In Black And White : Legal Marketing Strategies & Insights : Paula Black & Associates : Law Firm Marketing, Branding and Positioning

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Can you believe it... we're halfway through the year.  Are you one of those lawyers that are still talking about 2010 being the year that you will work on business development?

This week we asked: What are you going to do with a few extra minutes?

1. Create a plan - 38%

2. Create a plan AND work the plan - 30%

3. Look for an iced cappuccino - 32%

My Thoughts: 68% of you said you will create the plan with 30% making the commitment to WORK it... good for you!

It's easy to let a few minutes slip away... here and there. Before you know it... it's an hour... then a day... then a month... it adds up. If I had a dime for every time a lawyer told me he/she doesn't have time I would be sitting in the south of France with a glass of wine, NOT sitting at my desk writing this blog. When a lawyer tells me they don't have time... what they are really saying -  I DON'T WANT TO DO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT... I HATE IT.... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.  Now be honest... what are YOU really saying?

1. You don't want to do it? You decide... do you want a job or a career?
2. You hate it? Get over it... and find a way to develop business in a way that and you like.
3. You don't know what to do? You learned how to be a lawyer didn't you? Start learning!

"I don't have time" is a story we tell ourselves. If we keep saying it... it will be the truth. What do you want your truth to be?

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden had this to say about the importance of taking that first step:

"The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move!"

Black Pearl: If you're ready to start developing your marketing plan but don't know how to begin, start by reading my article entitled Every Attorney Needs A Marketing Plan: 7 Easy Steps.

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The summer is here and with it comes somewhat of a slowdown for many practices. So my question to you is what are you going to do with the TIME? Even if it's only 5 or 10 minutes...  Look for an iced cappuccino?

Question of the week: Are you going to make this time count?  

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Grand gestures or small steps, getting others involved can boost your legal marketing efforts and help keep you on track.

 This week we asked: What are you doing to inspire legal marketing within your firm?

 1. Leading marketing and business development initiatives - 62%

2. Providing training and resources - 23%

3. Holding members accountable for their marketing efforts - 10%

4. Surrounding myself with extroverts who understand marketing and business development - 5%

My Thoughts: As I suspected, most of your efforts (62%) fall into the leadership category. Though being a passionate leader is an important part, providing concrete incentives and training shouldn’t be overlooked. A true marketing culture can't be implemented overnight, like anything else it takes hard work, dedication and focused efforts. Try...

• Training and resources… That can mean anything from seminars or workshops to sharing helpful websites or blogs (like inblackandwhiteblog.com!) Read a great marketing or business development book? Pass it around the office. Exposure to ideas and strategies can spark action.
• Creating a forum for results… Set up a monthly or quarterly marketing meeting, where those interested in business development activities can get together to report on their initiatives, share leads and be held accountable for their efforts. It will keep you on track.
• Hiring extroverts… Make marketing and business development a part of your hiring practices. Bring in lawyers who are extroverted and able to embrace change. The same goes for support staff or anyone else who can contribute to firm marketing efforts.

Enlisting help and support in your journey may not be easy, what with billable hours and everyday excuses, but if you can get just a few outspoken and influential colleagues on board it can reap serious rewards for all of you. Remember, marketing culture doesn't just happen; it's a process that requires time, effort and most of all FOCUS.

As my colleague Sharla Frost of Powers & Frost said:

“You have to set an example by talking the talk and walking the walk.  I’m always giving speeches, writing articles, meeting with clients, sending marketing e-mails, providing in-house training, and even working with people at other law firms to develop relationships where appropriate.”

Black Pearl: For more information on inspiring your firm and colleagues look at my second book “The Little Black Book on Law Firm Marketing and Business Development.” It paints a good picture of the tactics you can employ to initiate firm involvement in legal marketing. And... It's a quick 30 minute read.

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Getting together for the Holidays is at the core of what the Holidays are all about. They are about connecting and supporting one another. As we move into 2010, let's hold on to that thought...

 While fostering a legal marketing habit can often be a solo activity, there's no better inspiration than enlisting the help and support of other firm members. Whether it's other attorneys or staff, their help, encouragement and ideas are imperative to business development success. Collaboration with others—even peers who practice in other areas of law— can make your marketing efforts even more powerful, allowing you to keep each other on track, spark new ideas and even join forces in joint marketing efforts and strategies.

Question of the week: What are you doing to inspire legal marketing within your firm?

