Larry Bodine Law Marketing Blog : Law firm marketing, legal editor, legal marketing, attorney marketing, business development, marketing consultant, legal consultant, business development

I know we have all heard how important Social Media Marketing is, but here are some important tips from Alisa Martin, our guest blogger.

Social media is the hot topic in the law firm marketing. LinkedIn, one of the popular social media platforms, has revamped its mobile platform and this is the best social networking platform for professionals and lawyers. Lawyers now can effective use LinkedIn even when they are traveling. How?

Let’s find out how lawyers can become the master of LinkedIn and indulge in social media marketing...

TIPS FOR LAWYERS TO USE MOBILE PLATFORM OF LINKEDIN

Optimize your profile

The very first thing that people notice when you connect through LinkedIn is your profile. So, setting up a good profile can fetch the right kind of people to grow your practice.  Target your profile to your prospective clients. Use first person like “Call me,” and “Email me” for greater impact on the viewers.

Download app for mobile device

On your handheld device, download LinkedIn app, sign into your account and make sure that you receive all the notifications on your account, no matter what device you are using – iPad, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone or other such mobile devices.

Keep posting updates while on the go   

You must keep updating about your current activities, whether it is about completing a deal, finishing a number of meetings or winning a case of the client. You can also share some interesting news or a motivating publication with your relevant groups or the main feed.

Create your company page

On LinkedIn, you have probably come across businesses’ Company Page, which describes their services and the organizations they are dealing with. When you connections increase to around 50, you are able to create this page. This is a very crucial element for the lawyers because a Company Page speaks more than your profile. Through this page, you can reach out to prospective clients better and can even add a few to your list of clients.

The point of all this is to be active with LinkedIn. You should not leave your LinkedIn profile idle without any updates, comments or connections. Add life to your profile to stay connected with your clients.

Author Bio: Alisa Martin is a guest blogger who writes articles on law and Law Firms in Thailand. She provides authentic information on legal sector. 

 Here are details about a quality FREE teleseminar on Thursday, October 3 at 1 pm Eastern:

Do you know that there is a significant difference between client loyalty and client satisfaction?

Just because a client is satisfied does not necessarily mean that they will be loyal to you over the years.  A loyal client consists of the following things:

1. Overall satisfaction of doing business with your law firm
2. Willingness to build a relationship with you and your company
3. Willingness to be a repeat client
4. Willingness to recommend you to others
5. Reluctance to switch to another law firm

PILMMA president and founder, Ken Hardison, knows just how to keep a client both satisfied and loyal.  On Thursday, October 3rd at 1pm Eastern (10am Pacific),  Ken will share the 10 rules you and your staff should follow in order to achieve client loyalty.

Click here to register!

Today I will be one of the presenters for a free webinar.  See details below:

Every month, 75 million people watch online videos. When consumers want an engaging visual experience, they turn to video. Video is expressive and allows for a real connection. It’s a vehicle for showcasing your law firm’s personality and credibility to potential clients, and a complement to your overall marketing strategy.

In this complimentary one-hour webinar presented by LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell® you’ll learn best practices for creating and sharing your own law firm video. How can your firm benefit from a video? Videos can:

• Demonstrate your credibility and personality
• Help attract new clients and grow your business
• Deliver return-on-investment within a flexible budget 

Lawyers who attend this webinar will learn:
• The Value of Video for Your Law Firm
• Why Video Speaks Volumes In Attracting Clients
• How to Create a Law Firm Video
• Which Videos Make the Most Impact with Consumers
• Video Social Sharing (YouTube®, Vimeo®, etc.)

Presenters:
Yours truly and Jay Butchko, J.D., Director of Commercialization for Web Visibility Solutions, LexisNexis® Martindale-Hubbell®

REGISTER HERE

New research from Twitter:

Every day, people who own small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) ask how Twitter can help them. Lawyers want proof that their efforts on Twitter can lead to real business results. To understand the value of Twitter for SMBs, Twitter asked global research firm Market Probe International to survey 500 people over age 18, across several verticals in the US and UK, who currently follow SMBs on Twitter. We think the findings are useful to many kinds of small and medium-sized businesses.

1. Followers drive sales and recommendations.

People are more likely (72%) to make a future purchase from an SMB after they follow or interact with them on Twitter. We also see a lift (30%) in people who are likely to recommend. Why do recommendations matter? Because they drive traffic: 86% of respondents said they are more likely to visit an SMB if a friend recommends them.

Takeaway: Not only can followers turn into customers, they can also help spread the word about you, leading to even more customers.

