Integrity Marketing

Defining Local Search and Its Place in Estate Planning Marketing

Posted by Jennifer Campbell Goddard, CEO
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

I had the opportunity last week to visit with Peter Buxton, a global consultant in the burgeoning local search industry. Based in Starnberg, Germany, Peter and I met up at the Local Search Association conference in Boca Raton, FL to discuss the state of local search in the U.S., Europe and other emerging markets.

We use the term "local search" to mean any type of consumer search that focuses on finding a local business or service provider. Whether performed on Google, via cell phone, or in the local yellow pages, the defining aspect of "local search" is that the consumer is ready to buy. Local searches are not about "surfing" for information, but rather about scheduling an appointment or making a purchase.

"Local search is about bringing buyers and sellers together at the moment of purchase," Peter said.

So, where does local search fit into your practice marketing plan? You may recall the rule of thumb that it takes 9 to 11 contacts to bring someone to a financial decision. This maxim is a bit of a double-edged sword. While you definitely want to be sure you are establishing trust and building your relationship with the prospect through the initial contacts in this decision-chain, you also want to be sure you hang in there and "show up" when the final decision is being made ... which means your local search optimization should be spot-on.

Keep this in mind as you  design your marketing strategy. Every aspect of your marketing should be strategically positioned to keep the prospect engaged with you and your firm from initial contact through the relationship and trust building stages, all the way to the final decision-making steps.

Caveat: While local search is an essential aspect of your marketing, it cannot stand alone.

Stay tuned here as we discuss how to best position your law firm to attract qualified prospects, engage them and maintain the relationship through to the final decision moment.

Exponentially Expanding Your E-Newsletter List

Posted by Kyle E. Krull, Esq., President
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

So, your website is up, you are blogging daily, and sending hard copy newsletters to your top referral sources and centers of influence clients … but your e-newsletter distribution list is a little on the thin side. Never fear, help is here.

Here are three essential elements to building a thriving e-newsletter distribution list (even a “Caveman Lawyer” could do it).

• Set a Goal
• Subscription Demographics (The Usual Suspects)
  • Friends and Family
  • Current Clients
  • Newly Referred Prospects
  • Workshop Attendees
  • All Referral Sources
  • Centers of Influence Clients
  • Fellow Members of Chamber of Commerce and Civic Organizations
  • Non-Competitive Attorneys
• Confirm and Comply with all relevant Lawyer Advertising Rules

Set a Goal:

What gets measured gets done. Period.

If you set a goal to increase your numbers per month, you're more likely to consistently grow your numbers. If you don't set a number, don't have a system to get your numbers up, then you're not doing all that you can to marketing your practice. Setting a goal to add 50 new prospects, clients and referral sources per month would increase your number by 600 in a year. So, what's your number?

Subscription Demographics:

The opportunities for you to exponentially expand your distribution list, beyond visitors to your website who subscribe themselves, is limited only by your relationships. Note: You never, ever should resort to a purchased list. Not only is it an ineffective waste of money, but you better…

Confirm and Comply with all relevant Lawyer Advertising Rules:

No one wants his or her name to appear in the back of the monthly bar journal, if you know what I mean. When it comes to Lawyer Advertising, follow the strictest interpretation of every jurisdiction in which you are admitted to practice. Bottom line: Don’t think great thoughts, just read the rules. Also, pick up the phone or fire off an email to your state disciplinary administrator if you need additional clarification after reading the rules.

One of the really nice aspects of the e-newsletter component is that it travels without a first class stamp. Think of each e-newsletter you distribute as a little seed that holds the promise of a really impressive yield in return. As a result, more seeds, more yield.

The payoff to having an expanding e-newsletter distribution list is huge. Not only are you maintaining top-of-mind awareness with the recipients, but it pulls them to your website to learn more.

Also, did you notice that your e-newsletter provides a convenient means for the recipients to forward your e-newsletter to others? I am routinely referred this way to the family members, friends, acquaintances and professional advisors of the recipients. Now, isn’t that synergy worth your time to build your own list?

Teaching Point: Each component of The ESSENTIAL Solution® is, well, essential. The ESSENTIAL Solution® is a comprehensive marketing system, tested and proven effective in my own law practice. We are here to help when you are ready to have an ever more profitable and enjoyable estate planning and/or elder law practice.

 * A tip of the hat to Phil Hartman, “The Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” of Saturday Night Live fame.

 

Managing Lead Generation

Posted by Roslyn Drotar, Personal Account Manager
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

The key to successful marketing is to always have a few fundamentals that work no matter what!  One of those fundamentals is lead generation.  One of your biggest marketing challenges as an estate planning or elder law attorney is keeping the pipeline full, even while you are working with the clients -- or when you (or your assistant) go on vacation! Here are two things you can do to set your Essential Solution® marketing program on autopilot to help keep that pipeline full with new leads:

• Post to Your Blog.  You can schedule your posts out a week in advance.  Make sure you take the time to get that content up.  Remember, you’re not just posting to your blog, you’re also feeding that content to your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn connections.  Create a process in your office to make sure your blogging happens even if you are busy or on vacation.  It’s one of the basics that can keep running with or without you.  Train your team to back you up.  If your assistant already takes on this important task, train one additional person in your practice to take it on in her absence.  Have a clear written firm process.  Posting to your blog helps your Google ranking so people can find you on Google even when you’re on vacation!

