Legal Marketing | The 7 Critical Things You MUST DO - BEFORE You Spend Another Dollar on Marketing Or Advertising
FIRST, THE BOTTOM LINE
Hi - I'm Nicole Wipp, the founder of Attorney Marketing Mastermind (and a practicing attorney!)
In over a decade of studying and implementing different marketing strategies, I've discovered some truths about the things that work for law firms...and the things that don't.
I LOVE MARKETING, because it has not only made me millions, but also helped me to have an incredible amount of freedom in my firm.
In the following article, I explore in greater detail what I consider the "7 Critical Things" that, if you fail to do them, cause you to leave (a lot of) money on the table when it comes to your marketing plan...or lack of a marketing plan!
But first, here is the "bottom line" for each one:
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1. DISCOVER, AND THEN FOCUS YOUR MARKETING ON, YOUR "BIGGEST CHECK" CLIENT
When you know everything you need to know about the clients that bring you the MOST money in your firm, and then you focus your marketing on them (instead of the general public) is when you will really start to see the benefits and profits roll in.
2. DON'T PAY (TOO MUCH) ATTENTION TO YOUR COMPETITION
Ever notice that it isn't the "best" lawyer that is the most profitable? You can let that drive you crazy...or you can do something about it, so that YOU are the most profitable. Do what actually works - create marketing based on what really works in today's environment, and then use actual data to decide whether you should continue to spend money on it.
3. MARKETING AND SALES ARE NOT DIRTY WORDS...STOP THINKING AND ACTING LIKE THEY ARE
What skill set actually makes you money? While you may be tempted to say "legal-technical," you would only be partly correct. Marketing - getting potential clients to know who you are and why they would want to talk to you, and sales - getting clients to hand you checks, are equally valuable skills (sometimes even more so!) and should be cultivated as such.
4. HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING CALENDAR
In terms of time-money investment, the most valuable thing you can do is having a PROactive plan. This is why having a comprehensive marketing calendar is essential. It keeps you on track, so that new clients are continually discovering you, without you having to be REactive: spending time and energy on "what's next?"
5. BE CLEAR ON THE MARKETING METHOD THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU, PERSONALLY
In order to consistently produce excellent marketing content, you really have to know the method that works best for you, personally - and then reconstitute that content for other platforms.
6. UNDERSTAND THE INSTINCTS THAT ENABLE YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO TAKE ACTION
Did you know that there are specific instincts (but are different for different people) that will either inhibit potential client's ability to take action or will be a catalyst to action? When you understand your ideal client's instincts, you are much more effective in crafting marketing messages that get them in the door, have them calling your office, and even better, gladly paying your fees.
7. DO NOT OUTSOURCE YOUR ENTIRE MARKETING STRATEGY
Letting someone else have complete control over your marketing strategy is letting someone else control your income potential. No one understands your clients the way you do - and so no one can market to them the way you can. Period!
Yes, That's the Bottom Line, But There Really Is More To It Than That....
So let's get started!
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Click Here to download a printable version.
DISCOVER, AND THEN FOCUS YOUR MARKETING ON, YOUR "BIGGEST CHECK" CLIENT
Which Clients Pay You The Most?
This may sound like a simple question, but I am consistently amazed at how few attorneys really know the answer.
You see, it isn't just the case type I'm talking about.
It's WHO the client is.
There are almost no circumstances where you will not find commonalities among the types of clients that result in the highest checks for you, and your firm.
If You're Not Focusing On Your Highest Check Clients With Your Marketing, You Are Leaving Big Money on The Table
Let me give you a specific example.
Several years ago, I realized my office did, in a single year, 30 cases of one specific case type with a net revenue of $64,100.
But we also had another case type that required the exact same time and effort that, with only 17 clients, brought in $97,000!We also did 30 cases of another client type with a net revenue of $166,250.00.
Which clients should I be focusing my marketing efforts on?
As you can see, the numbers tell me (and so tracking your numbers, obsessively, is also crucial). But marketing exactly to the WHO is what makes the difference - the exact characteristics of the "ideal" client - because, in focusing on the higher revenue clients with our marketing, we've been able to drastically increase the revenue without increasing the workload (and you can, too!).
