I read the above statement in a recent LinkedIn article.  It’s more relevant than many professionals realize.  The role I take on with many of my clients is that of business coach.  Much of what I do involves client perceptions.  This article deals with a common issue – “How others view your practice.”

Note:  This article appears in the Louisville Bar Association’s Bar Briefs (November Edition, Page 10)

According to the LBA, there were approximately 4,656 licensed attorneys in Jefferson County during the spring of 2016. That equates to only 165 people in our community, per each attorney (Nielsen Company Data, 2016 Jefferson County, KY).  It includes adults and children.  This is a crowded and competitive market.

Many of us are focused on growing respective businesses. That objective requires that we differentiate ourselves in the minds of our target audiences.

One way to do this is by defining your firm’s benefit statement. Simply put, this explains what you have to offer. All too often, many professionals choose to stop there. A more effective approach is to communicate in terms of the problems (the pain points) you could resolve. To iterate the title of this article, “Sell the problem you solve, not y0ur product.”

Luckily for all of us, our clients remind us of these problems every day. Pull out one of your most recent client intake forms. Look specifically for questions your prospective client asked.

Most likely, those questions stemmed from concerns (even fears) that person wants to resolve.

The more easily people make the connection between their problems and you, the person who can resolve them, the closer you are to landing a new client – which, by the way, may be the problem you’re trying to solve for your own practice.

Read more →

“Referrals are my best source of business.”  Would you agree with this statement?  I’ve heard it for years from many clients.  This leads to the next question:  Is it true for your practice?

I believe many attorneys, and other small business owners, truly agree with it.  Referrals from fans are a great source of business.  What’s shocking is that so few professionals effectively put it to use.

Let’s discuss how you can unleash your fans.

Note:  The Louisville Bar Association originally published my article in the July edition of Bar Briefs (page 14).

The challenge with referrals is that, at any given time, how can you be sure someone else is actively focused your practice?  What is it about you and your firm that would cause someone to take time out of their day to talk about you – on a consistent basis?

If there were only a few alternatives in your market, the numbers might be in your favor.  The reality is that many firms are competing for your next several clients, right now.

Ego aside, many of us are very effective at our jobs.  The risk is going too far in trying to convince others.  If you’re not careful, you risk sounding like legal version of Tony Malito (although he is a dealer for the people).

Believe it or not, hiring an attorney (for any type of issue) is still a daunting task for most consumers. We need to decide which attorney is best for our situation.  We want to feel confident that we’re making the right choice.

When a consumer is in this phase of the decision-making process, he/she is trying to imagine “the experience” (not just the outcome).

We want to figure out if the person, product or service is as good as we hope.  We often look for someone to reassure and confirm it for us.  We’ve all fallen victim to a good sales pitch.  I still have some Ginsu knives and a Sobakawa pillow to prove it.

In making a recommendation, people typically talk about how they feel about it.  I “like” that she really fought for me.  I “didn’t have to worry” because he always kept me informed about my case.  I “felt” like we negotiated a good settlement.  Again, it’s about what they experienced. Read more →

By the time you read this, the first half of the year will be almost over.  How’s business so far?  If you’re looking for a jumpstart, remember there’s a great perspective in sports:  The second half is a new ballgame.

If you started the year with big plans and commitments, but somehow got off track, this is the perfect time to re-focus.

You might start by committing to change two things.  Even if business is good, competitors have had an opportunity to learn and react to your business strategy.  Many of them are making changes to catch up with you, or extending their lead ahead of you.

NOTE:  This article was originally published in the Louisville Bar Association’s Bar Briefs (June, 2016 on page 7).

A change, even if it’s relatively simple, can have a major impact on your business.

• Are you blogging frequently enough?
• Did you add videos?
• Did you implement a plan to reconnect with previous clients?
• Do you have a plan to increase brand awareness among your target audience?

I’m doing the same for my business.  In the second half, I’m recommitting to developing a video course, implementing 2 new client services and exercising more consistently.

Is there something you could/should change to achieve your goals?  They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit (3 short weeks).  Take a minute to close your eyes and visualize a specific goal.  Remember how important it was when you set it?  Can you still feel that charge you felt when you initially started to pursue it?

The good news is that today, this week, this month is the start of your 2^nd half.  Looking back over the past 6 months, if “good” was just good enough – let’s go for great.  If you’re about to achieve the goals you set in January, what will you go after next?  It’s time to refocus, renew and recommit to you and your business.

Let’s switch gears.  Have you ever attended a great presentation and thought, “That’s exactly what I needed!”

The issue for many of us is that we get back to our offices, the phones and emails continue to distract us and a few days later, we’ve forgotten about that great presentation and the clarity we had.

The breakthrough somehow gave way to the status quo.  Excitement was replaced by exhaustion.  Growth slowed to simply keeping up.  It’s an all too common experience.  One way to overcome this is by incorporating smaller shifts in your actions instead of trying to change everything at once.

The inertia of the status quo is surprisingly strong.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a personal issue or one involving the entire organization.  Everyone fights it.

Scientists and coaches understand the power of momentum (“the Big Mo”).  It starts with small victories.  Seemingly insignificant actions can and do lead to incredible progress and results.  The key is getting beyond just thinking about it.

So let’s start today.  Use these two lines to write down two things you can change this week:

1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________

Remember, goals aren’t goals until they’re written down.  If you’re like me, I usually achieve more if I’m held accountable.

I’m posting my three changes on my business Facebook page.  Feel free to add yours in the comments of my post.  No, don’t worry, this not a “scam to spam.”  It’s simply a way to help you commit to making progress for your practice.  To chase your dream, you have to commit to taking the first two steps.

Looking forward to reading your comments.  It’s about time to start your second half.  Let’s Do This!

Marketing Lessons I Learned While Fishing

Growing up, I spent summers with my dad in southern Alabama.  He lived near a swamp formed by the backwaters of the Pea River, outside of New Brockton.  A few times a week, I would dig for worms and head off to catch a few bluegills or bass with a cane pole and Zebco 404.  My typical approach was to bait the hook, adjust the bobber, toss it in and wait, and wait some more.

A few years ago, I went on a fishing trip with my friend, Captain Brad.  We jumped in his boat, found the right spot and spent a few minutes chumming the water with baitfish.  Before you knew it, we were pulling in some large redfish off the Florida flats.

Both of the above techniques worked.  One simply had much better results and produced them more quickly.  This lesson applies to marketing your law practice.  At the risk of overdoing the metaphors, let’s consider a few tips you can use to grow your client base in 2016.

“Why Do Fisherman Chum?” is the title of my article published in the LBA’s Bar Briefs (Feb, page 20) and in the Fayette County Bar Association’ s Bar News.  The article uses fishing examples to help firms consider aspects related to marketing.

Testing the Water

If you’re new to marketing, fishing is a good example.  Most successful outings begin with testing the water.  You need to figure out where the fish are.  A typical fisherman will put multiple lines in the water so he/she can use different lures positioned at various depths.  Once the fish begin biting a certain lure, the fisherman will be able to adjust the other lines.

Law firms should put together plans to test the waters.  Blog posts, videos, articles, social media all provide valuable information in different formats to a target audience.  Certain clients will prefer specific formats or types of information.  You may find clients gather and consume information in a variety of ways.

If you only have one facet to your approach, you may not be presenting your “bait” in the most effective way.  I spent hours sweating on the banks of the swamp with my hook and bobber.

By implementing multiple marketing tools (e.g. website, blog, YouTube channel, social media campaign, etc.), you’ll be able to figure out what works best for your firm and client base.  Chumming the water will produce effective results as long as you’re using quality bait. Read more →