Grow My Law Firm

Cross-promoting your content: working smarter instead of harder

My clients would probably tell you that I'm a bit of a broken record when it comes to re-purposing content. I'm always saying things like, "Cut some blog posts out of that article," or, "Let me see where else I can get that published for you." To me, re-utilizing content is working smart.

If you've done the work and created a great piece, why not post it everywhere you can and repackage it for cross-promotion? If you've retained the copyright on your work, there is nothing stopping you from having the piece republished within another venue, chopping it up for multiple blog posts, and producing a video about the topic.

But don't stop there. Publish a link to your work on your Facebook Page and personal profile, on your LinkedIn profile, on Twitter, and within appropriate LinkedIn groups. Upload your presentations to SlideShare and LinkedIn, and upload your videos to YouTube and LinkedIn. If you find all of this too cumbersome, utilize a free, multi-platform posting tool, like Shareaholic, TweetDeck or Hootsuite, where you can post to multiple destinations with a single action. But be careful though, as it is not necessarily appropriate to post all content everywhere.

I also caution you to carefully consider using article farm sites, as I'm reading lately that these sites actually work against your search rank because links from them are considered bad.

So, the next time you create a great piece of content, add it to your blog or website, and then make sure you spread it around the web. Over the following few days, carefully review the statistics of where your inbound traffic is coming from. The results just might surprise you.

- Christine Pilch

Photo credit: Mac Users Guide

How to buy TV advertising, and what all those sales promo numbers really mean

If you want the skinny on buying TV advertising, here's a crash course from someone who sold and bought a lot of TV advertising over my career. I sold advertising for the local ABC affiliate for several years back in the 90s, and then I spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars annually while acting in my capacity as marketing director for an employer, as well as overseeing media purchases on behalf of many clients within my own business. I've seen all the tricks and tactics to make you spend your money with a particular station.

Stations seem to have finally realized that an average business owner doesn't understand technical numbers like ratings points. They understand plain English numbers in the thousands, so the marketing pieces I'm seeing lately reflects this. Ratings are more technical. Although they're not hard to grasp, the average business owner isn't expected to understand them. Agencies generally buy on ratings and subsequently use these projections/promises of delivery to make sure they receive what they paid for. If you're interested in the definition please check the glossary below. But for now, let's discuss common TV sales tactics.

Household numbers: One of the most common tricks to make poor ratings numbers look better is to use households numbers instead of popular buying demos, like adults 25-54. Think about your clients. It is unlikely that reaching a large number of households would be helpful to you. Household numbers includes people of all ages, from newborn to elderly, people in all income brackets, people living in apartments, etc. If you've done your positioning work, you know exactly who buys your services. They are the only people you should be targeting with your advertising dollars. If a station is using household numbers in its promotional pieces, your clients are likely not watching its programming.

Packages: TV sales people love to sell packages that include a couple spots in key, effective areas and lots of spots at times where there is very little viewership. They try to fool you into thinking you're getting a great deal because of the frequency with which your ad runs. Again, think of your positioning. Are your key prospects watching TV at 3AM, 10:30AM, or 2:30PM? Are they watching during the daytime on the weekends? Probably not. Your target prospects are probably listening to news as they get ready for work in the morning and make dinner in the evening, however, so a $1,500 package that includes just 2 or 3 news spots and many spots in other areas may be a waste of your money.

Commissions: Sales people are paid on commission, so it's to their advantage to convince you to spend as much of your budget with them as possible. Many media sales people are honest and will try to find a good fit to advertise your service on their station. Some are not. The best insurance you have is your position statement. Don't buy an area that doesn't have a lot of viewers who are likely to buy your services. Ask for cost per thousand numbers of your chosen demos when looking at proposals, so you can evaluate bang for your buck among areas. Don't waste your money.

Glossary:

Ratings point: One ratings point is 1 percent of all TVs in a market whether on or off. 

Share: A share is a percentage of TVs on at the time.

Book: Nielsen puts out ratings books 4 times per year. Some markets are metered, which means that some homes have boxes sitting atop their TVs that record what station the TV is displaying through the day. Most markets are calculated by diary, however. This method relies on people writing down what they watch at any given time. Although this is the most accurate information available about programming popularity, as you can imagine, it is very flawed.

Projection: A projection is a mathematical equation of ratings from a particular book against viewing levels from another book. For example, TV viewership is traditionally up in the winter vs. the summer in New England, so if you're placing an annual buy, you may ask for projections that include numbers based on the latest ratings book adjusted for seasonal viewing levels.

