Integrity Marketing

If You Want to Have a Successful Estate Planning Practice….

There’s an adage about being happily married: if you want to be happily married, spend your free time with happily married couples. Similarly, if you want to have a successful estate planning practice, spend your time with successful attorneys. It sounds simple, maybe too simple, but there is truth to it.

IMS clients who come to a strategic planning retreat are often struck by the similarities when they meet our other clients.

IMS clients tend to be estate planning firms that “get” the role that marketing plays in a competitive legal services market. They are willing to take the time and devote the resources to making sure that their law firm is visible on the web, provides superior service to clients and uses marketing data.

So we’re not surprised when we find that our clients have other things in common:

A work-life balance. When the law firm systems are in place, from document management to billing systems, our attorneys are not laboring into the wee hours on a regular basis.

Clients that value our attorneys. When you aren’t desperate for clients, you can say no to those who aren’t a good fit for your firm. It’s a win all around.

Profitability. This is one of our favorite byproducts; growing the practice, making it more efficient and making it more profitable is a shared characteristic of IMS clients.

Work ethics. IMS law firms are made up of attorneys, paralegals and administrators who understand the importance of their work. And this is not contradicted by their work-life balance. They get to the office on time, dig into their work, and care deeply about helping clients.

We host two kinds of strategic planning retreats. One is private, where the entire focus is on you and your law firm. The other is open to a limited number of participants, and gives you an opportunity to meet colleagues from around the country. Which one would be best for you? We suggest speaking with James, who can help you with this decision. Reach him at 877-352-2021 ext. 80.

Building Client Loyalty

First do no harm may be fine for physicians, but it’s the very least of what you need to do to build client loyalty.

Let’s face it – not all of your clients are easy going or easy to deal with. Some of them are harder to deal with than others. Often, it’s a personality thing. The same Type A personality that propelled them to great success and large assets means they like to be in charge, and their estate planning is no different. They want your input, but sometimes they push back against your recommendations.

And then there are the clients who are happy to be working with you, but can always find another reason to postpone appointments or get you necessary documents. They are all smiles and happy to hear from you but everything takes much longer than it should.

How do you build loyalty among clients, so that they will recommend their friends, family members and colleagues?

Provide fantastic service. Fast. If they call you, return their call on the same day. If they leave a message with a question and you need to do some research, call them on that same day to let them know that you received their question and will get back to them. Don’t leave anyone hanging, wondering if you got their message. Same for emails.

Make it just personal enough. Not too personal. This is not a real estate transaction. To be an estate planning attorney requires you to become involved with family histories, dynamics and sometimes dirty laundry. Share a little bit about yourself, so that the conversation is not all one sided. Not too much, but enough so they understand that you relate to them on a personal level.

Make it perfect. Nothing is more unprofessional and annoying to clients than typos and other clerical mistakes. If your clients have been married before and there has been a name change, be really clear about what surname you should use. Make your sure staff does not rely on spell check to catch typos. Little mistakes reflect sloppy work and will reflect poorly on the firm.

Pay attention Keep your ears open and listen for what they say and what they don’t say. Did they work with another law firm in the past, and if so, why are they not with that firm now? What happened? If they tell you they are not happy about something, don’t dismiss their concerns. Be responsive.

Follow though. If you are using our E2 CRM, then you have the ability to stay in touch with clients easily. Don’t miss out on opportunities to reach out to them during the year. Some offices are big on birthday greetings, while others prefer seasonal reminders. But stay in touch.

Are You Looking for a Silver Bullet?

We’re not talking about killing werewolves, but the idea that one single thing is going to address all of your estate planning law firm’s marketing needs. Kind of like that national commercial that asks, wouldn’t it be nice if just one piece of broccoli was all it took to become healthy?

But it’s not how marketing works. Instead, think of marketing as a symphony, with each section of instruments bringing their own special sounds and strengths to a single piece of music. It doesn’t matter if the music is Beethoven, Bach, Phillip Glass or Gustav Holst. They are unified by the composer, led by the conductor and bring beauty to their audience.

What do you need in your orchestra?

A composer. Someone with the knowledge and experience to know what instruments need to create what sounds. We like to think of the IMS team as your personal composer!

A conductor. Yes, that’s IMS also. We are standing in front of your orchestra, making sure that everyone is moving in the same direction.

The members of the orchestra: Strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. Your orchestra has many players: receptionist, administrative team, paralegals and attorneys. They must all work together. Your website, E2-CRM, document management systems, law firm management systems and even your telephone system are all members of your orchestra.

When they all play together, the result is beautiful music–a smoothly performing, profitable law firm that achieves your client’s goals, from solving problems, preventing problems and giving your clients the best in service so that they can achieve their goals.

Printed Pieces Still Have Power

I love snail mail. And I’m not the only one.

Growing up, I would ride my bike down the street with a plastic bag strung over the handlebars to bring home whatever envelopes filled our box that day. Checking the mailbox is still the first thing I do when I return home from work.

