Online Destinations that Influence a Consumer to Buy

According to new research, there are three places online that are most likely to influence a consumer to make a purchase:

  • "Retail" websites like Lawyers.comSM
  • "Brand" websites, like a law firm's site
  • Blogs

Also topping the list were Facebook, and online forums and groups like Ask a Lawyer. The new findings in theTechnorati Media 2013 Digital Influence Report confirm that the best way for lawyers to attract new clients online is to market around the way that consumers behave.

Technorati is an Internet search engine for searching blogs. It surveyed 6,000 "influencers" (bloggers), 1,200 consumers and 150 top brand marketers. "Brand managers report an expected increase in budgets for digital marketing in the upcoming year," Technorati reported.

Retail websites

Consumers love to go to retail websites like Amazon.com or Zappos.com - online shopping centers where people can find many brands. In this sense, Lawyers.com, which gets more than 6 million page views per month, is a "retail" site - where consumers can find tens of thousands of lawyer profiles.

On Lawyers.com, consumers can easily find out many lawyers' expertise, website and contact information, and can compare attorneys by peer and client ranking. Online reviews can be a great source of new clients. Lawyers.com andmartindale.com® are the top online directories used by consumers who sought an attorney in the past year, according to the Attorney Selection Research Study by The Research Intelligence Group (TRiG).

Brand websites

In contrast, a "brand" website displays information about one kind of product or service, like Microsoft or Google. A brand website is an online store, the digital equivalent of an Apple store at a shopping mall.

"Today's consumers are increasingly comfortable going online to find answers for all kinds of issues, including legal ones," says Samantha Miller, vice president of product, Web Visibility Solutions, LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell. "Law firm websites need to capture consumers' attention and engage them, while serving as part of a larger marketing campaign."

There's no doubt that attorney websites still matter. More than one in three potential consumers of legal services turn to law firm websites to find a lawyer, and 26 percent have checked out a firm's website in order to validate an attorney, according to the TRiG research.

Lawyer blogs

It's clear to see why blogs also influence people to make a purchase. Consumers begin their search for a lawyer by researching their legal issue. The ideal place for them to learn a particular aspect of the law is on an attorney blog. And once a consumer has read a good blog post, who better to call than the lawyer who wrote it?

To learn more about what we can do for you and get a free Website Evaluation and Consultation, contact a LexisNexis Law Firm Marketing Specialist.

How To Sell Legal Services

 

 

 

In this snippet from my presentation at the Get A Life Conference in Chicago, you'll hear how you can:

  • The three places where new business comes from for law firms.
  • Why effective legal selling is not "selling."
  • Questions to ask in a new-business call.
  • Why you should not make cold calls.
  • The No. 1 way for a lawyer to establish their credibility.
  • How to find the time to do marketing and business development.
  • Why you should join a trade association - not a bar association.
  • Why doing business development activities will generate results.
  • How to get new files by visiting clients.
  • Learn who the lawyers are that clients will buy services from.

It's on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl8G3LYCMoM

Consulting Services

  • Business Development Training
  • Business Development Strategy
  • Individual Training
  • Web Site Analysis & Plan
     
    Million Dollar Training
    A law firm boosted revenue by $1M after hiring Larry Bodine Marketing to coach its partners in business development. [read more]

    coachingIndividual Business Development Training

    Marketing is not taught in most professional schools, and certainly not law school, and most professionals feel ill-equipped to promote their practices. Yet they know they must get new business for their firms to thrive.

    We have coached:

    • Lawyers
    • Consultants
    • Business Owners
    • Marketing Directors

    We devised a marketing plan for a Chicago law firm. The firm approved the plan and we trained 20 partners -- who were not originating new work -- in business development and helped them draft their individual plans. Within nine months the trained partners had brought in $1,000,000 in new files. One partner doubled his revenue to the firm; another partner quadrupled his revenues. 

    Once we have an overall strategy, we will work with you and your partners to develop individual marketing plans that support it. Each lawyer will carry out their plan during the next six months. Before each coaching session, we will review your list of current clients and identify new target clients. We will also ask you to fill out a marketing plan form. It will list associations and organizations in which you should become active, speeches and presentations you can make, and articles you can write. It will also list referral sources with whom you will stay in personal contact.