Don't be fooled into buying advertising that won't work. Go back to basics and judge every advertising opportunity against your positioning. Spend your money wisely.

 - Christine Pilch

Photo credit: William Hook

How to antagonize an editor and not be published

I recently received a nice compliment from an editor. He said, "I'm glad you're between me and him." This was in reference to a piece that I tweaked rewrote for a client to prepare it for print. This was appreciated because it saved the editor time. The client had submitted it without my editorial input, and the editor kicked it back as unacceptable. What would have happened if I hadn't been available to jump in?

Are you causing more work for your editor?

Article writing is a terrific way to garner "free" publicity for your company, product, or service. It contributes to your brand by substantiating what people already believe you to be. It raises awareness, and it builds credibility. If you're a service professional, there is perhaps no more efficient way to demonstrate your expertise among a targeted group of prospects.

I have worked with many editors over the course of my career, and I can tell you that one of the quickest ways to antagonize them is to submit material that is not-yet-ready-for-prime-time. Submitted professional pieces should be as close to perfect as possible. It is unacceptable to submit anything with spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Tenses should be consistent and the flow should be smooth.

If writing isn't your forte, I strongly urge you to engage a ghost-writer or editor to review your work before it goes to the publication's editor. A magazine editor's job is to edit what his or her writers contribute, but it's not his or her job to edit the work of contributors. Minimal tweaks are to be expected to match your writing style with that of the publication, but no editor should ever have to retool your entire submission.

Unfortunately, it is often the case that people with poor writing skills don't realize how deficient they are in this capacity. Here's a test. Ask someone to review your work with a red pen in hand before you submit it. If you see a lot of ink, chances are good that your writing is not up to par for submission as a final piece.

One more thing, causing overworked editors extra work by forcing them to edit your material is not a good way to develop and strengthen relationships. In fact, it is disrespectful and rude. Chances are, next time, they won't want anything from you, so you've actually damaged your relationship with them.

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

Are you LinkedIn yet?

Are you LinkedIn yet? No? What are you waiting for?

Social media networking is today's online version of working the room. But it's even easier because it can be done from the comfort of your office or home, in a suit or your favorite jeans. It's about tapping into friends and professional acquaintances and forming a network akin to the famous Kevin Bacon Six Degrees of Separation formula.

With LinkedIn, your connections have connections, and those people also have connections, so three rings of people have access to your profile whenever they are looking for someone with your skills. The connectivity makes it easy for someone to check you out before contacting you, so the referral is already warm.

A word of caution though. A strong LinkedIn bio requires commitment and time to develop. Don't simply list your current job title and expect the phone to ring. Like a polished resume, a detailed LinkedIn profile is essential to putting you best foot forward and creating desire in prospects.

If you're a hiring manager or business owner, LinkedIn is a terrific tool to look for candidates and check up on what your competition is doing from a hiring standpoint. Are they adding staff? Laying off? What is the rate of turnover in certain positions? What is their employee structure?

Asking and answering questions also raises awareness of your expertise. I asked an employment law question that impressed a few attorneys across the country enough that it opened a repeat email dialog with them. One became a connection of mine. I would never have met this San Francisco attorney if not for LinkedIn. Now we are both aware of each other's prospective value.

Within 6 weeks of launching my own LinkedIn profile, a new prospect found me through one of my connections, and she is now a client. It works. Give it a try. And let me know if you need help with your profile.


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

A depressed economy is the perfect time to make a deal

Many businesses are watching profits dwindle while expenses continue to grow. There is, however, a bright spot on the horizon for those who make a commitment to continuing to spend money on advertising. There are incredible deals to be had if you're not afraid to bargain.

Keep in mind that the economy is an equal opportunity oppressor, so your local media are likely as strapped and scared as you are about the future. I am hearing from my media contacts that T&E budgets have dried up, and there is lots of space that can be had on the cheap.

It's time to sit down across the table from your media reps one by one and negotiate. They have excess time and space, so you can make an offer to fill that at a discounted rate. If you have a current buy in place, and they won't budge on the rate, it is a reasonable alternative to request upgrades. Ask if your morning news spot can run in evening news. Request that an evening news spot run in prime. Ask for upgraded placement of print ads too. How about spot color for the black and white price? Remember that you're now the loyal client who hasn't deserted them when times were tough. This is relationship-building time.

I had lunch with the General Sales Manager of a local TV affiliate last week. I didn't have any new business to spin her way, and I didn't want her to use any of her dwindling T&E budget, so we agreed to split the check as friends. We enjoyed each other's company, caught up, and strengthened our relationship. It was an investment in the future.

