You look around you and realize it’s time to move on. But the status quo is comfortable, so you stick around for awhile longer.

You get tired, things get dusty, and eventually the status quo isn’t so comfortable anymore. It’s just … tired.

You’ve got two choices – keep on banging your head against the wall or quit and start over.

I’ve opted for the latter.

Why Quit?

Jerry Seinfeld shuttered the most popular television show on the air while it was still insanely popular. He hadn’t jumped the shark, and the viewers still tuned in.

Why did he end the show? It was all about timing, he said.

Looking back at Legal Practice Pro, I’ve done a lot right and a lot wrong. I’ve learned on my feet with this platform, trying out different types of writing and ideas to see what resonated with you.

In return, you’ve been generous with your feedback – positive and negative. You’ve applauded when I struck a chord, berated me when I was a bonehead.

When I began there wasn’t much out there when it came to helping you out. Now there are a bunch of great sites providing useful information. The web has changed, and so has my perspective.

Why Start Over?

There’s a lot I have to say on the subject of legal marketing. Much of it is sure to be unpopular, mainly because most legal marketing consultants and design companies are just out to fleece you.

I also see a lot wrong with your local and national bar associations, organizations that purport to represent your interests while really existing solely to line their pockets and advance lobbying efforts that never go anywhere good. Organizations that excel at navel-gazing rather than helping their members.

TANSTAAFL

There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch, and the web is no exception. Lots of your favorite web sites and blogs are totally free, but they load the site up with ads or try to sell you stuff to pay the bills.

I’m no different. The site itself doesn’t cost much to maintain, but the time and energy that goes into producing the words you read here is (in the words of my child’s favorite cartoon) epic.

I will not, however, whore myself out to the highest (or lowest) bidder. I will sell you only things that I have tried and honestly recommend. I will do whatever I can to get you to use my Amazon.com affiliate link to make purchases because I get a commission – and because Amazon is a seriously kick-ass company that makes my life so much easier it’s ridiculous.

So long as I can keep the lights on, I’m happy to give you a straight opinion and an honest assessment of the state of the world. I’ll feed you tutorials and tactics I’ve found to be successful in my own practice.

It’s a quid pro quo, so don’t get all ticked off when I ask you to buy something from time to time.

What About The Stuff Already On The Site?

Some of the articles I’ve written here will remain, but most will disappear in the coming days. Either it’s woefully out of date or inappropriate to my current vision.

A few articles will show up in another format eventually – either as a download or an ebook. If it’s good, it will be updated and polished. But if it’s a waste of space, it’s history.

My Promise To You

I will always do my best to give it to you straight. You may not always like it, but the truth isn’t always pretty.

I fully expect my web visibility to crash into the toilet. Much of my content will disappear from the site, so my Google rankings will suffer. I hope you’ll be good enough to help me make up for the loss by sharing what you find here on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

Now It’s Your Turn

See that comment box below? That’s your space to tell me what you want to see more of around these parts.

The floor is yours.

Image credit:  jpverkamp

My first post to this site was in August 2006.  Over the 6 1/2 years that followed I’ve tried my best to inform, enlighten and (from time to time) entertain you.

In return, you’ve been very good to me.  You’ve given me your time, your feedback, and your attention.  You’ve reached out to me in friendship and you’ve given me a reason to continue learning.

But there are only so many hours in a day.  The flow of new information has quickened, and it’s more difficult than ever the keep pace with the pace of change.  More frustrating is the fact that there’s only so much you can possibly learn from a tutorial published online.

A blog, I’ve come to see, imparts information rather than knowledge. No matter how useful, information is just that – facts and figures without context.

You Need Another Seminar Like A Hole In the Head

Seminars provided to 50 or more people accomplish more, but not significantly so.  Knowledge needs to be imparted to a small group of people while standing over each person’s shoulder to watch progress unfold and correct errors in applicable.

Lots of legal marketing folks put together massive seminars to packed houses, giving information out while also selling you on the fact that you can’t do it on your own – nor should you.  It’s all part of the sales funnel, paid for by the attendees.  Like a timeshare sales presentation – except you’re not getting a free vacation out of the deal.

You shouldn’t have to pay for a massive seminar so you can gobble up more information only to set it aside in favor of other pursuits.

If you’re serious, you should be able to gain real knowledge and translate it into results.

That’s What You Said

If you’re an email subscriber you know about the email I sent out a few weeks back, asking about the need for something more comprehensive and hands-on.  If you responded, thanks for that – the feedback loop was invaluable.

You told me you wanted a more intimate workshop – fewer than a dozen people, all sitting around a table with laptops and wifi. Me standing over your shoulder, showing you the buttons to press.  You putting together the necessary elements over the course of a few days so you can make progress before you walk out the door.

With that in mind, I’m putting together a workshop that will be like none other in the history of online marketing.

Get A Jump Start With A Special Deal

I’m putting it all together, but it won’t be ready for awhile.  So I’m going to do something for you right now.

Last year I put together a mega-training program called Blizzard Coaching 2.0.  It taught you every aspect of online marketing as it existed at the time, including SEO, social media, blogging, email marketing and the like.

It was expensive – over $4,000 – and limited to 40 lawyers.  Over the course of 4 months I poured everything I had into the course, capturing it all on video so my community could download it and replay the classes over and over again.

Not to brag, but it was awesome.

I’d like you to have it, but I know money’s tight and you need the help right now.

So from now until April 15, 2013 I’m offering Blizzard Coaching 2.0 for a single payment of $497.  You get all 16 classes as well as my direct mail seminar, Workflow In The Bankruptcy Law Office and the entire archives from my member’s-only Legal Practice Pro Community.

You can learn about the deal and what it involved by going here.

What This Means For Legal Practice Pro

Things are going to be silent here for awhile.  There’s work to be done, and only so many hours in a day.

I’ll still be producing Practice Pro News, my weekly newsletter roundup of all things involving marketing, bankruptcy and consumer protection issues.  If you’re not getting Practice Pro News I hope you’ll consider signing up – it’s free, and comes to you by email once a week.

You’ll still see me at my usual online outposts as well.  And, of course, you can drop me a note by email (jay AT legalpracticepro.com).

So there you have it – a major discount on Blizzard Coaching 2.0, an upcoming workshop series that will give you the results you’re craving, and a little less of me for the time being.

Til next time …

 

There’s an old saying – you can never be too rich or too thin.

Yet when it comes to desserts, there’s such a thing as too rich.

And if you’ve got too much on your plate, you’re stretched too thin.

It’s all a matter of perspective.

Think about that next time you meet with a client.