    We'll meet with you one-on-one to identify your natural marketing skills and personal strengths. Our approach is to inquire into your marketing activities, how business currently comes to you, and your list of top clients and referral sources. Working together, we'll articulate what makes clients hire you, what makes you different different from your competitors and how clients find out about you.

    In our experience, the most effective marketing gets the attorneys out of their offices, visiting clients, becoming active in trade associations, and speaking and writing for publications read by clients. New business comes in person, and it is crucial to have the attorneys individually active. Each lawyer would devise a plan that draws on his/her strengths, avoids cold-calling and uncomfortable salutations, and is fun to carry out.

    You'll always get a private appointment with us to develop specific steps that are suited to you. We will guide you to the best sources of new business, recommend visits to the key individuals who can retain you, and develop activities that will build your reputation and credentials. This may include writing, speaking, networking, cross-selling, calling on business sources or using the Web -- depending on what what works best for you.  

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    strategyBusiness Development Strategy

    Many firms simply "dress up their lawyers like hunters," send them into the woods and tell them to shoot at anything that moves. Obvious this works poorly. Our approach is to outfit the firm a hunting organization, give it a plan to follow, identify targets, and provide the lawyers the tools they need to acquire the target as a client.

    Among many others, this approach has been highly successful for:

    • Crowe & Dunlevy, the largest firm in Oklahoma with 120 attorneys.  We conducted a full-day business development training retreat and worked one-on-one with 30 partners to develop their personal business development plans.
    • Chuhak & Tecson, one of the 50 largest law firms in Illinois, based in Chicago. We conducted a business development training session and trained 20 partners on their personal business development plans.
    • David Maister, Boston, MA, management consultant, author and  internationally renown speaker and author of the David Maister blog. We provided strategic advice and assisted in carrying it out.
    • Pitney Bowes, a company with 35,000 employees and $5.5 billion in annual sales. We presented a session at its Client Advisory Meeting in Williamsburg, VA.
    • Merchant & Gould PC, a 160-attorney intellectual property firm headquartered in Minneapolis with additional offices located in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Washington, DC. Building on earlier work with the firm we helped develop numerous client teams.
    • National Network Reporting Company, (NNRC), the most prestigious independent court reporting firm network in the nation with 50+ member firms.
    • Hodges Loizzi, the pre-eminent education and school board firm in Illinois. We reviewed the firm's financials, clientele and marketing efforts, interviewed all the partners and created a business development strategy.
    • Gilbert Heintz & Randolph, a 38-lawyer litigation firm based in Washington, D.C. We conducted a weekend business development training session.
    • Califf & Harper, a 130-year old full-service firm in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. We developed a firmwide business development strategy, and then trained all the firm's lawyers on their personal business development plans.
    • Baird Holm, a 65-lawyer full-service firm in Omaha, NE.
    • Granoff Ethics Consulting, an ethics consulting firm for lawyers based in Chicago. We developed a firm strategy, created the firm's Web site, and trained key personnel on business development.
    • Huck, Bouma, Martin, Jones & Bradshaw, the largest law firm in the Western suburbs of Chicago. After reviewing the firm's financials, marketing activities, reports from previous consultants, and interviewing key partners, we developed a business development strategy.
    • Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak, an insurance litigation boutique in Buffalo, NY.  We studied the firm's marketing activities, interviewed key partners and presented a business development plan to the entire firm.  We wrote a 16-page business development plan and a 22-page detailed supplement for the firm owners.
    • LawBiz Management Company, Venice, CA. We advised the owner on marketing tactics, redesigned and rewrote the text of the firm Web site, and advised on new-business development.
    • Shipman & Goodwin, a full-service law firm of 150 attorneys, one of the largest law firms in Connecticut. We reviewed firm financials and marketing information, interviewed key rainmakers and developed a business development strategy.  We presented the plan at an all-partner meeting, where it was approved.
    • DurretteBradshaw, a litigation boutique based in Richmond, VA. Over a one-year period we reviewed the firms financials and marketing activities, interviewed key partners and wrote a business development strategy. We presented it at a half-day meeting with firm owners, and advised on personnel, practice groups, financial policy and business development.  We also helped the firm find a marketing director.
    • Beovich Walter & Friend, Portland, OR, court reporters serving the Northwest with certified shorthand reporting and video conferencing services. By scheduling confernce calls at regular intervals, we advised the owners on business development tactics.
    • Cady Reporting Services, Inc., providing a full range of court reporting services in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio since 1979. We conducted a day-long business development planning session at the firm.
    • Anthony J. Colleluoriand Associates, a criminal defense firm in Woodbury, NY. We developed a business development strategy and conducted a one-day training and coaching session at the firm.
    • Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, PC, an intellectual property boutique in Washington, D.C.  We wrote a business development strategy, presented it to all the lawyers at a kickoff meeting, and coached each lawyer on their personal business development plans. Our successful approach is to analyze the firm's top clients, financial results, marketing materials and competitors. We will conduct personal interviews with a number of the firm's key personnel, including rainmakers -- frequently discovering information that was not shared firmwide. We presented an all-lawyer program on business development.