There are fantastic advertising deals available now if you're willing to continue to invest in your marketing. Remember however, that a me-me-me message without any client benefit and value-added will simply waste your money. Go back to your positioning and invest wisely.


by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com

Recession marketing – your online reputation is more important than ever

I recently stumbled upon a very good article about marketing during a recession. It was published in eMarketing and Commerce magazine, but the principles are so sound that they relate to service professionals as well.

The first several points the author makes regard consumer behavior. In a nutshell, when gas gets more expensive, people stay home more and do their homework upfront before shopping for anything. This includes professional services.

Since your online presence is more important than ever, what is your online brand? What impression do people get when they Google you? Are you portrayed in a positive and professional fashion? Are your online bios sufficiently packed with information so that prospects get a feel for who you are before they call?

Take a look at your website bio, blog bio and LinkedIn profile. Are they complete? When a prospect compares yours with a competitor's, is one full of helpful information and the other sadly lacking anything but bare minimum facts and obviously not important to the author? What message does that send to a prospect?

Can any service professional afford to drop their guard and allow a competitor to get an appointment because their online brand is stronger?


by: Christine Pilch

Your 2009 law firm marketing budget – what to keep and where to cut

Early fall is the typical time when most law firms start working on their budgets for the next year. Your firm likely does so as well. Although it’s not likely that you’re going to increase your marketing budget for next year, have you given any thought yet to whether you’re going to level-fund or reduce it?

Whatever decision you make, it’s best to start with the big number and work backwards. Following is a basic list of areas that are typically funded:

• Professional association fees & dues
• Memberships
• Sponsorships & donations
• Directories
• Sales promotional collateral
• Promotional activities
• Client & referral source entertainment
• Memorial gifts
• Client and referral gifts
• Promotional specialties (logo giveaway items)
• Advertising
• Internet

In my experience, one of the biggest chunks of firm marketing budgets is sponsorships and donations. I’m referring to such expenses as golf tees, ads in the programs for charitable events, charitable capital find contributions, and the like. These aren’t actually advertising, because they really don’t have the potential to bring in business, but they have to be done because of a relationship with a vendor or referral source who asked.

It is likely that the sponsorships and donations column of your marketing budget has become very inflated over recent years when things were better. Now may be a good time to reduce that number. Try slashing it by 1/3, and determine what really needs to be spent and what you can really let slide without a detrimental affect on your practice. It won’t be easy saying no next year to some causes that expect your continued support, but the truth is that these people are also facing cuts in their own budgets. They won’t like it, but they will understand.

Another big chunk is likely directories, which include Martindale. I recommend eliminating everything except Martindale and any top-notch practice area-specific sites that send you business. Don’t waste your time or money on any of the transient sites that pop up regularly. Read the blog post here for more information about that.

I do recommend scaling back your Martindale listing as much as possible to save money, but you really do need to be there if you value your Google ranking. Martindale has a partnership with Google that displays Martindale member listings at the top of location-specific legal searches. There is no more efficient way to stay on top of Google than by buying a Martindale listing. You just can’t compete against that partnership. You can read more about the Martindale/Google partnership here.

Your entertainment budget is also likely to be a significant chunk if your practice depends upon social networking. You can scale this back however by buying a half season of baseball tickets, inviting clients to lunches instead of dinners and resisting the urge to buy the whole bar a round of drinks.

Your advertising column should already be one of the leanest in your budget, as actual physical ads in magazines and the like are one of the least effective legal marketing tactics that you can use. If this is as lean as I expect it is, there won’t be much room to cut here.

Your internet marketing column is likely to be where you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck. This includes your website, blog, any web-based social networking associated costs and search engine keyword buys. If you’re properly utilizing these tactics, the pay-off should be so significant that you wouldn’t dream of reducing spending here. If you’re not seeing a return, we need to talk. CPilch@GrowMyLawFirm.com

Your gifts column may be reduced by scaling back the dollar amounts on each gift. It is possible to find items with high perceived value that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Your memorial contributions may also be scaled back to an amount that is acceptable coming from your firm.

Your promotional items inventory can be scaled back by choosing less expensive give-away items. I’m always amazed how many law firms spend unnecessary money on expensive and redundant items that they received as samples in the mail rather than working with a good promotional specialties representative who knows all the best sources for the items that your clients perceived to have long-term value. You can read more about this here.

And last, but not least, regarding sales promotional materials, I must ask, “Do you really need that brochure of yours?” If you’re mostly giving it to people in the office, that’s a pretty big waste of money. They’re already clients and don’t need to be sold. It’s entirely possible that you can almost eliminate this column in your budget. Copies of your published articles are much more effective in establishing your credibility, and they only cost ink or toner and good quality stock to print them in the office.

I recommend the above cost-cutting strategies even if your law firm is level-finding your 2009 marketing budget. I would then take the saved funds and reinvest them back into your internet budget in a new website or enhancements to your current one. It is likely that your website is 5 or more years old and looks dated. A fresh new look can significantly enhance a potential client’s perception, and enhancements to a user interface can make posting fresh content a breeze for someone who doesn’t want to learn complicated web design software.

I’ve hit upon the basics above, but each firm is different. Only you can make judgments about what is best for your firm. Good luck.

by: Christine Pilch

The importance of submitting well-written articles for publishing

I recently had lunch with an old friend who happens to be the editor of a business publication. He wasn’t in a very good mood because he had spent his morning editing rewriting articles that were submitted by guest authors.

He didn’t try to hide his frustration. The submitted work was full of punctuation and grammatical errors. He fixed tense and voice shifts within paragraphs and even sentences. He dealt with off-topic ramblings and poorly constructed arguments.

I asked, “Why would anybody submit something that was substandard?” He responded that it is common for him to have to do this for many people’s work. They mustn’t know that they are poor writers.

I have ghost written and edited hundreds of articles for clients, and my friend is right, much of what is submitted to me from lawyers as a final draft isn’t anywhere near acceptable. But when it goes to a publication, it is nearly perfect as a result of my polish.

Are you a strong writer? If your work appears in print radically different than you submitted it, chances are you should be working with your own editor prior to submission. Actually, you just damage your relationship with an editor if you force him to go through a time consuming process of rewriting your work. As a result, your work won’t be readily welcomed in the future because you're disrespecting the editor's time.

Being published is a very cost-effective method of niche legal marketing. It is a means of positioning yourself as an expert, and anything coming from an expert should be as flawless as possible. That means that you might have to pay somebody a few hundred dollars to edit your work, but this investment should pay off in prestige, enhanced reputation and in successfully positioning yourself as the go-to authority in your area of practice.

Christine Pilch

Getting personal – a legal marketing tip that can give you an edge

Most of us were raised to be courteous, say please and thank you, show appreciation when someone goes out of their way to help us and apologize when we do something wrong. These same basic principles can help set you apart from other lawyers when performed regularly and from the heart.

It seems that it would be obvious to send thank yous for referrals, but it constantly amazes me how many lawyers forget this step in the relationship building process. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first referral you receive from someone or the 100th, saying thank you just plain demonstrates good manners. Choose a thank you tactic. Email works nicely, but so does a hand written card dropped in the mail, and that’s a bit more personal. It will be noticed and appreciated.

Do you also regularly send sympathy cards, congratulatory wishes and birthday greetings? You may think it unnecessary to send these notes at a time when multiple others will also be received, but isn’t it possible that your oversight might be noticed? Can you afford to risk being perceived as someone who didn’t bother or doesn't care?

Another tactic to help facilitate relationships with your referrers and clients is to get to know their secretaries. Always be friendly and courteous to the screeners because they can be an impediment or a blessing when you need information quickly. It’s also a good idea to know the names and basic information about your clients’ and referral sources’ family members. People are generally proud of their families, and when you inquire into their well-being, it helps build a bond. It shows that you have taken the time to pay attention to personal details and helps build a stronger relationship.

It may seem trivial to do these little things, but all of your clients and referrers and people first, and everybody notices and appreciates someone who conducts himself with class. Everything you do markets yourself and contributes to your brand. These simple details may someday make the difference between a deal coming to you or going to a competitor.

by: Christine Pilch

The evolution of word of mouth legal marketing

Referrals remain one of the most significant sources of business for attorneys. It’s always better to place a warm call or receive a call from someone whose friend, colleague or family member sang your praises than to contact cold prospects.

Over years past, many people found an attorney through the advice of someone they trusted. Today, that is certainly a valid and important means of securing clients, but just as many people are doing their own research online when considering who to hire for legal work. People are reading websites, blogs and email marketing messages and making their own judgments about screening quality attorneys.

I actually have a client who recently wrapped up an estate plan for a client in another part of the state, who he never met face to face. The client found him through his blog and mailed a retainer after they spoke by phone. This same attorney recently acquired a new client who just moved into his area and found him online. This particular client has several million dollars in assets.

