Integrity Marketing

Don't Forget the Coffee Cups

My coffee cup is taking me to Colorado.

That's right. This morning, while rushing about my morning errands, I grabbed a travel mug for some coffee-on-the-go. Driving down the road, I noticed the green lettering on the white porcelain mug.

"Hotel Colorado. Since 1898."

Instantly, I was transported to a cool mountain morning ... coffee on the veranda overlooking the hot springs ... bicycling through Glenwood Canyon ... a Long Island Tea on a warm afternoon ... And right then and there I changed our summer vacation plans.

David and I went to Glenwood Springs last year, and I had been thinking that we should go "somewhere else" this summer. But just a few sips of coffee changed my mind. Reliving the beauty of Glenwood and the Hotel Colorado made me long to be there again.

And then I realized that in this crazy technological world of social media and search engines, analytics and advertising ... it was a plain white porcelain mug with green lettering and a simple message that persuaded me to spend my vacation money in Glenwood Springs.

"Hotel Colorado. Since 1898."

Not a clever slogan. Not a strategic campaign. A plain white mug. With a name.

Of course, you know it wasn't all because of the mug. It was the cool of a mountain morning, the heat of the hot springs, the beauty of the Canyon, the twinkle lights on the patio, and the very nice young man who kept refilling my glass!

In short, it was the experience. Neatly wrapped around a cup of morning coffee, grabbed hastily by a too-busy woman on a harried morning nine months and 800 miles away.

Next time you're planning a strategic marketing campaign, don't forget the coffee cups. Which is to say, create a great experience for your clients and then give them an opportunity to remember you later.

And refer you to their friends and family. Or come back for more advanced estate planning. Or maybe mention you on social media ... utilizing key words that will rank on a search engine ... so we can conduct the analytics and adjust your advertising appropriately ... but I digress.

Just remember the coffee cups, okay?

Six Things You Can Do Now to Re-Invent Your Law Firm

Jerry is an attorney in Saginaw, Michigan, and one of my favorite clients. He used to say that he had to reinvent his law firm at least every seven years. Today, he says you have to reinvent yourself every year!

As a marketing agency, I find we need to reinvent ourselves daily!

It's exhausting work, this constant reinvention. Over the past month, we have hired two new staff members, juggled responsibilities among others, sought out and leased bigger office space, researched dozens of social media management and marketing platforms, and made a few major purchases. Now we have to train everyone in their new jobs, move into (and furnish) the new office space, set up and implement the new platforms ... then migrate all of our client accounts to these new, improved systems! Did I mention it's exhausting?

Change is never easy. And the pace of change today is so rapid that it makes your head swim.

Back when I was a high school debater, the Negative team was charged with arguing for the status quo, which had the advantage of inherency. The logic could be expressed in layman's terms as "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Well, folks, in today's world, you simply cannot argue to "keep things as they are" because there is no status quo! For example -- do nothing to your Facebook profile and it will still morph into Timeline. Do nothing to your Fan Page profile picture, and it will still change sizes on you! Keep your old version of software and one day it simply stops working!

Rage as we might, the world is changing and there is nothing you or I can do to stop it.

If you haven't reinvented yourself and your law practice recently, now is the time to double down and get started. Here is a quick checklist of items to revisit and reinvent now:

1. Your Website -- if your website is more than a year old, it needs at least a facelift if not a complete overhaul.
2. Your AVVO Profile -- Did you know that you have a profile on Avvo? That's right, whether you have "claimed" it or not, it's probably there. Go find it now and update it with current, accurate and complete information.
3. Your Cell Phone -- Okay, if you do not have a smart phone, it's time to get over it and get on board. Check your contract and see if you're eligible for a free or low-cost upgrade. Do it now. There is no excuse for a business person to cling to outdated technology. If you're serious about your career, your practice, or your income -- get with it!
4. Your Laptop -- Yes, you need an appropriately powerful and portable laptop. Whether you choose an iPad, Android tablet, netbook, slimline or office-in-a-box - if your laptop is more than 2 years old, you need a new one.
5. Your LinkedIn Profile -- When was the last time you updated your Profile information? Take some time this weekend to login and review, edit and update your Profile.While you're at it, explore some of the new features and join a group or two or 20.
6. Your Social Media Presence -- From your blog to Twitter and your Facebook Fan Page, social media marketing is here to stay. You can no longer ignore it. If you feel lost on social media, hire a pro to help you. (No, I didn't say take an online course, you're a lawyer for heaven's sake. I think you have better things to do with your time!)