2. Followers feel an emotional connection to SMBs.

One of the top reported reasons (63%) that people follow SMBs is to show support for that business. Most people (85%) also say that they feel more connected to an SMB after they follow them. This may explain why followers of SMBs are more likely to purchase from and recommend them.

Takeaway: Twitter helps SMBs connect with new and existing customers in feel-good ways. Thank your followers for their support with special offers that are only available to Twitter users.

3. Followers want to be in the know and offer feedback.

A common reason people follow SMBs is to get updates on future products (73%). But they also want to do more than just consume information on Twitter; they want to share ideas and get feedback through interactions (61%). As an SMB, these may be the very same reasons you decided to use Twitter for your business in the first place.

Takeaway: Deepen connections with current followers and attract new ones by giving them what they want: Invite followers to share their ideas by asking questions and respond when they offer feedback. Satisfy curiosity about new products by offering sneak peeks exclusively on Twitter.

4. Marketing with Twitter helps you reach more customers.

One-third (34%) of respondents say they have interacted with an SMB after seeing an ad that included the business’s Twitter handle. People who see a Promoted Tweet from an SMB that relates to their interests or needs are also more likely (32%) to visit that business.

Takeaway: Twitter Ads can help you extend the reach of your messages beyond your current follower base and find others who are also interested in your business.

The study confirms that people want to hear from and interact with SMBs on Twitter. Not only that, if you invite ideas from your followers, acknowledge and respond to their feedback and inform them about new offerings, they’ll be more likely to help you grow your business through purchases and recommendations.

Today we hear from Sarah Kicinski, a CMO in the direct mail business about Pay Per Click advertising.

As Chief Marketing Officer at PostcardMania, I am responsible for staying on top of our Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing. One day our PPC expert reported that we had paid for a click from someone who typed "How to Get on McDonald's Mailing List” into Google. This was a complete waste of money, because obviously that prospect doesn’t want a targeted mailing list; he wants coupons for cheeseburgers, and we just can’t help him with that.

These dead-end leads drive PPC marketers crazy, because they eat up your return on investment! I decided to put an end to the problem once and for all, so we could seal up our marketing and keep out dead-end leads. I only want to pay for leads that have a good chance of bringing my company revenue. You want the same thing for your law practice, so I want to tell you what I came up with. It worked for us, and it will work for you.

Here’s what you do:

1. Use Negative Keywords to Keep Unqualified Leads Away From Your Ads.

PPC works by targeting specific keywords, so your ads get shown to prospects that are already looking for your services. Law practices would target keywords like “legal advice,” “personal injury lawyer,” etc. We call these keywords positive keywords, because they are targeting the people you DO want to see your ads. Negative keywords are the phrases that may lead unqualified leads to your ads. Those are the keywords used by people you DO NOT want to see your ads, because they may click on them before realizing you don’t have what they need. You need to intentionally specify that Google should block leads from negative keywords, because otherwise they may be shown to the wrong prospects, just like what happened in our McDonald mailing list story. The search had “mailing list” in it, so it was technically related to our business. However, the prospect clearly wasn’t looking for targeted mailing lists for marketing purposes, so there wasn’t really a sales opportunity there. Using negative keywords keeps these dead-end leads away, and only shows your ads to prospects with a potential for revenue generation.

2. Use Analytics to Track Which Ads Are Generating Revenue, Not Just Leads

Just because an ad is attracting quality leads doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bringing your practice revenue. Tracking which ads are resulting in real revenue, not simply attracting interest, helps you to see which keywords are your best investments and which ad strategies are the most effective. Even if you’re avoiding dead-end leads, that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily heading in the right direction. You need to proactively track your revenue generation to make sure you are driving on the road to profit-ville.

Dead-end leads are the worst. You’re paying for marketing with no hope of a return on the investment. These two methods help you get rid of dead-end leads and maximize the revenue your ads generate for your law practice.

If you would like more advice on maximizing your PPC efforts, download this free report with 12 more tips for increasing PPC targeting.

Sarah Kicinski is the Chief Marketing Office of direct mail marketing firm, PostcardMania. In the 9 years since she started, Sarah has worked her way through several high-level positions and closely overseen PostcardMania’s transformation from a turnkey direct mail marketer offering graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services all under one roof, to a fully integrated marketing firm with a full suite of print, digital and delivery products.

In 2012, PostcardMania reached almost $44 million in annual revenue, and the company now employs more than 195 people, prints 4 million and mails 2 million postcards each week, and has more than 53,000 customers in over 350 industries. Please visit www.postcardmania.com for more information. You can find Sarah on Google+, or call 1-800-628-1804 to speak with a PostcardMania marketing consultant. 