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This week we asked you…
Where are you spending your law firm marketing budget?

Most of my legal marketing budget goes to:
1. Firm events - 42%
2. Advertising - 7%
3. Public Relations - 18%
4. Pet Projects/Community Organizations - 21%
5. Entertaining clients (lunch, dinner, sporting events, etc…) - 12%

My Thoughts: As I mentioned on Tuesday, I usually advise clients to allocate about 3 to 4 percent of their gross revenue towards marketing and business development. But I always stress that firms and individuals spend cautiously, there are many traps that even the most marketing-savvy lawyers fall into. Here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts…

• Events—a great way to build relationships (think seminars, open houses, political events) but be sure to keep it small and follow-up is a must if you want to see results.
• Pet Projects—make sure to differentiate between sponsorships and contributions that fit into the firm’s strategic plan and those that simply take up time, resources and serve a small percentage of the firm.
• Advertising—hold on to your cash unless you plan to devote significant planning to design, messages, and most of all, frequency.
• Public Relations—Set a course and stick to it! It can build credibility if done right (see my Black Pearl below).
• Golf, Lunch, Etc.—make sure you’re devoting that money to the people who make decisions… either to hire you or refer you business. As my friend likes to say, “Random acts of golf” are not marketing initiatives.

The key once again is to plan and stay true to that plan. It’s the most important piece of advice I can give.

Glenn Callison of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harrs looks at his budget this way:

“We have a zero-based budget approach that allows for special requests from individual lawyers. We start by asking, ‘Okay, how many exposures do we want out there and where do we want to be?’ We pull that information together, develop a media plan, and then look at sponsorship opportunities and event marketing. Then we pull all that together and analyze where we are as a percentage of total revenue, compare it to what we were doing in the prior year, and then plug it into the budget - knowing full well that there will be special requests from individual lawyers throughout the year that need to be accommodated.”

Black Pearl: Need a little help with your public relations initiative? Here's a great article I found on JD Supra by Jordan Furlong to help you get in the right mindset to write powerful articles about your cases.

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Figuring out your marketing budget can be difficult, especially since ROI on marketing and business development expenses is notoriously difficult to measure. I usually advise clients to allocate 3 to 4 percent of gross revenue to legal marketing initiatives, but the real question becomes where exactly to spend that money. Many, many firms are guilty of squandering budgeted money on marketing vehicles that just don’t hit the mark. Before we go into HOW to spend your money, let’s find out WHERE most of you are directing your budgets.

Question of the week: Where are you spending your law firm marketing budget?

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The most important step in nurturing your referrals is figuring out who they are. Once you have a solid list it will make it easier to cultivate…

This week we asked you…Where are your referrals coming from?

1. existing clients -32%
2. former clients -15%
3. other lawyers -33%
4. business leaders -9%
5. friends -11%

Just as we thought, a total of 65% of your referrals come from your existing clients or other attorneys with another 15% from former clients. The remaining 20% seems to be about evenly split between business leaders and friends. Now that you’ve identified where the referrals are coming from, let’s talk about your plan to keep them coming!

My Thoughts: In my opinion there are two specific plans of action that all lawyers need to have when it comes to referrals. The first is how to generate them. Remember the basics when it comes to client service. Meaning: listen to their needs; respond quickly; avoid e-mailing and talk to them; inform them of interesting news relating to their industry or situation; develop a personal relationship; and manage their expectations by communicating your timelines and processes.

The second phase of the plan is to have a strategy in place when a referral comes in. My advice? Pick up the phone immediately and thank the referrer, then follow up with a card or small gift. Keep your source updated on any meetings with the new client and, when it turns into actual business, send another larger token of appreciation. Finally, send business back. Reciprocation counts for more than you might think.

My colleague Leslie Lott of Lott & Friedland says:

“Lawyers refer their clients to attorneys who send work to them. Years ago, a good friend in New York called to send litigation work to our firm. He had worked with local counsel in Miami for many years. That lawyer was excellent, but had never referred work back to the New York lawyer. We had a client with a problem in New York and had sent the client to our friend. That was the catalyst for his sending his next case to us instead of the lawyer he had previously worked with who never sent him work.”

 

Black Pearl: For more on building your relationships you might want to take a look at Mark Maraia’s “Relationships Are Everything! Growing Your Business One Relationship at a Time.” Highly recommended!