Of course, your practice and your clients are different. The point is, identifying your numbers and focusing your marketing on the highest check clients pays big dividends.
DON'T PAY (TOO MUCH) ATTENTION TO YOUR COMPETITION
One of the things that I see attorneys do every day is copycat what other attorneys are doing OR they get paralyzed by what someone else is, or is not, doing.
They see attorneys that are not as skilled, but clearly doing better than they are, and then they complain. (How is that moron making more money than me?)
You Can Still "Win" -And It Really Isn't That Difficult
Most attorneys, no matter how successful they appear, are truly bad marketers. They don’t spend the time to consider their ROI and whether another, less expensive marketing strategy would be even more effective at bringing in the highest check clients.
If you're willing to be a better marketer, you'll get more clients. Seriously.
If you're worried about appearing "sleazy" - here's the good news:
When it comes to marketing, “splash” and “slick” do not work with most people! People want to work with people, humans that understand what they want and need.
So outrageous ads, high gloss brochures, “brochure” websites, canned newsletter materials, billboard ads, and everything else that is meant to appeal to the general public – not YOUR CLIENT, is literally and simply a waste of time and money.
The point is, unless you really know that what “someone else is doing” is actually bringing them a ROI that is better than anything else that can be done to reach the same market, don’t do it just because someone else is. That’s not silly, it's plain dumb.
And you, my friend, are not dumb. (If anything, just overwhelmed!)
MARKETING AND SALES ARE NOT DIRTY WORDS...STOP THINKING AND ACTING LIKE THEY ARE
I Know You Just Want To Be Seen As The Educated Professional That You Are
Of course you do! You've worked hard.
For lawyers, our "first job" is to provide quality legal services and value to our clients. For this reason, many attorneys mostly focus on their qualifications and their legal-technical expertise.
While having legal-technical qualifications and expertise is absolutely necessary, that isn’t what I am talking about. You’re a member, I assume, of one or even more than one highly qualified organization that can give you the legal-technical knowledge you need to be not just a good attorney, but a great one – on the legal-technical side.
But you want even more high quality, paying clients coming through the door of your firm. You want to make more money. You want to double – triple – possibly even 10x your personal income. You want to maximize your “ROI” – return on investment – for every dollar that you spend.
To Maximize ROI, You Need to Master Marketing And Sales. PERIOD!
It does not matter how much legal-technical expertise you have. If potential clients don't know about the quality and value you provide, and why you are the right attorney for them, they aren't calling you.
Unless you went to law school to be broke, overworked and stressed, marketing and sales - as a skill set - are absolutely necessary.
Yes, Attorney Marketing Is Unique
But as you and I know well, marketing as a lawyer is unique.We are under constraints that many industries aren't. Does that mean we can't use the most effective marketing methods out there?
Actually, it doesn't. But what it does mean is that we have to use them strategically, with a lawyer's eye toward getting the maximum out of our marketing dollars without running afoul of ethics. And naturally, we don't ever want to be perceived as "sleazy" lawyers.
But here's the thing: to create wealth for yourself, you have to create value for others - that's what we do. But potential clients have to know about you and your value in order for them to actually hire you. That's marketing. The hiring part is sales.
HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING CALENDAR
Building a marketing calendar – scheduling and planning for how your message(s) will get disseminated, is possibly the most productive and profitable activity you can do, after you’ve defined your market and message.
The point is, you want to have a plan to be PROACTIVE, not reactive.
You want to be relevant. You don’t want to waste money.
You must have a strategic plan, and having deadlines holds you accountable.
Here Are A Few Of My Recommendations When Creating A Marketing Calendar:
a. Devote specific time – block it out of your schedule - to create the calendar each quarter initially, and then at least every six months, finally every year (do each of these stages at least two months in advance)
b. Consult with key employees on how they can help or provide input
c. Decide on and agree with key staff on specific marketing initiatives that can be accomplished and create specific deadlines for completion.
d. Space out your marketing initiatives to keep client flow coming in; use “slow times” to advance additional marketing initiatives
e. Prior to each marketing initiative, approximately three months in advance, map everything out in greater detail including specific media used – diversify leads so you have stability in marketing
f. Periodically revisit the plan; tweak as necessary
g. After each marketing initiative is completed and results are in, go back and analyze how you can make it better for the next time!