Neither of the above clients would have come to my client without the assistance of a very good website and blog. Both are updated weekly with interesting, contemporary information, and both rank organically at the top of search engines. My client has never spent a dime on search engine optimization. He understands how important content is, and he spends the time necessary to write that content regularly. I never have to remind him. He writes everything and emails it to me. Then I edit and post it live. Our system works flawlessly.

Please consider the incredibly powerful impact your own website and blog can have on your practice if your commit to making their upkeep a priority. They are the next step in word of mouth advertising, and they are practically free. What have you got to lose?

by: Christine Pilch

Thrifty Tip: Being published

There is maybe nothing else you could possibly do that builds more credibility in your area of practice than being published. Authoring a blog, article or book instantly elevates your status above all the other attorneys who haven’t achieved the distinction of being a published author. It makes you an authority and gives you eternal bragging rights, tactfully of course. The work can live forever on the internet for all the world to see.

Setting up a blog is pretty simple through Typepad, which you have to pay for, or through Blogger, which is a free service through Google. A word of caution though, in this case you do truly get what you pay for. There is a difference in the professional look of the Typepad and Blogger products, and with Blogger, users can click to another random blog that may not be something you want to be affiliated with. I once checked a lawyer’s blog and the next one was porn.

If you decide to write an article, make sure that your topic is relevant to the publication that you are pitching it to. For example a health care publication will probably take a submission about elder law for an elder issue, but they don’t want a piece about intellectual property. Magazines have editorial calendars that are usually posted on their websites, so take look and write something that corresponds with the theme. If you don’t have a relationship with the editor, make sure that you submit your article a couple months ahead, so he or she will know that they don’t have to worry about filling that space in their publication.

Most importantly, writing that is published anywhere requires a good command of the English language, grammatical structure, punctuation and spelling. Editors have to rework their writers’ pieces often enough, and little annoys them more than having to rewrite your piece too. So make sure that your work is as close to perfect as possible when you submit it. It’s rare to find an editor that doesn’t feel compelled to tweak your work though, so don’t take offense if they change your article a bit. It’s usually constructive.

The surest way to have other articles welcomed is to submit good quality, on-target and on-time work every time. Editors like to be able to depend upon guest authors, and if you prove yourself, it is possible that you might earn the distinction of authoring a regular column. Depending upon the publication, this is so significant that it can position you as the local expert in your area of practice.

By: Christine Pilch

eZine vs. Blog. Which is better?

Some lawyers maintain a blog and some believe that an eZine is the way to go. They both fulfill the same goal but go about it differently. eZines push information at readers and blogs pull them voluntarily to that information.

eZines came first, and many lawyers have successfully utilized them for years. An eZine is simply a newsletter that is emailed rather than printed and snail mailed. The best ones offer relevant and contemporary features of interest to their intended audience and are welcomed when received. They are generally written in second or third person voice, like traditional articles.

A blog is what you’re reading right now. It’s a regularly updated website packed full of original and relevant content. The tone of posts are conversational and less formal that traditional article writing. In fact, a blog is an appropriate place to write in first person. That encourages a more personal connection with readers.

Both eZines and blogs are great, thrifty marketing tactics with several advantages:

• They create trust in your readers


• They help establish you as an expert in your area of practice


• They build credibility for you in your field


• They make you seem even more professional


• They allow discourse with a specific targeted market that wants what you have to offer


• They are generally welcomed


• They “inform” rather than “sell”

There are, however, many challenges associated with maintaining eZine and blogs:

• Coming up with topics may be tedious
• Writing content is time consuming
• You must be committed to a regular publishing schedule
• You have to stay on top of reader comments
• They take you away from actual billable work
• You have to have basic photo editing skills
• You have to be a good writer with strong grammar and composition talents

eZines are still a good way to stay in touch with your clients on a regular basis, but I think their popularity is fading. It is possible for email servers and clients to recognize eZines as spam and catch it in spam filters. So how much good is your eZine if it isn’t delivered to your clients? Also, building and managing a subscriber list can be quite a chore in and of itself. And the last thing you need is one more item added to your to-do list.

Blogs, on the other hand are faster, more immediate and less work that their eZine counterparts. Since the formatting is predesigned, you don’t have to worry about mastering graphic design with every post. And blogs are active vs. eZines being passive. Readers can add comments to your blog posts and engage you in discussion. You just don’t get that interaction with eZines.

