Speakeasy Marketing's online newsletter for July 2017
GROW YOUR INJURY FIRM IN 2017
73-03 BELL BLVD. #10, OAKLAND GARDENS, NY 11364 | (888) 225-8594 | WWW.SPEAKEASYMARKETINGINC.COM | JULY 2017
RICHARD JACOBS ATTORNEY MARKETING SPECIALIST
I just got off the phone with a new client of mine. Let’s call him Ron. He’s having some trouble in his law firm, and maybe you can relate to it.
He gets potentials coming in for free discovery consultations.
No problem there.
But when it comes time for him to reveal his fees, usually toward the end of the free consultation — well, that’s when things sometimes turn nasty. For some reason, potentials expect comprehensive legal representation for the price of a Happy Meal. And when an attorney with some sense, one like Ron (you too maybe), has the nerve to point out that — gasp — it costs real dollars to hire a lawyer, they have a tendency to turn on you. And when they do that, they put you on the defensive and force you to start justifying your price. (That’s never a good place to be.)
There are a few new firms in his city, and they’re lowballing the more established guys in order to win clients and build a name for themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that — not until it impedes your ability to make a decent living and keep the wolves from the door.
This method puts cheapskate potentials on the defensive (rather than you), and gets them to justify their reasons for cheaping out on their case. It’s a beautiful method — beautiful because it works almost every time. If you want to know what this method is and how it works, then here’s a podcast I published recently that shares all the details:
So, what did I advise Ron to do?
I gave him a five-step method for dealing with these lowballing law firms who are trying to under-price him out of the profession.
speakeasy.marketing/ CheapskatePotentials
Now, Ron thinks the problem is local competitors.
– Richard Jacobs
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com
WWW.SPEAKEASYMARKETINGINC.COM | 1
The Bad Apple What You Need to Know About Banning Toxic Customers From Your Business
between the right of a business and the rights of a customer, but you can take steps to establish a more defined line and protect yourself, your employees, other customers, your business, and your business interests. When an incident occurs, minor or major, make sure to document as much as possible. If you do ask the person to leave your business, do so with a witness present. Write down details of the incident. If you have camera footage, save that as well. If any property is damaged, take pictures. These kinds of records can be critical, should you need to elevate the matter and either involve law enforcement or obtain a restraining/protective order against the individual. Should the individual return to the premises after being asked to leave (or after the issuance of a court order to stay off the property), it may constitute as a “defiant trespass.” In this case, the individual may face a disorderly persons charge, should you choose to pursue that course of action. The exact details of the charges and extent of the punishment may vary between municipalities. In no circumstances do you have to accept the business of a toxic customer. Know your rights as a business owner, protect yourself and your employees, and keep your establishment a safe place for your customers.
Have you ever banned a customer from your business? It can be a difficult thing to do, but sometimes it’s necessary for the health of your business, the safety of your employees, and your sanity. It doesn’t happen every day, but there are times when you may encounter a customer who has become unruly or belligerent. Or they may have damaged or stolen some of your property. All you know is that you want them out. As a private business, you have the right to turn away and refuse business to anyone, as long as you do not violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For example, you cannot ban anyone for reasons related to their race, skin color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. These are considered federally protected classes.
Basically, you can refuse service to any customer as long as you do not violate local, state, or federal laws in the process.
A few common reasons businesses ban customers include:
• Alleged or attempted theft • Property damage • Threats to you, employees, or other customers • Unruly or profane behavior • Bullying (online or in person) • Assault As a business owner, it’s up to you to judge any given situation and make the determination on how to proceed, whether you simply ask the individual to leave or involve law enforcement. Keep in mind, there is a fine line
WHAT POTENTIALS (SECRETLY) CRAVE FROM ATTORNEYS ...Continued from back page
They want someone to tell them that they’re not screwed.
You see, nothing offers reassurance — the one thing potentials crave from you more than anything else — like a solid case study. But most attorneys don’t have solid case studies. Their case studies are limp and ineffective. (In fact, many of them aren’t even case studies; they’re just testimonials.)
