Are you wasting space?

Think about the last time a friend, colleague or client gave you a business card. You probably looked at it, turned it over, and filed it away. I’d venture to guess in nearly all cases, the back of the business card was blank. But smart business owners, lawyers and other service professionals are using the backs of their cards to convey key marketing messages.

What to print differs by profession, but here are a few examples:

• A criminal lawyer could list the 5 things to do (or not to do) if stopped at a DWI checkpoint
• A financial planner could print a “referred by” form for use by existing clients when making referrals
• A doctor might print a checklist of flu symptoms
• A real estate agent could list all of the local charities they support

Just about everyone reading this piece is wasting space — on the back of their business card! Use your card to make your business and profession more memorable.

Photo credit by vivekchugh.

What’s better than a client referral?

Professional service providers win when their efforts provide immense value, and thrive when their clients refer other like-minded people who have similar needs. So what could be better than a client referral?

A client testimonial!

An Econsultancy article from July 2009 refers to a Nielsen survey showing that 90% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know and 70% trust opinions of unknown users. The client referral pays you once (maybe twice), but the client testimonial earns it keep every time it’s used.

Here is a sample template you could use (where permitted and based on your profession) to solicit better testimonials:

1. Why did you retain (business name) for your (service provided) needs?
2. Please list three things you like most about our services. Why do you like them?
3. What, in your opinion, is the strongest feature of our services? Why?
4. Is there anything about our services you would like to see changed?
5. May we use your comments for promotional purposes?

Once you get these back, have them signed and dated for everyone’s benefit. Then use them on your website and in other promotional materials.

The Guiding Principle of Marketing

There is no secret formula for successful inbound (or outbound, if you dare) marketing, but there is one main, guiding principle – stay focused on your core competencies. Of course, expand as you see fit, but never forget the business reason why your clients came to you in the first place. Consider some law firms who will retain anyone, vs. those specializing in one specific area of practice, like bankruptcy. If the bankruptcy attorney started doing personal injury, and then wills and estates, they’d eventually lose clients because their overall service would decline.

So restrain yourself from trying every new marketing idea under the sun. Don’t jump from a website this month to dropping flyers the next. Take your time when considering the various approaches. Stick with one medium, preferably inbound marketing, and only change once it becomes a predictable, reliable source of business.

For those of you just starting out, particularly all the young lawyers, and newly unemployed, ex-large law attorneys, concentrate on one core practice area. For example, it’s far easier to make a name for yourself and build referrals if you’re known for being the “auto accident attorney”. You’ll also build up precious knowledge faster, which ultimately becomes more and more valuable down the road. If you’re having trouble figuring out what your core practice area is, ask yourself these three questions:

• What is it I’m really selling?
  Don’t define this as legal services, declare it in terms of a solution for your clients. For example, life insurance professionals don’t sell policies, they sell peace of mind. If you can’t figure out what you’re really selling, how are you going to focus and attract those who really want it?
• Who are you really selling to?
  Demographic targeting aside, the answer you’re looking for are the kinds of problems they have (that you solve). This is what your clients really want, and will pay to get.
• Why should they hire me?
  Do you have what it takes to solve their problem, and give them what it is they really want? Speak with conviction and authority when meeting with prospects. Don’t tell them what you can do – show proof (where allowed) with testimonials. The easiest way to win trust from your clients is to sell something you personally believe in.

Inbound marketing is a long-term project or investment, so treat it that way. Be patient, stay focused and you’ll get great results.

Photo credit by a_kartha.

What Lawyers Really Want From Consultants

At our recent sales meeting in Orlando, a panel of four attorneys described the various reasons why they chose us over other vendors. Although they all had answers specific to their unique situation, common themes surfaced. Most mentioned listening skills, such as “the consultant really listened to me.” Several acknowledged their consultant as offering custom solutions to specific business objectives. And all suggested that if we acted more like a real person, instead of a sales person, it’s a guaranteed way to build trust. It’s hard to explain what this really means, but if you sound like you’re selling discount used cars, instead of helping solve problems and achieve goals, you’re not acting like a real person.

Keys to Success
Good consultants solve problems. But great consultants understand their clients. They help them think things through vs. diving into their pitch bag and layering the attorney’s desk with brochures. They’re in it for the long haul, and don’t get discouraged or disappointed when clients don’t buy (translation: you just haven’t shown enough value yet!).

Each attorney said the key to breaking through their busy schedule is persistence. If you have a solution or idea they need to hear, schedule a 10 or 15 minute appointment. And be prepared to wait. Just don’t wait too long — this could be perceived as a hard sales pitch. Instead, reschedule. Lastly, don’t just drop off free gifts. If you have something important, which will help their business, they’ll want to hear about it, so make the appointment.

One lawyer on the panel made it very clear what he wanted from his consultant — lunch. Since we all eat lunch, at least a few times per week, who’d say no? Especially if you have something of value to bring to the table, besides picking up the check!

Photo credit by somnyus.

Use Public Speaking to Boost Your Business

Afraid of public speaking? My unscientific research shows the fear of public speaking more common than the fears of spiders, heights, darkness and flying. Learning to speak well is a surefire way to boost your business. But first, you’ll have to promote yourself as an expert in the field. I started out speaking and presenting to small, city- and county-based Bar associations, in front of as few as 4 lawyers. My pay was prestige, and I used these early events as currency for larger, more regional opportunities, such as Beasley Allen’s Legal Strategies, where I presented just before Thanksgiving to more than 1,000 attorneys. In your market, there are countless organizations welcoming new presenters and speakers. Volunteer whenever you can. Most won’t or don’t have a significant budget for professional speakers, and you’ll get valuable experience (not to mention making great business contacts).

Once you get to speak in public, make sure you know your material. During one seminar, the person manning my laptop not only disconnected my slideshow mid-stream, but then skipped over my most important slide! But since only I knew it was missing, I kept going, shaken, but not completely off track. If it wasn’t for my preparation, and for rehearsing over and over again, I would have been sunk.

Here are a few more tips to get better at public speaking. We all know smiling and eye contact are important, but if you want to make the best connection with your audience, show your passion and enthusiasm for the material. Move around purposely on stage, instead of pacing nervously back and forth. And if you make a mistake, only you know it happened, so keep your cool.

There are so many benefits to better public speaking — recognition from your peers and potential clients being a few. Public speaking even helps you conduct better sales and client meetings!

If you want to see me in person, I’ll be speaking later this month on “Inbound Marketing for Lawyers” in Oklahoma City and presenting a brief search engine marketing slideshow at a networking event in San Antonio. Send me an email () or DM on Twitter (@findtheclient) and I’ll be sure to recognize you in public!

Photo credit by neosiam.