Marketing with Integrity

Referral Sources and How to Return the Favor

2008-03-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy reading Michelle Golden's blog. It's full of ideas and topics that are often overlooked. This entry on referrals is great.
If you get a client from a live referral it's really quite eaasy to reciprocate. In addition to sending a personal note or small gift, invite that person to an event where you will know many people that may be good sources of business for your friend. Connecting people is what it's all about. Your friend will appreciate your efforts.

Small Law Firms and Their Success

2008-03-11T12:44:00.001-07:00

Small firms a solo practitioners wear many hats. One of the more important ones is that of business developer.
Tom Kane's recent blog entry about small firms offers some great ideas to focus on when building a business. Most notable are;

writing a personal marketing plan for each attorney and
staying committed to maintaining a high profile within your specialty

Marketing plans are essential. Everyone must have a road map to reaching their goals. It keeps them focused. Maintaining a high profile as the expert in your field ties in with my personal preference for knowledge based marketing. If you are perceived as the most knowledgeable attorney in your field, clients will come to you.

Another thought I would like to add:

keeping a current and complete referral database that includes anyone who has sent business your way.

Live referrals are the best kind of referral. Call them, meet them for lunch, send them cards. They are your most important life blood.

The Customer Experience

2008-03-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

I've been reading Cole Silver's blog recently. He has some great insight on client service.

I think most professionals equate customer service to how you personally treat the client. There's so much more to it.
How does your reception area look?
Is it inviting?
Is the furniture comfortable?
Is the receptionist friendly?
The entire client experience is a direct reflection on you and your abilities. And at some point the clients should be surveyed. If you don't ask them how you are doing in your business you will never know where you can improve.

Being Nice...How Nice!

2008-02-20T18:03:00.000-08:00

What a refreshing idea. That simply being nice can get new business.
Joey Asher at the Fulton County Times wrote an article recently that law.com has picked up and reprinted here.
People work with people they like. There's nothing difficult about that. Showing that you care about others by asking about them and their families generates a large amount of goodwill. This kind of goodwill is the kind that sticks with people. They don't forget it.
In addition, it improves morale in your own office and emits positive energy to all of those around you.

Being nice may very well be one of the most effective methods of marketing your business.
Thank about it.

Five Minute Marketing

2008-02-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

Michelle Golden's blog, Golden Practices, has a great post from way back on five minute marketing.
She makes a good point that doing a few small things each day to grow your business will pay off in the long run. In addition to the ideas that she mentions I suggest sending articles that may be of interest to a potential client along with a note, or remembering a birthday. People to people interaction has a great return. You maintain that top of mind awareness and the recipient appreciates the acknowledgement.

Fort Worth Economy

2008-02-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

As we have been discussing a recession I must comment that I don't believe it will hit Fort Worth very hard. I will be surprised if it does.
Because of one industry: The Barnett Shale. The Shale that lies beneath Tarrnat, Parker and Johnson counties is presently the richest souce of untapped natural gas in the world. In the past 4 years we have had no less than a dozen energy companies move in to Fot Worth and inject unreal amounts of money into the economy. Untold numbers of jobs plus good will money in advertising and financial support for area non-profits.
Additionally, real estate here is some of the most inexpensive in this part of the US. Many investors from the west coast are buying up properties sight unseen. Although new starts have decreased in the area, the market is still strong.
So going into this recession we're in a good position economically!
So much oil and gas work means lots of work for oil and gas and corporate attorneys. Yay!

The Importance of Building Relationships

2008-02-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

Although law school admissions have decreased in the past 2 years, the competition between law firms is at an all time high.
A great reason to make sure your associates know the most successful tools for growing their business.
Jim Hassett talks about teaching associates to build stronger relationships. A valuable marketing tool but one that comes at a cost of decreasing their billable hours a little. It will pay off at the end.

Marketing should be a bigger topic in law school and at larger firms.

Law & the Economy

2008-02-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

Some of the other legal marketing pros have been commenting on the impending recession.

Jim Hassett makes a good point. Many attorneys may be actively trying to obtain new clients at this time. They should be concentrating on their current clients instead.
Give them more attention. Meet with them to discuss their business - who knows, you may discover other opportunities.

As other attorneys may be trying to obtain your client to grow their business, that client will think twice about changing counsel if you've been giving them more attention.

Is a Web Presence All You Need?

2008-02-05T13:50:00.000-08:00

The other day I was discussing methods of marketing with a personal injury attorney.
He said, "I have a Web-site and a blog, so I'm good on marketing."
I explained that there are so many other types of marketing that can help his business. He's a solo practitioner so his time is limited. But doing some things that could grow his referral base would be simple and inexpensive. I think some attorneys assume that if you have an online presence then that's enough. But it isn't.

Great Blogging Tips

2008-02-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

Laura Orr over at the Oregon Legal Research Blog has some great insight for attorneys that want to publish their own blog.
I'd like to add that once your blog is up and running, you have to feed it, water it, and give it a bath. Kind of like a dog. You can't just leave it out there with 3 posts on it, the last being from July of 2006.
Also, if you want the blog to become something that brings you business, write about things that would be of concern to your potential clients. A great example of this is Dick Price's blog

"No One Else Does What You Do."

2008-01-30T18:25:00.000-08:00

I was reading Bruce Allen's blog and his comments on the competition. I've heard the same thing;
"I don't know of anyone else that offers your service."

There are many guys out there that are Legal Marketing Consultants. They have loads of experience. Some have big firm experience as marketers, some have written more than one book, etc.
I may not have the big firm experience and have never been published. I cost substantially less than these consultants. But I have a significant amount of marketing and PR experience. Much more reasonable for the smaller firms and solo practitioners. They need the marketing exposure the most.

So in my case, I really do believe that "no ones else does what I do."!

Marketing Trends: What's Hot?

2008-01-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

On Tom Kane's Legal Marketing Blog, his entry from January 17th talks about the latest trends in marketing.
Don't we just love trends? I will agree with Tom that blogging is a wonderful trend that by all indications will be around for a while. And a nice little video clip on your website is a bonus too.

But when it comes down to measuring ROI, it all depends on the type of law. I have found that family law attorneys get a high return with live referrals. They have a Web site and a good blog, but at the end of the day the people that are taken as clients hear about them from a live person.

Personal injury attorneys are another story. The more internet exposure they have, the better. They also benefit from live referrals too.

My point here is that old school marketing works - don't abandon it!

Are Press Releases a Good Tool?

2008-01-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

Michael McLaughlin, the Guerilla Consultant, comments that if you send releases by snail mail maybe 2% of recipients actually read them. If sent electronically you may get 50% of recipients.

I agree but let's back up a minute. I've found a fair bit of resistance to the press release in the first place. Some in the professional services industries don't understand that a press release can be an effective tool. Many think that releases are only for big newsworthy events, like in high interest legal cases or large corporate acquisitions. But releases can announce many things pertaining to daily business, such as personnel changes.

Press releases should not be sent out every other day either. But when distributed, all releases should be uploaded to PR sites for added presence on the internet. These sites are free and they give you exposure too.

A New Venture for Me

2008-01-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first post! My motivations for creating and growing this blog is to share my opinions and insights into marketing with dignity and integrity.

I have 10 years of marketing and public relations experience, some in the legal industry, some in the Mergers and Aquisitions industry and some in non-profit.
I enjoy discovering creative methods to get my clients noticed and to create top-of-the-mind awareness - all the while developing and protecting their reputations in their industry.

Ultimately this blog will serve as a source of knowledge for those who realize the importance of marketing and PR.
And if you have No Time for Marketing let me know. I'd like to help.