How to Find A Fair Debt Collection Lawyer

Consumers who are in need of an attorney to help them stop debt collection calls can find qualified lawyers at the website of the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA). I met many of these attorneys today while making a presentation on Internet marketing, and they are eager to help consumers deal with debt collectors.

Here is the link to find a debt collection attorney if you are a consumer who is getting calls from debt collectors. Visit NACA to search for a lawyer in your city. A related organization is the National Consumer Law Center.

One of the fair debt collection attorneys listed with NACA can help you deal with matters involving debt collection lawsuits, harrassment over debts that have already been paid, debt reduction scams, false information in your credit report, or calls from debt collectors.

NACA is a non-profit association of attorneys and consumer advocates committed to representing customers’ interests. Their members are private and public sector attorneys, legal services attorneys, law professors and law students whose primary focus is the protection and representation of consumers. NACA also has a charitable and educational fund incorporated under §501 (c) (3).

Click here to read about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Investing Legal Marketing Money in Online Yellow Page Directories

Should an attorney invest part of their marketing budget in online phone directories? This is a question that came up in speaking with some fair debt collection attorneys this week.

The answer may be "yes," but it will differ for each firm based on their goals, objectives and budget. First, however, I recommend that a solo practitioner or small law firm explore law firm Internet marketing techniques that may be available to them at little to no cost.

Here are some inexpensive legal marketing techniques:

1. Get listed on Google Maps
2. Use Google Analytics on your website to monitor website performance
3. Update the meta tags on your website (especially the title tag) for better online visibility. Learn more at our law firm Internet marketing blog.
4. Optimize one page on your website for each important keyword
5. Test Google AdWords for qualified leads

Back to the question of online phone directories. Some offer free listings, like Super Pages. Once you've covered some of the basics in terms of law firm Internet marketing and listings, then you can and should give further thought to paying for listings beyond the basics.

Want to talk about what makes the most sense for your firm? Contact me via http://www.legalexpertconnections.com/.

Tap your Client Database for New Business Fast

I recently visited a law firm that produced their client list ... typed up on 3x5 cards and stored in narrow drawers like an old-fashioned library card catalogue. There were literally hundreds of cards going back over ten years. This treasure trove of potential new revenue had absolutely zero value in terms of business development.

What shape is your law firm's client database in? Considering that your client list is one of the most valuable assets your firm has, it merits a few minutes of consideration.

Here are some five best practice for law firm client database management: 

1. Maintain your client database in an electronic format. There are many ways to do this, the most popular being to tie your client file into your accounting software or a case management system.

2. Review your database fields periodically. In addition to a source field (how the client heard about you) and a start date, you will want to have names for first name, last name, title, firm, address, phones, email addresses, URLs, and other pertinent data. You may want to track family members, birthdates, notes from client meetings, etc.

3. Use your client database regularly. This sounds simple, but it is frequently overlooked. At a minimum you will want to do a holiday mailing, but also consider monthly or quarterly client communications.

4. Keep your list up-to-date. "List hygiene" is a term in the direct marketing industry that relates to the quality of a list. Update addresses, zip codes and contacts are just a few of the items that change regularly. Consumer-oriented law firms that have a large client file can use a list broker to run an "NCOA" (national change of address) review periodically.

5. Segment your list by practice areas. Create cross-sell or up-sell opportunities based on types of legal services used by your clients.

Looking for new revenue? Your client list is the best place to start.

Marketing Your Fair Debt Collection Law Practice

Does your law firm protect consumers against debt collectors in actions involving the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), or the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)?

If so, this is a very competitive field in terms of law firm Internet marketing. Here are 10 tips to help you attract more leads online:

1. You must have a website!
2. Consider a “mini-site” on debt collection
3. Maximize your local search engine presence
4. Build quality in-bound links to your site
5. Test AdWords locally if your budget permits
6. Optimize 1+ pages on existing site for debt collection
7. Update your website meta tags
8. Consider a blog (Blogger, Word Press, Justia, LexBlog, etc.)
9. Test social media
10. Get listed in free/low cost legal directories (Avvo, Justia, Cornell, HG.org, etc.)

This is just a start! We have 10 more legal marketing ideas available on request.
 
Law firm marketing consultant Margaret Grisdela, author of this blog, is making a presentation entitled "Marketing Your Fair Debt Collection Practice," on Friday, March 5, 2010 to the National Consumer Law Center in Jacksonville, FL.