Comments on: Solo Marketing Makeovers: What’s Your Advice?

By: web design norwich

web design norwich — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:06:38 +0000

I enjoyed reading your information and I now have some really good tips I can use. Keep up the good work!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, this is not an automated system, I am a real person with a real business, who always looks to others for advice, as well as offering his own. Thanks. Chris

By: Andy Arnold

Andy Arnold — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:24:23 +0000

I have been a solo for over 15 years. First, solos always feel every bump in the road; income can be uneven, while expenses stay relatively constant. And, it is a difficult balance to market for new clients and to do the work already in the door. Of course, luck has something to do with success as well. But, if you do it right, you can make a lots of money and have lots of freedom.
I have learned a bunch of lessons; A niche is important, but having two or three practice areas that you focus on is probably a good idea. It helps if they are related, but in the end, it is better if your areas of practice are something you can be passionate about. But, even cases you are passionate about, must pay: So learn to turn down cases. Consider charging a consultation fee (although I waive it for cases I deem most desirable). And, track the sources of your income.
Present a professional image, which means getting professionals to design your letterhead, biz cards and website. Spend the money on web design, and focus on SEO. Ben Glass is right, video will become indispensable to an online presence. (I will be rolling out several in the next few weeks.) And personally, I think this means not answering your own phone.
Social networking is helpful, and I believe Facebook to be superior to Twitter and LinkedIn. A blog can bring in cases and help establish your reputation. But, old fashion networking will always be necessary.
And finally, kick a little ass. Perhaps this applies to litigation practices, but in the end, law is a competition and winning (in the courtroom) is the quickest way to establish yourself as a go-to-lawyer.

By: Ben Glass

Ben Glass — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:43:20 +0000

some of our members are still having success in YP, but it is very difficult…especially if you are running essentially the same ad everyone else is… I’m not surprised at the lack of advice about social media but to not mention video is, in my view “marketing malpractice”

By: Carolyn Elefant

Carolyn Elefant — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:15:54 +0000

Leanna – I think that the article is useful for many lawyers for the same reason that the advice was helpful to you: emphasis on the basics.
Jonathan – Thanks for making the point about Yellow Pages. I actually have heard that some solos get good results from smaller local directories and such; was not aware that the big volumes are still useful. Glad you pointed it out.

By: Jonathan Young

Jonathan Young — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:47:06 +0000

I have been a solo for a year now and researched the move for quite awhile before that.
I believe that you have to better diversify your approach than what was suggested. For those of us in the currently youngest bracket of attorneys (25-30), social networks are our rotary meetings. They are our networking events. So if you skip out on that you miss out on a whole potential client base. ESPECIALLY, in family and criminal law. I, personally, find networking for the sake of networking events and clubs a waste.
But I do disagree with your sense that Yellow Pages are a waste. At least in my geographical area. It may be different in a large metro area. I track where my clients have heard about me and my modest directory presence pays dividends.
We are still in the transitional period as a nation towards getting nearly all of our information from the internet. But we aren’t there yet. Leaving out traditional mediums, like the Yellow Pages, can also, like skipping Facebook, make you lose out on a whole segment of the population. But it is a balancing act and you have to be very careful in how you do it.

By: Leanna

Leanna — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:34:14 +0000

As one of the attorneys profiled in the article, I was very happy with the advice. Yes, I have my blog and it brings me clients, but I was still struggling even with that. It was really helpful for me to spend some time analyzing all of the data I’d been collecting about where my clients came from and how much revenue was coming in from each source – blog, referrals, existing clients, etc.
It reminded me to do more boots-on-the-ground marketing, because the people in my community who refer clients to me aren’t on Twitter and they don’t read my blog. But they are at the old networking breakfast and when they see me, the remember someone who needs me and they pass my name along to that person.
I certainly won’t stop blogging, but I have made a concerted effort to get back into my networking groups (the ones that actually generate business) and spend time on Fridays visiting the different assisted livings and nursing homes to remind people who I am and how I can help.
I think the key is to remember that social media is only one tool in our bucket of practice building techniques. Yes, it’s new and shiny and fun and easy to use, but sometimes you need the trusty old standbys, too.