Attorney Blog

Putting a Positive Spin on the Negative Side

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35848 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A problem with a lot of legal marketing messages is that they tend to revolve around the negative side of things. Have you been hurt? Have you lost a loved one? Did something bad happen to you that makes you lawsuit-happy?

Personal injury attorneys like us tend to be portrayed as sharks looking to prey on others' misfortune. If people never got hurt through the negligence of others, we wouldn't have a practice, right? It seems that every time there's a massive injustice done to consumers-dangerous product recalls, fraudulent business practices, corporate disasters-there's a line of lawyers waiting to convince everyone they need to sue someone.

You don't want to be one of these lawyers. Don't perpetuate the shark lawyer stereotype. Instead, you should be using your legal marketing to stand out from these kinds of lawyer advertisements. Don't be the lawyer harping on how injured your clients are; be the one that tells them what you'll do to help turn things around.

Your clients know they've been injured, but what they may not know is that they have options to solve their problems beyond just an insurance company. You need to tell them through your legal marketing that there are lawyers out there willing to work with them and not just for their own benefit.

To really stand out against all the negative-angled lawyer advertising out there, you need to show opportunity rather than point out the obvious negativity of your clients' situation. My article on staying positive when your peers aren't is full of information on how you can take advantage of a pessimistic world when others mope about.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Great Legal Marketing Strategies Save Money

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35651 — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the biggest risks most lawyers associate with new legal marketing methods is the cost involved. They're afraid they'll sink all this time and money into a new strategy only to have it not produce nearly the amount of response they were hoping for.

While, yes, a poor return on your investment is always a risk no matter what the venture, I can tell you one thing: my Great Legal Marketing methods are designed to help eliminate that financial risk.

I'm not making any guarantees, after all, I am a lawyer, and I know words are strong. What I'm telling you is that if you look at our methods logically, they're much more cost-effective and flexible than traditional legal marketing methods.

Let's compare an ad in the Yellow Pages and a batch of geo-specific articles and blogs on your website (a highly advised strategy from GLM). Your ad will potentially appeal to hundreds of clients all looking for legal help of some sort. Out of these 100, you may get 2 or 3 that are strong leads, but you've spent thousands of ad dollars on those other 97 or 98 clients that you had to take the time to refer elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the geo-specific website content is grabbing you those same 2-3 clients that are specifically looking for a "slip and fall Fairbanks injury attorney" without you having to weed through tons of other clients to get to their case. The price to reach those 2-3 clients with geo-specific, targeted marketing is much lower than the broad spectrum advertising of days past.

I've got an article in my library that talks more about taking risks with your legal marketing and it goes further into alleviating your financial fears.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Take a Risk with New Media Legal Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35650 — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

If all lawyers avoided taking risks in their legal marketing ventures we wouldn't be advertising at all. It took the bravery of a few entrepreneurial lawyers in Arizona to introduce the concept of legal marketing, and now it's taking the bravery of lawyers like you and me to bring it into the world of modern media trends.

How would you like to be the first lawyer to harness the legal marketing power of the next new media trend? Someone always has to be the pioneer and forge the path so others can follow, so why not take the risk and let that someone be you?

The only real risk with new media is in the fact that it may take some work to get it to work right for your law firm. There's no right or wrong way to do things when no one else has done them before. There's only the fact that you need to be able to decide when something needs to be adjusted or attempted differently to make it right for your purposes.

Remember, at one time even the Yellow Pages were considered "new media" and now nearly everyone uses or has used it to advertise. If anything, new media has an even lower chance at failing just because there's no real "correct" way established as to how it can be used.

I've got a whole article in my library about taking risks with your legal marketing, and new media isn't the only fear some lawyers have when starting a new strategy for their firm.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Quit Wasting Time on Lawyer Advertising That Says Nothing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35431 — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you're looking to run an ad plastered with unreasonable claims like "Settlement in 30 days or less!" and empty words like "Aggressive legal representation!" you may as well just leave a blank ad space, because you're not saying anything of use to your clients either way.

Think about other products/services that have to advertise to distinguish themselves from their competition, let's say, shampoo. All shampoo is designed to do one major thing: clean your hair. Just as a lawyer specializes in various practice areas, there are specialties for shampoos - ones that make your hair shinier, curlier, gets rid of dandruff, etc. Even so, there are at least 2-3 kinds of dandruff shampoo out there, so how does a consumer decide?

The answer is in the advertising. Bad shampoo advertising just says "look, I'm a shampoo, I get rid of dandruff." If the package says "X Brand Dandruff Shampoo" then the consumer knows what they're getting. Good advertising shows the consumer the results they'll get and tells them how the shampoo will help them. Some commercials I've seen even explain why we have dandruff and how their product remedies the issue.

Apply this to your own lawyer advertising. Rather than stating the obvious, tell your clients what they want to hear. Give them the opportunity to get more information about their case. Don't just yell at them that they need a lawyer and they should call you. Show them more details about the specific legal problem they're facing and how having you as their attorney can benefit.

Of course, you can't say all this in a single ad, so make sure they know your website or free info guide is the source for help that they need. The space you save by omitting lofty claims and cliché taglines could be spent giving your clients valuable ways to contact you and learn more. My article on lawyer advertising gone horribly wrong explains more pitfalls and remedies to them.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

One Bad Lawyer Advertising Apple Spoils the Bushel

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35400 — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the common forms of bad lawyer advertising is when lawyers make lofty promises, creating unjustified expectations of ALL lawyers. You see these claims all the time:

Settlement in 30 days!
No office appointment - no court!
No points on your license!
Guaranteed settlement!

You don't see other professionals like doctors making claims like these, so how can lawyers? All of these promises involve factors out of our control, we aren't the insurance companies, the defendant, or the court system...these are the factors that control decisions like settlement, penalties and going to trial.

Lawyers still keep claiming these things, because some will do anything to avoid court and settle quickly. These are the sort of lawyers I warn my clients against when I have to refer them elsewhere. If you're advertising that you can help your clients avoid trial, it's usually because you want to avoid trial yourself.

The biggest problem with these kinds of absurd claim ads is that they create an unreasonable expectation on the rest of us. Clients may see all these other lawyers advertising things like 30-day settlements, no court guarantees, and wonder why you don't do the same. The answer should be because you're not afraid of trial and know that court settlements are almost always way more beneficial to the client.

If you're getting the right clients, they'll understand that good law practice means being prepared to see cases through trial to settlement, not hiding from the court system. They won't be swayed by other lawyer advertising gone horribly wrong and know that they're looking for a lawyer who has a handle on smart legal marketing.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Your Ads Should Appeal to Your Clients' Desires

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35197 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

I'm not going to get into the detail of lawyer advertising development and print design and all that. I'll leave those details to the professionals, I'm a lawyer and a legal marketing guru, not a graphic designer.

What I can tell you is that the words you use in your lawyer advertising are just as powerful as the images you associate with them. Many lawyers make the mistake of thinking that catchy phrases that appeal to the clients' needs are what do the work in their lawyer advertising.

The truth is, your ideal clients, the smart ones who do their homework and actually research an attorney before contacting them, aren't going to be swayed by seeing your ad says you're "compassionate, understanding and aggressive." Smart clients won't be swayed by fluff wording, they're going to want real proof that you're a competent, trustworthy attorney.

The best way to prove this? Give them what they're looking for. Don't just spoon feed them lines about how you're concerned about their case, show them you care. Offer them more free information on how they can educate themselves on their personal injury claim, or what they can do about their estate planning needs. The best way to show you care is by doing things to actually help your clients, not just saying you will.