• Update your newsletter and enewsletter list with new prospects (ie, those people who need to “think about it” or are “going to wait” - for their ah-ha moment) and new referral sources every month.  Nothing excites the team here at IMS more than when we receive a new list each month from our clients (well there are a few other things) but honestly it shows us that you are committed to your marking and, believe it or not, this does good things.  Did you know that your e-newsletter is typically the second most popular entry page to your website?  And we send it out for you each month.  When those e-newsletters hit, activity on your website goes up. That shows us that people are clicking through, and reading the information you’re giving them.  All you and your team need to do is export your list each month.  We automatically kick out duplicative names so just export and send. 

Finally, you need to make sure you have a process for exactly how the calls from your leads are going to be handled in your office.   Who do they talk with first?  The first person they speak to gives the first impression of your office.  When I was working in the practice there were times when the team would get frustrated by the bombarding for free advice.  Don't think of it that way.  But rather, a genuine person on the other side of that phone wanting to know how they can protect their estate and ensure their minor children are cared for.  They want to make sure you’re a good fit for them and their family.  Take the time to let them know you can help them and that they came to the right place.  Take it a step further and have your team document their biggest concerns and then pass that information along to the attorney so their concerns can be addressed in the initial consult.  Addressing the things they are most concerned about is bound to help your closing ratio.  Let your team know how they can help you to qualify those leads, and not just book the appointment (all while your on vacation).

Search Starts Where?

By Jennifer Campbell Goddard, CEO
Integrity Marketing Solutions

I am writing today from the Local Search Association conference in Boca Raton. This year the conference theme is "Search Starts Here." As a marketer, I have been thinking a lot about where local search actually does start ... Where do prospective clients start their search to hire an estate planning or elder law attorney?

It's not an easy question to answer. And as much as I hate the ambiguity, the real answer is "it depends." Are our hypothetical clients in some sort of crisis -- perhaps a recent death (probate) or an elderly loved one with an imminent need for long term care? Those types of local searches are handled differently than life cycle (or stage of life) needs, such as approaching retirement age, birth of a child, or intent to marry (or re-marry). In all of our marketing efforts, we want to be sure your firm is properly positioned at the many and varied potential entry points for local search.

Since most initial searches are the beginning of a process, we want also to be sure that we keep your firm well positioned at the many additional contact points of search. Because, at the end of the day, it may be less important to know where search starts as where it ends!

Local search today starts with an optimized website, positioned to capture initial searches conducted by prospective clients in your market area. It continues through the many relationship marketing strategies we employ -- through your blog, enewsletters, direct mail, social media, and your personal marketing. But never forget that we must also be present at the moment "search" ends ... Which is increasingly back at your engaging, inviting website. Your website must not only be optimized to capture initial searches, but also to convert searches into inquiries and appointments.

Contrary to popular belief, "contact us" forms are not your strongest tools for conversion. No, research consistently shows that VIDEO is your strongest conversion strategy. And it just makes sense. Good video is the next best thing to a face-to-face meeting, it helps establish rapport, build trust, and relieve anxiety.

So remember, it is important to know where search starts .. But that is not enough. You must remain ever present throughout the search process, and be ready with your most powerful marketing to convert at the moment search ends!

Are You Married To Your Practice?

Posted by Roslyn Drotar, Personal Account Manager / Strategic Coach
INTEGRITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS

Are you the first one in the office and the last to leave?  Do you typically work Saturday and even an occasional Sunday?  If so, then you're probably what we’d consider “married to your practice.”  You see more of your desk and office computer than you do your family.  This work ethic can only last so long before you reach burn out. And when you reach burn out, you start to lose motivation, and you must have motivation for your practice to thrive and grow!

One thing that you can do to help prevent burn out is to set boundaries as to what you will, and what you will not do.  Example : Only meet with clients Monday – Thursday, never Friday.  Save Friday for yourself to complete the busy work or market your practice.  Or, make it an office rule never to schedule an appointment past 3:00 pm so you can leave the office at a reasonable time.   Another thing you can do to prevent burn out is to take time to think about and reflect on the goals and dreams you have for your practice.  After all it is why you started your own business in the first place, right?  When you think of those goals and dreams, think about what gets you the most excited and what you enjoy doing the most.  Then spend time each week doing just that.

And here’s another thing to consider.  You’re the go to person in the business.  You set the tone and the vibe for the office as a whole.  If you're operating in burn out mode, you’re not keeping others motivated or inspired.

So I challenge you to do two things : (1) Take a complete break from your practice over the weekend and rejuvenate!  (2)  Start the next week off doing something you love, or finish your week doing something you love.  It can be creative work, like writing content for a marketing piece, or meeting with your staff about implementing processes that will help make the practice more efficient and profitable.  What is enjoyable to you?  Think about it and then spend some time doing it to help prevent burn out and create motivation.