Solicitor Marketing - There's Riches in Niches

It's always great to see a law firm
targeting a niche and understanding
that the more you give the more you get when it
comes to legal marketing.

Take a look at this lawyer in the US.
http://www.bedsorefaq.com/bed-sore-resource-center/

He focuses on care home negligence.

One of the specialities he has is
bed sore claims.

This web site is a fantastically detailed resource
for anyone that wants to know about bedsores.

Who are you going to use to make your
claim if you have a relative that has suffered
from bedsores?

Someone that knows their stuff or an amateur?

If I were a civil litigation solicitor or personal
injury solicitor I'd be tempted to register
pressuresore.org and do the same with a UK
website...

And I'd be looking at niches you can exploit because
if you have two clients of any one kind, i.e. charities,
schools, Supremely affluents etc then you
can create your own legitimate niche.

As Shaw Taylor (Police 5) said..

"Keep 'em peeled"

Read more...

Professional Indemnity Insurance Solicitors And Life Changes

I know that indemnity insurance costs have risen...in case you
didn't see it there's a new insurer on the market and the Law
Society have produced a guide to the subject...

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/newsandevents/news/majorcampaigns/view=newsarticle.law?CAMPAIGNSID=419346

One member of this newsletter has used Connect2Law
http://www.connect2law.co.uk/
to successfully get P I Insurance. Might be another route for you?

Obviously insurance is a major issue for you. But what are major
issues for your clients?

Because major life changes can help you to market..

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

Most people are going through these at any one time.

And they don't know that there are legal consequences.

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.

Just make sure it's a laser targeted headline or
selling phrase you use when you engage them
by email, on the phone or by letter.

It still amazes me that solicitors don't make an offer for a new Will
with conveyancing EVERY TIME. Perhaps you might wait a few weeks/months
to sell the Will because a new house takes up most of
someone's brain for a while.

But plant the seed and then nurture it with a marketing sequence
over a few months and I bet
you'll get their Will sorted.

And if you find this difficult to systemise
why not automate the whole process?

A friendly letter/email and sms text twice a year
highlighting legal solutions to major life changes
would cost pennies but it's a nice reminder
and your clients will thank you for it.

If a garage can send an sms about an MOT
and a dentist can send a reminder about a check-up
couldn't you do the same twice a year about a
legal check up?

The more you help your clients the more they will
trust and like you. And the more they will buy.

And the principle applies to commercial clients
as well as private clients. The more you know about
their business the more you can provide solutions.

But if you don't ask regularly you will never know.

PS remember people buy when they want to buy, not when
you want to sell. That's why you have to be in constant
contact efficiently, in a valuable way, and systematically.
Ask me how if you want to! Visit Solicitor Marketing

Read more...

Online Legal Services - Is The Time Now?

I've been looking at how firms can offer something to sell to visitors to their websites.

After all, why not make money 24/7 right?

One thing that you can do is offer "backsourced" products such as Wills, where the client fills in the details and you check it over. It's how most of the car insurance industry now works.

(For an example of who does use it in the legal world visit www.Nelsonsonline.co.uk

Personally, online legal services are right for me as a consumer and I think there is a big market for them.

And I asked Tim Bishop, (who runs the Salisbury Solicitors firm Bonallack and Bishop) his views on the matter. (Tim's website is worth checking out - he know's where he's headed).

These are Tim's thoughts on online legal services

What do you think about online legal services Tim?

"I suspect it's likely that this method of delivering some legal services will become increasingly popular. However it's early days. I'm a great believer in not adopting a radical new method first I prefer to wait and see and let others go through the expense, the pain and the learning curve -- and if it looks like a winner then I'll happily come on board at the forefront of the second wave, learning from others' mistakes."

Do you see it happening soon?

"If this method of delivering legal services does take off -- I suspect it won't be tomorrow but the day after tomorrow. Law firms are a conservative market."

What mistakes do you envisage people making?

