Integrity Marketing

Sales Funnels and Website Silos: Are They Working for Your Law Firm?

Having a family member or friend who is not known to your firm make a phone call or contact the firm through the website is one way to figure out how well—or poorly—your firm’s sales funnel works. But unless your family member or friend is an experienced law firm marketing professional, it may be hard for them to identify what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s really not working.

A more productive, albeit challenging, method, is to do this yourself. It takes some imagination, but the potential is worth it. Put yourself into your target client’s mind-set. If you can, either call into the office or listen in on a call when someone else calls in. How difficult is it to get an appointment, and how helpful and welcoming is your receptionist?

Next, put yourself in your target client’s mind when you visit your own website.

Is it easy to navigate? Does it contain information that is relevant to your target market’s needs? Does it look up to date? Your blog posts should be current, and if you have news about speaking or hosting events, that’s even better. Does the website feature the ability to be seen with larger typeface for vision-challenged individuals? And does it work just as well on a smart phone as on a desk top?

 Does your website use silos? A silo is an image, usually a photo, with a phrase or a question that directs the user to a specific page. For instance, a website home page may have three or four silos featuring topics like “Why Everyone Needs a Will,” “Can a Trust Help” or “Who is the best executor for my estate plan?"

The use of silos serves several purposes.

• They are good for search engine optimization (SEO), as algorithms seek common language questions.
• Silos give your users information they need, reassurance that the problem they face is not so unique, and the sense that you already understand their problem.
• Finally, silos feed right into your E2-CRM. If a visitor contacts you from that page, you'll know that it is a significant issue for them that you can move to address early in the process, rather than finding out about it in the middle or at the very end of the estate planning process.

Another great thing about silos is that you are helping your clients even before they become clients. And the early identification of the client issue overcomes the obstacle of the unknown—they may not know you personally, but somehow, you already knew exactly what they needed.

Team Building in Estate Planning Law Firms

You can’t be a leader without people–but you also can’t lead people without their consent. Estate planning law firm cultures vary widely, but those who focus on developing not just legal skills but teams create an environment that is conducive to success. How do we define success? Positive outcomes for clients, client retention, talent retention, profitability and a work-life balance.

Team building takes place on many levels. A strategic retreat is a great way to bond, but so is a weekly or monthly office lunch. Some smaller offices start the day with a quick 15 minute meeting so that everyone knows who is coming into the office and what everyone is working on. Big firms can break out into smaller groups on a regular basis. Give people a chance to get to know each other and they will work better together. It really is that simple.

Know your team. If you are a boomer, understand that millennials are different. They want regular feedback about their performance, access to state-of-the-art technology, fair compensation, time off for personal pursuits and to be taken seriously. The bigger challenge: if their needs are not being met, they may not stay at your law firm for very long.

Lawyers are different than engineers. Engineers are accustomed to working in groups; college engineering programs include courses on how to work on complex projects in a group setting. Lawyers don’t learn that in law school and many firms don’t treat team building as a priority. If team work is a priority for your firm, understand that new hires may take some time getting used to the culture.

Strategic retreats away from the office create a new perspective Put a senior associate together with a partner who he’s never worked with before and ask them to solve a problem in a facilitated program. The results will surprise the attorneys—and sometimes the program leader. People don’t always know who is sitting in the office right next to them. Team building exercises can be eye-openers.

IMS presents strategic retreats because they work! If you’d like to learn how a strategic planning retreat can help grow your practice, enhance your teamwork and build profitability, call James at 877-352-2021 ext. 80.

Does Democracy Have A Place In Law Firms?

What’s more successful, an estate planning law firm run like a democracy, one that uses flat management or a dictatorship? It’s fair to say that many firms incorporate a combination of styles and that at varying times, different management approaches may be more effective. But is a combination the best answer when it comes to profitability, effectiveness and growth?

Many forward-thinking sectors, particularly technology companies, are based on what is known as a “flat” management style. There are few or no levels of middle managers between the staff and higher ups and employees take a more active role in decision making. It may be a long time before law firms turn to the flat management model.

Associates, even those who are several years out of law school, are not likely to have the business acumen required to run law firms, regardless of their size. On the other hand, and at the risk of generalizing, a younger attorney is more likely to be open to new technology and marketing strategies that fuel today’s law firm growth.

Here’s the problem with an ad hoc combination of management styles: the inconsistency creates confusion. If one person is in charge of big decisions one week and then, smaller decisions are made by another person the following week, then who makes the decision on week three?

