GROW YOUR LAW FIRM IN 2019
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RELIABLE PREDICTOR OF A SOLO ATTORNEY’S LONG-TERM SUCCESS?
As you know, I’ve worked with a lot of solo attorneys. In fact, in the last five years alone, my staff and I have helped more than 800 attorneys and law firms attract more of the cases they want. With this work, I came to appreciate something quickly. If I look back at all of our most successful clients — the attorneys who achieved the most dramatic results — most of them had something in common. I believe this “something” was vital to their success. What was it? An ATTITUDE . A way of looking at their situation that gave them a tremendous advantage over most other attorneys, especially the more “old-school” ones. What is this attitude? And why is it so instrumental to your success as a solo attorney? I explain everything in my podcast. You can find it at the link below: Speakeasy.marketing/attitude
–Richard Jacobs
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com
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THE GOOD K I ND OF GOSS I P How to Cultivate Valuable Customer Reviews
2. OFFER INCENTIVES Give your clients a reason to write reviews. Consider offering incentives like a discount or coupon code, coffee gift card, or an entry to win a contest for an even bigger prize. 3. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS Think of the review process as a conversation rather than a request to be met, and use open-ended questions to start. Before you even request a review, you can ask customers questions like “How was your recent experience with us?” or “How are you liking your product?” That way, you can gauge their satisfaction before they leave any feedback. 4. RESPOND, RESPOND, RESPOND The last thing you want to see is a scathing one-star review. But no matter how hard you work, they are still bound to happen. When you receive one, take the time to respond thoughtfully — without being defensive — and try to come up with a possible solution to the complaint. And be sure to respond to your positive reviews as well. When you show that you engage with all of your customers, prospective ones will be more likely to give you a shot.
1. DIVERSIFY YOUR PLATFORMS Don’t rely on customers to go to your website to leave reviews. There are numerous websites you can utilize that make leaving feedback more convenient for your clients. What’s more is that these other platforms are highly trafficked. BrightLocal found that Facebook and Yelp were consumers’ most trusted source of user reviews in the U.S., but you can also use Google My Business or the Better Business Bureau. Most importantly, be sure you are active on all the platforms you use.
When you’re thinking about buying a new product or service, what’s the first step you take? If you turn to the world wide web in search of reviews, you’re in good company. According to a survey conducted by BrightLocal, 85 percent of consumers regard the customer review to be the single most credible and trustworthy source of advertising. That same survey found that 68 percent of customers surveyed were willing to provide feedback for the company. So, how do you get your customers to write the glowing reviews that help close deals?
Does Google have another update planned? Nobody can say for sure. However, if the last several years are anything to go by, we believe another update is eventually certain. When it comes, you need to make sure your firm’s website is NOT one of those that Google snuffs out. How? By staying ahead of the curve and making sure that your firm’s website is always compliant with Google’s recommended best practices. You can do this by running through a simple 94-point checklist we have prepared. This checklist is something we run on every new website we create. ...continued from page 4 KEEP THIS 94-POINT CHECKLIST ON YOUR DESK
It ensures that, from Google’s point of view, every part of the website is kosher. (We keep a constant eye on Google’s ever-changing recommendations, and we update this checklist any time something changes.) Do you have a copy of this checklist? If not, we recommend you
visit the link below and request one. It will be emailed to you immediately, so you can run through it today.
Speakeasy. marketing/ checklist
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NO PLANE, NO GAIN 4 Benefits of Traveling for Business
SHOULD SOLO ATTORNEYS USE CLIENT INTAKE FORMS?
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How? This 4-minute podcast explains: Speakeasy.marketing/forms
What appears as mindless bureaucracy on the surface is actually an extremely clever way of reducing flakes, no-shows, and time wasters. However, there’s another, more important reason you should use a client intake form. You can use this form to sow the
We don’t normally think of business trips as the most relaxing way to spend our time. Unlike vacations, the schedules are rigid, the mornings are early, and the conference rooms never seem to be a comfortable temperature. However, here are four benefits to going on business trips, both for your employer and yourself. ENHANCING YOUR ADAPTABILITY International business trips can be especially nerve- wracking. You might have to interact with people who speak a different language, figure out how to get to your hotel or conference center by yourself, or try a new restaurant that’s out of your comfort zone. (Not every city has a Starbucks; at least, not yet.) While these may seem like negatives, they are actually opportunities to become more adaptable in everyday life. If you can roll with the punches in a new environment, you’ll be able to do it much better in your daily grind. EXPANDING YOUR NETWORK Once you know everyone at your workplace, meeting new people becomes less likely. Business trips, and travel in general, are great ways to make new connections. A survey done by Virgin Atlantic in 2015 estimated that 1 in 5 people have done business with someone they met on a plane. There’s potential to build social relationships, too. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone new! IMPROVING YOUR CREATIVITY Being in a new environment naturally predisposes your mind to think differently than it normally does. Therefore, business trips are beneficial for brainstorming new strategies. You can’t just rely on what you know; you have to innovate and experiment. Once you’re back in the office, your newfound creativity will help you tackle challenges more effectively. RACKING UP THOSE FREQUENT FLYER MILES This benefit is more for you than for your job. If you anticipate a lot of business travel, sign up for a frequent flyer program and get points on your company’s dime. Put them toward that vacation you’ve been saving for without spending any of your own money. Of course, if your business trip leaves any room for R&R, take advantage of it. You might be there for work, but you’re in a new city with tons of opportunities to learn and explore. Just because you’re there on business doesn’t mean fun is out of the question.
seeds for future reviews, referrals, and, in some practice areas, repeat business — i.e. your future revenue.
REAL SECRETS OF ATTORNEY MARKETING LAW SCHOOL DARES NOT TEACH
3rd Edition
• Five new chapters, live chat, the 2019 marketing changes for personal injury attorneys, and more • Completely revised and updated for 2019 • Complimentary copy mailed or emailed upon request
Available on Amazon Kindle or by emailing rj@speakeasymarketinginc.com.
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RELIABLE PREDICTOR OF A SOLO ATTORNEY’S LONG-TERM SUCCESS?
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THE GOOD KIND OF GOSSIP 4 BENEFITS OF TRAVELING FOR BUSINESS
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KEEP THIS 94-POINT CHECKLIST ON YOUR DESK SHOULD SOLO ATTORNEYS USE CLIENT INTAKE FORMS?
SHOULD SOLO ATTORNEYS USE CLIENT INTAKE FORMS? Many larger law firms use “intake forms.” A new client goes online or fills out a piece of paper and provides their name, contact information, and all kinds of personal information. It marks an important psychological watershed because when a client completes this form and starts providing you with information they would normally never dream of divulging to others, they are now yours. Regardless of whether or not they have signed the contract and paid your retainer fee, they have now let you see them naked, in a sense. That’s one reason solo attorneys should also use these forms. What appears as mindless bureaucracy on the surface is actually an extremely clever way of reducing flakes, no-shows, and time wasters. However, there’s another, more important reason.
A riddle for you: What do a hummingbird, a panda, a penguin, a pigeon, a payday, and a pirate all have in common? Answer: They are the names of just a few surprise updates Google unleashed on the internet in recent years — updates that DEVASTATED many small law firms. When each of these updates hit (most of the time, with little or no warning), solo attorneys and other small-business owners woke up and found that their websites had been effectively erased from the internet. Sure, their website still existed. But when potentials in their metro/practice area searched Google for an attorney, their firms were no longer displayed in the search results, not even at the bottom of the second or third page. Therefore, their phones stopped ringing. Does Google have another update planned? KEEP THIS 94-POINT CHECKLIST ON YOUR DESK
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