"I've spoken to at least one firm who just started taking this route -- I'm not sure that they have even the basic pricing right however. If I recall correctly they were doing wills the traditional way for about £95 pounds and online wills, with very little input from lawyers, for about £85 ."


" I don't see many clients choosing to go down the technological route, at their own risk when for another £10 they could get a lawyer to take the risk and do all the hard work. In my view to make this offer attractive, there clearly has to be a much bigger differential. But the problem for this particular firm I think is that they are significantly undercharging for wills in the first place."

What are the important things to consider?

"If the market is not ready for mass adoption of these sorts of services -- all we are doing in the short-term is cannibalizing our own market. I appreciate the risk is that non-lawyers to come into the market.

Here however I think is the crux of the matter. It is not so much delivery of service but control of the source of work. If solicitors can control the source work than they can, to a certain extent, control the rate of change in service delivery. Equally if the likes of, say Which, take control over the source of work for wills, that will allow them to start controlling the means of delivery.

How are you preparing for the future at Bonallack and Bishop?

"The central plank of my personal role [I no longer run legal cases] is finding ways of controlling the sources of work -- We will continue to deliver wills for the time being locally and in the traditional manner -- in fact we're coming up with various initiatives to significantly increase the number of wills we are doing and therefore getting people onto our private client database -- a critical move."

"The other issue is that I'm personally concerned about commoditized services -- where profit margins will be driven down and down again and the only way eventually of delivering them will be on a massive scale -- simply beyond most small and medium firms of solicitors -- more suited to the likes of Which or large insurance companies. My target is therefore the niche areas of law which are more specialized and labour-intensive where we are, as solicitors, much more likely to be safer from the likes of Which etc, and where we are likely to be able to continue charging a premium in at least the medium term."

Thank you to Tim for sharing his thoughts.

Tim's words about getting local people on to their client database is very
interesting. This is where online "backsourced" wills and working with
joint venture partners, such as schools, charities and media owners locally can be combined.

Are you looking at online legal services as a way
to capitalise on your website?

Let me know what plans you have or why you won't be doing it any time soon...

Read more...

Turn Negatives Into Your Positives For Solicitor Marketing

I was away for five weeks and
I only managed to get stung by a jellyfish once.

Now I have a free souvenir of my time in France.

I like to turn negatives into positives. It works well
away from the beach too.

Here's your new scenario....

It uses the law of Compare and Contrast.

It goes like this...a prospect has picked you out
of Google Local (he's searched conveyancing in Bristol)

"Hello just checking on Conveyancing Mr Smith, I've been
recommended to use Countrywide Lawyers by my Estate Agent
but I wanted another option. Could you tell me what you do.?"

"Sure, but first let me send you this link to the Countrywide reviews...http://www.ciao.co.uk/Reviews/Countrywide_Property_Lawyers__5658256

And here's a link to our videos.....

And by the way....we're independent of the estate agent
which means we work Exclusively FOR you."

Now let me tell you 3 things about us which make us unique...."

Do your staff answer the phone like this?

Remember....

To get someone to buy your conveyancing team you only have
to do the following;

Get someone to like you.
Be positive. Be friendly. Be Enthusiastic.

Get them to trust you.
Give them overwhelming proof, video, audio, written testimonials.

Help them understand what they'll get.
Explain clearly, give them guides and videos. Make
your service understandable.

Ensure they know it's a fair price.
Tell them everything you do for them, don't leave
anything out, even if everyone else does it, you've
got to tell 'em because they don't know.

Remember these are the reasons that people buy.

I like the seller

I understand what I am buying

I perceive a difference with this company

I believe the seller

I have confidence in him

I trust him

I feel comfortable

The price seems fair

I perceive this product will work for me.

I believe this sales person wants to help me so he can build his business.

Work your script around making someone feel great
about these things and you'll convert 50% more leads.

Read more...

How can Law Firms Come Up With New Ideas?

New ideas are a great way to compete.

New ideas are not about money. They are about innovation. And no-one has the patent on innovation.

