Finding the Legal Needs in Your Community

If you’ve decided to add a new legal service to your practice but aren’t sure what that service should be, your first step should be to analyze the people and businesses in your community. Second, determine their legal needs. Finally, decide which of those legal needs you wish to satisfy.

A good place to start is with the information available from local, state and federal government. The US Census through the American Community Survey provides data on household income, age distribution, education levels and languages spoken as well as information on area businesses and geography. These facts can help you decide what areas of law are needed. For example, if the population is aging, elder law may be the right choice while a rise in birth rates could foreshadow more family and juvenile law needs.

If your area has a large number of immigrants such as Spanish speakers and you want to attract that business, you might add a bi-lingual lawyer and translate a portion of your website to Spanish.

To find your community’s’ business needs, check your local Chamber of Commerce directory for local listings. Businesses wishing to use an assumed name must file with the County Clerk who periodically posts those new business listings on-line. If your community has a number of new businesses, it may be you want to focus more of your legal practice on their issues, such as taxation, business plans or other business transactions. If there are a number of writers or publishers, adding intellectual property could bring in new business.

If new industries are coming into the community that will be hiring more employees, there could be a need for an employment or worker’s compensation lawyer. Crime statistics are important to those wishing to practice criminal law.

When there are a number of local, county, village and city communities in an area, there is a need for a municipal lawyer who can help with a wide range of issues, including everything from police power, zoning, education policies, and property taxes. A look at the map of your area and a check on the websites of the municipalities will give you the information you need.

Volunteering at local events, sitting on Boards of corporations and non-profits or doing Pro Bono work through your local Legal Service organizations is a way to give back as well as learn more about your community. Listening to the citizens will enable you to learn of their concerns.

Whether you plan to add a new service or are just starting out, spending time researching the composition your community and assessing the resultant legal needs will enable you to make well-reasoned plans for 2106.

What is Legal Marketing?

Marketing: A management process through which goods or services move from concept to consumer. (Business Dictionary.com) 

You are a lawyer providing a legal service. You are also a business. As a business you have all the management problems of every business owner including marketing your business. With a well-planned marketing strategy, your law business will grow over time. 

The process of marketing includes four elements:
• Identification, selection and development of a product or service.
• Determination of price.
• Selection of distribution channel to reach your ideal client
• Development and implementation of a promotional strategy

Identification, selection and development of a service:

Your first consideration is to decide what type of law you wish to practice. Often this became evident in law school as you studied the various areas of law or you accepted an internship and spent hours researching personal injury or civil rights or criminal and you became fascinated. 

Another approach is to study your town. Research the census statistics, join the Chamber of Commerce, study the businesses—determine the composition of the area to determine what legal services are needed. Use that information to start a practice or add a new needed practice area to your list of services. 

Once the area of practice is identified and selected, develop an expertise by attending conferences, ICLE seminars, teach or write articles for your state or local bar association. 

Determination of price:

Pricing is a complicated issue worthy of study. Prices should be based on the client’s subjective value placed on solving his or her problem. Because it’s subjective, it can be hard to figure out. Don’t quote over the phone, have a meeting with the prospective client, analyze the information and offer to send the quote the next day. You may also decide to offer some services at a fixed price, a price that is attractive to target clients and profitable to the law firm over time. 

Selection of distribution channel to reach your ideal client.


Take some time and decide who will buy your services. Once you know who you want to attract, then decide how to reach that person. One way is the Internet—PEW research says more than 75% of consumers use the Internet to find a lawyer or to learn more about the lawyer recommended to them. A website creates a good first impression and helps build trust and credibility. More consumers are turning to legal directories, so update you profile on the SBM Member Directory. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn help build relationships. 


Face to face networking is another way to meet people and expand your client base. You can join volunteer organizations with goals you support, sit on boards, teach a class, give a speech and network with other lawyers. 

Develop and implement a promotional strategy.

First, establish what marketing strategies you will use; second, determine how many hours a week you will be able to devote to your plan and last, establish a budget for estimated costs. Always ask clients how they came to you, ask them for referrals in your closing letter and use an analytics program to determine how your on-line presences are doing. 

Marketing is more than selling. It as a way of thinking in terms of your clients’ needs and their satisfaction. If you turn your thoughts to them and not yourself, you’ll get more referrals and your business will grow. 

The Importance of One

Joe Girard, a car salesman, is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the #1Retail Salesperson. How did he get this title? Simple. He sold more cars than any other car salesman. 

What was his secret?

Early in his car selling career, he attended a Catholic funeral. The funeral director was passing out Mass cards to all those in attendance. 

“How do you know how many Mass cards to have printed?” Joe asked the man.

 “I print up about 250 each time since that’s usually how many people show up for a funeral,” he answered. 

Soon after that, Joe sold a car to a Protestant funeral director. When he asked how many people attended his funerals, he got the same answer “About 250.” He soon learned from another minister that about 250 people usually attended the weddings in his church. 

