Is Your Website An Earl Scheib Special?

I remember my first car, a 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix in British racing green. Not my first choice, but my father convinced me that I should spend a pittance on a used car as opposed to blowing all of my money on a brand-new one.

With the first 90 days, I’d blown the engine, replaced the transmission, and done a bunch of other work on it. By the time all was said and done, I’d spent more than the cost of a new automobile.

Turns out my car was an Earl Scheib special, a clunker hastily painted over to look terrific.

I learned my lesson early on. Judging from the looks of lots of law firm websites out there, many of my colleagues didn’t get the memo. [Read more...]

Is Your Marketing Disconnected?

Looking at most of the marketing done by law firms large and small makes me wonder if someone simply didn’t get the memo about the interaction between marketing and the actual practice of law.

Take a look at the websites many lawyers are launching and you’ll see the same story told over and over again: the bland and positive are highlighted, the true personality of the firm is eradicated.  Go visit the office, however, and you’re in a different world.

Knick-knacks on the credenza, funny ties, and pictures of vacations to fun places abound.  Somehow, this doesn’t square up with client expectations.

That’s a problem, for you as well as for your clients. [Read more...]

Should Bankruptcy Lawyers Use Twitter, Or Not Yet?

Pretty much everyone in the conference hall heard me yelp as Larry DePalma, a purported marketing expert, told 900 consumer bankruptcy lawyers that they should stay away from Twitter. “Not yet,” he said.

My response was purely involuntary, and I was glad that my friend Kurt O’Keefe was quick enough on his feet to cover by saying, “bless you,” as if I’d sneezed. Those in attendance who know me realized the ruse immediately.

My agony, however, was not at the fact that we were told to avoid Twitter. [Read more...]

How To Turn Local Social Networking Contacts Into Real Business Relationships

social media localIn his post, 7 Local Business Blogging Tips, Stanford Smith talks about moving the needle locally rather than globally.  It’s an interesting read, worthy of any lawyer looking to increase his or her client base.

As lawyers most of us are working in local practices.  We serve the same town, city or state in which we practice with rare exceptions.  In spite of that, most of the time you’re probably not keeping that in mind when you’re marketing online.

You connect with people all over the country, reasoning that social media is free.  Sure, the platforms cost nothing in terms of dollars out of your pocket but there is a huge cost in terms of time and opportunity cost if you’re using them properly.

Think about it.   [Read more...]

5 Ways To Get More Bankruptcy Clients Even As Filings Are Plummeting (Plus An Extra One)

Remember when being a consumer bankruptcy lawyer was easy? Not too much competition, more clients, and better fees?

Those days are over.

When the recession hit, everyone got into the bankruptcy field. Not only newly-minted attorneys but also those who practiced in other areas that were suffering from the economic meltdown.

And for awhile, it was alright. There were enough filings to go around, and not enough lawyers to take on the work.

Then filings started circling the drain. In fact, we’re on track to see at least 25% fewer filings in 2012 than there were in 2011. Even places like Florida, Arizona and California – places where filings remained high even as the rest of the nation declined in 2011 – are feeling the pinch.

There’s good news, though. Most bankruptcy lawyers still haven’t gotten their arms around this whole marketing thing. So here are 5 ideas you can use (plus an extra one at the end). [Read more...]

If Your Friends Told You To Jump Off A Bridge

Jump off a bridgeHow many times does a kid get into trouble because of what his friend does, only to be asked this question?  

When I was young, I heard it regularly.  Maybe you did too, or you’ve said it to your little ones.  Funny how we don’t take out own advice.

Over the past few years I made it a habit to follow every lawyer and law firm I could find on Twitter.  There was so much I could learn from others, I reasoned.  Clearly they’d be sharing nuggets of wisdom that I could catch. [Read more...]

What’s The 5-Year Plan?

blackberry in five yearsForbes, in an article on April 1, 2012, noted that BlackBerry is struggling to stay afloat.  Five years ago it was the king of the smartphone; now people are hoping someone steps up to buy the ailing device maker.

Five years ago people were comparing it to the Palm Treo, another device long gone.

Five years isn’t that long, is it?

Five years ago, my colleagues were dealing with the aftermath of the change in the consumer bankruptcy laws. From the end of 2005 until 2007, many of the lawyers I knew were folding up shop; others relying on lines of credit until clients came knocking at the door again.

We were waiting. [Read more...]

Beware The Dangerous Lure Of Newbie Marketing

Is there ever a time when it’s too soon to start marketing your practice?

When I first went out on my own, I thought it was a good idea to hit the ground running with my marketing.

But I soon realized that I was wrong.

In short order, my marketing began to attract potential clients.  People with real problems who needed real solutions.  And though I’d been dedicated denizen of the bar association’s law library for six full months prior to open my office, I was over my head.

In technical terms, I was screwed. [Read more...]

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...