There are a lot more common lawyer advertising pitfalls to avoid when you're developing your legal marketing strategies. To be successful in your lawyer advertising, you need to make sure you're giving your clients more than just empty slogans. Offer them the chance for more free information and that'll be worth more than a million words of fluff.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Board Games to Pass the Bar

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35196 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Here's an example of thinking outside the box when it comes to promoting the world of legal work - a board game designed to help law students study for bar exams. Caryn Pincus, co-founder of P&R Educational Games in Boca Raton, FL, is the creator of "Passing the Bar" a board game for ambitious law students.

The Sun-Sentinel newspaper in South Florida interviewed Pincus on her idea to create a study tool for law students that was actually interesting and fun to use. The game was conceived when Pincus, a lawyer herself, was studying with a close group of friends for their own bar exams.

She developed a basic idea that making a game out of the tedious study drills would help take some of the pressure off while allowing her to keep up with her studies. But after finishing school and beginning her career as an intern, she set the idea aside.

Once Pincus passed the bar in New York, New Jersey, and then Florida, her biggest challenge became finding a job at a law firm. Memories of her study game came back, and she knew she had an opportunity in a niche none had dared to fill: educational games for lawyers.

She turned to experts in licensing, copyright, and patent advice, created a business plan, researched manufacturers, and of course, developed the board game. After tapping friends and colleagues for advice as well as current law students for play testing, her prototype was completed and it was off to the production lines.

Now that the game is out and available at online retailers, some bookstores, and many law school campuses, Pincus is focusing on expanding her reach. She developed contacts through law schools and her associates then gathered industry support not only from the legal world, but toy and game manufacturers as well.

This is a great example of how you can find a niche no one is filling and really capitalize on it. Pincus was faced with a tough, competitive job market as a junior associate and rather than flail around like the rest of her competition, she took her strengths and put them to use in a market no one else was tapping into.

Your legal marketing should do the same - stray away from the crowds and forge your own path to success. Don't follow blindly what everyone else is doing, know your unique strengths and put them to use in promoting what makes your law practice special.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business, and contact Ben Glass today - (703) 591-9829.

Don't Waste Ad Space on Meaningless Mottoes

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35195 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

For clients, finding an attorney shouldn't be like a grade school dodgeball game where everyone's jumping up and down screaming, "Pick me! Pick me!" When it came to picking teammates, the strongest, best players were always picked first, and it's no different for lawyers.

Good clients, the ones that are serious about their case and do their homework, are going to know which lawyers are the "good players" and which ones should be picked last. Even though the stragglers are yelling "Pick me!" just as loud as the others, their shortcomings will still put them at the last of the clients' options list.

So besides making sure your legal marketing efforts reflect your awesome legal credentials and establish you as a local expert in your practice area, how can you draw attention without doing what everyone else is doing? To start, avoid these common catchphrases that waste space on everyone's lawyer advertising:

Settlement guaranteed in 30 days!
75 years' combined experience.
Aggressive legal representation.
Quick settlement, fast cash!
We care about you!
Aggressive, experienced, compassionate.
We listen to your case.
The law is my profession.
Biggest verdict in the city!
We fight for you!

Most of these are either no-brainer statements, vague and just space filler, or claims you can't prove. If a client is swayed by a lawyer advertisement that says the attorney is "compassionate and will listen" they're looking for a therapist, not a lawyer. All lawyers will listen to your case if they want your business, it's obvious.

There are a lot more common lawyer advertising pitfalls to avoid when you're developing your legal marketing strategies. To be successful in your lawyer advertising, you need to make sure you're standing out from your competition rather than just parroting what they say.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Lawyer Advertising Stuck in the Dark Ages

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35051 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the most common pieces of advice that "business experts" tell professionals is that they need to keep up with the latest trends in whatever it is they do. While in some respects this is sound advice, the details of the situation are a better indication of whether "tried and true" holds out over jumping on the latest bandwagon.

With lawyer advertising there's no clear-cut winner to whether you should stick to the old methods or try something new, because everyone's practice is different. If you've built your reputation on being the solid rock, "been there forever" sort of law firm and that's working for you, keep doing it. However, if you're seeing that the old methods of legal marketing aren't bringing you new clients, it's time to change your game.

Take a look at where you're advertising yourself now. Look at the oldest method, probably the Yellow Pages or radio. Is this method still working for you? If it's not, you may want to place some of your lawyer advertising eggs in a newer basket.

If you're not receptive to taking risks and trying something new, Great Legal Marketing isn't for you. In the world of legal marketing you need to know when to finally drop those old lawyer advertising ways and forge ahead a new path where your competition has yet to brave.

My article on the history of lawyer advertising talks about the struggles we've gone through over the years to get to the great period we live in now. Your only real limitations to legal marketing are your state bar, your budget, and your entrepreneurial spirit.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

The Evolution of Lawyer Advertising

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)35049 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The history of lawyer advertising began back in the late '70s when two ambitious lawyers in Arizona launched the first instance of legal marketing. After a bit of fighting with the state bar and Supreme Court, lawyers were allowed to advertise, thus inviting even more competition into getting that ideal client.

Lawyer advertising changes with the times, just as any form of marketing must do to keep the attention of the potential clients and consumers. Where we get our news and information has changed over the years as well, and lawyer advertising has followed this path just as most other professional services have.

Early lawyer advertising was mainly in the places where other professional services were already advertising: the Yellow Pages, billboards and other outdoor signage. Soon TV and radio commercials followed, allowing lawyers to have a face and voice beyond static pictures and text.

Now the trend is with the Internet, where you can blend traditional print media with digital enhancements to create some pretty far-reaching legal marketing methods. The Internet is tying us together whether we like it or not, and making it easier to track client information from a lawyer advertisement to our databases.

My article on the history of lawyer advertising talks about the struggles we've gone through over the years to get to the great period we now live in. Your only real limitations to legal marketing are your state bar, your budget, and your entrepreneurial spirit.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Experience Isn't Measured Just In Years

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33917 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Many of the unsuccessful legal marketing attempts I've seen are when lawyers blindly copy the format and language of their fellow marketing failures. They see that Lawyer X is advertising his firm's 100 years of combined practice, and the biggest verdict in the city. Suddenly, that's a challenge: they need to be bigger and better than Lawyer X!

If you blindly copy competitors' legal marketing strategies you run the risk of trying to emulate credentials you just don't have. When lawyers new to the legal marketing game see that their competition is spouting these grand claims, they feel that they have to step up to the plate with their own taglines of amazement.

Experience isn't measured in years, I've known plenty of lawyers who have had 30+ years of experience and never tried a case to verdict. Would you rather have a lawyer with 30 years experience and 5 cases to trial, or a lawyer with 5 years experience and 30 cases to trial?

There's no rule saying you must state on all your advertisements how many years you've been in practice. One of the most annoying claims I see on ads is the "combined experience" tagline. 100 years sounds impressive, but what if it were 100 lawyers in the firm all with 1 year of experience? If you don't feel comfortable about advertising your years of experience, highlight your actual case experience.

If you can't prove a claim, it has no business being a statement in your legal marketing. In my article on being truthful in your lawyer advertising, I touch on some examples of where legal marketing went horribly wrong because of misleading information and unethical claims.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on teaching the unique, new approaches to marketing that really work for lawyers. If you're using legitimate, proven marketing channels you don't need to bother fabricating absurd claims to boost your results! How do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Back Up Your Legal Marketing Claims

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33916 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

It's a good rule of thumb to refrain from making any claims that you can't back up through evidence or action. This holds especially true in the world of legal marketing, where your words are often the determining factor over whether or not a client hires you.

When developing those "hook" phrases that grab your clients' attention and make them want to read more about you, make sure that what you're saying is not only entirely truthful, but also that it can be proven should your honesty be questioned.

The use of generic, vague phrases like "highest rated" or "biggest verdict in the area" sound impressive to the unaware client, but what if you get the savvy client who questions your claims. Highest rated by who? If you can't answer (and prove) an A/V Martindale-Hubbell rating or other legitimate evaluator, you're not being truthful.

