Integrity Marketing

What Inspires You?

I love getting new design projects. A blank canvas (or webpage) is brimming with opportunity and possibility. But all of that emptiness can also be overwhelming. Sometimes it seems like as soon as I open up that new document, all the brilliant ideas I had a few minutes ago vanish. Where to start? What direction do I head in?

I’m sure a lot of our estate planning attorneys feel the same way when we team up to create a new website or a new piece of collateral marketing. Where to start? What direction should we head in with this design?

A good early step is to look for inspiration. Over the years, I have compiled a list of online resources I like to frequent whenever I need a creative boost. I keep files of ideas that I think work so that I can pull them out when the appropriate project comes along.

So where should you look for inspiration?

Looking at other estate planning and elder law sites is a great start. But it’s also a great idea to branch out and gather inspiration from other places, even if they’re in a different field or discipline. Look at layouts on other websites, note the language used in commercials or ads, and admire color schemes and photos on social media.

Inspiration can come from off the screen, too. Sometimes I find ideas in some of the most obscure sources. When you find something you like, write it down, save the image or take a screenshot and share it with your marketing team at IMS! We would love to see what inspires you!

Four Simple and Free Ways To Promote Your Law Firm

Are you taking advantage of your own team to promote your law firm for FREE? Here's a list of ways you can self-promote, support your brand identity and utilize your team for free marketing.

1. Use Your Stationery: Letterhead, Business Card & Fax Cover.

Does every single piece of communication that leaves your law firm's desk contain your website address and phone number? If not, it's time for an update. If your stationery system is in need of an update, give James a call at 877-352-2021x80 and request a quote.

2. Use Your Email Signature.

Each team member should have a professional and complete email signature to include your firm's contact information and website address. It's also important that the URL be clickable. If you add the URL to your signature like this: www.YourDomain.com and you find that it's not clickable, try editing it to http://www.YourDomain.com. While you're at it, make sure your team has guidelines for setting up their email's look. Everyone should be using a designated template (or no template at all) and a similar signature style and font to further support your professionalism.

3. How Are People Finding You?

If you don't ask, you won't know! Each member of your estate planning and elder law firm's team should be trained to ask for certain and basic information each time they receive a phone call; for instance, the caller's name and telephone number. But don't stop there. Be sure the team member representing your firm also asks, "So, how did you find our number today?" (or similar) and record this information.

4. Tell People You Have a Website!

When you have someone on the phone, use this opportunity to ask, "Have you been to our website?" Your firm's representative should ask this question every time they are on the line with a new prospect; unless, of course, the caller found your number by visiting the firm's website! If you don't tell people about the excellent resources you have available, who will?

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

— April

Five Traits of Top Performers

Why do some attorneys have outstanding success in their practice, enjoy profitability and growth year-after-year … while others don’t? Is it because they are smarter, better-educated, or better-connected? Maybe some people are just natural rain makers, while others are destined to forever live in drought.

Let’s talk about that. As a marketing partner to more than 500 estate planning law firms over the past nearly 19 years, we’ve observed both tremendous success and heart-wrenching failure. All the while, we take notes and collect data. We have compiled, reviewed and analyzed that data. A few unmistakable trends stand out.

If you want to be among the top performers, enjoying long-term profitability, growth and success, start by asking yourself these five questions:

1. Are You Involved & Present in Your Own Marketing?
   Some attorneys seem to feel they are “above” marketing and they either ignore it completely, or delegate it to staff members with little insight or direction. That just never ends well for the attorney. Attorneys who consistently report growth and profitability are the ones who take an active interest in their marketing. No, they are not webmasters, don’t shoot their own videos, or design their own newsletters. But they do participate. They get involved with the strategy, the ideas and the implementation. They are happy to write a short article, show up at an event, record a video or participate in a strategy debate. They schedule time on their calendar, just like any other appointment, to be fully present for their marketing team.
2. Do You Ask Lots of Questions? (Or, do you just issue lots of orders?)
   Every month, we report key metrics about your marketing performance. Some clients open the email, some don’t. Some skim the reports and it seems that, unless they are in crisis, we never hear from them. But the ones who are really doing well start asking questions. They want to know what the metrics mean, what the changes mean, and whether there is more data they could review. They don’t ignore the facts, nor do they make assumptions about them. They don’t call up and start issuing orders. Instead, they call and ask questions. Good decisions rely on a good understanding of good information.
   