Most every firm that I know that sends out an eZine is in a constant state of “production.” As soon as an issue is emailed, they are planning the next one. It’s a lot of work. Blogs are less like work and more like fun. They are basically perceived by their authors as a means to engage clients and prospects in a non-confrontational and simply conversational way.

One of the best advantages of a blog is that it can easily become charmed media fodder. Since blogs contain fresher content, the media regularly search blogs when researching their stories. How likely is it that your eZine can be utilized as such a tool?

Basically, the decision to blog or eZine is yours. If your intention is to inform readers about your area of practice, then an eZine may work just fine for you. But if you want to engage your readers by offering advice and recommendations, and you welcome their feedback, a blog is probably the preferred tactic.

There is a happy medium that I’ve recently discovered. We host Grow My Law Firm on TypePad. And when I was checking out the Widget gallery, I discovered one that turns blog posts into email feeds. It is subscription based, just like traditional eZines. So, for now, that’s the road we’re taking, to cover all our bases.

By: Christine Pilch

Commit to one marketing task per day

Successful lawyers are experts at marketing themselves, some through traditional methods and others through alternative ones. They know what they are comfortable doing, at what level, and how much time they are willing to commit to cultivating and growing their practice. If you have the opportunity to bend the ear of a rainmaker, you will probably hear them affirm the value in performing marketing tasks on a daily basis.

If you’re a young, up and coming lawyer or someone whose practice needs a boost, it’s a good rule of thumb to commit to performing at least one marketing task per day. Here are some suggestions of things to try:

• Have lunch with a client, potential client or referral source
• Write a blog post
• Attend a networking group meeting
• Write an article for your local business magazine
• Send out a letter to 5 potential clients or feeders
• Follow up call on the letters mailed one week earlier
• Attend a chamber of commerce function
• Draft a press release about a current topic within your area of expertise
• Schedule a speaking engagement
• Participate in a bar association committee or function
• Write thank you notes to new clients
• Take a client, potential client or referral source to a ball game
• Network with attorneys who may refer business to you
• Teach a class at a local college
• Attend a board meeting of a charity
• Have drinks with a client, potential client or referral source
• Speak at a seminar
• Read your clients’ trade papers and magazines, then clip and send relevant articles and news to them
• Attend a business trade show
• Play golf with a client, potential client or referral source

The goal is to be out there and in front of the people who can and will hire and refer business to you if they believe that you can do a good job for them. Business doesn’t just come to you. You have to constantly cultivate your sources to maintain a constant incoming flow of business and grow your law practice.

By: Christine Pilch

Prepping for the press

If you’re lucky enough to be contacted by the press for an interview or comments regarding a topic that they are working up as a story, you should be pleased to be among the honored few. But don’t underestimate the significance of this opportunity. If you treat it respectfully and carefully, it could be a pivotal step in your personal brand and a chance to open the door to establishing a long-term relationship with the media.

Following are a few tips to help you make the most of this opportunity:

• Treat members of the press respectfully
• Return calls promptly
• Be accommodating to their schedules
• Answer questions honestly and directly
• Avoid “off the record”
• Position yourself as a future resource
• Speak carefully
• Think before you speak
• Beware embarrassing quotes
• Dress appropriately - business attire only, no Friday casual

by: Christine Pilch

Online legal directories – how to evaluate their value when you get an email solicitation

Once or twice a week I receive one of those bothersome email solicitations from yet another entrepreneur who decided that the legal industry was a quick and easy way to strike it rich by creating a web-based legal directory and charging my clients for a listing. You know the ones I mean?

Since I feel obligated to check out everything that comes across my desk, I always click the link and go to the site’s home page. The really bad sites are easy to spot right away…poorly designed, little or mediocre graphics, and almost no text explaining any visitor benefit, you know, that old “what’s in it for me?” necessity that keeps a potential client from instantly clicking away.

These directory sites consist basically of a link to “find an attorney” by state. Then most subsequently drive the choice by practice area. This results in a list of attorneys that have paid for the privilege of appearing in this particular web-based database. All directories offer basic contact information, and some offer expanded listings for an increased fee. Some will even prioritize your listing for an even higher fee.

It takes a bit more sleuthing though to determine the credibility and value of some legal directories. To dig deeper, try this… Open another browser window and perform a basic search relevant to your practice. I.E. - bankruptcy northern Connecticut. Then see how far into the results this site appears. If it’s not on the first page or at least the second, there is little hope that this site is receiving any traffic that could benefit you.

Another key factor is your own organic search listing relative to this directory’s. I’m referring to the sites that come up in the body of the search results, not the paid listings at the top or on the side. If your own site lists higher than this directory, why would you pay for a listing on their site?