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When it comes to referral sources, sometimes the best resources are right at hand. Whether it be existing or former clients, if you’ve done a great job they’re more than likely to refer you business. A similar formula exists with your peers. If you’ve expressed appreciation for the business sent (and even sent business back) you can be sure they’ll remember you when a client or friend comes looking for help.

The first step in creating a plan to build and nurture your referral base is to understand where most of your referrals are actually coming from. Once you can clearly see that list, you’ll be better able to create strategies to maximize those relationships.

Consider this advice from Marrero Bozorgi’s Susan Bozorgi:

“Realize that your friends are the cornerstone to your marketing plan; ask for their help and resources. Maintaining friendships is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business.”

 

The Question of the Week is:

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Relationships are the base of most successful marketing and business development efforts. If you make your interactions meaningful it will make your business development even easier…

This week we asked you: What aspect of your client service could you work on?

Results:

I could work on:

1. More phone, less e-mailing - 30%
2. Keeping up with my client’s industry news and trends - 7%
3. Going to their place of business - 27%
4. Asking for feedback - 16%
5. Connecting on a personal level - 11%
6. Giving them something for nothing - 9%

Not surprisingly, 30% are guilty of phone neglect! Another 27% need to work on going to visit your clients at their place of business. See a pattern? In order for client service to truly make a difference we need to abandon technology once in a while and get in front of our clients. On the other hand... bravo to all of you for being on top of client industry trends and news--a great way to keep in touch and show your interest and dedication.

My Thoughts: Though you may not recognize it, every time you interact with a client you’re marketing yourself. Take advantage of it. Here are a few of my tips for making the most of your client service:

• Get in front of them! Nothing can replace face-to-face meetings.
• Show an interest! Send them interesting articles that relate to their industry.
• Prove you’re an expert! If a law that effects their business changes—let them know.
• Take notes! It shows you’re paying attention and gives you a reference point for later.
• Get feedback! Be direct and ask them what they think of your client service.
• Pick up the phone! Take an e-mail break and let them hear your voice.

Lee Thuston of Burr & Forman shared this story:

“In the end analysis, it’s all about relationships. I had a young lawyer that made a mistake with one of our clients. She was upset because she let something get by that was going to cost the client some money (but not a great deal). I called up the general counsel and said, ‘Hey Joe. I’m sitting here with Mary who tells me she let this deadline get away from her.’ I quantified that it was going to be about X-thousand dollars and that I’ll take it off next month’s bill. He said, ‘Okay, I really appreciate you calling.’ I looked at her and said, ‘That’s called having a good relationship.’ First of all, I called the client and brought the situation to his attention. He might never have known about it, but it’s better to tell him up front. That keeps our integrity intact. Was he happy about it? No. But was he really upset? No.”

Black Pearl: For a daily dose of client service commentary stop by Patrick Lamb’s “In Search of Perfect Client Service” blog.

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Welcome back! I hope you had a great holiday and took some quality time out to connect with friends and family. As you know relationships are at the heart of business development and great client service is really about connecting with people. Strong relationships can not only spark more business from the client, but encourage them to refer friends and colleagues as well. From how you answer the phone to how often you communicate, every interaction is a form of client service. Take a few minutes to truly evaluate your client service and think about where you could improve. It’s one of the fastest and easiest ways to experience results from your daily marketing and business development efforts.

Think of it like James R. Courie, from McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC...

“It's all about personal relationships. Get to know your clients, their employees, their children and family. Remember birthdays and special occasions. Start every conversation with a minute or two about family, sports, etc. People enjoy doing business with people they like and trust."

Question of the Week: What aspect of your client service could you improve on?

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This Thanksgiving week, we will not have a poll question nor will we be posting on Thursday. But just because we are on holiday doesn’t mean our minds have to be... we can still think.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, while you socialize, relax and, of course, eat, don’t forget to keep legal marketing and business development at top (ok, maybe not top) of mind. In fact, this weekend presents a great opportunity for serious legal marketers, such as yourself, to think about a few things that may just help your efforts in the coming months.

So, have a wonderful holiday and consider the following:

1. Do your friends and family truly understand what you do and how it benefits others? Ask them. You might be surprised. (Remember, they could be a referral source.)
2. Are you doing enough to let your clients know how thankful you are for their business? Send them an email and express your gratitude.
3. On that subject... as you know, I am not a fan of Christmas cards, since you can’t standout amongst the crowd. So, plan on New Year’s cards or gifts. Now is the time to think about what that could be.
4. What was your greatest marketing success this year? How can you build on that for the next year and make it even more profitable?