3. Is Your Circle of Influence Constantly Expanding?
   We manage a lot of lists for our clients – mailing lists, email lists, prospect lists, workshop lists, follow-up lists, client lists, and more. One thing is true about almost all struggling attorneys: their lists are poorly organized, stale and/or stagnant. On the other hand, the star performers are always adding new names to their lists because they are always meeting new people. Some of the top performers struggle with keeping their lists organized and updated, but they seem to always figure it out. As their lists grow, we see a steadily expanding circle of influence. Website visits grow. Blog visits increase. Time-on-site goes up. The phone rings and appointments get scheduled. A practice grows almost in step at the same pace as your lists. Note: This does not apply to purchased lists, but rather to lists that grow organically through personal contact.
4. Are You Building a Strong Team? (Or, are you trying to go it alone?)
   When we take on a new client, we become part of your team. From our vantage point, we see a lot of things that you might not. The good, the bad, and sometimes the really ugly. Struggling attorneys either do not have a team at all (and are trying to juggle everything themselves); or their team lacks support, resources and training. The team may (or may not) be committed to doing a “good job,” but they really do not know what that looks like in your law firm. We often notice rivalries, territorial behavior, and – because they feel threatened – resistance to sharing information or otherwise cooperating with us as team members. Successful attorneys, on the other hand, have strong teams. Their teams welcome us as new additions, ask questions, share information and are not at all “threatened” by the presence of specialists.
5. Are You a Bureaucrat?
   Top performers focus on operational efficiency to achieve sustainable growth and profitability. Struggling attorneys take any business that walks in the door, and figure out how to do it (usually not at a profit!). Struggling attorneys cut corners and refuse to invest in tried-and-true systems; they are always looking for a do-it-yourself solution or a bargain-basement price. Top performers, on the other hand, harness technology and use systems and processes to handle case work efficiently. In academic terms, this is called bureaucracy, and though the word has a negative connotation for many, it really is just about becoming more efficient at handling repetitive tasks. The key to long-term success, though, is to constantly re-evaluate your systems and processes as things change. Bureaucracy becomes a four-letter word when you cling to inflexible systems that no longer meet your needs.

Bottom line: Top performers do things differently. 

Sure, luck plays a part. But you know that success is where preparation and good fortune meet. You can’t always change your luck, but you can change your behavior. We are hosting a New Strategies workshop right here in Kansas City, Sept. 23-25, where we'll be talking systems and marketing automation and how you can leverage the right systems and behaviors to exceed your revenue goals.

We will provide the road map and teach you how to become a Top Performer! We will challenge you to break through the roadblocks you're currently facing, focus on what's really important in your practice and stop limiting your own success.

You will return home with a clear vision for taking your practice to the next level. The all-important first step is up to you - click here to register now.

Note: Because of the intense nature of this workshop, enrollment is limited to just 10 firms. Register now, you don't want to be left without a seat!

August Marketing Plan for Your Law Firm

Wow, is it really the last month of summer already? I can't believe school starts in a week here in the Midwest. My oldest will begin 1st Grade soon, no longer a sweet Kindergartner (sigh). Even though I'm not ready for the summer to end, I'm very excited about what the next season will bring! The lazy days of summer are almost behind all of us, and pretty soon everyone will get back to business as usual.

Are you ready?

Let's get prepared by asking these questions about your August Marketing Plan:

• What did you accomplish from your marketing plan in July? Look over your July marketing to-do's, review your "wins" and evaluate the results. If you set up rewards for any goals that were met, be sure to follow through and hand out the rewards to your team (and say Thank You!).
• What didn't get checked off the list? If there were marketing tasks that did not get done, have a meeting to determine how you can get these items accomplished this month. Eliminate road blocks, shift around responsibilities ... don't be afraid to try a new process of getting things done.
• Did you stay on budget? Track your marketing dollars for July to see if you are on point, then look ahead for August and beyond. How is your revenue compared to the same period of 2013? Are you up or down? If you aren't sure if your marketing is working for you, dive into the numbers to get a good picture and contact your IMS Team for a marketing review.
• What August topics will you use for social media and blog posts? August is Back-to-School time, so helpful posts on education, finances and planning for minor children would stand out this month. August 21 is Senior Citizens Day, a great time to raise awareness for issues facing seniors and to show support for your local senior community.
• What's next? Labor Day is Monday, September 1. If your office is closed or hours are reduced, be sure to let your clients know ahead of time (social media works great for this!). Start planning and/or finalizing any Fall events so you are more than ready to go when the summer burns out. Don't forget to mark your calendar for September 24-26 for our New Strategies to Grow Law Firm Profitability workshop!