After working at a summer camp for five years, I came to covet notes from outside its gates. The most popular man around camp was always the postman—our own local celebrity.

Even in this digital world, people still love getting mail. It can be a great supplement to your digital marketing—especially with print newsletters.

What are the benefits of Print Newsletters?

Expand your reach. Although digital marketing is vital to any business’s success, you still have clients or prospects who are either late adopters or relatively inept when it comes to technology. A print mailing will help your firm to leave no client behind.

Provide more education. You can have overlap between your print and email mailing list contacts. Not only does this reinforce your message and the importance for planning, it’s also easy for recipients to pass along a tangible newsletter to a loved one who may be in need of a consultation.

 Reduce stress. When you use our print newsletters, most of the work is done for you—articles are written and edited, the design is laid out, the infographics are created and the communication with the printer on proofs are all taken care of by our team at IMS. This leaves you with the simple tasks of uploading a mailing list and updating an optional short message on the back cover.

Remember, print materials do not replace digital marketing, but they can be a worthwhile enhancement to your Essential Solution®. To incorporate print newsletters into your firm’s marketing strategy, call James at 877-352-2021 ext. 80.

*Print newsletters are exclusively available to Essential Attorney^TM members as Essential Enhancements to existing Essential Solution® subscribers.

Why Email Campaigns Still Matter

What? You haven’t sent out an email blast in four months? If that’s the case, we need to have a little chat. Email newsletters are a terrific way for your practice to maintain top of mind awareness with clients, prospects and referring professionals. But you have to send out email newsletters on a regular basis, with useful information that will be helpful to your readers. If it’s been four months, it’s been too long!

Here’s why email campaigns matter:

If a prospect had contacted the office in the past but did not go forward, an email newsletter presents an opportunity to remind them about your practice and invite them to call for an appointment.

If you have a client who has had a trigger event–wedding, divorce, a new baby or a new grandchild—you definitely want to remind them about your practice, using the trigger event as a reason for them to contact you. They may not be aware of the importance of updating their estate planning documents or they have overlooked it in the excitement surrounding the trigger event.

If there have been significant changes to the law that may affect your clients, an email blast is an opportunity to keep them informed.

Here’s a real-world example: recently the IRS and the Treasury proposed legislation that would limit the use of valuation discounts of ownership stakes in privately owned businesses or land. There is a 90 day period of public comment now underway and parts of the regulations will not go into effect until 30 days after a final version is issued. But now is the time to let your clients know about this pending change and explore whether or not their estate plan needs to be updated.

A series of well-written email newsletters gives you a chance to shine in front of a large audience. Think of the content of the email as a speaking opportunity. You have an audience and you have a chance to position yourself as an credible source of useful information. Make your email newsletters interesting and informative and every now and then, personal and entertaining.

If you aren’t sure how to keep your email campaigns lively, fill out a support ticket and we’ll be happy to help!

Converting Prospects to Clients

Have you ever gone onto a website, filled up a shopping cart, and then decided you weren’t really ready to make a purchase? We all have. It’s called the “abandoned shopping cart” and it’s a problem every ecommerce website in the world experiences.

Your equivalent is when people call your office and the phone call does not end with an appointment. Or, if the web lead filled out a Contact Us form and did not become a prospect. In both cases, there’s been a disconnect, and the thing you want to have happen–the conversion from a prospect to a client–just did not happen.

How do you proceed?

For a failure to convert a web lead to a prospect, there are a number of steps that you’ll want to pay attention to:

Web leads don’t know you. They may be shopping for prices or just kicking tires. They might also be detailed researchers. Until you know otherwise, treat them all as if they are detained researchers. They will expect a return phone call as soon as possible. If too much time stretches out between the time they fill out a form and when they are contacted by phone, you may have already lost them.

Also, you should respond to the form with a phone call and an email. Let them see your practice’s attention to detail.

As for a phone call that does not become an appointment, you’ll need to do some sleuthing. Is your office picking up the phone promptly, or does it ring seven or eight times before someone answers? Listen in to the person taking the calls. Are they listening to your caller, or talking over them? Does the conversation sound like it is proceeding in a friendly but professional manner? Does it take too long for your receptionist to ask if they would like to make an appointment?

Some offices are better than others at converting phone calls to appointments, but if your office does not have the right person on the phone, you are definitely losing prospects. Maybe you should consider giving this person sales training, or maybe someone else should be answering your phones.

Today’s “sales funnel,” also known as the “customer journey,” is a completely different experience than ten or even five years ago. Today’s legal services consumer has high expectations for your practice. Meet them head-on, with a strong website, great client service and a terrific friendly voice on the phone. They all work together.

Go For Gold: Secrets to a Marketing Victory

By Kelly Myers

The 2016 Summer Olympics are underway! Now is a great time to ask if your marketing would earn a spot on the podium. We can learn even the simplest lessons from most famous athletes. Let the Olympics inspire your firm’s marketing endeavors.

