speaking

Eloquent speakers can be interesting, but don’t necessarily move anyone. This was demonstrated centuries ago by two Greek generals, Aeschines and Demosthenes. As David Ogilvy described in his classic Confessions of an Advertising Man, Aeschines spoke brilliantly - to his detriment. Listeners raved at his eloquence.

In contrast, Demosthenes stumbled over words and even rambled at times. No one marveled at his skill but everyone was moved by his passion.

The listeners admired and applauded Aeschines, but when Demosthenes spoke, they turned to each other and shouted, “We Must March Against Phillip!” When a speaker shows passion we too are moved. Don’t try to impress them; move them.


The leading role is always a speaking part

Speaking is a sign and obligation of leadership. True leaders acquire it and share it. Eventually, your career path will arrive at the intersection of “Speak” and “Don’t Speak.” Speak is not the path of least resistance but it heads towards much greater things than “Don’t Speak.” There is no better way to demonstrate who you are and what you stand for (Your Brand) than to get out and start speaking in front of groups. No matter when you start, you’re going to go through a learning process to find the best ways to communicate an inspiring message. It will take 7 to 10 presentations to really start getting comfortable and find your comfort zone.


When will now be the best time to begin?

One easy way to begin is to check out your local Toastmasters Club. Go here and enter your zip code to find all the clubs in your area and how to contact them. http://www.toastmasters.org/websiteApps/  The comforting part about Toastmasters is that everyone there is there for the same main reason – to become better speakers and leaders. You have the ability to fail as many times as you need because everyone is there to practice, try new things, and get immediate, honest feedback.I belong to Toastmasters, and I continue to learn and grow. One of the best things I’ve learned is how to give an excellent 30 minute speech - speak for twenty-two minutes.


by: Dennis Kunkler
Dennis@GrowMyCo.com

Dennis has been a Toastmaster for about six years and holds the designations of Competent Leader and Advanced Communicator - Silver. He has also held several senior leadership positions within the organization.

Branding from the inside out - the importance of consistency

Your brand is precious, and it should be voraciously protected. But what happens when your own staff and employees give out conflicting brand messages? How can you get everyone on the same page and delivering the same messages to prospects and clients?

Getting all your internal resources on the same brand page starts with going back to your position statement. Does everyone in your organization understand who your target customers are, what they get from your company, and why your company is the best source for those customers to obtain their professional services? Does everyone clearly and succinctly deliver a consistent brand message? Is the information that prospects and clients receive the same every time?

The onus of brand enforcement ultimately lies with you, the business owner. Either you accept the responsibility of "brand cop," or you delegate it to someone within your organization. One of the most important functions of your brand cop is the training of all staff. Even if every new employee is handed a copy of your position statement upon hire, it is unreasonable to expect them to automatically understand and assimilate it into their daily actions.

All staff should be trained and fully understand your position in the market, why your company is unique, what value you bring to your service, and how your clients expect and deserve to be treated in every interaction. Remember that your brand is the way people feel about your service and company. If they have a certain expectation, and that expectation is not met, your brand becomes a lie and you lose their trust.

It's a good idea to have regular followup refresher training to make sure that everybody remains on the same page as well. Perhaps an annual meeting would suffice.



by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
My LinkedIn Profile
On Twitter

Are you flushing money down the drain?

It never ceases to amaze me how much money is wasted on ill-advised business decisions. As an professional, are you not amazed at the vast number of people who make important decisions without the advice and counsel of a knowledgeable practitioner?

Imagine all the wasted money...

As much as I have an aversion to being the bearer of bad news, wasting money is exactly what many service professionals do every time they approve of any advertising or promotional printing without first asking the right questions. Yes, as conservative as you may be, you too could be guilty of flushing money down the tube.

To put an end to this money dump you can begin by asking one simple question, “Why?”

Why am I spending this money - what is it going to do for me - and how do I know that?  Could I spend the same money somewhere else and get better results? Why do I really need a thousand, twenty-nine-cent pens with my name on them? Why am I spending hundreds of dollars placing an ad in the local paper? Why would anyone read it, immediately pick up the phone and call me?

But wait! There are even better questions to ask.

Since there are only 3 ways to grow a business,

1. Get more clients
   
   
2. Charge more per client
   
   
3. Get more repeat business

The real question should be, “Which one of these areas does any of my expenditures address?”

Always remember, if you increase any one of these areas you can grow your business fractionally. And if you increase all three areas you will increase your business exponentially!

Ads can work to get more clients, up-sell current ones or bring them back more often, but they have to be well-planned and have a specific purpose. They also have to attract the right audience with the right message and be in the right place at the right time.

Effective ads have to be credible and portray your firm with a well-thought-out, intentional image. Your prospects have to unconsciously understand the answers to three questions before they continue to have any interest in your advertisement. Does the person writing and designing your ads know this?

The viewer of the medium in which you spent your hard-earned money, determines in milliseconds whether to notice your ad, begin reading it, evaluate whether it is of any value to them and decide what, if any, action to take. Do you have the advice and counsel of a knowledgeable marketing practitioner who knows this?

To add confusion to an already complicated attraction process, some ads simply attract your attention but are of no intrinsic value. They may be interesting or entertaining on some level but don’t make people interested in purchasing what they are pitching. Your brain quickly determines:

• Who is the ad speaking to? - Is this ad of any interest to me?
  
  
• Quick, what do I get? - If I don’t immediately understand how I will benefit, I’m out of here - you lost me.
  
  
• Why should I buy it from you? - Is there some compelling reason that you are the best resource for this product or service?

Do you try to save a few bucks by creating your own marketing plans and advertising materials? Do you look for someone that will do it for the least amount of money? Do you get it for free from the publication?

If you’re still imagining all the money that is wasted on ill-advised business decisions by the vast number of people who make important decisions without the advice and counsel of a knowledgeable practitioner – think about the multiplying effects of any money spent when working with a talented and knowledgeable marketing advisor.

Drop us a line, we happen to personally know of two extremely talented marketing advisors that come “two-for-the-price-of-one.” And we can promise you this - we would never allow you to flush money down the drain again.

by: Dennis Kunkler
Dennis@GrowMyCo.com

13 reasons to continue marketing in a recession

Finally, yesterday it was announced that America is officially in a recession and has been for a year. After we all cried a collective, "Duh!" it is time to ponder, has anything really changed for you personally since that news struck? Are you in better or worse shape today than you were yesterday?

For most service business owners, the news didn't really change anything. However, this might be a good time to consider how best to retain the business you have and perhaps even grow. I can tell you with absolute certainty that one of the quickest ways to lose business is to stop reminding people about your services. Stop marketing, and you will fade away.

Why should you keep marketing during the recession?

1. To retain market share
2. Because your competitors will probably slow down or stop
3. To remind your clients that you're there
4. To educate prospects about how you can help them
5. To demonstrate stability
6. To prove your expertise
7. To maintain a positive public demeanor
8. To demonstrate your value
9. To offer free industry tips
10. To touch inactive clients who may have upcoming needs
11. Because incredible deals on media time and space can be negotiated now
12. To solidify your market position
13. To make your clients feel appreciated

One final parting thought, since this blog is about positioning and branding, it is important to stress that your marketing messages must be on-target, to the right people, and about something that they want. Remember that they don't care about you and what you have to offer.

To be successful, your marketing messages have to be about what your clients and prospects get. Don't talk about quality, value or service and expect that to be a successful campaign. Find your niche, differentiate yourself, and create messages that appeal to a specific audience.

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
My LinkedIn Profile
On Twitter