National Make A Will Week - Every Week

Are your prospects thinking about Wills this week?

There's been some coverage in the press that might be
making them think about it. (See Telegraph article here.)

I have also seen a promotion in my local Reading Post newspaper,

The question I have is this....

Why wait until national Wills week to do a
promotion with several charities?

Flint Bishop have partnered charities
all-year round. Can You?

For the price of a phone call and a follow up
letter you could get a partner with 100,000 members.

That you could mail to, in conjunction with their brand.

Let me know if you want a sample letter.

Read more...

Direct Mail Letters That Sell

If you know you have 3 clients that are similar
how about trying to find some more?

One way you can do this is by writing a sales letter.

Let's say you have 3 charities you work for.

If you can write to another 500 charities
that are similar, with a persuasive letter
and 25 respond then you have an immediate
qualified 25 prospects.

And it cost you £250 to send the initial letters.
That's £10 a lead for your law firm.

Here's my video thoughts on a letter sent to me to try and get me to buy.

If you convert one from 25 you will probably make a
return of at least 10 x the money you have invested.

So why not try it?

Here are some tips that will help you write better sales
letters to market your law firm.

There's another resource on direct mail for solicitors here.
Send a letter with no offer and you’ll get no response -
That's known in the world of marketing as a “waste of money.”

If you do not get the results you need or response is flagging,
check the offer first.

“If you want to dramatically increase your response, dramatically improve your offer.”

“Success in direct mail is 40% lists, 40% offer and 20% everything else.

Before sending out a letter without an offer, think the letter “P”:
only the Printer and the Post Office make money.

A good direct mail letter is as direct and personal
as the writer can make it.

Even though it may go to thousands of people,
it still talks to an individual.

It’s a message from one letter writer to one letter reader.
A sales letter should never be signed by two people.
Two is a committee.

It's impossible to make an emotional connection with a committee.

Do not write “we” in your letter. Write “I”.
This gives the sense that one is getting a letter written by a real person.

If you are available anytime (24/7) for the call, or for more
information, make sure that you are and tell them you are.

They’ll appreciate you saying it, even if they don’t take you up on it. Turning a 50 pence letter into £2500 of business
is a skill that you can easily learn.
Just follow simple, proven and profitable systems.

(Of course the 475 that don't respond
will go into a marketing sequence remember...)

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Celebrity Status = Trusted Resource

"Boyd, I'm having my picture taken by the
local Gazette newspaper on Monday morning!"

I love getting emails like this.

Someone that tries something different.
And gets publicity. And sales.

Remember, celebrity status = trusted source

Someone should film you getting your
picture taken or giving a seminar whenever it happens.

There's nothing better than a video of a celebrity
that works for you on your website to convince people to buy.

And the reason they are coming to do a story on him?

Read more...

More Testimonials Than Any Other Law Firm On The Planet

You have put your law firm on Google Local right? (Click this link to find out how)

Apart from the fact that Google local helps you get on the first page of Google for searches such as "solicitors in Reading" another reason all law firms must take Google local seriously...because it provides a simple platform to generate tens or even hundreds of online testimonials.

If a law firm like yours started today and got one a day then I expect you would be able to say you are "the World's number one law firm on Google Local" or "More Testimonials Online Than Any Other Law Firm On The Planet." withing 3 months.

Just like this company with more than 1000 reviews.

And it's easy. Just ask every client you have to go to your Google Local listing...

Like this listing for a law firm in Reading...

And ask them to write a review of your services.

That's it. Brilliant testimonials. Online proof of your value. For free.


Check out the websites section of this legal marketing site...

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October 13th - Can You Use Humour To Sell Your Legal Services?

Did you know that almost 60% of internet use is video? Did you know that most solicitor websites don't use video. Why is that?

One of the problems is that solicitors aren't always comfortable with shooting a video, uploading it to a hosting site, such as YouTube, and then "embedding it" on their website.

I guess it sounds difficult to do. And what about making movies that tell a story. Sounds impossible! But let me ask you...Can you type? Can you point and click and drag with a mouse?

Because take a look at what you can do really easily with some free software.

And you can use this type of thing to get meetings with key corporate clients, on your email newsletters , for praising staff...anything where you want to be noticed and have an effect.

Read more...

October 8th - Do You Have A Reason To Communicate?

Have you ever seen Disney's Jungle Book?
Do you know the bit where the three vultures
are sitting on a tree, just waiting for something to happen

"What we gonna do?" says one.

"I dunno, what we gonna do?" says the other.

And so it goes on until Shere Khan arrives on the scene...

Sometimes you want a reason for "what you're gonna do."

Or what you have to say.

This is where a promotion from a company selling
server space caught my eye. See it here.

It's based on the clocks going back on October 25th.
It's usually an excuse for an hour lie in but Rackspace
are using this annual event as a promotion.

And this made me think.

"Charities benefit from crazy clock rules as
law firm donates hour to good causes."

"Solicitor uses time machine to give over 65's free Wills"

"We've donated our lie in to our clients.
We'd rather help you than have breakfast in bed."

