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So you’ve got a legal blog and are cruising along at warp speed. You’re spitting out content regularly, and your web stats show that you’re starting to get some hits.
Cool.
But here’s the dirty little secret most legal bloggers won’t fess up to. They can’t figure out how to specifically bring in clients as a direct result of their blogging efforts.
Sure, they’re getting the word out and rising in the search engines. They’re hearing more people come to the office talking about the blog. So it’s clear that something is working. But the effect of blogging is ephemeral, not concrete. The real measure of success is dollars in pocket. And when it comes to that, not many legal blogs are cutting it.
So how the heck do you generate clients from your legal blog?
Here are three ways:
1. Get readers to subscribe to your blog by email using Feedblitz – not Feedburner. Feedblitz is a free tool that lets you drop a signup box on your blog (just like the yellow box on the sidebar to your left), and people who sign up get updates from your blog automatically when you put up a new post.
That’s only half the battle, though. When you use Feedblitz you can go into their web system and create a custom email to be sent out to subscribers – over and above the blog updates. Jackpot email marketing for free, baby!
Every week or so, visit your Feedblitz account and send out an email to your subscribers letting them know your availability for the next week or two. Tell them how to set up an appointment with you, and what they’ll need to do to secure an appointment. Specifically ask them to take the time to make that appointment.
2. Create a page on your blog titled “Make Me Your Lawyer.” On that page, ask the reader to set up an appointment to meet with you. Tell them how to do it, and be clear. Give your contact information.
If you don’t ask for the action, readers won’t take the action. Period. Scout’s honor.
3. Offer something of value to your readers who make an appointment and hire you. It could be a free credit report (which you probably usually pay for if you’re a bankruptcy lawyer), foot the bill for their credit counseling certification (spending $25 in marketing dollars to snag a bankruptcy client who will pay you far more than that? Sounds worth it to me), or give an additional service at no cost (post-discharge credit report reviews come to mind).
The bottom line is that legal blogs – all blogs in fact – are seen by the public largely as information-gathering resources. To start making money directly attributable to your legal blog, you’ve got to take action and get creative. These aren’t the only three ways to get clients from your legal blog, but they’re fast and easy to implement.
What do you use to get clients directly from your legal blog? Add a comment below!
Photo courtesy of websuccessdiva.
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I would argue that if you send an email to your subscribers every week or two asking them to set up an appointment with you, that many of them will either start completely blocking out that email or will unsubscribe because they're tired of receiving your constant request. You have to consider that many of your readers may not need a lawyer right now, but that you will be the first person they consider coming to when they do need a lawyer–or the first person they send their friends to.
If you're going to do a weekly or biweekly email, make it a newsletter–something that has original content not found on the blog, and that readers may enjoy reading. You can include your schedule information either at the end or in the middle, between two articles. They'll still skip it if they don't currently need a lawyer, but it won't feel as much like a constant, unwanted spam message.
The biggest issue with doing anything for business is how does it translate into income. This article explains a great way to turn the information into clients and referrals. Keep the great information coming and I'll figure out how to use it.
feedblitz does not appear to be free
Matt, you're right – and I had no idea. I've been using FeedBlitz since it was free of charge, and I didn't notice the pricing. It's still a very good deal, and the service is truly excellent. Thanks for pointing out my error.
Matt, you're right – and I had no idea. I've been using FeedBlitz since it was free of charge, and I didn't notice the pricing. It's still a very good deal, and the service is truly excellent. Thanks for pointing out my error.