From this informal research, Joe developed his “Rule of 250.” The basic principle is that most people have about 250 people in their lives that will show up at their funeral or wedding. There are exceptions, of course. Some have more, some less. But the average seems to be 250. 

How did he use this information?

He realized that if he did a great job selling a car to one person, he could potentially gain 250 more customers. But, if he did a crummy job, he could possibly lose 250 customers.

Joe sold cars. You, on the other hand, are selling a legal service, not a product a client can touch like a car or a toaster, but a vital service they need but may not be pleased about purchasing. The concept, however, is the same. 

Each time your service produces a satisfied or accepting client; you could potentially gain 250 more clients. How does that happen? With referral and repeat business. Satisfied clients come back for more work and refer others to you. 

Some referral related tactics include:

• Follow up with your clients. You can do this with a thank-you card, a call to see how things are going, ask if they have any questions and, if all is well, ask them to remember you when their friends ask ‘if they know a good lawyer.’ If there is a problem, attempt to fix it. 

• Keep a file on each client listing personal information such as names of children, what they did for a living, birthdays, etc.--there are software programs that will help you with this. You can use this information when you talk to them. 

• Stop by their business or take them out to lunch. Your goal is to keep and maintain a relationship with this client.

• Make sure they know every service your firm offers. Ask for their e-mail address and get permission to send them the firm newsletter or occasional updates.

• Send cards for holidays and thank-you notes for referrals. Send information they can use, not a sales pitch. They will need legal work someday and they will turn to you. And refer you to one or two of the 250 people they know.

Remember the Rule Of 250 every time you meet new people, whether at an event or standing in line at the coffee shop line. (I once acquired a great client standing in line at Target.) Every person you meet could be a potential client. And they could bring in 250 more. Keep this in mind and soon you have a thriving business. 

Why have a logo.

Each law firm has a brand, whether it is one you create and control or one imposed on you from the outside world. A logo or symbol representing your firm can be the cornerstone of your brand. A great logo comes to identify your firm to the world. Clients look for it and new clients searching on the web will be drawn to it.

Some products are known by a symbolic logo. Think McDonald’s golden arches, Macintosh Apple or the Nike Swoosh. Most products, however, like law firms, are known by their name. The name is the basis of the logo. They use a particular color and font to distinguish their name and identify their brand. Coca-Cola (red), Ford (blue), Amazon (black, orange) or FedEx (red, blue) are examples.

If you use the founding partners as the name of your firm regardless of the addition of partners over time. To turn that name into a logo, ask yourself:

What does your law firm stand for?

What separates your law firm from others?

Does the name say it all? If so, that’s the logo.

Could the logo benefit from a design treatment or color?

Fonts, colors and symbols:

A font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. The right font not only makes reading easier but also can create an emotional reaction. The font can be silly, old fashioned, modern, business-like or traditional. You want to select a font that reflects your firm.

Color affects the reader also. If you add color to your logo, be aware that each color creates an emotion. For example:

                          Red--active, aggressive             Orange--creative, joy

                          Black--serious, strong               Blue--trustworthy, wise

                          Brown--reliable                         Yellow--energetic

                          Green--relaxed, hopeful

    

For attorneys, the traditional symbols used in logos are usually gavels, scales of justice and columns. They stand for justice and law and order and are powerful, however, if used be sure they reflect your practice. Don’t just use stock images, ask the designers to incorporate the symbol into your name.

Be sure to share your new logo with a good selection of people you trust. Pick lawyers and non-lawyers. Usually someone in the group will see any problems. Don’t try to design the logo yourself, select a designer. And don’t over-think it. Trust your intuition. You’ll know which logo reflects you and your practice.

Logos can evolve over time. As your firm grows and changes, the logo may have to change to reflect the newer firm. Handle the change wisely and your logo will continue to serve you well.

Once you have the logo, use it on your webpage, social media accounts such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and every piece of correspondence that goes out of your office.

Video in 2016

“I think we need some videos for our website and other marketing,” said Lance, sitting at the long, walnut table in the conference room of L & L Law Firm. Linda joined him as he continued. “The marketing experts say that video can improve our Internet Marketing results.”

“You want to go Hollywood? I’m not so sure about that,” said Linda.

“Well,” said Lance, “I’ve been looking into it and I think it’s the right addition for us.”

Lance is right. L & L Law can use video to market their practice and establish authority in their area of expertise, elder law. With video marketing, L & L Law can create content that will make new and old clients more likely to try, buy and refer more of their services over time. Video can highlight individual attorneys giving them an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise.

And, video is popular. YouTube reports that 1 billion people used its services in 2014. It’s hard not to click the button to see action.

How can you use video?

1. Add a welcome page to your website. Show the firm and introduce attorneys and staff members.
2. Answer questions--pick general topics such as “5 Things to Consider Before Hiring an Elder Law Attorney.”
3. Create a video library on topics related to your firm--keep the topics short--1 to 3 minutes.
4. Add videos to Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube; use Twitter to share links

DYI or a Pro?

While it is possible to create your own video, it’s not advisable to do so.