Most of the business concepts we have are handed down.This means we are limited in our ideas by tradition.

But anyone can create a new world. It’s all in your imagination.

Let’s imagine you are going to be making a presentation about handling a large University property account.

You believe that you will have a good chance of winning the business if you really know what the client is thinking so that you can handle any objections. So you decide to use a prop that ensures the buyers WILL tell you what they are thinking.

You give the panel gavels that they can bang down whenever they have an objection or question.

You say to them, “You be the judge, if you have an objection or question, bang the gavel!”

* You get a clear signal that you have to communicate better or more or prove what you are saying.
* The audience don’t feel embarrassed about asking.
* They get a clear understanding and banish their doubts.
* They enjoy the process.
* They buy.

You can probably think of a hundred different analogies you can use in your law firm like this.

You don’t have to use all the ideas, (pick the best,) but the more you have, the better those you choose to implement.

Here's an example.

Imagine if all estate agents in your town would give a free will to all buyers and sellers written by your firm.

This free will is offered when the buyer/seller gets a conveyancing quote from you.

It’s promoted in every advert that the estate agent places and in every communication with buyers/sellers.

The solicitor gets more conveyancing, gets a relationship with the buyer/seller, sells more family law services via a marketing sequence and gets publicity paid for by the estate agent.

The Estate Agent gives extra value to potential clients.

All the solicitor does is provide the marketing materials to the estate agent. (Got to do some work you know).

Remember your imagination needs nourishment. Stand back once in a while from your day to day work.

Here’s another way to come up with ideas.

Check out this page

Do you know Einstein imagined what it would feel like to be a light particle travelling through space? He came up with the theory of relativity based on his feelings and imagination.


PS, I’ve mentioned it before. Michael Michalko’s Book “Thinkertoys”
is a book that helps feed the imagination.
If you have children or an enquiring mind you will love iit.

Read more...

Solicitors - Have You Protected Your Relationship with Agents?

Some people are worried about
Tesco Law and the Co-op stealing
business away.

But there's probably a different threat.

Complacency.

You see a company is signing up estate agents in your area
and getting their conveyancing leads. They might
only be at 2.5% of the English market but I expect
that to rise.

What are you doing to protect your leads from Estate
Agents and mortgage brokers. Are you complacent?
Do you know enough about what
your agents want? Are you proactive?

Could you outsource your conveyancing to this growing firm?

Find out what commercial director of myhomemove.com said
when I interviewed him earlier this week.

Here's the interview

http://www.greatlegalmarketing.co.uk/sitedata/Misc/myhomemove_interview.pdf

Read more...

Niches for Solicitors - Can you exploit yours?

It's always great to see a law firm
targeting a niche and understanding
that the more you give the more you get.

Take a look at this lawyer in the US.
http://www.bedsorefaq.com/bed-sore-resource-center/

He focuses on care home negligence.

One of the specialities he has is
bed sore claims.

This web site is a fantastically detailed resource
for anyone that wants to know about bedsores.

Who are you going to use to make your
claim if you have a relative that has suffered
from bedsores?

Someone that knows their stuff or an amateur?

If I were a civil litigation solicitor or personal
injury solicitor I'd be tempted to register
pressuresore.org and do the same with a UK
website...

And I'd be looking at niches you can exploit because
if you have two clients of any one kind, i.e. charities,
schools, Supremely affluents etc then you
can create your own legitimate niche.

As Shaw Taylor (Police 5) said..

"Keep 'em peeled".

Read more...

Solicitors market to the theatre of the mind...

I love it when someone ACTS.

Not as in the thespian way, but in the
genius way.

Remember I talked about I-Sold (Tesco)
using handwritten postcards to target
house sellers?

(It's here)

One of the Great Legal Members
didn't do what I suggested (try the same
for conveyancing) but did do an alternative.

He's selling Wills by recognising that the
house seller is having a major life-change
and it's a good time to get a new/updated will.