The biggest verdict claim is also a tough one to advertise, because what may have been true at the time of your settlement could have changed since your case closed. Also, how do you determine your "area" - your city, county, state, or is it the office building you're in?

Because lawyer advertising is not only subject to approval by the legal marketing channel you're using, but also the state Bar, you need to be mindful of what you're saying. In my article on being truthful in your lawyer advertising, I touch on some examples of where legal marketing went horribly wrong because of misleading information and unethical claims.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on teaching the unique, new approaches to marketing that really work for lawyers. If you're using legitimate, proven marketing channels you don't need to bother fabricating absurd claims to boost your results! How do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

The "Big Three" Lawyer Credentials to Advertise

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33915 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you are the recipient of a Martindale-Hubbell rating, a listing in the Best Lawyers of America book/website, or you took the time and effort to become certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, you need to brag a little!

Remember that these 3 credentials are not held by every lawyer and not every attorney has a chance of obtaining them. Unlike many of those "top-rated lawyer lists" that only require you to fill out a form and pay a fee, these ratings and certifications are only given to lawyers who have worked to earn them.

The Martindale-Hubbell rating is given by selection committees only, you can't request to be rated, and the lawyer being rated has no knowledge of who is rating them, so they can't sway the votes. Likewise, Best Lawyers in America requires a new member to be nominated by a current member.

Becoming certified by the NBTA requires not only recommendation by your peers, but also continuing legal education, verifiable court experience, and an exam. These are the kinds of credentials you should be touting - ones that you have to earn with more than the ability to pull out your credit card.

Selective advertising of your credentials and certifications is important when developing your lawyer advertising materials. My article on the best lawyer certifications to advertise explains the big 3 you should focus on (if you have them) and what kind of lawyer advertising to avoid.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Educate Your Clients on Lawyer Ratings & Certifications

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33914 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

As lawyers, we understand the importance of the Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, and we know that getting into Best Lawyers of America requires more than an application form and a check. Unfortunately, most clients don't understand the importance of these types of legitimate certifications.

To inform your clients of your accolades without looking like you're bragging, you can be straight-forward about it. Accent the actual rating on your lawyer advertising materials, and then footnote it with a brief explanation of what the rating or certification means. For example:

Ben Glass has received the "AV Peer Review Rating" from Martindale-Hubbell

The AV rating is given only to lawyers who are recognized by their peers for having the highest level of skill and integrity.

All it took was a short sentence to explain that this rating is only given to a select few who show exemplary conduct. A simple statement like this on your website or "About the Author" page on the back of your book looks much better than a rambling list of former positions, memberships to "pay to join" lawyer pools, and other "credentials" that are meaningless to your client.

Selective advertising of your credentials and certifications is important when developing your lawyer advertising materials. My article on the best lawyer certifications to advertise explains the big 3 you should focus on (if you have them) and what kind of lawyer advertising to avoid.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

The Joy of Advertising Gimmicks and Hooks

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33713 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

You want to take every step possible to get clients to recognize and remember you as a great legal service. You shouldn't rely on your name alone to keep your law practice fresh in the minds of potential clients, current clients, and colleagues. Most people admit to being bad with names, and unless you've somehow worked yours into a catchy jingle or slogan, you're going to need more than that to become memorable.

One of the best lawyer advertising strategies is to create an additional persona for your clients to identify you with. Think of it as your lawyer alter-ego, the Superman to your Clark Kent. While you may be a mild mannered family law attorney by day, you're often seen as the motorcycle riding parade-staple in the town festivals.

The human brain is quirky when it comes to how you remember things. Some people are visual, some remember audio better, and some need a combination of the two to really cement the information into their brain. Your specialty hook should somehow engage your clients in another channel of memory besides name-recall.

Since most of us are bad with names, my article on selling your specialty, not your law firm pushes the idea that you should use your hook to show your clients something memorable about you besides your firm name. That way, they see your junk-free advertising, remember your hook, and become your next ideal client.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Your Legal Marketing Message Should be Important

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33711 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

There's plenty of completely useless information that lawyers today still use in their legal marketing. Their thought is that clients are impressed by things like combined years of experience, certifications from fancy-sounding organizations, and catchy phrases like "we fight for you."

In reality, clients are looking for a lawyer who is local, handles their type of case and relates to them in some memorable way. Most people would much rather deal with a service professional that's on their level. Maybe it's age, maybe it's family background, maybe it's a favorite pet. The more you can relate to a client, the more comfortable they'll feel.

I find there's very little reasoning to advertise your years in practice, especially if it's less than 10. I've yet to hear a client deciding to hire one lawyer over another just because they had advertised a few more years experience. The idea of "combined experience" is even more absurd - a firm can have 50 years combined experience, but what if that's 50 lawyers fresh out of law school with 1 year of experience each?

Since most of us are bad with names, my article on selling your specialty, not your law firm pushes the idea that you should use your hook to give your clients something memorable about you besides your firm name. That way, they see your junk-free advertising, remember your hook, and become your next ideal client.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us - 703-591-9829.

Latch on to Your Friends' Herds

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33710 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

When you hear about marketing to the clients of another lawyer, it probably raises some immediate ethical red flags. Hold on, because it's legitimate and effective! As long as you're not working with a competing attorney in the same practice and geographical area, you can benefit quite well from tapping into the client lists of others.

A lawyer who practices family law could definitely benefit from partnering with a personal injury lawyer. As a family grows, they may face things like birth injuries, car accidents, or workplace injury. If they've been to the family law attorney for a previous need such as a pre-nuptial agreement, they may turn to that lawyer again to see if they can connect them to a personal injury attorney.

Many clients of professional services will consult their provider for the opinion or recommendation of another similar service. You'd probably ask the advice of your regular family doctor when it comes to recommending a specialist for some sort of medical treatment. The same goes for lawyers - clients know their lawyer knows other lawyers, so they'd most likely ask them for a recommendation.

Trading information through your legal marketing pieces is also a great way to use your legal networking contacts to your advantage. Offer to trade articles for your newsletters to add some variety to your content. Or do a guest blog on a related topic on each other's websites.

You can benefit a lot by using your professional networking connections to get your name out to unexpected marketing places. My article covers how you can use the status of other successful professionals to boost your own reputation and not feel guilty about it.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Get Your Friends to Write With You

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33709 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

When you can secure an "expert opinion" it always adds some clout to your argument. The same holds true for your legal marketing materials, if you co-author a book or guide with another professional who is related to your practice area, suddenly it has double the impact than just a legal expert guide.

Many books tout their authenticity and value by plastering "with a forward by" or "written with expert so-and-so" on the covers. This catches the browsing shopper's attention and gives the book more credibility. Clients love to see they're paying one price for multiple trusted opinions on their legal matters.

If you co-author a book with another professional, they're going to give that book to their clients as well. This gets your name in the hands of all their clients. You've doubled your legal marketing list with little effort!

The more you can expand your fan base, the better. And by releasing books or guides that involve other professionals, you know that the materials will be distributed to a whole new fan base. Even if it's at a doctor's office, your clients never know when they'll need the name of a trusted lawyer.

You can benefit a lot by using your professional networking connections to get your name out to unexpected marketing places. My article covers how you can use the status of other successful professionals to boost your own reputation and not feel guilty about it.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Don't Waste Time Explaining What You Are

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33373 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

You'll often see in other service industries where a company will brand itself as the expert in some aspect of their trade. It becomes almost a catchphrase or nickname for that company, and many of them use this to their advantage when marketing their services.

As a niche lawyer, you too can capitalize on this phenomenon and use it to stop wasting time explaining to a client exactly what you do. Your name and reputation should say everything it needs to about your practice. If you're the go-to guy (or gal) for OSHA workplace violation lawsuits, you'd better be marketing yourself that way.