Wendy Nemitz

“Most mid-size professional service firms are facing a crisis of leadership,” says Wendy Nemitz, the founding principal at Ingenuity Marketing Group in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

“Leadership is the practice of taking people to places they would not have gone without you,” she says. “It is the practice of creating a vision that a group can work toward and of keeping people on track to attain that vision.”

Many firms are “gerbils” that keep on doing things the same way, running on the same treadmill, hoping for different results. Nemitz, who has a Master’s Degree in Leadership, offers a way that firms can build sound leadership with an insightful 48-page essay accompanying a clever new card game.

Four types

Playing the game lets lawyers sort themselves into four types who each contribute toward leadership:

• Rainmaker / Mistmaker
• Client Service or Relationship Master
• Technical Expert
• Firm Foundation Builder

The game is an ideal exercise for a firm retreat, new-partner meeting or leadership training program for Millennials.

You’d think that “rainmaker” would be type of lawyer that marketing directors would want to see most, but Nemitz finds that “client service master” is the most sought-after type.  However, each type makes an important contribution to leading a firm.

Playing the game

The deck of cards is organized into four suits: green, red, yellow and blue. Seven color-coded cards are dealt to players who arrange them in in their hand according to the statement on the card that is most true for them. Players trade cards to get rid of those that do not describe them.

For example, “I enjoy the operational work of the firm,” would fit a foundation builder. “I like to know a great deal about a subject before I talk about it,” fits a technical expert. “I am invited to client weddings or other personal events” fits a relationship master. “I enjoy the thrill of ‘wooing’ a new client or referral source” fits – you guessed it – a rainmaker.

Gameplay continues until each player has five cards they feel best represent them. Based on the color that appears on most cards in a hand, a player refers to a leadership legend to see how they contribute to the firm’s leadership.

It’s a good way to get introspection-averse lawyers to see what they truly have to offer. “Great firms require a balanced group of leaders,” Nemitz says. “Leadership can be attained by people who focus on what they’re good at and know what contribution they want to make.”

The leadership card game can be ordered online at www.ingenuitymarketing.com.

2014 is shaping up to be a good year for litigators, according to The BTI Consulting Group of Wellesley, MA. Approximately 61% of clients expect to see a jump in the number of litigation matters they will be handling next year, according to the firm’s latest research report.

“Each new matter represents an opportunity for new business,” according to BTI’s new Litigation Outlook 2014. “Corporate clients will be busier and focused on litigation.”

Filled with charts, tables and facts, the forecast is based on 300 new one-on-one telephone interviews with decision-makers including the Head of Litigation, Vice President of Litigation, General Counsel or direct report to the GC. Interviewees worked at corporations with average revenue of $14.3 billion.

Litigation is the largest part of most companies’ legal spending, according to BTI President Michael B. Rynowecer -- accounting for about 40% of a typical corporate legal budget.

But corporate clients will expect law firms to attack litigation costs with early case assessment, alternative fees (now used by 70% of corporate counsel), budgets, alternative staffing and a focus on settlements. “The law firms who can change their approach to help drive these costs down and market to the new surge of business will fare well,” he said.

A $21 Billion Market

The report finds that litigation is a $21 billion market, composed primarily of commercial litigation ($6.2 billion) and employment litigation ($4.4 billion), as well as IP litigation, product liability, class actions and torts, securities and finance, and other litigation. The average number of new litigation matters filed in 2014 is forecast to increase to 116 per company.

The growth will take place in regulatory, labor, class actions, securities and IP litigation – each offering a different mix of high growth and premium rates. The report sorts types of litigation growth by industry – for example, growth in exployment litigation is projected for the consumer goods and retail trade industries.

This year’s Litigation Outlook also analyzes clients that have the most litigation work to assign, and spotlights the powerhouse law firms by practice area. Dozens of law firms are identified, but there are only four among the “Most Feared Litigation Firms.” Jones Day, Kirkland & Ellis, Quinn Emanuel and Skadden, Arps will be happy to see they are named.

The Litigation Outlook may be purchased at www.btilitigationoutlook.com. BTI has one of the world’s largest knowledge bases of professional services research based on more than 13,000 interviews conducted over the past 24 years.

Blog writer, Rachel Wood wrote today's article about e-mail marketing.

Most law firms are now well aware of the benefits of electronic mail-marketing. They send newsletters, alerts and publications to their clients through email to keep them updated on the latest developments in the organization and the new services that are being offered. At the same time law firms are also realizing the challenges of email marketing and how they fail to create and manage an effective campaign.

