Integrity Marketing

Market First, Practice Second

Posted by Kyle Krull, Esq., President
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

Oftentimes words of wisdom are taken for granted.

For example, have you ever heard this idiom: Don’t put the cart before the horse? Sure you have. But have you ever thought about it in the context of your estate planning or elder law practice?

The Cart

You have invested years to become the competent (no, an expert) in your practice area. In addition, you spent lots of money and time keeping those skills sharp through self-study, continuing education conferences, and the day-to-day school of transactions.

Along with what’s between your ears in terms of knowledge and skills, you have to make sure what’s in your computer is current, too. As a result, you have software out the proverbial wazoo to do everything from your billing to your document creation to your contact management.  Nevertheless, all of this may be for naught without a steady stream of prequalified and motivated prospective clients coming to see you.

If your appointment calendar isn’t full, then you will live in the white-knuckle zone of calendar insecurity. Invoices arriving in the mailbox will begin to loom large, if the revenue to satisfy them is insufficient. If this scenario lasts more than a few months, then your practice will no longer be profitable and certainly not enjoyable.

The Horse

Marketing is the horse that pulls your cart. It needs to be out in front. And, it needs to be feed a healthy diet of your resources and attention (just like your cart) for it to work properly. Like a good horse, it will take you and your cart wherever you want to go. However, like a good horse, if you neglect it, well, you and your practice are going nowhere fast.

My Horse And Cart

I practice what I preach. You see, I don’t just have one horse pulling my cart. No, I have a team of marketing horses, all pulling the cart together. Those horses are part of an integrated marketing system that includes a state-of-the-art website, full color hard copy newsletter, e-newsletter, professionally produced video content, turnkey targeted marketing campaigns, and blog services.

At Integrity Marketing Solutions we call that team of marketing horsesThe Essential Solution®.

Teaching Point:

The Essential Solution® is a comprehensive marketing system, tested and proven effective in my own law practice. When you are ready to hitch up our team of marketing horses to your cart, let us know. We can help you have an ever more profitable and enjoyable estate planning and/or elder law practice.

New Year's Eve Traditions Around the World

Posted by, Roslyn Drotar
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

One of the things I really enjoy about New Year’s Eve is getting to see the world celebrate.  Since I live on the West Coast, we are among the last to ring in the New Year.  I love that New Year’s is a holiday observed around the world and wanted to share (per Wikipedia) some of the different traditions celebrated:     

• Canada – Sporting events and concerts are the social thing to do.  Ice fishing and drinking until the early hours;
• Mexico – Downing a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the bell during the countdown to midnight (and making a wish with each one);
• Austria – At midnight all radio and tv programs broadcast the bell of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, then they playing “The Blue Danube” and everyone dances at parties or in the streets;
•  Estonia – Some believe you should eat seven, nine or twelve times.  Those are three lucky numbers in Estonia, and for each meal consumed the person gains the strength of that many men the following year;
• Germany – They have a tradition wherein they tell fortune by the shapes made of molten lead dropped into cold water.  They end their night consuming a tiny marzipan pig for good luck;
• Spain – They have a tradition that says wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve brings good luck all year round;
• Netherlands – All the streets and public transportation are shut down from 8pm – 1am.  They broadcast a clock on national television a few minutes before midnight. 

Even though we celebrate with different traditions and beliefs, we all have one thing in common.  We gather with family and friends around food and drink to celebrate and bring in the New Year.  We all say goodbye to the prior year and bring in a new one.    

Take this time and reflect on what you accomplished in 2011.  Think about what you would go back and change, and what you will do to make 2012 your best year ever.   If there is ever a time that you’re committed to setting goals, it’s this time of the year; it’s what we do.    

One of the things I look forward to is working with our clients to help them market their practice, create new relationships and strengthen existing relationships with their clients and referral sources, and being on their marketing team to increase their revenue.   That is something on my list that I’m committed to!

I want to take this time to wish you all a very happy, safe and prosperous New Year!  I look forward to working with everyone in 2012.

Marketing is More Than Just Seminars

Posted by, Roslyn Drotar
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

I've had an exciting couple of weeks. I absolutely love it when I hear from our clients that they want to do more marketing of their practice.  Most of them already have existing referral relationships and client base, however, they haven't evaluated their marketing in a long time and know they need to.  When it comes down to it all, this is a good situation to be in!

There are typically two places a practice is in when it comes to their marketing relationships.  One is the practice just starting out that needs to build up their connections.  The other is an existing practice that already has connections and they want to bring those relationships to another level. 

I've had so many conversations with our clients this week that all revolve around implementing blog consistency, increasing their eNewsletter lists, signing up for The Essential Solution and integrating their social media.  This is the part of my job that I truly love!  I'm booked well into the second week of January and can't wait to see the results and traction that this increased marketing has in store for their practices.

Connecting with people is a powerful thing and marketing is more than just seminars, a well designed website and flyers.  If you think the phone is just going to start ringing with people ready to book appointments after your next seminar, you're going to be disappointed.  It's a lot more than that.  You have to stand out from the others in your industry.  I'm sure your prospects know you'll do good work and come up with a great plan for them and their family.  If you want to really drive the leads and retention numbers, build on those valuable relationships.  Engage with your clients, provide them with educational content making you to top of mind.  Send them newsletters, both hardcopy and via email.  Pick up the phone and call them, have coffee from time to time.  Have a website that is professional and wow's them with your first impression.  I'm looking forward to helping so many do just that withing the next couple of weeks for a better 2012!

Finally, I would like to take this time to say Happy Holidays to you and your families.  Enjoy this time with them and special friends.  Warm regards and blessings over this holiday season!