Do you systematically market to people undergoing
major life changes?
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.
Just make sure it's a laser targeted headline or
selling phrase you use when you engage them
by email on the phone.

It still amazes me that solicitors don't bundle a Will
with conveyancing EVERY TIME.

But maybe you do?

Read more...

Useful Tools for Solicitors to Market and Sell With

Here are a couple of really practical
tools which can be useful on a day to day basis.

http://www.web2pdfconvert.com/

You can plug in any website URL
address and it transforms the website
into a PDF.

How cool is that?

Great for times when you want a hard
copy of a website to read on a train,
in bed (sadly) or on a plane. (Remember
you need to prepare to sell).

http://www.greatlegalmarketing.co.uk/LawyersThatPrepareWin

Some people even download all my website
and read it offline to find out how to do things or
come up with new ideas.

Another great tool is http://screenr.com/
as it allows you to produce screen casts
esily and for free. It's great for producing
You Tube videos which you can then embed
on your website.

Video is a great way for people
to understand what it is you solve.

Check out www.fsp-law.com
who use video to get them to the top
of the search engines and to help clients
see and hear what they do.

An alternative way of creating screencasts is
http://www.jingproject.com

If you want to work with things
which make your life easier here's a
good resource where you can find information.

http://www.c4lpt.co.uk

There's a list of the top 100 tools.

I'd focus on the video stuff myself.

Here's how and why

http://www.greatlegalmarketing.co.uk/sitedata/Misc/10-Tips-for-Making-the-Mos.pdf

It'll work to get you new clients.

Hope it helps.

Read more...

Be Your Own Solicitor Firm Or Law Firm Marketing Consultant

One of my members went through my website and found
47 things he could do to improve his business.

Which is why one of the first things I teach lawyers
is to be their own consultant and give as
much as I can so that you can do this

You see hiring in a consultant to help with marketing can be
expensive.

Because not all of them are value for money.

So why pay someone when all you have to do
is put on a fresh pair of eyes and see your law firm as a
prospective client?

Sounds common sense.

But as Oscar Wilde said, “the trouble with
common sense is that it is not that common.”

But here are some easy things you can do that will
help you identify and make changes for the better.

* Go through my website www.GreatLegalMarketing.co.uk
* Do an audit on your firm by downloading this and using it
* Ask all your clients how you can improve
* Ask all your staff how you can improve
* Swipe the best ideas from companies you like dealing with
* Make a general enquiry by email to 10 law firms in your area and compare responses and follow up.

You'll probably get 100 ideas.

Pick those that are best.

And are free.

Implement them and measure the results.

Read more...

Solicitors Market With The News

Here's something you can swipe and deploy
from last week.

It's a good example of how to combine
current news..i.e. recession with legal service i.e. divorce
and come up with an angle the local media like...

(remember local media like "if it bleeds it leads" stories.

You can easily rewrite this in about 20 minutes and email
it to your local newspaper and BBC local radio station.

Once you've got one story in - keep 'em coming
and pretty soon you'll be the legal expert for your town.

Why is it good to be the expert? Check this out.

http://www.greatlegalmarketing.co.uk/sitedata/Misc/How-To-Position-Yourself-A.pdf

Here's the story... below.


http://www.businessdorset.co.uk/90721/8247183

Cheer up! Things may be bad but at least it's a good time to get a divorce

Now could be the time for entrepreneurs to get divorced.

That’s the unusual advice from Ianthe Slinger, head of the family team at Letchers Solicitors in Ringwood, who says that the poor economic climate means that it’s cheaper for people who are in an unhappy marriage and who run their own businesses to untie the knot.

“If you’re going to get divorced, now is the time to do it – any divorce lawyer will tell you that,” said Ianthe, who read law at Cambridge and specialises in financial settlements for business people.

“If you’re a businessman with property, prices are down, borrowing is difficult – you’re more likely to keep your business. It’s an asset. If there is no value the wife cannot have it. If it has value who will buy it and how will they finance the purchase?” asked Ianthe.