Sometimes we are so caught up in the demands of current business that we just don’t get time to think about what we are doing to develop future business. Take this holiday weekend as an opportunity to reflect on your legal marketing efforts... the results of which will surely give you something to be thankful for in 2010.

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When it comes to legal marketing the name of the game is visibility and credibility. There is no better place for you to be than the first page of Google...

The Question of the week was: When you Google your name... of the ten links on the first page... what percentage are yours?

Results

1. 0-20% - 67%
2. 30-40% - 28%
3. 50-60% - 4%
4. 70-80% - 0%
5. 90-100% - 1%

My Thoughts: 67% of you have less than 2 links on the first page of Google... NOT GOOD! Owning your name on Google's first page is an extremely important asset to have, since we have all become very impatient when we are searching... if we can't find things INSTANTLY we move on. So, we have to make it as EASY as possible for people to find us. And that does NOT mean via all those useless directories that don't  have your information complete or accurate. YOU need to drive this information... your credibility is at stake.

If you are fortunate enough to have a very unusual name you don't have to work as hard as Dan Harris, who posted a comment on Tuesday's blog post. He has the exact same name as an ABC News Reporter/ Anchor. Dan I Googled you and found three links on the first page. Good for you, you have found a crack, and have proven that it CAN be done. Articles can be the hammer you use to break through even more.

As I like to tell my clients: 50 articles online makes you a prolific writer, 50 articles online about international law makes you an expert. Also look closely at WHERE you are posting. Sites like JD Supra are great since they cater exclusively to the legal profession and can lead to referrals. In addition, they feature their authors in their newsletters, which is added exposure.

Here's some advice from Bud Clarke of Clarke, Silverglate & Campbell:

"Publish articles in specialty publications likely to be read by people who can refer you business. Then make sure those publications are referenced and easily accessible on your website."

Black Pearl: Do you want to own your name on Google as I have done? Then I have a gift for you... my E-Book "Be A Celebrity In Your Own World" and it's FREE for you to download. It's a quick read... 10 minutes and It details my four step strategy.

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People may not hire you off of the Internet, but you can be sure they’ll Google you! Take a few minutes right now to Google your name and see what comes up. If you’re like me and have a common name, you may own 10 to 20 percent of the first page of Google. It doesn’t have to stay that way… if you focus on your Internet presence.

I have written an E-Book, "Be A Celebrity In Your Own World" that clearly outlines the strategies needed to up your visibility AND your ranking on Google. And trust me, it works... I have tested the ideas and steps myself. When I began on my own journey I held claim to only 20% of the links on the first page of a "Paula Black" Google search. Today I can claim 90%, due to the strategies outlined in my E-Book, and it only took less than 6 months. I'll share more of this on Thursday. But first... Do you own your name on Google? Let’s see...

Question of the Day:

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Welcome back... On Tuesday we asked the questions... How have you spent your marketing time in the past and how do you plan to spend it in 2010?

Results

Question #1: In the PAST I spent time on: 

1. my referral base - 33%
2. client service - 20%
3. blogging - 0%
4. social media - 0%
5. Bar involvement - 43%
6. industry organizations - 0%
7. not much - 4%

Question #2: In 2010 I PLAN to spend time on: 

1. my referral base - 29%
2. client service - 25%
3. blogging - 5%
4. social media - 10%
5. Bar involvement - 30%
6. industry organizations - 1%
7. not much - 0%

My Thoughts: It is understandable that in the past 43% of your marketing time has been spent on Bar involvement since that is the comfort zone for lawyers. In 2010 let's breakout of the comfort zone. Hats off to the 4% who were honest and marked NOT MUCH.

Now for the breakdown of  where you PLAN to spend your time, I was pleased to see the balance shift a bit to client service since that is a great source of new business... and the interest in blogging because I think it can be a valuable tool.

This list will help you focus while considering what to include in your plan. If you start with too much you’ll just end up spinning your wheels. Your goals and strategies must be realistic and achievable… you can always add to the plan later. As a rule I like to tell clients to state strategies and tactics that are specific, measurable and achievable within one year.

Simon Ward of Piper Alderman sees it like this:

“Don’t aim too high in your marketing strategy—bagging elephants is a Herculean task—but select small, reasonably achievable targets and chip away at them. Small successes can build to bigger things.”