We’re all in favor of democracy, but in a law firm it may prove problematic. The biggest reason: unless the law firm has made a commitment to financial transparency that gives all members of the firm a full opportunity to see how their decisions impact the bottom line, it will be difficult for them to understand the short and long term ramifications of decisions.

If the firm leadership has a clear vision for the firm that extends five or ten years (and they should), will a member who has only been at the firm for two years who may or may not plan on staying at the firm have the same perspective? Not likely.

The size of the firm can have a big impact on whether or not a democracy works. With twenty partners, an executive committee and a chairman, whose vote counts more?

Our thoughts: the organizational structure is secondary to the leadership. A strong and decisive leader knows when to allow equity partners to be part of the decision making process and when her vision for long-term growth is being undermined by petty factions. The bigger question may well be this: how do you handle the politics of your firm?

How Integrity and Ethics Fit into Your Estate Planning Law Practice

As a leader in your office and community, lawyers are required to serve with the highest ethics. But integrity and ethics should also play a lead role in how your practice serves clients and treats team members every day. And let’s not leave out how clients and team members should be held to certain standards themselves.

Placing dual values of integrity and ethics at the center of your practice extends these values way past the work you and your colleagues perform. Here are some examples of how certain offices go above and beyond to exceed what is expected.

Client confidentiality. We all know the rules. But does that include conversations between attorneys that may take place while waiting in line at a coffee shop? What about a cell phone conversation when a paralegal is on a train? Make sure the entire team understands that they have a moral duty to protect their client’s information. And that includes family members.

Document protection. As an attorney you are required to maintain the standards of technology and secure all client information. If vendors and visitors to your office are able to see a computer monitor in the office, they may see confidential information. Be mindful of documents left on desks, monitors that are not in screen saver mode and any materials that might be easily seen.

Conflicts of interest. If multiple members of a family gearing up for an estate battle contact you, do you have an ethical responsibility to disclose conversations with other family members, even if you have not been retained and no formal client-attorney privilege has been established? Check with your state’s bar association if you are not sure.

What if an associate has done something that you know is wrong? Here’s where integrity distinguishes practices. It’s not uncommon for humans to make mistakes. But how you handle the mistake demonstrates the firm’s commitment to integrity as a core value. Do you fire the associate? Unless it’s egregious error, probably not. First, you solve the problem. And you don’t bill your client for it. Then you need to have a conversation with the client. No, it won’t be a pleasant conversation but it will be necessary. If the client finds out after the fact that you did not disclose the problem and the correction, you will have a far bigger problem: the loss of trust and respect.

Seek Visibility And You Will Find… More Estate Planning Connections

Doctors and lawyers know that small talk at a networking event or social occasion will invariably bring with it at least one “I know you’re not working but I have a question” conversation. Often a doctor can beg off, saying the question is not her specialty, but an estate planning attorney is open season. Who doesn’t have a family member who refuses to have a will, or a grandparent who left everything to a distant relative after decades of squabbling?

Instead of thinking of these questions as annoying, consider them opportunities for developing new clients. For estate planning and Elder Law practitioners, any group of people contains at least one and often more potential clients.

Yes, we’re in a digital age, and much of your marketing takes place on digital platforms, but you still need to make a conscious effort to get in front of potential and current clients. How can you make this happen, and make the most of it?

Networking never sleeps. Bringing new clients into the practice or developing referral sources is a mind-set, not a job that you do nine-to-five and then turn off. Picking up supplies at the big box store for a family barbecue? If you’re on a long line, or hurtling down the aisles, you’re in a crowd of prospects. It’s your community—embrace each outing as a potential source of new business.

You’re always on stage. As a community leader, source of authority and professional, you really do have to consider how you present yourself every time you leave the house. You don’t need to wear a suit every time you step out the door, save the grubby gear for gardening or working on your vintage sports car at home.

Move a conversation to an appointment. The doctor can’t make a diagnosis at a cocktail party and you can’t provide legal advice at a fishing tournament. But you can give your card and tell them to call your office if they want to explore some solutions to their problem. Don’t end the conversation when you provide the business card and an invitation to call. Instead, pivot to something that you can bond over—kids, hobbies, shared interests.

Make the connection even better. Give the person’s name to your receptionist so that if they do call, they are treated like a new friend and not a stranger. “Oh, Sue said you might be calling,” is a far more welcoming messaging than “How can we help you?” Let this person know that they are special and that you remembered the conversation. It’s a great way to start a client relationship—even when you have known the person casually for some time, the sense that they are getting special treatment will be remembered.