Just like Olympians, you need a coach to help you train for success.

The coach should instruct you, teach you, support you and overall help you work smarter, not harder. There are plenty of insufficient ways to market, just as there are insufficient ways to train as an athlete. It can be difficult to veer away from techniques that are traditional or leave your comfort-zone and try something new. However, you have Integrity Marketing Solutions backing you up. Think of IMS as your marketing coach. IMS is here to provide you with the resources you need to prosper.

While the coach plays a big part, you can’t forget about the judges.

They are the ones that ultimately decide how well you perform. Your judges are your clients and potential clients. Prospects decide if you are worthy of their business. Olympians must be aware of the elements the judges are looking for in order to give a high score. Similarly, you must know who your prospects are and what they are looking for. If you fail to keep in mind who your audience is and don’t play by the rules in marketing, you face disappointing results.

Lastly, it is the commitment of the Olympic athletes that drive their success.

In order to progress, the athletes are always learning, practicing and striving to be better. Marketing, like Olympic sports, is not a one and done venture. Even after achieving a gold medal, if you cease to practice, you will see a drop in your performance. It takes continuous work to maintain the top position.

Estate Planning Law Firm Marketing and Social Media

Estate planning attorneys and social media are like peanut butter and jelly.

If you already blog on a regular basis, then you at least have the basic idea. However, if Twitter, Facebook and Linked In make you a little uncomfortable, register for our upcoming webinar for the help you need to expand your social media repertoire.

Click here to register here for our upcoming webinar, “How to Create Your Social Media Calendar.” Grab a sandwich and join us for lunch while you learn.

Still not convinced?

Today’s communication landscape has changed dramatically. A website and a blog are then fundamentals. To gain a truly competitive edge, you’ll want to take the next step—social media. While we don’t expect—nor do we recommend—that you jump into Periscope unless you are really up to date with that platform, Twitter, Linked In and Facebook are great additions to your marketing program.

If you think three social media platforms may be too much to handle when you begin, take heart: one school of thought advises that if you only take on one social media platform (and you do it well), you are better off than trying and failing to have a presence on all three.

Need one takeaway from this blog that will help prepare you for our coming webinar?

In the same way that content is king for blogs and websites, relevant content is king for social media posts. If your followers see that you are providing good information on a steady basis, they will be interested and engage with you. Your posts should focus on estate planning and elder law issues, including cherry-picking info and insights from articles you write, speeches you give or news that is important to your prospects and clients.

Also, don’t forget that if your schedule doesn’t permit you to join us for the webinar, register anyway so that you can watch at your convenience.

Note: Your registration must be approved by the webinar organizer.*

See you there!

*This webinar is for Essential Clients only and all registrations must be approved in advance.

Congratulations! We’re Gonna Make You a Star!

How many times a month do you get emails congratulating you and your firm for being selected to appear on a national television broadcast that will appear nationwide, often on airport monitors in major cities across the country? The producer can’t wait to introduce you to a well-known celebrity who will interview you.

Perhaps you are more familiar with the print version of this scam, where a a magazine wants you on the cover, along with a featured article all about you and your firm.

Don’t write that check just yet.

Some of the smartest lawyers we know are so flattered to learn that they have been recognized by someone in the media that they respond to these emails immediately. When they call the contact, they get a hard sell phone conversation with a so-called producer or editor explaining that the company is in the process of calling their competitors and a decision needs to be made right away.

As an estate planning and elder law attorney, you are particularly aware of the scams that your senior clients face, but did you know that you are also a target?

Here is a really simple, two-step guide to save you time and money:

1. No legitimate television show or magazine will ask you to pay a fee for coverage.
2. If the call or email is about an award, same deal: no legitimate organization will ask you for money to receive an award.

Another scam involves phony “Who’s Who” books. There are a large number of these focusing on business and the law. A legitimate directory does not ask for payment.

After all, if just anyone could pay to get into Burke’s Peerage or the Social Register, we’d all be kings, queens and members of high society!

Creating a Social Media Calendar

Do you want to better leverage your social media but don’t know where to begin? Do you want search engines to recognize and reward your firm’s social authority?

Join your team at IMS on August 10, 2016 at Noon central (CDT) for a webinar designed exclusively for the Essential Attorney™ and staff*!

This month's webinar will help the Essential Attorney and staff understand the purpose and importance of Social Media as part of your online marketing strategy. Join us to learn about Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google My Business and how to make them work for your firm. This is an opportunity to learn how to plan and implement your social media strategy.

Join us for this free 20-minute webinar to learn more about your firm’s social media and how to create a working plan for your social marketing.

This webinar is particularly valuable to new Essential Solution clients or new staff members. You may register at

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7956178665109570561

Note: Your registration must be approved by the webinar organizer.

See you there!

April, Kelly, Anneliese & Dana

*This webinar is for Essential Clients only and all registrations must be approved in advance.