Obviously, both doctors and attorneys are bound by strict ethical guidelines that (rightly) stop them from doling out false hope. However, that doesn’t stop you from offering rational and ethical reassurance in a way that is professional. And a great way to do that is the humble case study.
... That’s the topic of a recent podcast:
So how do you write an effective case study?...
speakeasy.marketing/CaseStudies
2 | (888) 225-8594
Google has a very clear line in terms of what kind of SEO tactics it considers acceptable or unacceptable. Although the hard rules change every year or so, the soft code of conduct remains the same. GOOGLE IS GOING TO STRIKE AGAIN (RUMOR) ...Continued from back page Why? Because, chances are, you’ve already downloaded and read through my 94-Point Google Readiness Checklist, which details all the steps you need to go through to make sure your firm’s website is 100 percent compliant with both Google’s soft code of conduct and its hard rules. And if you haven’t...then I recommend you visit the link below and download a copy today. (You can hand it to your web guy or even work through the steps yourself. All the information you need is there. Or you can hire us to implement everything for you instead.) If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you should be safe.
EVERYTHING OLD
David Sax’s ‘The Revenge of Analog’
Why are kids obsessed with vinyl? Why are magazines thriving in the digital world? Why do “real things” matter? These questions drove David Sax to research the recent resurgence of analog technology — a project that led to his superb new book, “The Revenge of Analog.” Sax acknowledges that digital technology, from iPhones to MP3s, has changed how we live. “But,” he writes, “digital’s gain was not without sacrifice.” He saw this at a dinner party that fizzled when everyone was more interested in their phones than each other. Enter “analog,” defined simply as “the opposite of digital.” Instead of 1s and 0s, analog is physical. Many analog devices don’t require electricity, never mind the internet. A mechanical typewriter is analog. Your laptop is decidedly not. Here’s the twist: Analog is more popular than ever. Sax describes walking down the street in the middle of the digital age and finding thriving analog businesses like film photography, handmade watches, fountain pens — the list goes on. Sax looks at those industries and more in this book, and concludes that analog-digital dichotomy is not a question of replacement. Yes, your phone can do everything your old camera can — except take photos on physical film. If that’s what you want, you’re going to use an analog film camera. Many companies are bringing the past into the present and using digital tech like crowdfunding and social media to do it. “The Revenge of Analog” is a must-read for anyone trying to understand one of the most powerful consumer trends today. It also has solid advice for tapping into the trend via marketing to make analog fever work in your favor.
Download a complimentary copy here: speakeasy.marketing/GoogleChecklists
Real Secrets of Attorney Marketing Law School Dares Not Teach (2nd Edition)
• 5 new chapters, including live chat, what’s changing for personal injury attorneys marketing-wise in 2017, and more • Completely revised and updated for 2017 • Complimentary physical copy mailed upon request
Available on Amazon Kindle, and by emailing rj@speakeasymarketinginc.com.
WWW.SPEAKEASYMARKETINGINC.COM | 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
(888) 225-8594 | WWW.SPEAKEASYMARKETINGINC.COM 73-03 BELL BLVD. #10, OAKLAND GARDENS, NY 11364
5 STEPS TO DEAL WITH ATTORNEYS WHO LOWBALL YOUR PRICES WHEN IT’S TIME TO BAN A TOXIC CUSTOMER BOOK REVIEW: EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW GOOGLE IS GOING TO STRIKE AGAIN (RUMOR) WHAT POTENTIALS (SECRETLY) CRAVE FROM ATTORNEYS
PAGE 1
PAGE 2
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
I apologize if this article is blunt.
A little bird told me that Google is planning to strike again soon — and thousands of businesses (including many law firms) are going to come into work one morning and find they’ve been cut off from the internet.
But, today, I want to talk about a fundamental truth of the “attorney-potential” relationship (as opposed to the attorney-client relationship). In some ways, when a potential steps into your office for an initial consultation, it’s kind of like when they visit their doctor. What they really crave is assurance from someone in a position of authority. In other words...
When? I don’t know.
How? I don’t know.
But here’s what I do know:
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2...
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.NewsletterPro.com
4 | (888) 225-8594
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs