Profiting With Public Relations

Tidbit: ABC's of Legal Marketing Plans

What a Marketing Plan will help you with:

A basic marketing plan can help improve your legal practice in several ways:

• The plan will help the law firm identify their target market.
• Sets objectives and provides a roadmap, of how to reach the final destination.
• Allocate and assign individual or teams with specific tasks.
• Helps retain current clients and increase business with them.
• Provides metrics and sets benchmarks to measure success.

To find out more about how to evaluate your firm's marketing plan, please email me.

Tidbit: Publish or Perish!

Attorneys often complain that it takes considerable time writing articles for trade publications. There is thought, organization, planning and then of course simplifying the legal jargon, all of which takes precious hours from clients. What's key is to remember that getting published whether its in the American Bar Publications, your local bar or trade publications read by prospects, it is part of building your credibility as an expert.

Writing is a very effective way to gain exposure to new audiences, build referral relationships with other attorneys, establish your expertise, and give prospective clients a way to sample your knowledge.

Rather than receiving a cheque from the trade publication editor, consider your "payment" the form of an extended byline or resource box –- you know that little blurb at the end of an article that provides more information about the author.

On that note, in Autumn we  plan to launch a new column about your firm in our monthly newsletter. Here's a copy of February's newsletter. If you like what you read please sign up at The Sun Communication Group.

We will be covering: 
New hires and promotions
Awards/Honors
Big cases, unusual pro bono cases 
Bottom-line is there something exciting happening in your law practice? We want to know.

To be considered for publication:

Provide contact information for all parties mentioned - information will be fact checked.
Submit news about any marketing initiatives that are working and can be beneficial to other law firms.
Include the date of the newsworthy item.

We have subscribers from United Kingdom, Canada and Israel. Finally, our subscribers are not limited to small firms, we have 500+ attorney firms and everything in between!

Send your firm's news to me. Please note, submission does not gaurantee publication.

Power of Online Newsrooms (Part Two)

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post on the importance of having online newsrooms. This is the second part of that blog posting, specifically outlining what you need to include in an online pressroom.

Online newsroom have an enormous capacity to help law firms, including helping them to put their best foot forward when cultivating relationships with the media. By providing media-friendly materials, on the firm's website available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, law firms increase the odds of a reporter contacting them, for help on stories they are working on. Furthermore, a good online newsroom may be the difference between having multiple column inches and just a mention in a story.

So here's what the law firm needs at the very minimum:

1. Press releases - all law firm releases should be arranged in a chronological order.

2. Fact sheets, these essentially give snippets of important information, such as statistics, news that will trigger or help as background information when reporters are working on stories.

3. Contact information of media relations professionals or attorneys designated as  media spokespersons for the firm.

4. News clippings of the firm. Organize them by date, include the title and link to article. Don't forget to include all radio and television interviews as well.

5. List subject areas, within each practice group that attorneys can talk to the press in depth. This is great way to trigger story ideas.

6. Photos and bios.

7. White papers.

8. All articles authored by attorneys.

9. List all past and upcoming speaking engagements.

10. Don't forget to add any books or chapters of books written by attorneys, particularly by lawyers designated to speak to the press.

To get a basic primer on media relations or to find out how media relations can specifically help your law firm call me directly at (212) 661-9137 or email me at pmahli@suncommunicationsgroup.com.

 

Tidbit: Crafting Your Speech

So now that you've got the speech. How are you going to make it: interesting, informative and of course educational. Before diving into the nuts and bolts of putting the presentation together, assess what your long and short term objectives are. Is it to build your database? increase prospects? network? increase your profile with that target group? In all honesty you probably won't achieve all your objectives but its a good idea to know them for evaluating purposes.

So consider the following, when putting your presentation together.

1) Use words that paint pictures.
2) If you've got an interest in literature, philosphy and history, use quotes. They help set the scene and paint the picture. Currently in the US Primaries, Barack Obama, is winning the listening game, he is painting a vision of hope. Regardless, of whether the country buys into his vision, he has managed to capture the country's interest.
3) Be inclusive, include the audience, talk about “us” rather than “you people.”
4) Use every day collaqualism, these help break down some of the legal jargon and help you connect with the audience.
5) A little slang goes a long way, but do be mindful it doesn't offend anyone in the group.

I will be giving a teleseminar begining on March 5th, specifically on the role of speaking in your marketing when building your law practice.

Tidbit: Common Legal Marketing Mistakes

There are a couple of conversations taking place on different listservs, all discussing the same issue: common marketing mistakes in the legal industry. Of course, there is nothing new here, but it is surprising the disconnect that exists between knowing what one should be doing in one's legal practice and actually doing it.

Here are a few of the common mistakes I've come across when talking to attorneys: 

    * Failing to plan.
    * Failure to execute the plan. Who is responsible for implementing, what sort of benchmarks are in place to monitor progress. Whose in charge of measuring progress?
    * Failure to get professional help the firm, whether it be in marketing, public relations, sales training or an organizer to get those files and systems in order.
    * Not enough face time with clients.
    * Focusing in the business rather than on the business.
    * Failing to understand that lawyers are in the business of people NOT law.

Action Item: Do any of these mistakes sound familiar? If so, what what action steps will you take? What is your deadline for taking the step? What will you do after taking that step?

Finally, remember Rome was not created in a day, but the culmination of lots planning, organizing and implementation. So don't get overwhelmed, start with something small.

Tidbit: Exercising Listening Skills

Most of us are determined to get our viewpoint out in the marketplace, that we overlook the importance of listening, particularly when talking with prospects and clients. Listeninig gives you the opportunity to remain present and pay attention to what client, prospects are saying and showing. Since much of our communication is non-verbal, its a skill that is essential for success. At its very basic listening demonstrates that you care. Simple, yet forgotten and overlooked.

Finally don't forget the words of Epictetus Greek philopher who said, "Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak."

Action Tip: Are you failing to make eye contact, scanning the room or monitoring your blackberry? If so, consider what sort of message you are sending.

Tidbit: Are You Really Client Driven?

This tidbit is really inspired by Steven Meyerowitz, of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., who is writing an article for the Pennsylvania Bar Association on troublesome clients.

I spoke with him at length and began analyzing some of my experiences within the legal industry. Having worked in live television at CNN Business News and now in public relations. I do fully comprehend the importance of returning reporter,clients and prospects calls promptly. 

However, my experience in the legal field indicates that while attorneys intellectually understand the importance of this, there exists a disconnect. Simply put, not all of them actually apply the principle of returning phone calls etc to their practice. So without further delay, here is my question to you:

Be brutally honest with yourself: Are you truly responding to client telephone calls and emails promptly?

Here are some possible consequences if you don't:

We are all human beings, business is all about relationships. Subconsciously, mental notes are made and you don't want to burn bridges with clients, referral sources or prospects - you simply don't know where business will be coming from. We live in an environment that is fast paced, unexpected personal and professional emergencies arise, but, that still doesn't account for shoddy manners.

Action Item 1: Even though you may not have the answer to a client's question. RESPOND to their communication. Let them know you will be responding to their query within the next few days. They will understand. The point being that you are in communication with them. It makes a world difference and goes a long way in forming  strong relationships.

Action Item 2: Pay attention to your responsive patterns.

Tidbit: Working Through The Clutter

Each week, I will focus on one tip that will help make the difference to your law practice. The tip will not be limited to the discipline of public relations; they will range from: strategy, structure, marketing and planning. If any of you readers have any tips, please send them along and I will make certain that they are published and will source them.

Start working through the clutter on your desk. A cluttered desk is often indicative of a cluttered mind. Looking for items that are not in the appropriate filing systems rob you of valuable time. Time that can be devoted to other professional skills such as increasing your daily marketing activities.

ACTION TIP: Take the time at the end of each day to leave your desk reasonably organized. Remember, Rome was  not built in a day but consistent actions do lead to consistent habits and patterns. Begin with the easy tasks and start building on them. If you’re starting from scratch, listen to some of your favourite music while  clearing the clutter