Don't leave your clients wondering if you handle their type of case; TELL them that's what you do. Your lawyer advertising should proclaim simply and effectively who you are and what you've niched your practice into. It's easier on your legal marketing efforts if you can concentrate your message on one niche rather than trying to work every aspect of your practice into a single campaign.

In most cases, your clients are looking for legal help to simplify some aspect of their life, whether it is the hassle of dealing with insurance companies after an accident, or the confusion of setting up a new business and contracts. The last thing you should be doing is complicating your legal marketing so they're not sure if you're the lawyer who they're looking for.

Properly marketing your niche legal skills is the key to simplifying your own marketing life. My article on niche legal marketing for efficiency can help you market your specialty to help reduce your marketing workload and still effectively promote yourself.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Establish Your Niche by Accident

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33372 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

I created a legal niche for myself almost entirely by chance.

Several years ago, I had a case that dealt with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). At the time, I couldn't find anyone with the expertise with this act to help teach me about it and how it affected the case I was working on. So, I summoned my studying discipline from law school and sat down to read and read and think and think...

Eventually, I amassed all there was to know about ERISA and put it to use in my case. Now, you'd think that I had just wasted a huge amount of effort on something for a single case, but you'd be wrong. Suddenly, I was the ERISA expert in my area. Because I couldn't find anyone else who knew more than I did, I learned it on my own and became the person who other lawyers would now turn to for that information.

I had created a niche for myself as the ERISA lawyer and didn't even realize it. I easily gained state and national prominence as an expert. Suddenly, all that effort wasn't just for that one case, it was for establishing my niche in the legal world. I later figured out how to make money with this idea of niche practice, but it was only after I had given away my ERISA expertise for so long that the light clicked on.

You don't have to let your niche talents go to waste. My article on niche legal marketing for efficiency can help you market your specialty to help reduce your marketing workload and still effectively promote yourself.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

When to Consider Outsourcing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33369 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

When most lawyers start with my legal marketing strategies they find that there's way more work involved than they originally thought. Naturally, the first urge is to give up and turn back to their old ways, but there's a great solution to giving yourself more free time to work on these things: outsourcing.

Take stock of all the clerical things your office needs done and decide if they really need to be done in-house or not. Sure, you can't outsource things like trial dates and client consultations, but you can outsource your client screening process, phone call handling and email response.

As you're getting all your new legal marketing strategies up and running, think about what parts are outsource-able. This way, as you create new methods to increase your business, you're not creating much more extra work for your office. The goal of effective legal marketing is to create steady revenue for your law firm while allowing you more free time. Outsourcing can help accomplish this.

By outsourcing clerical matters, you can avoid hiring extra employees which cost salaries, office space, and training time. You also don't create extra work for yourself, and can enjoy more free time knowing that your incidentals are being taken care of by professionals.

You can make your own outsourcing success story with the tips and information in my article. Don't think that your law firm will fall apart if you don't run every little detail - there are plenty of people out there who know just as much as you about running business operations, if not more.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

My Own Outsourcing Story

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33368 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

For many years, I fought against outsourcing for lawyers. I feared losing control of my business and that things wouldn't get done correctly if I didn't do them myself. Then I realized I was being a control freak. There are many competent people out there making a living on providing these professional services to businesses of all kinds. They wouldn't still be around if they didn't do a great job at what they do.

When things were overwhelming me and I was faced with hiring more employees or killing myself with extra work. I did neither. What I did was find a professional business services firm that specialized in outsourcing for lawyers. Instead of trying to find individual solutions to my more complicated legal marketing issues (like a quick, efficient way to mail hundreds of letters) I had a company that would handle it all for me.

Outsourcing with a professional business services company is like having a personal concierge at your fingertips. I contact them with my issue, and they either solve it for me or find someone who can. I'm saving time by not doing all that extra work, I'm saving money by not having to hire another body in the office to do it, and I'm still in control of my practice and my life.

Today I have a company answering my phones, I have my automated software sending my e-newsletters and I have others screening my client contacts so only the ideal clients get through to our office. I'm enjoying more free time, and less stressful work, and it's all thanks to outsourcing.

You can make your own outsourcing success story with the tips and information in my article. Don't think that your law firm will fall apart if you don't run every little detail - there are plenty of people out there who know just as much as you about running business operations, if not more.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Roundtable Discussions Get the Ball Rolling

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33366 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

There are entire seminars you can attend dedicated to the art of brainstorming and project management methods. You don't need to bother with these to know that brainstorming is one of the most effective ways to create new ideas, especially for lawyer advertising.

Remember the old adage "two heads are better than one"? Well, that holds true in developing your legal marketing as well. You may be running low on ideas, or have a project that is stalled in the "development" stage. When that happens, ask a friend for advice. This can be done in a group for a fun and productive brainstorming session.

The next time you're not quite sure what to do with some aspect of your legal marketing, grab a few colleagues and head into a conference room. Present your problem or idea, and then open the floor for discussion. There's no right or wrong when it comes to brainstorming; take what you get and run with it. You'd be amazed at how things can progress from Point A to Point B (and Point C, Point D...).

Brainstorming is especially helpful when you look at the successful marketing efforts of another professional business and want to use it for marketing your law firm. You'll probably need to make some adjustments to their strategies to suit your needs, and getting a few good minds together can almost always accomplish that goal.

When you find yourself hitting a wall with your lawyer advertising, it may be time to recharge your legal marketing batteries. My article talks about the importance of keeping an energetic focus on your legal marketing, as well as tips on how to improve your attitude toward your work.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Getting Inspiration From Other Businesses

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33365 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Don't make the mistake of believing that the only people who know anything about legal marketing are lawyers themselves. In fact, most lawyers know NOTHING about marketing, and that's why a lot of lawyer advertising is so generic. There are many aspects of marketing which all types of businesses can benefit from, no matter if you're a lawyer or a plumber.

I hear "But that won't work for my business, I'm a lawyer" all too often. I'll let you in on a little secret: we're still part of the service industry. We offer our legal services just like a car mechanic offers their repair services. In the end, the only real differences in our businesses are the uniform we wear and the materials we use. We still service clients' needs, and we still have to market to them in much the same way.

That's why you can (and should) look to other successful professionals who may not be in your actual industry. Doctors, electricians, florists; they all rely on clients to stay in business, just as your law firm does. When you see another business using a clever, successful marketing strategy, take it and find a way to make it work for your own law firm.

When you adopt the "I can make this work for me" mentality, you'll find that generating new legal marketing ideas is easier than you thought. Successful entrepreneurs don't dismiss a good idea; they figure out how to make it work for them.

When you find yourself running out of lawyer advertising steam, it may be time to recharge your legal marketing batteries. My article talks about the importance of keeping an energetic focus on your legal marketing, as well as tips on how to improve your attitude toward your work.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

You Make the Rules in Your Niche

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33364 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Take a look at today's technology, namely the iPhone. When it came out, there was nothing like it on the market, and that meant Apple could set the price wherever they wanted. There was no competition to say "we're cheaper than Apple!" and that meant no incentive for Apple to be competitive.

When you establish a niche in your legal practice, you're establishing yourself as the only choice for that niche. This means clients who are looking for your specific type of legal service don't have much to compare you against as far as pricing goes.

This is not to say you should be charging thousands of dollars in absurd fees; you'd probably end up with legal action being brought against YOU. Rather, this means you can charge a consultation fee without worrying that your competition is doing that for free (because there is no competition - you ARE the lawyer!).

Smart clients know that anything worth having is worth paying for, and charging a fee can boost your reputation as well. If you're charging a fee while other generic lawyers aren't, you must be something special. You're confident enough in your services that you can set requirements for interested parties to become part of your clientele.