The start of a new month is also a good time to review your website content to ensure that everything is accurate and up-to-date.  If you need to make a change, you can use our online Support Ticket to submit your request.

Upcoming Events for IMS

• Fall Workshop September 24-26: New Strategies to Grow Law Firm Profitability
  Throughout this workshop, you will see why your law firm needs to become a learning organization. Your very existence depends on it. Now is not the time to relax, kick back or play follow-the-leader. In this era of rapid change, leaders like you are challenged to make better decisions, craft better strategies, implement better ideas — and to do it all faster than ever before.

Seeking a Byline? Advice on How to Get Published

Many of our clients want to see their names in print, which we love to hear. Becoming a published author in professional or business magazines, newspapers or online helps promote your practice on several levels. It starts with the initial group of people who read the article, and then expands when you leverage that article by using it on your website, linking to it from your blog, sending it as part of an email blast, reprinting it and include it with marketing materials. So, the question is: "How do you do it?"

We recently consulted with Public Relations Professional Shari Peyser,(www.publicrelationsforlawyers.com) for advice.

Q: Shari, our clients understand the value of the published word. How should they get started? 

Shari: First, consider your audience. Are you writing for legal colleagues, with an eye to building referrals from attorneys in other practice areas?  Or are you writing for potential clients?

Q. Great advice. So, with the audience in mind, what's the next step?

Shari: Once you have narrowed down your audience, consider what it is that you want to write about.  What do you know that others don’t?  Is there a focused area of the law that you have developed into a niche practice?  Are there particular issues that clients come to you with that you handle with great success?  

Define three to five topics that you have the expertise and experience to draw from.

Q. Okay! Three to five topics. I could publish to my own website or blog, but what if I want to go beyond that?

Shari: Now, consider your media outlets.  Get your hands on several issues and check their website – most magazines and newspapers have an “author guidelines” section.  Read it and the magazine so you understand what the editor is looking for.

Q. I did not know you could find the author's guidelines on the website. That's great information. So -- I've targeted an audience and some key publications, what's next?

Shari: Next step - write the article.  I have worked with lawyers who wanted to see if an editor was interested in a particular topic before they started writing.  And I’ve heard from many editors who are frankly not interested and don’t have the time to discuss article ideas.  They want to see your ideas -- in writing.  

One client wanted to become a syndicated columnist.  The only problem was, to be in a news syndicate with a column every single week, he had to prepare at least six months of columns to even be considered. He decided to continue practicing law!

Q. What are some good sources for ideas?

Shari: Remember that editors and readers want original content.  Consider your anecdotes – the couple who wants to leave their entire estate to the cats and not their children, the thrice-marrieds who have a long and tangled family life…. Just remember to tweak the anecdotes so that no one can be identified. Those stories, combined with sage advice, could be your ticket to writing success. 

Q. Great ideas! So, how long before I see my byline in print (or online)?

Shari: If you do your homework and prepare an article that suits the readers and editors of a magazine or newspaper, be prepared for the next step: waiting.  For bar journals, the wait can be as long as four months or more.  For consumer magazines, it may be six months to a year before your article appears.  Others may post your article the day it’s received. It all depends on the media outlet.

Q. And what if the editor rejects my article?  

Shari: Consider it useful feedback.  See if you can find out why it was rejected.  And then, start looking for other places where it might be more appropriate.  Remember that every good writer knows that rejection is part of the process. Success requires staying the course, doing the preparation and, above all, writing!

Thank you so much, Shari. This is great information for any attorney who wants to get published. 

Let us know if you have other questions you'd like to ask Shari about publishing or public relations. We would love to have her back for another interview!

IMS Client Spotlight - Attorney Michael DellaMonaca

Our Client Spotlight this week is Attorney Michael DellaMonaca.

Michael is located in Central Massachusetts and he does a spectacular job of using the Essential Solution to the max. He’s a steady blogger, adds new emails to his e-News list, stays active and influential among social media platforms, and keeps in touch with the IMS staff with questions or updates.

Michael dominated Google Page One with traffic driving search terms like Fitchburg, MA Estate Planning Attorney and Leominster, MA Estate Planning Attorney.

Mike, we are proud to be on your team!

www.dellamonaca.com