A Winning Mentality

June 9th will be an exciting day for those of us who follow horse racing. It's the running of the Belmont Stakes, and this year I'll Have Another has a shot at winning the Triple Crown, having already captured the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. I'll Have Another is a scrappy little red colt, and if he wins on June 9th he will be the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. There are lots of reasons why he probably won't win -- the Belmont is the longest of the three races, and the distance alone defeats many speedy racers. He has another strike against him because he's already run his legs out winning the Derby and the Preakness. And yet, the little guy is still the odds-on favorite to win at Belmont Park.

What does this little colt have that the others do not? We don't know yet whether he has the speed and endurance to beat his rivals ... but we do know he has Motivation. This little guy does not like to eat anybody else's dirt. He knows how it feels to win -- and he likes it!

Motivation is the single most important aspect of business development -- whether your business is a law firm, a marketing agency, or a horse race. I'll Have Another has it. Do you?

Some people (and horses) are content to run in the middle of the pack. I don't know why. The middle of the pack is probably the most dangerous position of all -- there's lots of jostling and bumping, you can't see where you're going, and there's way too much dirt in the air. But some horses (and people) are just more comfortable with the safety of others surrounding them.

But in every race there are the few who separate from the pack and run for the roses. That's where I want to be -- up where the air is clean and I can see where I'm going.

If your business is stagnant, chances are you've lost your motivation. Could be you're just worn out, maybe it's time to take a rest and rekindle your inner passion. Maybe you're just bogged down with details and need to delegate some tasks to clear your desk -- and your mind. Then again, maybe you just need a little inspiration. In which case, I recommend watching this scrappy little colt come from behind and seize victory at the Preakness. Then, be sure to tune in on June 9th to watch him (hopefully) do it again! My money's on the little guy.

Video clip of I'll Have Another winning the Preakness Saturday, May 19.

Defining Local Search and Its Place in Estate Planning Marketing

Posted by Jennifer Campbell Goddard, CEO
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

I had the opportunity last week to visit with Peter Buxton, a global consultant in the burgeoning local search industry. Based in Starnberg, Germany, Peter and I met up at the Local Search Association conference in Boca Raton, FL to discuss the state of local search in the U.S., Europe and other emerging markets.

We use the term "local search" to mean any type of consumer search that focuses on finding a local business or service provider. Whether performed on Google, via cell phone, or in the local yellow pages, the defining aspect of "local search" is that the consumer is ready to buy. Local searches are not about "surfing" for information, but rather about scheduling an appointment or making a purchase.

"Local search is about bringing buyers and sellers together at the moment of purchase," Peter said.

So, where does local search fit into your practice marketing plan? You may recall the rule of thumb that it takes 9 to 11 contacts to bring someone to a financial decision. This maxim is a bit of a double-edged sword. While you definitely want to be sure you are establishing trust and building your relationship with the prospect through the initial contacts in this decision-chain, you also want to be sure you hang in there and "show up" when the final decision is being made ... which means your local search optimization should be spot-on.

Keep this in mind as you  design your marketing strategy. Every aspect of your marketing should be strategically positioned to keep the prospect engaged with you and your firm from initial contact through the relationship and trust building stages, all the way to the final decision-making steps.

Caveat: While local search is an essential aspect of your marketing, it cannot stand alone.

Stay tuned here as we discuss how to best position your law firm to attract qualified prospects, engage them and maintain the relationship through to the final decision moment.