Your niche makes you the owner of an exclusive club and only your ideal clients are allowed membership! There's so much more niche legal marketing can do to benefit your firm's situation when it comes to saving and making money. My article on niching your legal marketing for money explains how it can save and generate more money than broad-spectrum marketing.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Niche Your Legal Marketing to Save Money

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33363 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Back in the heyday of lawyer advertising in the Yellow Pages, the normal progression of legal marketing was that if your ad seemed to get lost among the others you needed to "shout more loudly." This meant spending more money to get "expert advice" from an ad designer, or simply buying a bigger ad space or color.

You can imagine that with this mentality, things got real expensive real fast. One lawyer would shout louder, and then another would one-up them, and it would go back and forth until you've got full page, super expensive ads that are essentially selling the same kind of legal services with no difference except the names and faces.

Then some lawyers wised up. They stopped trying to outshout their competition and started speaking directly to their clients in a normal tone. Suddenly, they didn't see the need for huge, expensive ads. They could focus their legal marketing efforts on just a few smaller venues that speak directly to the clients they want to reach.

Their marketing budgets suddenly stopped being so strapped and stretched; they could put their profits back into the company. Niche legal marketing can save a law firm money by utilizing their marketing budget on only the lawyer advertising that targets their niche market, and not the expensive broad marketing that traditionally defined legal marketing.

There's so much more that niche legal marketing can do to benefit your firm's situation when it comes to saving and making money. My article on niching your legal marketing for money explains how it can save and generate more money than broad-spectrum marketing.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Use Your USP to Sell Yourself as More than a Lawyer

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33346 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Authors, poets and lyricists are all gifted with a way with words. In the hands of a good writer, even the most horrible of stories can be transformed into something compelling. This is something that many lawyers can attempt with their own legal marketing: spinning their profession into a unique selling proposition.

We all know what a personal injury lawyer does, but the general public sometimes views these types of lawyers as greedy ambulance chasers. In an attempt to put a positive spin on your profession, why not restate your purpose? When someone asks what you do, instead of responding "I'm a lawyer" why not try something more like:

"I investigate accidents where people are wrongfully injured, gather all the facts of their incident and injuries, and help them get compensation for their medical bills, wage losses and suffering."

Suddenly, you've got a unique selling proposition in that you're no longer an ambulance chaser; you're an advocate for the wronged.

Part of the problem with traditional legal marketing is that it's so bland and blunt. We know you are a lawyer, we know you want the case and we know we can call you now. All these stale lawyer ads say nothing new to set them apart from the others, and that's why they're ineffective.

You can be the breath of fresh air in the lawyer advertising in your area by not advertising that you're just a lawyer. Show that you're a human being, find your unique hook and use it to sell yourself as more than just another attorney. Check out my article which covers the finer points of developing your unique selling proposition and why it's so important to your legal marketing.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Your USP Can Be the Face of Your Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33345 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

You see it all the time with local car dealerships; unique selling propositions that make you identify that business with more than just cars. Some dealerships use their kids, their pets, or whatever else is unique about them in order to stand out from the other dealerships in their area. Suddenly it's not "that Toyota dealer up the road" it's "that dealership with the cute border collie commercials." They've got a unique selling proposition, even if they're not selling puppies.

It may seem misleading to be using something unrelated to your practice to sell your legal services. It's highly unlikely if your clients are searching for lawyers that they'll mistake you for a dog breeder if you use pictures of your pets in your lawyer advertising. Remember again that your unique selling proposition is just the hook to get them to want to find out more.

You should develop your unique selling proposition to be the gimmick of your legal marketing. There's no danger in being known as "the motorcycle lawyer" or "the crazy tie lawyer" - people are often bad with names, but good about remembering trivial details. The goal of your lawyer advertising is to make your services unforgettable.

There's a lot to consider when developing your unique selling proposition because it's the first thing that will hopefully draw your next client to find out more. My article covers the finer points of developing your unique selling proposition and why it's so important to your legal marketing.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Market Aggressively, Then Tone Down

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33298 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

There's somewhat of a downward slope when it comes to the effort you must put in to bring a potential client from a stage of interest to a solid fan of your service. The initial impression you make needs to be the result of an intensive effort on your legal marketing strategy to grab their interest.

Once you've got their interest, you need to grow that interest into a desire; specifically, the desire for you to be their lawyer and represent their case. This step requires a little less marketing since you have their attention already. It's critical at this step that you get them to focus on you and only you. Your client should believe you are their soul mate when it comes to legal needs.

Now that they're an established client, you give them the best service you can. You may think marketing to them is over, but it's not. Let them know that even though their case is in progress or even concluded, you still value them as a part of your law firm family. This is where your ongoing marketing, newsletters and such, keep reaching out to them.

Years later, when their case has been concluded and they're no longer actively using your services, they'll still remember you. Your marketing doesn't have to be nearly as aggressive: you've hit the marketing plateau. Let them know that they're still on your radar, just as you should be on theirs for any legal matters. This way, your name is the first that comes to mind when someone asks if they know a good lawyer.

I've identified 6 stages to hooking, engaging, and keeping a client as part of your satisfied client entourage. My article explains more on the 6 stages of your legal marketing message and how it gets people from potential client to raving fan.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

From Potential Client to Raving Fan

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)33294 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

You can learn a lot from the non-law businesses around you when it comes to creating lifelong clients. Take resort hotels, for example. Some families go to the same resort every year for the same experience. Why? Because the resort gives them the service that makes them think that they are the only client in the hotel.

Long-standing customers of these resorts are more apt to tell their friends and family about this great vacation spot they go to every year. This is the kind of client response you want to solicit from your own fans. If you work on establishing a great relationship from day 1, before they're even a client and just a potential client, you can foster a lifelong relationship.

When someone has a great experience with a venue, product or service they're likely to tell others. That's why it's especially important to cultivate your relationship with your clients at every stage of your interactions. While you need to hook them early on with quick, hard-hitting tactics, later, after they're an established client, you can tone things down.

The best compliment a client can give you is telling others about their great experience with your law firm. If you continuously make them feel appreciated throughout the duration of your service, they'll return the favor later by keeping you in mind as the greatest lawyer they ever had.

I've identified 6 stages to hooking, engaging, and keeping a client as part of your satisfied client entourage. My article explains more on the 6 stages of your legal marketing message and how it gets people from potential client to raving fan.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass

.Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

How Others Can Help Kick Your Email Habit

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32883 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

When you start working on your time management and decide to curb your email addiction you'll need the help of your friends, family and office to achieve success. If you can reduce the amount of unnecessary emails coming from them, you can make sure you're only dealing with the important client mail and emergency contacts.

The only time someone in your office should be emailing anyone in the office is if it's a forwarded message they need to see. There's no reason your staff can't walk a few feet to someone's desk to discuss whatever they were going to email about. It's a double waste of time when someone shows up at your office door asking if you saw their email - not only did they waste time sending it, but now you're wasting time looking at it before discussing whatever was said!

Your friends and family should also be able to abstain from emailing you during the work day unless it's an emergency - and if it's an emergency the phone is probably more efficient anyway. Junk mail like jokes and chain letters are an absolute NO when it comes to reducing your email time and if you've got anyone on your contact list that commits these horrible acts of email, politely ask them to stop.

Email checking is one of the biggest time wasters and a serious issue for running a successful law firm. My article on how to not be a slave to your email explains the dangers of checking too often and solutions to stop wasting your valuable time. The time wasted on email is better spent on improving your legal marketing, so you can sit back and let your firm run itself while you enjoy life.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

How To Manage Your Email Time

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32881 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

To break your addiction to email you need to set aside a specific time to check your inbox and respond to only the most urgent of messages. Remember that a good percentage of your legal marketing is done through email, with information requests and newsletters, so you can't disconnect completely from your email.

You need to learn to prioritize which email messages are worth your attention during the work day. Anything that needs a time-sensitive answer should only be answered by email if that's the absolute best way to communicate to that person. Phone calls or in-person answers are normally faster and more efficient. However, you do run the risk of an office visit or phone call becoming a chit-chat session.