Here are some solutions to such issues. Lawyers practicing individually, as well as law firms, can use these tips to ensure that their messages reach clients and other concerned organizations effectively:

• Have an Opt-in E-marketing Program and Check Spam Databases on a regular basis

Ensure that your e-marketing program is strictly opt-in. In other words, send your updates and marketing emails only to people who have willingly subscribed to your newsletters. This does seem obvious because legal firms are already aware of spam laws. But there are firms that receive complaints despite maintaining an ‘opt-in’ list and so it is important to update records periodically. (It’s the subscribers who forget that they gave consent.)

You may be able to deal with complaints forwarded to your firm but the ones that reach anti-spam groups may result in blocking of email traffic from your domain and this is a more serious issue. It is also crucial to check spam abuse databases regularly to see that your domain is not listed as an abuser. Get in touch with concerned organizations or individuals for removal of your firm’s name from the list if you spot it there.

• Offer options for formats and layouts 

Some spam blocking software programs installed on computers and hand-held devices block mails that have large images and elaborate visual elements. This implies that most of your HTML publications may be never reaching your subscribers. Further, certain email programs are set to show messages with ‘text only’ – in this case the design elements that are integral to the efficacy of your message will be deleted before the email reaches the recipient and this will make your message unreadable.

To overcome this challenge, you can give your subscribers a few format options to select from. As per the nature of content that you need to send, (text, images, multimedia files) emails may be in HTML or plain text versions. Subscribers with text-only email capabilities or strong anti-spam software can opt for plain text option to ensure that they receive the newsletters.

You may also send a PDF attachment or simply a link to updated newsletter on your official website. The more options you have, the better the chances of your newsletter being read.

• RSS Feeds

RSS is a method of sending news and publications in a way that helps them avoid service interruptions caused by aggressive spam filters or incompatible software configuration.

You can deliver newsletters and other content to subscribers who use an RSS reader program. This is how RSS is similar to electronic mail publications. The reason that a number of people prefer RSS is that it helps them to avoid unsolicited spam. With this, they get only the publications that they have explicitly subscribed to and can also delete a subscription at any time.  RSS is a well-known technique and will probably become the standard for e-newsletters soon.

Simply treat e-publishing as a service that you offer – not a plain marketing gimmick. When you give your subscribers a number of subscriptions options, it will turn out to be a better service.

About Rachel

Rachel Wood has been writing blogs and articles since long ago. She loves to write about immigration, personal injury litigation and human rights law. You can visit http://sinnottsolicitorsdublin.blogspot.in/ to know more about her art of writing. 

The Network of Trial Law Firms has updated its YouTube-powered TRIAL.COM online video presentations at www.TRIAL.COM/cle to include the presentations made in August at its annual "Litigation Management in a New York Minute."

Currently about 120 videos are online and more will be added shortly. Viewers can download materials and slides from the conference while watching the videos. No CLE credit is offered, but the service permits lawyers to fulfill some of the CLE requirements. 

The Network of Trial Law Firms has created dozens of videos in which defense trial lawyers from its 24 member law firms offer practical advice on managing the trial and litigation problems with which in-house counsel grapple daily.

In addition, the Network offers 245 podcasts at www.trial.com/podcasts/index.htm on everything from Anti-Counterfeiting Campaigns to Workplace Product Liability Claims.

“Education, coupled with the practical trial and litigation examples that we provide, is the best way to improve legal representation and achieve great trial and litigation results for the clients of our member firms,” said Jim Miller, a partner with Akerman in MIami, who is the chairman of the Network. “We believe that CLE should always be free of charge.”

Currently available programs cover keys to winning a case, relationships with in-house counsel, corporate compliance and ethics.

New videos will be recorded live at the Network’s September 20, 2013, Financial Services CLE SuperCourse in New York and the November 7-10, 2013 Litigation Management conference in Laguna Beach, CA.

The Network of Trial Law Firms, Inc. is a not-for-profit membership association producing cutting-edge trial and litigation continuing legal education. The goal is to provide clients with high quality trial and litigation representation through advances in education, technology, business and science. The Network’s CLE disseminates information on trial and litigation techniques free online without restriction.

For further information contact Ellis R. Mirsky, Executive Director and General Counsel at 914-332-4400.

Attention Attorneys: You have only 6 seconds to make a connection with a website visitor.

Six short seconds from the time a visitor lands on your website to let them know what you're focusing on, how you can help them, and ultimately to prompt an inquiry from them.