How many events are there a year that you can use to
market your legal services for PR, marketing to your
existing clients and generally creating a USP for your firm?

National Lottery, Halloween, Xmas, New Year,
Wimbledon, X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing...

It's all about using the rising tide of what's
going on, and benefiting from free publicity
for your law firm to grow faster than anyone else.

Read more...

October 6th - Enter the Theatre of the Mind to sell your Wills..

There's been a discussion going on at
Law Gazette about marketing Wills.

One of the contributors came up with a
short list of life changing events that mean people want Wills.

Things like;marriage, divorce, kids, buying a house,
retirement, selling a business etc.

Most people are going through these at any one time.

So there's the opportunity to enter their "theatre of the mind".

This means that you enter the conversation that is
already going on in their heads.

It's much easier than butting in where you are not welcome.

This should dictate the type of subject lines you
write in emails and headlines in letters and stories on your website.

A laser-targeted headline about a subject someone
is thinking about will have a good chance of getting you a hot prospect.

The Head Partnership consistently cross-sell their legal
services in this way.

They know I'm a business owner.

They know I don't have a Will.

Take a look at this legal firm cross-selling email

This may just have hit me at the right time.

(although they missed the "offer" tactic out).

Is there anything stopping you from writing
to all your small business clients and company
owners with something similar?

Remember something is going on in your clients' minds.

You want to learn how to read them
so that you can market your law firm successfully.

What is it today? What will it be tomorrow?
And if you don't know...ask them.

Read more...

September 29th - Halifax Legal Target Great Legal Marketing Owner

Sounds a bit sinister? Well I guess it could be.

Because when I opened my inbox this morning
someone from Halifax was trying to sell me a Will.

And do you know what?
I've wanted to get one for the last 5 years...
so now maybe the time is right.

Some of the lessons to be learnt from their approach
are; communicate, an offer, that's clear and beneficial,
make it personalised and....let's see if they continue to market it -
because the sequence is everything...

Would I use their service?

Would their email and website suck me into and make me buy?

Click to see the video o see what I think.

Read more...

September 24 - 3 Million Wills Written

Oh yes. He's gone and done it.
Partnered up with a great organisation.
That will do his company no end of good.
And it didn't cost him a penny.

And not only has he done it with Oxfam but he's
also got the BMA and Breast Cancer Care.

Access to 3 million people and 500 transactions a month.

There are probably other law firms out there doing the same thing.

I hope so.

Alan is one of the people who gets the
Great Legal Marketing email newsletters.

But I bet he's also someone that does something with them.

Do you?

Alan gave me permission to let everyone know about this deal.

I wanted to ask his permission because he's got a system
that is very valuable.

And it can easily be copied.

In fact, the idea of marketing partners is very old.

The only way it has remained a secret is because of the knowing-doing gap.

You know you should do it.
But you don't do it.

And there are always so many reasons, (excuses) not to.

Aren't there?

Don't say I didn't mention partner marketing for
solicitors to you...it's been here all along.

Remember "if it's not your job, then maybe it's your opportunity?"

And Alan, if you're reading this,
buy yourself a present. A DVD,
a nice restaurant meal, oh..and happy birthday.

Read more...

September 23 - Video presentations for lawyers made easy

Making best use of time, (slaying the time vampires)
is paramount for all of us.

There are lots of technologies coming out that
are free and simple to use that help us in the cause.

They can also be highly effective.

Whether it's video conferencing rather
than travelling hundreds of miles, or
doing something once so that it can
be used again and again.

Take screen casting, where you record what's
on your screen and then send the video to your
prospect or client.

You can use a service such as screenr.com
which automatically tweets (Twitter) your
stuff for public viewing or not, the choice is yours.

The other technology is www.jingproject.com.

It's a great way of producing short powerpoint
with narration videos for your website or for
giving updates of key points by video rather than letter or call.

It could even be used as a video newsletter ;-)

See my marketing videos for solicitors using Screenr

Read more...

September 18th - Personal Testimonials For Solicitors via Linkedin

I am a regular contributor to the Law Gazette blog forum.

And this week there are a few things I mentioned.
One is a comment about Linkedin.

One good thing about Linkedin is that people
type in your name on the internet and discover more
about you via your Linkedin page.

You are being Googled .

Marketing is really about who knows you so it
makes sense to take advantage of Linkedin.

Of course I don't mention everything on the
Law Gazette blogs.

Hell, I'd have no reason to do this legal marketing website if I did.

One of the great things about Linkedin is
that it makes it incredibly easy for solicitors
to get personal testimonials.

If you are on Linkedin and you don't have 5 testimonials
take this challenge.

Ask one person a day, starting today,
to give you a testimonial.

If you want more ideas on testimonials for solicitors go here

(if you want a short email course worth £487 on how to
get testimonials for solicitors then email me today

Make sure that your title is search engine friendly
in Linkedin i.e. that when your name appears on
Google when someone types in your name,
the right title appears in search results.

E.g. Landlord Law Expert rather than just Solicitor.