How Leadership Impacts Law Firm Business Development

Leadership styles in law firms vary but whether you are in a huge law firm or a boutique practice, leadership requires understanding what makes people tick, communication skills and the ability to inspire trust. Interpersonal skills are just as important as knowledge of the law. The skill set that makes a great litigator—extremely high level executive functions, strong negotiation skills, a thick skin and a quick wit—doesn’t always translate into leadership. What qualities does a great law firm leader have?

Highly effective leaders see the big picture. When deciding on how to handle an angry client, for instance, they are looking at the long-term issues. Why the client is upset is just one facet of the situation. They are ten steps ahead, considering how can the problem be solved in the short term, if the client has the potential to become an outstanding referral source, and was there a procedural glitch that led to the problem?

Effective leaders stay the course. They rely on an analytical mindset with a strategic perspective. They understand that law firms today are facing new challenges, from disruptive competitive forces to an abundance of attorneys. They are focused on the end game: a profitable law firm practice with attorneys who are proficient and productive and clients who are raving fans.

Law firm leaders have strong interpersonal skills. A good leader motivates and inspires, understanding that they sit in a position of power and that how they treat partners, associates and administrative team members has an impact on everyone in the practice. They are able to tailor their management style to bring out the best in the people around them. One partner put it bluntly: some people work better with a carrot, others with a stick. A leader knows which one to use.

They are not always early adapters but do embrace change, including technology. Today’s law firm leader knows that so many elements in the business of law have changed, from e-discovery to document management to marketing. They may not always be on the bleeding edge but when they see that something is working, they will make the decision to try it—even if it’s just a proverbial toe in the water to test.

Law firm leaders understand the value of integrity. There’s a reason our name includes the word integrity. Numerous studies demonstrate the impact of integrity and honesty on organizational success. Consistent adherence to honesty and doing the right thing creates an atmosphere of trust and stability. It creates a culture of success.

Refresher on Social Media for Estate Planning Practices

We get it–your estate planning law practice has you so busy, there’s no way you can possibly add another task. But what if we told you that a robust social media platform would dramatically boost your law firm’s website visibility and could increase the number of potential prospects who are seeking help in estate planning and Elder Law? Social is no longer an outlier or a passing fad. The numbers tell the tale: Twitter has 317 million monthly visitors, Instagram, 700 million, Facebook has 1.9 billion, and LinkedIn has 500 million.

If your social media campaign captures a fraction of these users, that makes it time well spent.

Here’s a summer refresher on social media for your law firm:

YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest have grown fast and furious. They are all about visuals. If you have a professionally produced lawyer video, you know that people are looking at videos and making a connection. The video overcomes the fear of the unknown that keeps prospects from making an appointment. You are suddenly a real person, who speaks directly to them through the video, especially if there is more than one video on your website and if one of those videos features your journey to becoming an estate planning attorney. Don’t have a video? Call James at 877-352-2021 ext.  80.

Social media works best when it’s a two-way street. If you allow people to comment on your blogs and posts, you’ll need to either monitor the comments or delegate the task to someone who can speak in your voice. Most platforms have an option to permit comments, block comments or allow comments after review. If you decide to allow comments, be prepared to provide feedback.

Saying thank you to a positive review or a comment on a post is important. Give your client a “Like” in return and a response. Responding to negative review or comment is just as important. Ignoring a negative review is considered abdicating your responsibility as a citizen of the web.

How to handle a negative review? With grace and dignity. Taking action and responding in a courteous manner is the best defense. Apologize for any problem that they may have, and ask to set up an offline meeting to address their concerns. Responding in a timely manner helps. Don’t ignore the comments.

Best practices: Do you know where your social media logins are? Keep a list, and share it with your office manager or in-house marketing coordinator. Also, if your IMS blog posts are set to auto populate social posts and your log in changes, don’t forget to tell your IMS account manager so we can keep your social running smoothly! You can do this with a support ticket.

How Estate Planning Attorneys Get Comfortable with New Technology

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is already at work in your law firm and in your personal life; it’s in your mobile phone, on your desktop, and activated every time you log on to Amazon or Netflix or use a device like Alexa or Echo. But it’s also a part of your law firm marketing. The E2-CRM from IMS incorporates AI to help you understand your clients individually and as a group so that your marketing can work at peak efficiency.

It’s user-friendly. New systems are not always welcome at law firms, and asking people to incorporate changes to their routines doesn’t always get an enthusiastic response. The first response when people hear the phrase “AI” is to think that it will be too complicated. But you use AI in numerous settings, and are usually not even aware of it. And software engineers, including ours, know that AI is most successful when it is invisible.