Even if you drive thousands of visitors to your website every day, that traffic is of very little value to your law firm if you're not converting those visitors into inquiries.

Ready to make changes to your website that will prove results?  Join Cindy Greenway, Editor in Chief of LawMarketing.com and Tanner Jones, Marketing Director of ConsultWebs.com on Thursday, September 12th at 1pm Eastern / 10am Pacific, for a complimentary webinar.

5 Must Haves For Your Website Conversion.

Here's what you learn when you join us for this webinar:

1. Five top items you MUST have on your website to convert visitors to prospects
2. How to design for human eyes:  ensuring you are approachable
3. Proven ways to maximize your website conversion
4. Which data is worth tracking and how it impacts your bottom line
5. The top conversion tools that are critical for today's Web browsers

This webinar is complimentary. Click here to register.

If you have hesitated putting yourself on Social Media websites, read this guest blog post from Lead Generation Lab.

Okay, so it’s not so secret. But why are so few law firms maximizing on the incredible benefits of social media for marketing their services?

It’s simple. Lawyers and social media just don’t mix well together. But with today’s online social trends, it’s about time law firms should conquer that social media dragon. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn give you that ability to reach out to hundreds of individuals and potential clients at the same time.

Forums, blogs, and video sites also give you the chance to interact personally and give helpful advice that will establish you as a thought leader in your area of expertise.

Here are other reasons why you should jump on over to the social bandwagon:

• Websites that cater to business people and professionals attracts thousands of people daily. Take for example LinkedIn, it has over 200 million registered users with 35% of those visiting the site daily! Even if just 1% of that can see your posts, that’s 2 million people and potential clients!
• It is the fastest way to promote your website. You could have the greatest law firm website in the world that has complete attorney profiles, list of cases and former clients, and full contact details but it’s not getting as much traffic as you want. Why? Because people these days no longer surf the web as much as they used to. They search for something, they avail the service, and that’s it. Being on social media marketing ensures that you can reach out to more people, and at the same time tell these people that there’s someone behind that company name that actually reaches out and interacts with them.
• Everybody’s on social media. Well not really, but consider the latest statistic that says social media has overtaken porn as the number one activity on the net. Now that’s saying something, isn’t it? (http://youtu.be/QUCfFcchw1w)

There is no doubt at all that any marketing strategy should involve social media. But law firms should be careful, as abuse of social media can have its consequences too. Every post on social sites should focus more on marketing and less on actual cases, current and otherwise, to avoid possible legal problems.

Just remember that when it comes to social media, as with any other marketing platform, too much of a good thing is a bad thing.

About Lead Generation Lab:

The Lead Generation Lab (LGL) team represents the most comprehensive and integrated group of Performance TV professionals under one roof in Australia – Creatives, Copywriters, Strategists, Data Analysts, Media Buyers, TV Editors, CGI animators, Producers and Client Service Managers. 

Tricia Meyer is our guest author who gives her advice on growing a law firm.

Like any business, a law firm must strategize to attract clients. Through networking, mentoring and participating in speaking engagements, I have shared my expertise and built credibility in my community and within my practice area. This has ultimately helped me grow my business. Following are a few tips I have learned along the way I think other lawyers, and business owners in general, will find helpful.

1.     Hold office hours

Many local chambers and business organizations provide client services firms the opportunity to host office hours and meet briefly with their members. I host office hours regularly, which has afforded me the opportunity to help entrepreneurs and connect with people outside of my network. Meeting people and making an impression before they actually need your services is a great way to start relationship building and letting people know how you can help them in the future. I have garnered many new clients who have come back to me as a result of the time I spent with them during office hours.

2. Share your knowledge through speaking engagements

Speaking engagements will position you and members of your firm as experts, allowing more people to know who you are, what you do and how you can help. 

Select speaking opportunities where you can address a specific issue and demonstrate you know the topic inside and out. This will also attract a more targeted audience of people interested in the topic you are addressing. Also, think outside the box and seek speaking opportunities that help you reach markets where you want to grow your business.

3. Manage your calendar thoughtfully

When you consider speaking or networking event opportunities, evaluate each one to ensure you’ll be exposed to potential clients or meaningful connections. You and your firm must participate in enough events to make an impact, but it is crucial not to spread yourself too thin. Aim to speak often but not everywhere; you want people to look forward to a chance to hear you speak. 

Tricia Meyer is managing attorney of Chicago-based Meyer Law, specializing in tech. She is well connected in Chicago's tech community, regularly provides office hours at a local tech co-working space, and speaks at events geared toward tech entrepreneurs. She credits all of these things for Meyer Law's successful growth.