Most of these solicitors fade away after a single attempt at enticing you to purchase a listing in their directory. But some are persistent, regularly emailing and even calling you. You can either ignore and delete or reply with a simple message requesting the past 6 months of traffic statistics for the page that your listing will appear on, and also a copy of their marketing plan to drive traffic to this site. I have sent this message countless times, and to date, never received a response.

Sometimes it is tempting to write a check and believe that business will just find you, but most online legal directories are transient and will only drain your wallet.

by: Christine Pilch

Marketing with a book – thrifty and very smart

I just read an outstanding book by a Family Lawyer who “gets it”. “Wear Clean Underwear,” by Alexis Martin Neely, is a wonderfully written book that sets up different story vignettes and puts the reader in situations that are emotionally engaging in order to “feel the pain” and understand why they need to address certain family legal matters.

This book is far from some of the boring legal stuff that’s out there, and it certainly is not a Me, Me, Me, I, I, I book. This is not a book about Alexis, her practice or how wonderful she is. It is just the opposite. It’s all about YOU the reader – the very first principle I think you need to understand, before undertaking any marketing or self promotion.

Alexis knows her clients; husbands and wives who love their families, and she speaks directly and emotionally to them (and their hearts) about things that are important to them; their entire family’s condition with respect to whether they are healthy, safe, happy, or prosperous.

The books’ success is accomplished through the telling of stories. She tells a story and makes a point, tells another story and makes a point. These are not your typical marketing-type cold, “case studies.” These are stories that grab your heartstrings. While engaging the reader with matters that are important to them, her story scenarios illustrate the “why” in why you should have your family legal matters planned out early in your family’s growth.

This book says to her clients and potential clients, ‘I sincerely, understand you and I feel your pain.’ There is no question that Alexis knows her clients’ wishes, concerns, dreams and desires because she communicates them so well.

For the lawyers reading this, this book is an “ultimate business card.” Who would not want this woman representing their family? Hiring her has nothing to do with the firm she works at, who her associates are, where she went to school or what organizations she belongs to. Alexis Martin Neely has created a “category of one.” If she were in your marketplace competing in the “Family Law” arena, all she would need to do is promote her book or somehow get it into her prospective clients’ hands.

Wouldn’t it be just perfect to hand each new prospective client a copy of your book, or send every past client a copy and a note of gratitude for their previous business? Even if it cost you $10.00 per copy, wouldn’t you spend that to get a new client? What are you currently spending on marketing per client retained? Ten bucks may seem like an expensive business card, but a book is more likely to close more deals. Besides, think of the Law of Reciprocity: people generally try to repay in kind what another person has provided to them. If someone gives you something you want, then you will wish to reciprocate because you now feel obligated.

If you consider using a book to promote your business, think in terms of the business card value, not the fame or cost of the book. If you publish through a publisher with delusions of getting on the New York Times Bestseller List – that $19.95 price tag will net you about $.72 per book – and they don’t do any of the marketing. So, write well and plan on selling millions!

You could however, purchase your own quantities of your book at the time of printing at 50% of the retail price. These copies will serve you best by giving signed copies away as your “ultimate business card” or selling them at the back of the room at speaking engagements.

Kudos to Alexis Martin Neely. She is either a brilliant marketer or she has talented people coaching and advising her.

Please sign up for our new e-book on this blog to learn the other things you need to know to become a “category of one”. Once you learn these fundamental concepts, you’ll easily recognize people like Alexis Martin Neely and why they stand out from the crowds who “don’t get it.”

By: Dennis Kunkler

Your Martindale listing - still relevant or a very expensive waste of money?

Boy, this is a tough one that I constantly struggle with in my capacity as a legal marketing consultant. Martindale is very pricey, and they’ve made it impossible to strip listings down as far as I would like. I don’t believe that educational information in listings is critical. Even admissions information can be easily found on most law firm websites, so is it really necessary here? Or are these requirements more likely a method of driving up the price of your listing? I’ve trimmed listings as far as I can by including only a lawyer’s primary state of admission.

Many law firms have pretty comprehensive information about their attorneys on their websites, and Google makes it easy to find a particular lawyer or firm, so exactly what is the value of Martindale these days?

The peer rating remains arguably the most important aspect of Martindale. Lawyers like to compare themselves against other lawyers, and the peer rating gives you a snapshot of what you’re up against if the attorney is opposing counsel or if you’re looking for someone to refer business to. You can’t necessarily get that information through a firm’s website, which portrays most attorneys in a very positive light.