Pointing out the financial benefits, she explained: “The court will look at income generating rather than value. When a husband wants to get divorced the wife looks to take half his business. But she will get maintenance. She can’t have both. This scenario happens in this economic climate.

“If a husband says his income is lower than it actually is then a judge will say sell the business.”

She added: “I open two to three cases a week – I have done 60 to 70 divorces so far this year.”

Ianthe, who has been practising for 11 years, trained in Salisbury and then became a partner at Frettens in Christchurch.

She says that in recent years the introduction of collaborative law “where people get round a table” combined with mediation have helped lower the cost of a traditionally expensive divorce.

____________________________________________________________________________

And if you can't think of ways to combine stories then get
creative with this article...http://www.greatlegalmarketing.co.uk/Ideas_For_Marketing_Legal_Companies

Or just buy Michael Michalko's Thinkertoys book

Read more...

Solicitors and Lawyers Use Compare and Contrast To Sell

Here's your new scenario....

It uses the law of Compare and Contrast.

It goes like this...a prospect has picked you out
of Google Local (he's searched conveyancing in Bristol)

"Hello just checking on Conveyancing Mr Smith, I've been
recommended to use Countrywide Lawyers by my Estate Agent
but I wanted another option. Could you tell me what you do.?"

"Sure, but first let me send you this link to the Countrywide reviews...http://www.ciao.co.uk/Reviews/Countrywide_Property_Lawyers__5658256

And here's a link to our videos.....

And by the way....we're independent of the estate agent
which means we work Exclusively FOR you."

Now let me tell you 3 things about us which make us unique...."

Do your staff answer the phone like this?

Remember....

To get someone to buy your conveyancing team you only have
to do the following;

Get someone to like you.
Be positive. Be friendly. Be Enthusiastic.

Get them to trust you.
Give them overwhelming proof, video, audio, written testimonials.

Help them understand what they'll get.
Explain clearly, give them guides and videos. Make
your service understandable.

Ensure they know it's a fair price.
Tell them everything you do for them, don't leave
anything out, even if everyone else does it, you've
got to tell 'em because they don't know.

Remember these are the reasons that people buy.



I like the seller

I understand what I am buying

I perceive a difference with this company

I believe the seller

I have confidence in him

I trust him

I feel comfortable

The price seems fair

I perceive this product will work for me.



I believe this sales person wants to help me so he can build his business.

Work your script around making someone feel great
about these things and you'll convert 50% more leads.

Read more...

Solicitors That Market Persistently Win Profitable Business

Thursday, 15th July. St Swithins Day.

My birthday. Again. I'm taking one year off my age every year from now. So today I am 41.

My mother phoned today of course. And told me...

"If at first if you don’t succeed, try again." And that made me think...

Persistency is one of the qualities you must have if you want to be great at marketing.

Because although you are trying to create a marketing system which gives you predictable and profitable results it will take time, effort and testing to get you there.

But don’t despair if your first efforts don’t pay off. Learn from them.

Just as Thomas Edison said, “I got it wrong 9,999 times in trying to invent the lightbulb...but I learned from every failure.”

The main thing about marketing is to know that just testing, tweaking and persisting in marketing will get results.

And sometimes changing the positioning of your service or product can have dramatic effects. Which is another reason to try new things out.

And inventing new products by amalgamating old products, or changing their name or offering them to a different niche.

You might take heart from the fact that well-known brands such as Timex, Kleenex, Q-Tips, or 7UP haven’t always been successful...

• Timex was a failing company until their cheap watches were put on sale in, of all places, pharmacies. Their success is based on the fact that they tested new places to sell their products!
• In the 1920s, Leo Gerstenzang saw his wife clean out their baby's ears with cotton balls stuck on toothpicks. He then got the idea to design cotton buds, which he originally called "Baby Gays" in 1926.
  