    Our Marketing Plan will identify the firm's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It will identify prospects for cross-selling and small clients that can be grown into "crown jewel" clients. We discern the industries in which the firm has experience and identify target companies to pursue. The plan will make practical recommendations to improve the firm's most visible marketing initiative -- the Web site.

    This will not be a plan that sits on a shelf gathering dust, because we'll embed the plan with the two elements to make business development count, which will get the lawyers out of their offices, generating new leads.

    To energize the lawyers, we'll present the Marketing Plan at a high-impact presentation for the entire firm. This kickoff presentation provides the spark to ignite business development activities.

    Now that the firm has the "score for the orchestra," we will meet with individual lawyers about their specific role, and develop a personal marketing plan. This personal coaching has helped firms develop a million dollars in new revenue.

    Call us at 630.942.0977 to get a marketing strategy that will make you money.

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    Web Site Audit/PlanWeb Site Analysis & Plan

    Businesses, consulting firms and law firms struggle with their Web sites, often realizing that it is not effectively marketing the firm. These businesses call on me when they are at a loss as how to improve their Web presence. The existing site may have been put up in haste or created years ago. The one thing that is clear is that clients are not visiting the site, are not staying long if they visit and are not getting the firm’s marketing message.

    I will conduct an analysis of your site from a usability and marketing standpoint. I will thoroughly examine the site, the traffic reports, your marketing materials, client list, marketing plan and list of competing firms. You will get a 12-15 page single-spaced written report, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of your site. 

    I will also make specific recommendations that you can implement immediately to improve your site. The plan will be designed to attract the visitors you want, to keep them on the site once they've arrived, and to make it easy for them to find what they want.

    Among the points of analysis are:

    • What is the information most-sought after on the site, and can visitors find it quickly?
    • Is the text written to attract business?
    • Is the site set up to generate leads and attract new business?
    • Are there impediments that get in the way of the information visitors want?
    • Are your services described in a way that clients look for them?

    I have completed numerous audits and Web plans for law firms, consulting firms and businesses.

    To read more testimonials about Web site audits, visit Success Stories.

    Recent assignments include:

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    SpeakingBusiness Development Training Retreats

    Organizations that need an effective speaker on how to generate leads, how to turn leads into clients and how to boost their new-business revenue call on me. My practical, nuts-and-bolts presentation style is always tailored to your group’s interests. You'll get no-nonsense material, illustrated in PowerPoint slides with specific examples that will give your attendees plenty to take notes about.