Using new technology is the best way to get comfortable with it. You won’t break the E2-CRM, or for that matter, any technology systems. Not easily, anyway. AI is in the legal sector and growing, incorporated into legal research and document management systems as well as marketing systems. Being on the leading edge and being willing to incorporate it into your practice now is better than trying to catch up later on.

Law firm culture is changing. The millennials in your office expect to have access to the technology that helps them to do the best work possible for clients. To attract and retain talented young attorneys and to stay competitive, the law firm needs to stay current.

The data is as important as the software. Never before has the adage “garbage in, garbage out” been more true. One of the features we like about the E2-CRM is that, when set up properly, a fair amount of data auto populates, drawn from online sources. This cuts down on the number of errors that occur when data is entered by hand. That said, you still need to keep your data clean. Your account manager can help you set up systems to make data management part of the practice.

Best practice right now: start using the E2-CRM. If you are not using it at all, or not sure if you are getting the most impact from it, please submit a support ticket and set up an appointment for a one-on-one training session with your Account Manager.

Plan Now for Fall Law Firm Marketing

October may be the last thing on your mind right now, but right now is the best time to plan for your fall law firm marketing activities. This is a great time to map out a social media schedule, get ready for a full plate of community events and revisit the activities you mean to do every year that typically fall by the wayside. Here’s a checklist to help you focus:

Social media campaigns work better with more strategic planning. Start with August, when you can address both back to school for kids and grandchildren and freshman college students who need a health care proxy. September will be too late for these themes. Always work far in advance so you don’t miss trends. You can always add a post.

Professional groups you keep meaning to join or get active with. So you’ve been a member of the local bar association for years, but never went to a single committee meeting. Go online, check the group’s calendar, and add meetings to your calendar now. You can’t network with people you don’t know.

Community organizations with a high profile. Notice how some organizations have a far higher profile than others? Their activities always seem to get more coverage than similar charities. If you are not already involved (or overextended) with non-profit groups, summer is a great time to connect. Call a board member—make sure they are someone you want to meet anyway—and ask if you can talk with them about the organization.

Punch up the news section of your website. Haven’t updated your blog or news and events section of your website since May? Visitors to your site will wonder what kind of practice would permit such a public part of their website to languish. Check out the latest Blog Support emails from IMS, or take a few minutes and surf the web for articles that are relevant to seniors and members of your target market. There’s certainly no lack of news in the estate planning area.

Always wanted to write for publication, but never did? Take advantage of a little free time now to come up with ideas for articles that you could write, for the local bar association newsletter or a local business publication. Think about what you see in your practice—check your E2-CRM to see what kind of problems your clients face. Are you seeing a lot of issues about transferring the family home to a second generation? Or maybe your clients are grappling with selecting executors because they don’t think their kids will do a good job of handling their estate? Look for trends, in legal topics or family issues, to get the creative juices flowing.

Summer Networking to Strengthen Relationships with a Touch of Fun

Networking doesn’t stop during the summer—it just goes outdoors! Professional associations and charitable organizations know that adding outdoor fun to events boosts attendance. A lighter mood prevails, making networking during summer events feel more like fun than work. It’s a way to get to know people in settings that are a little more casual than in other seasons. But summer networking can be just as effective as during the rest of the year. A few pointers to keep your networking active during the summer:

When the setting is casual, networking takes a different tone. It may not feel like working, because you’re outside on the water or looking out over a scenic vista. But summer networking is still about building relationships and getting to know potential referral sources and clients. Keep the conversation a little lighter. Sharing vacation plans or what the kids are up to this summer can be a great way to learn about people’s personal lives. Try to read the room—if everyone’s talking golf games and backyard barbeques, a conversation about accounting software for law firms won’t make you the life of the party.

Summer festivals and fairs are part of the community. Most towns host at least one fire department parade or summer carnival. We don’t want you volunteering for the “dunk tank” booth, but serving on the organizing committee or being a sponsor is a great way to build name recognition in a smaller sized town.

Plan client appreciation events that include the grandchildren. If you live in an area with summer day camps, see if they will allow you to “rent” the camp for a Saturday or Sunday event. These facilities usually have swimming pools, volley ball courts and other play areas. Have the right staff, equipment and consider bringing in a caterer and wait staff so that you can spend time mingling with clients and not sweating over a hot grill.

Summer-themed fun includes free tickets to baseball games or outdoor concerts. Tickets to a major league baseball team will put a smile on anyone’s face, even hard-to-please clients. Don’t overlook other summer tickets: music festivals, outdoor theater, even minor league baseball teams. During the course of the year, use your E2-CRM to note client interests. A couple who love baseball will be thrilled to receive a pair of tickets to their favorite local team. They’ll be impressed that you remembered!