Starting a Law Firm? Here are 3 Legal Marketing Tips to Make $$

Recent law school graduates, yet to take the Bar exam, are already planning to hang out a shingle, according to an article on today's Above the Law titled Spurning Biglaw: Graduates Choose Starting a Small Firm Over Getting a Big Paycheck.

Recognizing that business is down for many attorneys these days, the three law students featured in this article are willing to work hard, build their practice, and keep expenses low the first couple of years to match expected income.

As the author of the legal marketing book Courting Your Clients, I have dozens of ideas on how attorneys can get new business. Here are 3 techniques that serve as a foundation:

1. Build Your Referral Network. This sounds basic, but the truth is that most attorneys rely on referrals for new business. However, they don't maximize the power of their network because they manage it in their head rather than on paper. Write down your best referral sources - non-competing attorneys, accountants, or bankers - and assign an A/B/C priority to each one. Be in touch with your "A" referral sources every 30-45 days, ideally in person. Connect with your "B" sources every 60 days, also in person. Add your "C" referral sources to your email or call list. Stick to the referral network contact schedule and you will have a sales force working for you 24/7 without the need for commissions.
   
2. Focus your practice and target your prospects. Concentrate in no more than 3 related practice areas. This will help clarify your marketing message. Your marketing dollars will be more productive, because you are spending on a narrow market and will get better word-of-mouth. Create a list of at least 25 high quality prospects that you want to develop as clients, then take it step by step to meet the right people at each prospect firm, introduce your law firm, and develop the relationship. 
3. Create a strong Internet presence. A website is a must, and social media is a plus. You want prospects to find you online, and those that you meet in person will want to visit your website to learn more about you. 

That's just the starting point! Want more ideas? Read the book Courting Your Clients for a simple yet structured approach to legal marketing. 

If you read this post in time, sign up for our Courting Your Clients webinar scheduled for Friday November 12th (more in the future). Contact the author for more information.

Courting Your Clients Webinar this Friday 11/12, Noon

Learn the business development methodology outlined in the new 2nd edition of Courting Your Clients: The Essential Guide to Legal Marketing in a free webinar this Friday.

Webinar details:

Introduction to Courting Your Clients
Friday, November 12, 2010
Noon to 12:30 EST
Free
Click to register here

Author and law firm consultant Margaret Grisdela will demonstrate how speaking, publishing, referral networking, Internet marketing, and other forms of business development all work together to create a cohesive legal marketing program focused on lead generation.

Participants will learn how to integrate multiple marketing and public relations tools with simple yet powerful written plans, including a calendar of scheduled campaigns, that make it easy to monitor performance and measure results.

This webinar is ideal for solo attorneys, managing partners, lawyers in a small to mid-sized law firm, law firm administrators, and law students. 

The book is also available for purchase here.

For further information about the webinar, call 1-866-417-7025 or send an email to the author.

Blog Copywriting Topic for Class Action Lawyers

The case AT&T Mobility Services vs. Concepcion will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 9th. The future of class action law may rest on the decision reached by the Court in this matter.

Class action attorneys on both sides of the issue will find this to be an excellent topic for blog copywriting this week.

Specifically, the court will review a 9th Circuit decision holding that the Federal Arbitration Act did not preempt a California law rendering a cell phone company’s arbitration clause unconscionable because it made consumers waive their right to class-wide arbitration, according to a recent article in the Wisconsin Law Journal titled U.S. Supreme Court Term Packed with Big Cases.

Attorneys who are looking for assistance in creating or maintaining a law firm blog as part of a legal marketing can contact this Rainmaking Lady for help. Blog copywriting is one of many services available as part of our Courting Your Clients legal marketing methodology.

How to Add a Tweet Button to your Law Firm Website

Lawyers looking for viral Internet marketing options can now add a tweet button to a web page. Visitors will then be able to easily retweet the page, giving the law firm strong word-of-mouth legal marketing benefits.

Here's how it works:

1. Choose the style of button you want. Options include vertical or horizontal, each with or without a counter. You can also customize language regarding the tweet text, URL and language to be used.
2. Recommend people to follow in the retweet. The default is that your own Twitter name will be included (for example, the author's is @RainmakingLady).
3. Preview your button to confirm it works the way you want.
4. Copy the HTML code created for you by Twitter, and add it to your webpage(s).

You can also create your own custom Tweet button if you wish using special developer tools. Full details here.

Here's WHY you should test the Tweet button on your site:

1. Your message is more powerful when it is relayed by others to their circle of friends.
2. You will increase online lead generation, creating new prospects for your legal services.
3. Gain a competitive advantage by increasing your social media and SEO visibility.

You can add the tweet button to any or all pages on your website. Your law firm home page would be a good place, as well as any special "link bait" pages you create to provide valuable information for prospective clients.

Consider this as one more marketing communications tool for your legal marketing and Internet marketing campaigns.

Read more how to add a Tweet button here. This Rainmaking Lady is available to take your questions.