Leave any newsletters or non-essential business mail for later. Creating a separate folder for these is a good organizational idea for keeping your inbox clean. If you can, have someone else in the office designated to handle the legal marketing emails, or better yet, have your database software automated to handle it.

To truly save your time from being eaten by your email you need to only use it when absolutely necessary. If there's only one email address to communicate with a person or company, fine, but try not to let email exchanges go beyond what you need to accomplish (i.e. no "Hi, how're the kids?" - chat on personal time).

Checking your email is one of the biggest time wasters there is, and a serious impediment to running a successful law firm. My article on how to not be a slave to your email explains the dangers of checking email too often and solutions to stop wasting your valuable time. The time wasted on email is better spent on improving your legal marketing, so you can sit back and let your firm run itself while you enjoy life.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

What should be said in a client testimonial?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32878 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

As you go about asking clients to give testimonials to vouch for your great legal services, your clients may ask you what information to include. You should never give explicit instructions on what you want to hear, because that produces an unnatural, fake sounding testimonial. Instead, offer some guidelines on what you'd like to highlight.

Here are some questions you may want to offer to get their ideas flowing:

Service - What did I do above and beyond your expectations?
Results -Were you satisfied? How has it helped your life following your settlement?
Personality - Were you comfortable working with me? Is there anything outstanding about my personality?
Choice - What ultimately made you pick my law firm?

Remind them that anything from a short sentence to a small paragraph is great, nothing too wordy or elaborate. The emphasis here is on being concise rather than detailed. Also make sure you ask them to provide their signature, and if they don't mind, their title and company. The more information you include about the client giving the testimonial, the more credit it will have.

If asked what you're using their client testimonial for, be honest. You would like the opinions and reviews of great clients like them to be used in your legal marketing materials. Make sure you emphasize that you approached them because they were a great client and you enjoyed working with them - a little flattery goes a long way.

Client testimonials are a lawyer's best friend when it comes to improving your legal marketing. Getting the natural opinions from your actual clients not only lets your potential clients know you offer quality service, but also lets you know what you're doing right in your business.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Guidelines for Soliciting a Natural Client Testimonial

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32877 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

When asking your clients to provide a testimonial you're looking for an honest opinion of your legal services. Part of the honesty is that the written client testimonial reads like it came straight from the mouth of a real person. Many clients may feel that they need to sound professional when writing about their legal experience, but that's not the case.

In your e-mail or phone call asking for client testimonials, remind your clients to write as they naturally speak. Don't encourage them to use legal terms if they wouldn't normally. The more natural they sound, the more believable the client testimonials will be. Ask them to highlight anything where they felt you went above and beyond regarding their case - what impressed your past clients is likely to impress potential clients as well.

Not all of your clients are going to be willing to divulge too many details about their case, especially if it was sensitive in nature. Be sure to review the clients' case before asking them for a testimonial - if they had a confidential case you may not want to ask them to talk about it. Client testimonials work best when you can include specific details and names, so if a client is reluctant to share some of these details, you might want to skip asking them.

Client testimonials are a lawyer's best friend when it comes to supporting your legal marketing. Hearing good things about a lawyer from someone who isn't a lawyer is worth much more than hearing the same boring lawyer advertising claims.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

You're The Best Decision Your Client Will Ever Make

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32811 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

If I told you I could take the stress out of your every day life with little effort on your part, you'd jump at the chance. Essentially, that's the message you want your marketing content to send to your clients. You want them to think that hiring a lawyer like you is the best move they can make when dealing with their legal issues.

Many clients are reluctant at first to hire legal counsel. They may think they don't have a strong enough case, or that they can do it all on their own. Some are in denial that they need help, while others just think it's too expensive or will be too much of a hassle. Your legal marketing needs to focus on first showing them why they need a lawyer and then making them feel like hiring you is the greatest thing they can do for themselves.

Tell them how good it will feel to know someone with legal experience is handling their lawsuit. Consumers love to hear that products they buy will help improve their lives in some way with little effort on their part. Essentially, that's the service you're offering: taking over the hassle of their lawsuit, paperwork, evidence, and all other parts of their legal matters.

By listing the benefits of hiring you as their lawyer and puffing up their ego through your marketing content, your clients will take notice. Sending the right message with your legal marketing content can capture clients' attention by not just selling yourself but by telling them you're the smartest decision they can make for their legal issues. It's not just about how you want their case; you want them to feel good about their choice in lawyers when they hire you.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Make Your Client Feel Good about Hiring You

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32810 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the unfortunate issues that lawyers must face is the fact that in many instances your clients are coming to you in times of distress. It's rare that you meet a person who has a lawyer "just in case of emergency" - they usually have a lawyer because there was an emergency such as a lawsuit, injury or criminal charge.

A great strategy I've found with legal marketing is to tell the client what they want to hear. I don't mean lie to them and say you can guarantee they'll win their case and get millions of dollars. I mean tell them that hiring an attorney like you is going to make their lives so much simpler.

You can take the stress out of worrying about the future of their assets with your estate planning services. You can take the burden out of filing a disability claim lawsuit for them so they can concentrate on recovering from their injuries. Clients want to hear the good benefits of having a lawyer and how much better off they'll be by hiring you.

These facts can be implemented in your marketing content to give a breath of fresh air to your legal marketing messages. By sending the right message with your legal marketing content you can capture people's attention by not just selling yourself, but by telling them how you can benefit them. It's not just about how you want their case; you want them to feel good about their choice in lawyers when they hire you.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Know Your Local Area for Seasonal Advertising

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32809 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Are you in a coastal town with an annual seafood festival? Is the opening day of hunting season in your area more than just a date on the calendar? Can you tell it's tourist season in your city just by looking at the wait list of a restaurant? Every local area has its own seasonal quirks beyond just the 4 regular seasons, and your legal marketing can take advantage of it.

If you've got an agriculturally heavy area you should be well familiar with the impact growing and hunting/fishing seasons have on the community. Safety tips for hunters, business tips for farmers, and just general fun pieces about your local flavor are great things to spruce up your newsletter and website content.

It may seem like personal injury lawyers are really the only ones who benefit from seasonal changes, but that's not true. A good entrepreneurial lawyer can find a way to take any good marketing strategy and make it work for their legal marketing. Business law attorneys know that there are seasons in their clients' businesses: tax times, fiscal year planning, and various times for reporting.

Incorporating seasonal events in your legal marketing is a great opportunity to connect to your clients in a more personal way. It shows you're interested in them beyond a claim and a legal fee - you're involved in what's going on in their world and the area around them.

Showing knowledge of the local seasons is just one way you can be seasonal with your legal marketing. My article talks about the real 4 seasons and their impact on marketing, plus how local trends can offer new opportunities to grab the spotlight.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Community Events are Great for Seasonal Advertising

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32808 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

More and more of your clients are choosing to stay closer to home when it comes to their personal needs. We're hearing more reports of people vacationing closer to home, choosing more "Made in the USA" products, and patronizing local businesses over national chains. Take advantage of this by reminding them they have a great (insert your practice area here) lawyer right in their own backyard.

The local support trend can even reach into legal marketing, and that's where you can strike while the iron's hot. At the basic level, you should at least be including a community events section on your monthly newsletter - it shows you care about what's going on around your practice.

Clients like to see that their new lawyer is interested in things besides legal matters; you're not just an attorney following a set of laws, you're a human being that has a brain capable of enjoying the community around them. Adding that personal touch to your lawyer advertising can be the difference between "A Lawyer's Newsletter" and "Ben Glass' Newsletter"

Keeping current with community events is just one way you can be seasonal with your legal marketing. My article talks about the real 4 seasons and their impact on marketing, plus how local trends can offer new opportunities to grab the spotlight.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Marketing Automation Leads to Less Worry

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32806 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Technology has come a long way toward helping to take some of the hassle out of our everyday lives. Databases are a great invention that help with keeping client records and sorting contact information. With this tool, you can easily send a mass e-mail to a specific group of clients.