If your video has poor sound, bad lighting and looks sloppy, the viewer can assume the firm is the same. It’s better to use a professional. Make a plan or list of the type of videos you want to create so you can do several in one day. Keep the topics short--3 minutes at the most and have the editor add an intro, title and closing.

Using video can help attract more clients and grow your law firm by establishing your expertise online. It's also a popular trend for 2016. Might be worth giving it a go.

Excerpt from Clear & Convincing article first published in the SBM e-journal, October 5th issue.

Lawyer's Week of Marketing

Lance and Linda Lawyer, L & L Law, are sitting in their conference room early Saturday morning. The topic of conversation is business development.
“Our phones aren’t ringing as much,” said Lance. “And our website isn’t getting as many hits. We need to step up our marketing.”
Linda agrees. They decide to use a week of activities to jump-start their marketing, network with other lawyers and to re-establish authority in their area of expertise, elder law.

Can five days of short marketing steps make a difference?

Yes, five days of short business development can help you bring in new clients and remind you to make marketing a vital and on-going part of your business. Try the following activities, one for each day:

Monday:  Write a thank-you note to the last person to send you a referral. No matter whether the referral did or didn’t have a legal problem that could lead to work for you. You’re thanking your contact for thinking of you. And, a hand-written thank-you note stands out in a sea of e-mail.
Tuesday:  Write the first of your two blog posts for the month. Be sure it offers information that potential readers can use such as a change in the law or an update on a recent court case. Don’t post it yet--let it rest for 24 hours before you publish it to your blog site. And, when you post it, remember to include a link to your profile on the SBM Member Directory and to your website.
Wednesday: Find your holiday card list and check it to be sure it’s accurate. Then think about sending a card during the year for a holiday you enjoy or a day relevant to your practice. If you’re an elder law lawyer, perhaps a date from the history of Social Security would be a good choice or if you have clients in the car business, maybe July 30th, Henry Ford’s birthday, would be an interesting day to celebrate. Sending cards during the year will separate your card from the many greetings clients receive during the holidays. Make a note of the date on your calendar.
Review, edit and post your blog from Tuesday. 
Thursday: Sit back with your favorite beverage and think about your perfect client. Where would you go to meet that person? Using the Internet, search for organizations in your area where you could connect with your intended client. Don’t forget your local bar association where you can meet lawyers who don’t want to represent the clients you do. Those lawyers can be a good referral source for you and you can reciprocate by suggesting them to your clients when appropriate. Make a list and decide how to get involved.
Friday: Meet a client or potential referral source for coffee or lunch. When you return to your office, make a note of what was discussed. Review your activities for the week to determine which were effective and should be repeated.

Business development or marketing is vital to your practice. A week of activities is a good place to start, pick the ideas you can do and simply do them. The more business development activities you do and the more consistent you are doing them, the more clients and revenue you’ll bring in and the faster your practice will grow.

First published in State Bar of Michigan e-journal, Nov. 2015

Make your Post Mobile Friendly

Being on the Internet + being found on the Internet = an effective marketing program. 

Let’s assume your website is online and current. You send out e-mails to your clients frequently, thereby keeping your name present in their minds. The first part of the equation is up and running. The issue becomes the second half of the equation--being found on the Internet. 

Consumers, as we’ve said ad infinitum and will continue to say, search for lawyers online--either at the start of their quest or to follow up on referrals. They search on their desktop computers, laptops, tablets and, more frequently, on their smartphones. According to eMarketer, the number of smartphone users worldwide will pass 2 billion in 2016 and come close to that mark in 2015. 


Smartphones are the smallest of our computers. The screen on my antique iPhone 4s, for example, is a mere 2 by 3 inches. The later models are bigger, however, the loaded content still has to fit in a small space. Often the fit is not usable, requiring pinching, expanding and scrolling to see it all. 

Google, seeing the problem and wanting to retain its position as a useful service, has decreed that it’s making a change to its search robots, which will begin to include a website’s “mobile-friendliness” as a ranking signal. This means that site pages that can’t fit comfortably on the smartphone smaller screen could see a downgrade in ranking. 

Google says, at present, the change will only affect a firm’s ranking on smartphones and only applies to pages not entire websites. 

A mobile-friendly page is one where the text is readable without tapping and zooming, its tap targets are spaced conveniently and there is no unreadable content or horizontal scrolling.

A mobile-friendly site is good for the site-owner as well as the consumer and Google. Researchers say that almost half of all smartphone traffic (43 percent in the first quarter of 2015) is spent on searching. Search engines will send inquiries to the mobile friendly sites, increasing traffic to your website and pages. 

E-mails should be mobile friendly also. Content should fit on the smaller screens making it easier for consumers to read your words while on the go. 

How do you know if your website pages are mobile-friendly? 

Ever efficient Google has created a website where you can enter your webpage URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or web address to test it. Find and click on the Mobile-Friendly Test, enter your web address and you will quickly know the results. If you fail the test, contact your web developer or website host to find out how to make your website mobile friendly. Your clients and potential clients will thank you.