  But it wasn't until he discovered that people were using his buds for different uses other than cleaning baby ears that he decided to change the name to "Q-Tips." After that, sales skyrocketed!
• Kleenex was originally advertised to be used to remove make-up. But when it was discovered that people were using it to blow their noses, they changed their marketing and sales exploded almost instantly.
• 7UP was originally a means of settling infants' upset stomachs and then, as an adult hangover remedy. But when the makers turned it into a soft drink, it sales rocketed!

Testing is part of being committed to marketing. And marketing is about finding, getting, keeping and growing your clients.

So why is it that very few solicitors firms are members of the University of Marketing Stickability?

Remember most prospects have to hear about you, like you, and trust you even before they consider buying from you. And that takes time.

One way of using time well is by persistently offering high quality information that allows prospects to make an informed choice. This will help you convert prospects to buyers.

Some time ago I did a video about “marketing sequences” which is another way of saying persistent marketing.

You can see those videos here.

Part One - click here

Part Two - click here

It’s still relevant. And it will always be relevant.

Because most law firms give up after a couple of goes trying to sell.

People don’t buy when you want to sell. They buy when you are ready. And you had better be top of their mind when that happens.

One way of doing this automatically is by offering a free report on whatever subject interests your prospects. You get their email address and send a series of 5, 10, 20, or 50 emails with video explanations, testimonials, examples, offers , diagrams, recordings – a whole multi-media "preponderance of proof" that you are the right firm to solve the prospects problems.

Too hard for others to do? You bet.

Too hard if you’re not persistent? Golly gosh yes.

Too hard for you to do...? Maybe.

But if you want to be persistent with your prospects keep in touch with them with quality information...

Just like me...;-)

And if you got this far down congratulations on your persistency.

Read more...

Legal Services Subscriptions - Solicitors Kill Bill By Hour

I'm always on the lookout for
things you can swipe and deploy.

Here's one

http://www.boysandmaughan.co.uk/cms/document/EmployAssure_Flyer.pdf

It's simply a fixed fee employment law service
for small businesses.

Katie Marsh from Boys and Maughn who operate it told me,

"Each client proposal is bespoke and dependent upon factors such as their industry, length of trading and track record.

However, the annual premium is rarely more than 1% of payroll"

And

"One other local firm offers a similar scheme, but they lock their clients in for a minimum 3 year contract. We are so confident in our scheme that we only ask clients to sign up for 1 year at a time. "

Small businesses have to deal with employees.
They don't really have the expertise or time or money
to do it properly. And this is their "take my headache away" solution.

It's easy to promote this service.

PR in the local paper (every paper has a business
section), small adverts in the classified trades
section, Federation of Small Business, Chamber
of Commerce, direct mail to local small businesses
with 10 employees or less, radio spot, on your own
website, via Business Banking managers, accountants,
financial advisers....the list is endless.

Why not record an audio CD with information
on your service, testimonials and some great advice
and give it to the local business banking manager.

Tell them you'll co - brand it if they give it
to all their business clients.

And the great thing is that you can offer almost
all the documentation small firms need on line
which makes offering a subscription very profitable.

Even if you don't do employment law can you do
the same for other services by offering subscriptions?


Here's Tessa Shepperson's subscription site
for Landlord Law...
http://www.landlordlaw.co.uk/

How about Business Law, Property and even Family Law...

Is there a way you can do this?

Read more...

Conveyancing Solicitor Goes Football Crazy and Scores

Conveyancing Solicitor Marketing Again...

How can you get free publicity for your firm?

By making a boring subject a bit more interesting!

Thought YOU might like this story.

Here's the link...

http://www.cluttoncox.co.uk/site/ourservices/spurs_champions_league_.html

Those of you who have read Paul Hajek's profile will see that his ambition is for Spurs to win the Champions League within the Perpetuity Period ( a legal definition equivalent to 80 years)

I seem to remember he got publicity from the World Cup too.

Check it out here.

He just emailed the story to all the major news outlets in one email...job done.

Read more...