Black Pearl: For more in-depth information on personal brands you may want to look into Tom Peters’ book “The Brand You 50: Or: Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an 'Employee' into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!”

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Now that you’ve decided to write a 2010 marketing and business development plan,( I did convince you last week... didn't I?) the question becomes where and how to start? First think about your personal brand; that is your vision for your practice, your expertise, your experience and your strengths. Every great brand has an idea or focus that sets them apart from everyone else, so what’s yours?  Look at the big picture when it comes to expanding and building on your personal brand and it may spark ideas for your plan.

A few categories for you to include in your legal marketing plan:  

• Focusing on your Internet presence
• Developing and nurturing your referral base
• Upping your involvement in organizations
• Defining a niche (maybe an industry)

Now think about the specifics of what you will do. My friend Gail McQuilkin, from Kozyak Tropin Throckmorton, has some great advice...

"We have individual lawyer marketing plans that everybody is required to follow as part of their leadership responsibilities. In that marketing plan, you're required to set forth specific things you're going to do during the year. You can't say 'I plan to build a referral base for myself.' You have to say you're going to to do ten dinners a month, what I call 'touches'. Then you've got to say you're going to have four dinners with people that you know, three dinners with people that have been referred to you, and so on. Whatever it is, lunches, dinners, or plane rides to visit a client out of town, your marketing plan must be specific as to how you're going to do it."

We have two questions this week... they will give you some insight to what everyone has spent time on in the past AND what the focus for 2010 will be. Answer both questions and check all that apply.

Question #1:

Question #2:

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Our question of the week was: Where do you stand when it comes to your marketing and business development strategy?

Results

1. I have a plan and review it on a monthly basis. - 20%
2. I have a plan and review it on a quarterly basis. - 0%
3. I have a plan but haven’t looked at it since I wrote it. - 50%
4. I have been meaning to write a plan for years and 2010 is the year I will start. - 30%
5. I have no time or interest in writing a marketing and business development plan. - 0%

Thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s poll...

Congratulations to the 20% of you who write a plan and refer to it  regularly. Your plan is a living breathing document that gets adjusted and fine-tuned as you move along, good job! 80% of you don't have a plan, yes I'm talking to the 50% of you that write it... and the big problem is putting it into practice... it's as though you NEVER wrote it in the first place. And lastly, I love to see that 30% of you are making a commitment that 2010 is THE YEAR.

My Thoughts: Having a plan is one of the most important steps in your marketing and business development journey. For the next few weeks I will be blogging on creating a 2010 plan… ideas to include and tactics to monitor. Individual marketing plans should set forth what you will do over the next 12 months to maximize relationships with key clients. It should also include activities to enhance your credentials as an expert in your practice area or industry of focus.

The key is to keep it simple and easy to incorporate into your daily business activities. It is constantly changing and evolving and needs to be revisited and updated often.

Howard Berlin of Berger Singerman points out…

“In addition to the firm’s overall marketing plan, we ask the partners to submit their individual marketing plans to the marketing director. The marketing director is the coach. They know the playbook and can make recommendations on how to best execute the plays. After that it is up to the attorney or practice group, with the support of the marketing director and staff, to run the plays and clinch the victories.”

Black Pearl: For help in writing your strategic plan, there is a wonderful book written specifically for lawyers: Tom Grella’s aptly titled “The Lawyer's Guide to Strategic Planning.” I highly recommend it for anyone looking for  guidance.

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The time has come to start thinking about creating your 2010 marketing and business development plan. Didn’t have one in 2009 (or in 2008 for that matter!)? It doesn’t matter. 2010 is the year to start.

The world has changed and it is essential to figure out where you’re going and what you need to do to get there. To operate in this new environment you need to be strategic… business isn’t going to simply fall from the sky. Consider this: According to a 2006 Managing Partner Forum audience survey, 82% of law firms with a plan reported a direct correlation between planning and profitability. And while the survey may apply to law firms as a whole, those plans began with lawyers, were carried out by the lawyers and were measured on lawyer results. So, whether firm-wide or individual, the lesson here is: You. Need. A. Plan.

So, I will write a SPECIAL SERIES... devoting the next few weeks of In Black & White to the questions and strategies that encompass writing an effective marketing and business development plan. Subscribe today and have my bi-weekly commentary delivered directly to your inbox!

To begin with, let’s see how many of you have been writing individual marketing and business development plans...