With proper database software, your forms of client introduction-website, telephone, etc.-can all be input into a huge contact list. This list can then serve as the fodder from which your other legal marketing-newsletters, information packages-feeds.

By creating this cycle of contacts and marketing, you'll be constantly adding clients to your database, constantly pushing out lawyer advertising to your clients and adding more clients through that advertising. There's really little more to do after that except to make sure you're adding new advertising methods and messages when appropriate.

Take advantage of every luxury your client database can afford you, because it will help your overall legal marketing in the long run. Not only is a database a great organizational system, but it's flexible enough to open your legal marketing to a world of new lawyer advertising opportunities. Even traditional mailing can benefit when you can hit print and get a sheet of mailing labels ready to go.

Don't be afraid of integrating new technology into your legal marketing plans. Embrace the new and get ahead of the game! For more information on ways you can stop worrying about your legal marketing, check out my article. A little work and effort now can pay off in the end.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - 703-591-9829.

Leave the Marketing Worries to the Pros

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32801 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

We learn very little in law school about how to successfully grow and market our legal expertise as a business rather than just a practice. No one expects you to intuitively know anything about marketing and most of our brains aren't wired to think like a marketing genius. That's why marketing specialists exist in our world - to help businesses like yours take the stress out of marketing.

There are many types of companies that can give your legal marketing a boost or just help alleviate some of the tasks your system requires. A few examples are:

Content Writers. They can do everything from writing your website articles to making sure your blogs have a steady stream of relevant content. The really great ones will even handle the posting duties.
Phone Answering Centers. You provide them with all the vital information about your practice and they take client inquiries, direct them to the right people, get them the proper information and enter them into your database.
Webmasters. You need a functional, updated website to be successful on the Internet marketing front. A good webmaster can keep you on the up and up with search engines, as well as capture those online clients for your contact list.
PR Firms. They're like the one-stop-shop for all things marketing. Some firms do it all in house and some contract out to the individual client needs, but they're a single source for whatever type of legal marketing you're looking to do.

With all the professional help out there, there's no reason you should stress out over your legal marketing. For more information on ways you can stop worrying about your legal marketing, check out my article on the topic. A little work and effort now can pay off in the end.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - 703-591-9829.

Let Your Advertising Method Talk for You

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32800 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

When I see a lawyer using some of the newer legal marketing methods like online video I'm given the impression that they're serious about their business. It takes a lot of time and effort to jump into a new legal marketing venue. There's the danger of it just not working for your law firm, plus the time and money invested in starting a whole new lawyer advertising campaign.

I look at the lawyers that brave these somewhat uncharted waters and I think that they really must have confidence in their practice to take that leap of faith. It may come as a shock to your clients that you've got videos on YouTube. They're going to think, "Wow, they must be pretty successful if they're giving out information like this on the Internet."

While it's true that many Internet video creators are just normal people with cameras and a PC, you're a lawyer. Your clients generally expect you to be all business, paperwork and no free time to make videos. When they see you've got an informational series on your practice area available to watch on your website, they're going to see that you're a guru of knowledge and you're confident enough to make videos about it.

Your message isn't always what you say, but sometimes the way in which you say it. When the method you use to do your legal marketing draws attention to your name, you can help establish your reputation in your client's mind as "the lawyer" and not just any lawyer. I talk more about drawing attention with your legal marketing methods in my article, including how to place yourself in venues you may have never considered.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben Glass will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Advertise Where They Least Expect You

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32799 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Would you expect to see a lawyer advertise in a local bicycle shop? What about at the community pool? Or a grocery store? Most lawyers think that the best lawyer advertising venues are the same ones that all their competitors are using. If you keep thinking like this, you're just going to get lost in a sea of boring lawyer ads.

Take a look around and see where other businesses are advertising. You probably pass by a handful of community bulletin boards in various places; grocery stores, community centers and libraries are good places to find these. While they're mostly advertisements for yard sales and home services, wouldn't it be great to be the only lawyer who thought to put their business cards up there?

Your lawyer advertising needs to stand out from the crowd and put you in a position so you're the only lawyer name out there. You don't necessarily need to appeal to your next client only when they're in desperate need of legal help. In fact, being the lawyer name in their head is great in two ways: your name is there if they need you, and it's there if a friend asks if they know a lawyer.

Your legal marketing methods need to draw attention to who you are. As you'll learn in my article, it's not so much what you say in your lawyer advertising but how you say it that gets people to remember your name.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben Glass will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Analyzing Legal Marketing Success Now Pays Off Later

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32465 — Fri, 28 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

While I always stress the importance of breaking free of the chains of your law firm and enjoying your free time, you need to put in effort to get there. Sure, anyone can place a Yellow Pages ad, but how do you know people are using it to find you? Placing a phone number or URL unique to that ad will allow you to track when clients use those specific means to get to you.

The marketing vultures will always tell you that your lawyer advertising can be more effective if you buy more ad space, radio time, bigger space, etc. basically spend more money. They usually don't bother tracking if your advertising is effective or not, and don't' worry about finding out how to improve it, they just say buy more and brush you off.

By implementing unique tracking methods on all of your individual lawyer advertising methods you can see which work and which don't. That way you can tailor your legal marketing efforts to include those methods that have gotten positive response and then either remove or rethink the ones that are lagging behind.

By nipping ineffective marketing methods in the bud early on you can save time and money in the long run by only focusing on what works. My article on tracking your legal marketing success has more tips on ways to track your response and why it's an important step to getting to legal marketing stability.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Tracking Clients with Web Addresses and Contact Forms

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32463 — Fri, 28 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

You may only have a single website, but you can link multiple Web URLs to that site. Why would you want to do this? Each URL generates analytic data that lets you know how many visitors are using that address to get to your website. By using unique addresses on your individual lawyer advertising methods you can see which ones are being used most frequently.

If you run multiple websites, you should have multiple contact forms. While it's great that your clients are using the forms and being added to your legal marketing database, you should also be using this data to track the response to your unique lawyer advertising methods.

Web forms have to be named in order to be functional, so when your webmaster is building your site, make sure they allow for each form to be uniquely identifiable. Then make sure your client database tracks where each new contact comes from. This way you can see which forms are being effective and which are not.

Analyzing the response you get from each individual act of legal marketing is important to be able to increase the efficiency of your overall plan. My article on tracking your legal marketing success has more tips on ways to track your response and why it's an important step to getting to legal marketing stability.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Why is Commenting on Your Own Blog Important?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32290 — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

By the time you've written a few dozen blog entries you've hopefully experienced the happy moment when you see someone has left a comment. The comment system on blogs and social media posts allows you to know that yes, someone out there IS reading your work!

That being said, it's just as important to return the courtesy of someone's effort to communicate by posting commentary of your own. Say for example, your latest blog entry talking about a baby crib product recall prompts a reader to reply with a near-miss she had with her own newborn and a faulty crib. Replying back with something just as simple as "Thank goodness your baby was okay! Many parents put their faith into baby products being safe, but you can never be too careful," is a simple way of saying "Thanks for reading, I do care about your comments!"

The more active discussions take place on your blog, the more incentive you give new readers to participate. Ask questions, get them engaged, and learn what your clients are thinking about. You may find that blog comments open up a whole new world of legal marketing ideas and lawyer advertising designs.

Your response to legal marketing is important both as a courtesy to your clients and in building your reputation as a trusted legal advice source. My article goes more in depth on appropriate response methods and how to avoid being unprofessional in your exchanges.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Don't Get Into a Comment War with Your Blogs

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32287 — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

In your practice you probably warn clients all the time that they need to watch what they say on public forums, especially with regard to their case. You need to be just as mindful with your legal marketing, especially when responding to blog and social media posts.

