8 NEW YEAR's RESOLUTIONS to BOLSTER YOUR MARKETING by Trey Ryder RESOLUTION #1: Compile

8 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS TO BOLSTER YOUR MARKETING
by Trey Ryder
RESOLUTION #1: Compile a master mailing list of everyone from whom you'd like to receive new business. Your list should include your past clients, present clients, prospective clients, past referral sources, present referral sources and prospective referral sources. Mail to this entire list at least every 90 days. And since this is your in-house list, put Address Service Requested or another notice on the envelope so the post office updates the addresses when possible. You'll find a list of post office services relating to addresses here:

RESOLUTION #2: Write a new educational handout every month. No, it doesn't have to be a doctoral thesis. Just a one- or two-page handout that explains a few helpful tips to your prime prospects.
For example: Since my clients are lawyers who want dignified marketing, the first handout I created was called "7 Secrets of Dignified Marketing." By putting "dignified" in the title, the handout attracts the prospects I want, and screens out those who are not concerned with projecting a professional image. Then I offered the handout to lawyers in places I knew they would look, such as articles in legal publications.
I suggest you do the same. Write a handout that names your prospects in the title -- or qualifies your prospects in another way. Build it on a common theme, like these:
11 Secrets of (your subject)
5 Steps to (your subject)
14 Costly Misconceptions About (your subject)
7 Mistakes to Avoid When You (your subject)
When you complete your handout, send a mailing to your in-house list. Offer to mail or e-mail a copy of your new handout to everybody who requests a copy.
Also, mail a news release to the print and broadcast media outlets that reach your target audience. Announce your new educational handout, list its contents, and offer to mail or e-mail a copy free to anyone who contacts your office.
If you'd like to learn how to create specific marketing documents, you might like to buy my recorded seminar. Click on this link to download the brochure:

RESOLUTION #3: Write a detailed list of the services you provide or the types of cases you handle. On the same sheet, include your contact information. Next, write a brief cover letter stating that you welcome new clients and that you'd be grateful for referrals. Then distribute it to everybody on your mailing list. It's startling how often people think you don't want new clients.
A brief personal story: Right after I graduated from college -- (yes, a long time ago) -- I had the good fortune to meet one of the top tax lawyers in Phoenix. He took me to breakfast, invited me to his office, and could not have been nicer. He treated me as if I were the most important person in the world. For years, he served as my business lawyer, even though my business was small-time, for sure.
One day a business owner asked who my lawyer was and I told her. Surprised, she asked, "How did you get him to represent you?" I replied, "I asked him." She said, "I didn't know he was accepting new clients."
That's a common problem with success: Referral sources often dry up because they assume you have all the business you want. Yet, often, that's not true.
If you're accepting new clients, make sure all of your contacts know -- and keep them up to date on the services you offer.
RESOLUTION #4: Every month, find reasons to stay in touch with everyone on your mailing list. You might send your newsletter or a copy of your new educational handout. Ask them to pass it along to someone who is interested in that subject. Tell people on your mailing list that you accept new clients and referrals in this area of the law.
Also, you might include an article you saw in a magazine, or something you found on the Internet. You might invite your list members to your seminar, open house or wine-tasting party. Or you might send a personal letter, a thank-you note, an "I was thinking about you" letter -- any reason that comes to mind for a personal contact. And yes, use your engraved stationery because it makes a striking impression. (Isn't that why you bought it?)
RESOLUTION #5: Every month, present one seminar to the prospective clients you want to reach. Select a topic that solves a problem for prospects. You might offer: How to settle an injury claim. How to avoid probate. How to reduce the pain and expense of divorce. How to cut liability insurance costs. How to reduce lawsuits from employees and vendors -- whatever is specific to the area of law in which you want to attract new clients.
Prepare a flier to promote the seminar. On the flier, display the title, explain the various points or problems you will discuss, add your photo and include your biography. Then announce the time, date and place of your program. Mail a copy of this flier to everyone on your mailing list.
Contact trade or professional associations, business groups or consumer groups that are made up of your primary prospects. Invite them to co-sponsor your seminar and ask them to publicize your seminar to their members.
Mail a news release to the print and broadcast media outlets that reach your target audience. Announce your new seminar, offer details about its contents, and invite interested persons to attend or call your office for more information.
RESOLUTION #6: Every month, write a query letter to your newspaper editor and offer to write an article about a particular subject. If the topic ties in with your new educational handout, mention the handout and offer to send it free by request to the publication's readers.
If your topic relates to consumers, send it to the consumer, family or lifestyle editor. If it's business related, send it to the business, financial or legal editor. Or send it to the managing editor, who will forward it to the proper person.
Editors like to have lawyers as sources for articles. I think you'll be pleased with the response.
Every month, write a letter to your local television producer and offer to appear on the TV news (or on a particular television show) with a subject of interest in the law. Make sure you point out how large the audience is that needs the information and how much they will benefit from it. Choose the show you approach based on the degree to which it reaches the target audience you want to attract.
If you want to learn how to generate articles and interviews, you might like my recorded seminar. Here's the brochure that describes my seminar in detail:

RESOLUTION #7: Compile testimonials from former clients, referral sources and professional colleagues. Nothing you do in marketing will help you build credibility as much as testimonials. Get them from everyone you know. Certainly, comments from past clients and referral sources are key. Still, a letter of recommendation from anyone in the community helps. Even if the person hasn't been one of your clients, he or she might attest to your honesty, character, integrity, stability, community involvement -- all things that result in prospects hiring you. (Make sure to check your ethics rules because not all state bars allow lawyers to use testimonials.)
RESOLUTION #8: Respond promptly and completely to all inquiries from prospects. (You'll be hard pressed to find anything that impresses prospects more than a quick response.)
Commend your prospect for appreciating the gravity of his situation. In most cases, the more your prospect understands about the seriousness of his problem, the more resources he will devote to correcting it.
Offer contact alternatives, such as setting a phone appointment to talk further -- or inviting him into your office where you can discuss his matter in depth.
However you handle new inquiries, do your best to respond quickly and completely. Often, the first lawyer who responds in a caring, respectful manner pre-empts replies from other lawyers and wins a new client.
***