BE CLEAR ON THE MARKETING METHOD THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU, PERSONALLY
Although I am a fervent believer that marketing is a skill set you need to cultivate, I do understand that having even more to do on your plate may seem daunting, if not impossible.
That's why, when it comes to marketing (once again) one size does not fit all. Video, speaking, blogging or writing, social media...the reality is that "doing it all" is truly a full time job. So how do you fit it in?
You first discover which method is the least energy draining for you - become excellent at it - and then you (or even better, a team member) reconstitute it for multiple platforms.
(And yes, there is a way to discover how this all really works for you! I promise!)
UNDERSTAND THE INSTINCTS THAT ENABLE YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO TAKE ACTION
Since the time of Aristotle and Plato, philosophers have understood that there is a specific part of the mind that is distinct from personality or intellect - it is the part of the mind that is related to instinct.
Today, brain science tells us time and again that this part of the mind drives us in many ways - sometimes in ways we aren't even aware of.
These instincts can cause friction in decision making (resulting in no action or delayed action - and this is what we, when marketing, are trying to avoid whenever possible) and they can also cause us to take action right away.
The same is true for our clients and potential clients.
However, when WE understand these instincts and how they play into our marketing strategy, we are able to create marketing messages that really enable our prospects to take action, move forward, avoid the NO, and say YES to us as their attorney.
In fact, I call it the "secret ingredient" to a EFFECTIVE, MONEY MAKING marketing strategy!
DO NOT OUTSOURCE YOUR ENTIRE MARKETING STRATEGY
Have you hired someone else to do your marketing for you, or are you thinking of hiring someone?
Let me share with you why I truly believe this is a mistake.
There is literally NO ONE on earth that knows your clients as well as you do. No one.
Even someone that specializes in your market cannot understand your client base the way you do - because, while many marketing concepts are universal, some of the most important differences are based on your location, the politics of your region, the views and values of the people that inhabit your market.
I get it, though ... you already have tons to do.
Thinking about your marketing, your branding, your messaging - it's just too overwhelming. Or spending years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to figure it out (like I did) just seems like too much, or that it will take too long.
If you feel this way, that's what Attorney Marketing Mastermind is all about!
I've Given You The WHAT, It's Time For The HOW:
The 12 Shades Of Law Firm Marketing Bootcamp
And, in case you're wondering...
Who Am I?
Hi, I'm Nicole Wipp, and I'm an attorney - an entrepreneur - and a marketer!
In the last several years, I went from working as a solo attorney at home to 80-100 hour weeks in a rinky-dink one-room office, to a beautiful office suite with several full-time team members.
Today, I only work at the office 5 days a month, and we are more and more profitable every single year.
I've done just about everything when it comes to marketing:
- Direct Mail
- Social Media Ads
- Social Media Marketing
- Podcasting (my own and tons of interviews)
- Written a (#1 Best-Selling) Book
- Newspaper Articles
- Newspaper Ads
- Movie Theatre Ads
- Local Publications
- TONS of Speaking
- Blogging
- YouTube Videos
- Lead Magnets
...I literally could go on and on.
I've taught marketing to attorneys all across the United States, and have been a featured expert in many publications, such as...
...But - Of Course - I Made A LOT OF Mistakes
I’ve tried a lot of things, I’ve spent tons of money, and I've made many (unfortunate and expensive) mistakes.
But then I went and worked with and studied under some of the best (non-attorney) marketers on the planet.
What I've learned over the last decade has made me, and my firm, millions.
I've also realized over and over again the mistakes lawyers are making when it comes to marketing.
Maximum Control Over Monthly Revenue Only Happens With An Intentional Process
That's the thing. This kind of growth didn't come by accident, and it wasn't just due to referrals.
I get referrals, of course – but the honest truth is that, for me, marketing has been the key to my firm's exponential and continuing growth.
Now, I’m not saying referrals don’t have a place in your marketing strategy.
What I am saying, though, is that a great marketing is the cornerstone to your income ... especially if you want to have maximum control over your monthly revenue.
The important thing is to have the intentional process. And that's why I set out seven things that help you start down the road to creating that for your firm.
And if you'd like to take it even further, join me in the Bootcamp!