 

 

 

Secure Document Portals - Let Us Know Your Thoughts

Roslyn Drotar, Strategic Planning
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS 

Integrity Marketing Solutions knows that you face important decisions in your business every day.  We want to learn more about your thoughts on offering a secure document portal for your clients. How it will offer value to your clients and how we can help if it does!  Please take a minute and click on the link below to let us know your thoughts.  

Click here to take survey 

Thank you for your time!

What's in Store for the 12th Day of Christmas?

I realize I got a bit behind posting our IMS 12 Days of Christmas ... and Christmas is only five days away! Where did this month go?? So ... what does IMS have in store for you on the 12th day of Christmas?

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
IMS gave to me
A full-color newsletter,
Top of Mind Awareness
Pre-Qualified Prospects,
My Own Animated E-Zine,
Daily Blogs a-Posting,
Search Engine Optimization
Market Domination,
A Fatter Bottom Line,
Great Legal Content,
Top Google Ranking,
Lots of Website Visits,
And Time to Spend with My Family!

Marketing Messages for Your Target Audience

I recently received an email solicitation for a living trust workshop. I don't know how I got on this person's e-mail list, so my first reaction was to hit the JUNK button and delete it like the SPAM it likely was. My second reaction, however, was to read it -- in much the same way that you just can't stop looking at a train wreck.

What struck me most was the condescending tone of the message, which read more like a snake-oil salesman than an attorney. As I kept reading, I kept asking myself, "Who responds to this stuff?" I mean, really. The title of the workshop is About Living Trusts, and one of the first things they say you will learn is whether you should have a living trust or just a will. Seriously? I think I know what this fellow is going to say -- don't you? I mean, the title of the workshop is NOT About Your Will.

Who DOES respond to this type of advertising?

I frequently hear complaints from attorneys about the low quality of prospects they get from workshops: lots of tire-kickers and professional workshop attendees. They seldom attract the kinds of thoughtful, well-heeled, successful business people who see the value of comprehensive estate planning and are willing and able to pay for it.

The fault may not be the concept of workshops, but rather the marketing message used to promote the workshops. If you want to work with thoughtful clients who need and value your service, for whom you can make a difference and from whom you would like to receive future referrals ... then target your message to speak to them. 

Try putting yourself in their shoes. They are pretty smart folks, or they wouldn't have accomplished (and accumulated) as much as they have. It's true that a fool and his money are soon parted, and the clients you want to attract are not fools.

It's a truth of marketing: you usually get what you ask for ... the problem is you don't always realize that your advertising words are asking for something completely different. A well-designed marketing campaign begins with understanding your target audience, and crafting messages to resonate with them.

Five Gold Rings? Or Something Even Better!

Are you ready for the Fifth Day of Christmas? Would you like a more profitable practice? Five gold rings would be nice -- but I think we can do better!

On the fifth day of Christmas,
IMS gave to me
A Fatter Bottom Line,
Great Legal Content,
Top Google Ranking,
Lots of Website Visits,
And Time to Spend with My Family.

The Fourth Day of Christmas

So what does IMS have in store for the fourth day of Christmas? Read on!

On the fourth day of Christmas,
IMS gave to me
Great Legal Content,
Top Google Ranking,
Lots of Website Visits,
And Time to Spend with My Family. 

On the Third Day of Christmas

Continuing with our Christmas theme, sing along with us through the Third Day of Christmas:

On the first day of Christmas,
IMS gave to me
Time to Spend with My Family.

On the second day of Christmas,
IMS gave to me
Lots of Website Visits,
And Time to Spend with My Family.

On the third day of Christmas,
IMS gave to me
Top Google Ranking,
Lots of Website Visits,
And Time to Spend with My Family.

Your Firm Stops Growing When You Stop Planning....2012 is Weeks Away!

Posted by Roslyn Drotar
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

It's that time of year!  Family, presents and food galore!  The hustle and bustle of Christmas time is here.  And if you've already got your marketing plan for next year then sit back, relax and enjoy some down time family and friends!  

But if you haven't taken time to come up with a marketing plan for 2012, then I urge you to take some time to think about what you are going to do with your marketing next year?  What the game plan will be to bring in new business and increase your bottom line?  What will be the plan to make 2012 even better than 2011?

I've talked with several clients in the last few weeks that are excited and have their plan all mapped out. And what they shared has huge potential to boost their numbers.  It's not too late to take out some time from your practice and come up with a game plan.  Here are a few things to help and think about to get started:

1. Do not participate in the recession.  It's not affecting those people who choosing not to use that as an excuse.  In fact, we are working with several clients that are blowing things out of the water!
2. Don't cut your marketing budget first.  Control your costs but invest in your business.  Read Jennifer's blog post The Easiest Way to Improve Profitability.  
3. Take Friday afternoon off.  On Friday afternoon close the door to your office and take that time to write down what you will be doing with your marketing in 2012.  Think BIG!  You don't have to start BIG but think BIG and make progress each week.  You will be surprised with the progress you make.  And if you share your plan with your team, you'll get even better traction with everyone in the firm on the same page with where you are going.
4. Plan on doing something each week to participate in the marketing of your practice.  It's important and makes a difference.  No matter how small, do something.

Planning will make a difference with how things land for your business next year.  You've still got plenty of time to figure it all out.  It would probably give you some much needed energy for a big finish to 2011.  It's not always fun to be an entrepreneur so make it fun.  Grab a cup of joe (I love Starbucks Salted Carmel Mocha for a special treat), turn on some music and let your creativity flow!  Once you get started you may not be able to stop.  Once your done, share your ideas!  I'd love to hear what you came up with so call me (877-352-2021 x 88).  

Let's hear it for a powerful 2012!