I am finding that the firms likely to pay for a Martindale listing these days have more than a few attorneys. I’m not encountering many solo practitioners or small firms that see the value in Martindale anymore. The web has leveled the playing field, and as long as small firms have good websites, their lawyers can be found and they can convey the benefit that they offer to their clients. It’s no longer the days of old when most every attorney in the country constantly referenced their Martindale-Hubbell books.

If I were to speculate, I would premise that Martindale will continue to dwindle over the next 10-15 years or so, as older attorneys, who made a habit of being so dependent on Martindale throughout their years, retire. In my experience, the young, web-savvy crop of attorneys rarely use that tool, so it is unlikely that they will gravitate toward something that they don’t perceive has sufficient value to contribute toward building a successful practice.

I have to hand it to Martindale though. They have embraced technology and branched out into complimentary business models rather than sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring the inevitable. It’s likely that they’ll come up with new products that build new value to entice lawyers to continue to spend money with them. And if they make it affordable, thereby enticing the elusive young attorneys, they’ll continue to be profitable for many years.

In the meantime, it’s your call whether or not you list yourself in Martindale. It’s all about value. Can that listing generate enough new business to justify the expense? If you’re a corporate attorney looking for referral business from out-of-market attorneys, maybe. If your practice is retail, what do you think?

by: Christine Pilch

Beware overzealous advertising sales representatives

Unless money is no object, it’s always advisable to be careful about where your spend your advertising dollars. Unfortunately, it’s easy to be misled by media sales reps who live on commissions and are more concerned about their own best interests than yours.

No matter what market I’m in, I constantly see misplaced and misfired legal advertising. Recently, I saw a TV ad that featured two female attorneys, so I Googled and discovered that they were the whole firm. It’s debatable whether the two of them can bring in enough business to justify the expense of talking to a quarter million people, most of whom have closer proximity to competing firms.

Had these women done their positioning, they would have known specifically where most of their business comes from and what is unique about their firm that makes them a more attractive choice than their competition. They would know the message that they have to give the audience to make business come back to them. They wouldn’t have been swayed by the TV sales representative when he or she walked through the door because they would have known that their small practice needs a very targeted message to a specific group of people rather than a broad, throw-it-at-the-wall and hope-that-something-sticks approach.

But what really sank my heart was the message. The :15 ad listed their areas of practice and the name of their firm, accompanied by their photo. There was absolutely no, “What’s in it for me?” message in the ad. They didn’t hit the three essential touch points that grab interest:

1. This is for me
2. I get/want/need what they’re offering
3. I’m going to call them because…

Since they hadn’t done their positioning, they didn’t know what elements to add to their message to have the greatest possibility of success, and the sales rep and whoever wrote the script didn’t ask the right questions.

Sadly, those two women wasted their money all because an overzealous sales person walked through the door with a good pitch, and these women didn’t know better.

It’s not just TV. I regularly hear misfired radio ads and see off-target print ads too. And many legal websites also contain copy that’s all ‘me, me, me’ instead of directed at you, addressing what you get and letting you know how you can benefit by choosing that firm.

The lesson is to be cautious when purchasing media and writing copy. Salespeople have to eat, so theirs is almost always the best product you can possibly buy, whether or not it actually falls in-line with your positioning. The best way to be sure that you’re making prudent and fiscally responsible choices is to know who your clients are, what they get from you and why yours is the best choice for that kind of legal work – your position.

by: Christine Pilch

Clients love goodies - chose items with good perceived value

People love free goodies. Most folks will take just about anything you offer to them, but the key is to distribute promotional items that have enough perceived value that they won't be discarded once your client leaves your office. Some on my favorite give-away items are good quality pens, magnets, chip clips, magnifiers, letter openers, can and bottle coolers, bread bag clips, baseball caps, screen sweeps and jar openers.

Whenever clients want to purchase disposable items, I do my best to dissuade them. Things like candy and bottled water have such a limited lifespan that I don't believe they have any permanent value.

One of my clients invested in BIC grip roller pens, and people love them. All documents are signed with these pens, and the clients keep them. One of the firm's clients, a large auto dealership, takes these pens by the box-full, and they have all customers sign the contracts for their new cars with my client's pens. One day, one of the dealership's brand new customers got into an accident right after leaving the dealership in his new car. Guess who he called to handle the PI case?

Choosing promotional items that have perceived value is a smart and thrifty marketing tactic. If you're going to spend the money, you might as well purchase items that people will keep.

by: Christine Pilch