Read more...

September 14th - People Buy When From Solicitors They Are Ready...

I've been trying a little marketing testing with a solicitor
in the South West.

It involves putting an advert in a local newspaper in Reading,
directing calls through to his Bristol practice and offering Wills by post.

It's looking promising. One of the key elements
though is the way the calls are handled,

(I listen to the calls as they are recorded) and the

follow up marketing sequence that the solicitor has in place.

I expect most solicitors don't have a follow up marketing
sequence for prospects.

And you are probably asking what it is.

It's simply a way of solving the problem
that most prospects only buy when they are ready.

And that's not when you want them to.

The stages of pre-contemplation, contemplation, liking,
trusting, learning, communicating and deciding over a
period of days, weeks and months before they part with their cash.

And if you don't have something that takes them
through this process then you are likely to end
up with a lot less business.

So make sure you have a marketing sequence
in place for your prospects.

And if you don't have one, get in touch and I can help you.

By the way, if you want to run the advert in your
local paper, let me know.

I'll even include a trackable phone number
so you can judge the results for yourself.

Read more...

September 1st - Co-operation or Competition for Law firms?

"Why should I bust a gut, I'm not a legal partner
so I ain't gonna earn more out of doing this!"

That's something you hear in all firms. It made me think of the "up or out" system within law firms.

If you are good enough you make partner
and share in the success. If not, you're part of the "rest".

At least that's how it seems to many people that work as lawyers.

If there's a them and us culture in your firm it means that people are not co-operating. It's more likely that they are competing.

Many people assume wrongly that competition
brings out the best in people.

And the Darwinian "survival of the fittest" is often
used as a scientific justification of this type of approach.

But does competition really help your law firm internally?

When someone wins - someone loses.

And 99% of people have been taught they
if they are not winners they are losers.

And if you lose how does it affect you and your staff?

If the answer is negatively then you are duty bound to find an alternative.

And that is co-operation.

Co-peration is win/win.

It's coaching staff so that you can transfer knowledge,
it's finding best practise and disseminating it, it's scheduling work
so that everyone gets interesting things to work on.

It's not having favourites, it's saying someone
is different not better, it's helping not hindering.

Think about how Amazon allows co-operation between
store owners and buyers.

Or how Linux allows programmers to co-operate on open source software.

Or how Betfair lets punters bet against each other.

There's an old football saying that there is no i in team.

So if you aren't referring internally, working with business
as partners or simply taking the time to help each
other then you are probably over-competing.

Try a bit of un-learning.

Try a bit more co-operation in your law firm.

Put on your next management meeting the words...

How Can We Co-operate More In Our Firm
And Externally With Partners To Make Our Business Win Win?

And make sure you invite all staff to contribute with
their ideas as to how you can market your solicitors firm better.


PS It is not the case that Darwin coined the term "survival of the fittest".

When you think about it his theories demonstrated that by co-operating
in distinct niches animals had the best chance of surviving.

was the exploitation of these niches that was observed.

What niches can you law firm thrive in?

Read more...

August 23rd - Big Win For Reading Firm - What Did They Do?

Boyd,

I hope that you are having a good holiday.
Just to let you know that we have been
awarded the work.

There were originally 65 applicants
at the first stage.

It went down to 14 applicants at the second stage
and at the interview stage there were 4.

Thanks for your help.

Rachel.

FIELD SEYMOUR PARKES SOLICITORS

They prepared, they thought about what the
client wanted, they presented well.

They got the business - (six figures).

Do you want to know what we went through to make the
presentation that helped win?

August 19th - Make All Your Calls "Great Calls"
click this link to hear a short message from me...

Find out how you can get my checklist for free.

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August 09 - Celebrity Solicitor Status Is Yours For Free

I once did some work with a commercial lawyer.

I asked him if he ever wrote articles or gave speaking engagements.

He said to me that

"he'd been asked to do an
article for the Chamber of Commerce
but he didn't have the time".

He didn't have the time or inclination to
demonstrate his expertise to 7000 business people!

Which is a real shame because most law firms would
benefit greatly by getting in front of that many business
owners for free.

And even if the law firm benefits and you aren't a Partner,
(what an excuse that is for not doing things)
you should still do it for your own personal development.

The moral of the story is,
"Stop watching TV that doesn't pay or educate or
make you laugh.

Write articles and give seminars instead.

Grab celebrity status for yourself in the local media.

It will make you better at presenting, writing and thinking.

You will enjoy it and meet new people.

You will make more money.

And certainly your family will think you are cool."

All you have to do is get lots of articles published and
be a reliable, informed expert in your own field and
help editors/producers/presenters fill their media
products with your good self.

Love him or loathe him, where do you go
if you've got a story to sell to the News Of The World.

Yep...Max Clifford. Being a celebrity PR has
made him more than £10 MILLION.

And in our celebrity-fuelled society,
it really is who knows you that counts.

Type your name into Google - what are the results?

Because that's what your next client is going to do
before he speaks to you.

And if you don't exist, do something about it fast.

If you want more info on this here it is....

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