    Sample presentation topics, which I can tailor to fit your needs, include:

    • The Best Practices of Cross Marketing & Selling
    • How To Target and Crack a Large New Business Account
    • How to Sell Legal Services Like a Rainmaker
    • Coaching a Lawyer to Sell Like a Rainmaker
    • Proving ROI on Marketing by Measuring Marketing Effectiveness
    • Business Development Strategy for a Law Firm.
    • How To Keep Clients and Sell Them More Work
    • Building Your Professional Reputation to Generate New Business
    • Elements of a Personal Business Development Plan

    name tageSee examples of my speaking style. Click a link below for a RealPlayer video:

  • Three Things Clients Look for on Web sites (1:58 minutes)
  • How not to Market Your Firm (1 minute)
  • Three Primary Problems with Law Firm Web sites
    (31 seconds)
  • What Clients Really Want (55 seconds)
  • Three Exercises on the Web for Lawyers at Your Firm (1:28 minutes)

    Strategy and Training

    • Crowe & Dunlevy, the largest firm in Oklahoma with 120 attorneys.  We conducted a full-day business development training retreat and worked one-on-one with 30 partners to develop their personal business development plans.
    • Chuhak & Tecson, one of the 50 largest law firms in Illinois, based in Chicago. We conducted a business development training session and trained 20 partners on their personal business development plans.
    • David Maister, Boston, MA, management consultant, author and  internationally renown speaker and author of the David Maister blog. We provided strategic advice and assisted in carrying it out.
    • Pitney Bowes, a company with 35,000 employees and $5.5 billion in annual sales. We presented a session at its Client Advisory Meeting in Williamsburg, VA.
    • Merchant & Gould PC, a 160-attorney intellectual property firm headquartered in Minneapolis with additional offices located in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Washington, DC. Building on earlier work with the firm we helped develop numerous client teams.
    • National Network Reporting Company, (NNRC), the most prestigious independent court reporting firm network in the nation with 50+ member firms.
    • Hodges Loizzi, the pre-eminent education and school board firm in Illinois. We reviewed the firm's financials, clientele and marketing efforts, interviewed all the partners and created a business development strategy.
    • Gilbert Heintz & Randolph, a 38-lawyer litigation firm based in Washington, D.C. We conducted a weekend business development training session.
    • Califf & Harper, a 130-year old full-service firm in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. We developed a firmwide business development strategy, and then trained all the firm's lawyers on their personal business development plans.
    • Baird Holm, a 65-lawyer full-service firm in Omaha, NE.
    • Granoff Ethics Consulting, an ethics consulting firm for lawyers based in Chicago. We developed a firm strategy, created the firm's Web site, and trained key personnel on business development.
    • Huck, Bouma, Martin, Jones & Bradshaw, the largest law firm in the Western suburbs of Chicago. After reviewing the firm's financials, marketing activities, reports from previous consultants, and interviewing key partners, we developed a business development strategy.
    • Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak, an insurance litigation boutique in Buffalo, NY.  We studied the firm's marketing activities, interviewed key partners and presented a business development plan to the entire firm.  We wrote a 16-page business development plan and a 22-page detailed supplement for the firm owners.
    • LawBiz Management Company, Venice, CA. We advised the owner on marketing tactics, redesigned and rewrote the text of the firm Web site, and advised on new-business development.
    • Shipman & Goodwin, a full-service law firm of 150 attorneys, one of the largest law firms in Connecticut. We reviewed firm financials and marketing information, interviewed key rainmakers and developed a business development strategy.  We presented the plan at an all-partner meeting, where it was approved.
    • DurretteBradshaw, a litigation boutique based in Richmond, VA. Over a one-year period we reviewed the firms financials and marketing activities, interviewed key partners and wrote a business development strategy. We presented it at a half-day meeting with firm owners, and advised on personnel, practice groups, financial policy and business development.  We also helped the firm find a marketing director.
    • Beovich Walter & Friend, Portland, OR, court reporters serving the Northwest with certified shorthand reporting and video conferencing services. By scheduling confernce calls at regular intervals, we advised the owners on business development tactics.
    • Cady Reporting Services, Inc., providing a full range of court reporting services in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio since 1979. We conducted a day-long business development planning session at the firm.
    • Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, PC, an intellectual property boutique in Washington, D.C.  We wrote a business development strategy, presented it to all the lawyers at a kickoff meeting, and coached each lawyer on their personal business development plans. Association marketing presentations:

    I have also presented Web seminars on many aspects of marketing, such as Web sites, sales forces, cross-selling, industry practice groups and knockout marketing programs.

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