Blog entries and social media posts that invite commentary on the topic are opening up a potential flood gate of discussion. Remember that the only person who can regulate what's said on your blog comments is you (or your webmaster). You may wonder who has the time to post malicious or angry commentary on lawyer blogs. Remember that the Internet is open 24/7, and where there's a will, there's a way.

If you have a reader who likes to provoke nasty discussion on your blog, you can speak with your webmaster to have them blocked or removed. You can also personally delete comments you feel are too controversial or unwelcome. But one of the best strategies is to just avoid starting the controversy in the first place.

When responding to your blog comments you need to remember that you are still representing your practice, even though it feels like you may be engaging in a one-on-one discussion. It's a public forum where everyone can read what you say, so be mindful of your own reputation. This holds true with all of your legal marketing and my article goes more in depth on the subject.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

A Local Mastermind Group Benefits Everyone

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32233 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Narrow-minded lawyers like to horde their ideas, thinking that if they share their next greatest legal marketing endeavor, it'll lose its effectiveness. The truth is, your next venture isn't going to be very secret once you start it.

People who refuse to share their good ideas are those who aren't confident in their success. If you've got a great method to do something, the best way to prove it is by having the confidence to share it with others. Don't worry about your competitors learning your "secrets" because you are a unique lawyer. You are not a commodity. All lawyers are not the same, and your ideal client will know this.

A good friend of mine once said "a rising tide lifts all ships" meaning that when you can inspire the entire Mastermind Group, everyone benefits. Even if you're inspiring other lawyers who may be in similar practice areas, you're smart enough to know that straight copying won't do you any good. You'll take ideas you gain from others and tweak them to suit your needs and goals.

Helping inspire other businesses in your area also helps promote the overall prosperity of the community. The more successful the community economy is overall, the more your law firm can benefit. If you're a business law attorney more businesses may be moving into the area in need of incorporation help, legal documents, and other services you provide. A thriving economical area lends itself to more families moving in, perfect for family law and personal injury attorneys whose business thrives on large population needs.

Just setting up a group of professionals isn't enough to run an effective Mastermind Group. For more information, read my article explaining the purpose and benefits of organizing your own legal Marketing Group, as well as how to get started.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

No Tie Required for a Good Mastermind Group

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32229 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Mastermind Group I run at my Great Legal Marketing SuperConferences may be a more formal affair, but your local Mastermind Group can be more casual and just as effective.

To form any sort of meeting group you need to remember a few things:

You don't need to have a set meeting place;
You don't need a conference/board room;
You don't need to charge any sort of membership dues;
You don't need a dress code;
You don't need A/V equipment; and
You don't need guest speakers.

So what do you need? A few successful business owners and professionals, a place to talk, and a few hours a month. That's really it. You can meet anywhere that will accommodate you. You may want to rotate around to those of you with offices that have conference rooms, or even meet for dinner once a month at a local restaurant (try for one with a private room if you can).

Dues are really unnecessary because they usually just pay for things like conference room reservations and catering. You can forgo those luxuries and negate the need to charge dues. You're meeting to be productive, not to sit around in a fancy hotel meeting room and eat appetizers.

Keep things casual because you're all working professionals and the last thing you probably want to do is keep the suit and tie on for another 3 hours to go to another meeting. I'm not saying to hold Mastermind Groups in sweats or pajama pants, but you can switch to a shirt and jeans.

The more open and casual your Mastermind Group is, the more open your discussions will be. People tend to give more honest opinions when they're in a social chatting environment, rather than a professional meeting. You want a good, unbiased perspective on your marketing ideas and business issues, so foster that with a casual Mastermind Group meeting.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Involving Your Whole Office in Increasing Community Presence

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32227 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The happiness of the staff in your law office is a big part of the prosperity of your work life. If your office is miserable, it's harmful to your overall business and definitely not a hallmark of success for a great lawyer like yourself. Taking a break from the normal routine and doing something fun as an office is a great way to mix things up, and can also be a great chance to do some unique legal marketing.

While you may be the figurehead of your practice, that doesn't mean you should exclude the rest of your staff from getting involved in your legal marketing. If you're sponsoring a booth or float in a local parade, put the word out that the whole staff and their families are encouraged to stop by and participate. Not only will this help them feel more involved in the business, but it's a great chance to interact in a more casual setting.

Having a group get-together is also great for volunteer projects and charity events. Waterway cleanups and walk for the cure events are much more fun when you have a team involved. You can even add a little competitive edge and run a contest to see which team finishes their task the fastest. When the community sees your law group as a bunch of people having fun rather than stuffy lawyers in suits, their opinions change for the better.

Increasing your community presence is a lot more than parades and charity events. My article talks more about the benefits of getting involved in your community, both for your legal marketing efforts and your overall business presence in your local area.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Great Places to Improve Your Community Presence

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32226 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

How often do you see local events where businesses and residents head out for a day of fun and celebration? At nearly all of these events your law firm has the opportunity to promote your community presence and have fun at the same time. Festivals and parades take place in nearly every city and town in the U.S., from the tiny farming communities in the mid-west to the booming cities of New England.

Some of the best places to get involved in community events are:

Holiday festivals;
Seasonal fairs;
Founders' day parades;
School events;
Chamber of Commerce events; and
Town hall meetings.

When your law firm establishes a consistent presence at these sorts of community events, you are building your image as a dedicated and involved member of your local community. Your name and logo are your brand and should be used to promote your image in positive ways within your community, not just in advertisements.

Giveaway items that feature your logos, banners with your name, and just your own personal presence are all ways to become more visible in your community. Locals may even come to expect to see your law firm's booth at the annual chili cook-off.

While you're putting your legal marketing methods to work at fun events like this remember that they're FUN. Don't be scared to get a little light-hearted and theme your promotional items around the event. If you're at a holiday parade, give out holiday themed items with your logo on them. Bring out the rest of your staff, encourage them to get in the spirit and dress for the occasion and bring their family. Legal marketing can involve everyone and be a great break from the regular office work.

There's much more to increasing your community presence besides having fun at local community events. Check out my article on the importance of a good community presence both for your practice and your legal marketing goals.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Link Exchanges Are Free Legal Advertising

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32225 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

When your website is linked to by another reliable source, it's the equivalent of a great word-of-mouth referral. You can be linked to by other lawyers' websites, local organizations, chambers of commerce, expert sites, and many other great websites. The trick here is getting yourself established as a lawyer website they'd want to link to.

Some good ways to get these inbound links are:

Ask! Contact other lawyers with other practice areas, if they're friends of yours, exchange lawyer website links and endorse them as your suggestion for their area of practice. Hopefully they'll do the same.
Sign up with link lists. Many local chambers of commerce or local business searches are interested in compiling lists of links of reputable businesses and professional services in the area.
Publish your articles and blogs elsewhere. There are many information hubs like About.com, Yahoo! Answers, and EzineArticles.com that look for good articles or expert answers to legal questions. By publishing your lawyer website content and blog entries on these sites, they link back to your main site in return.

The bottom line is "you scratch our back, we'll scratch yours" in the Internet linking game. Many websites get their reputation from having good external references to other trusted websites, and your lawyer website is no different. While you may not be a business law attorney, you may know a great local one that you can direct your visitors to. Being a legal guru isn't just about your knowledge in your practice area, but also knowing that you're surrounded by other successful professionals.

There are many other tips and things you need to know when working on getting your lawyer website found on the Internet. My article covers the basics of how search engine rankings work, as well as other important ways to be found.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

You Are What Your Lawyer Website Links To

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32224 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

We've all heard stories of malicious websites that fill your computer with viruses and spyware the second you click on their link. While it's probably not very likely you'll be linking to these malevolent sites, you do need to be cautious. Many Internet security programs are now verifying search engine results as being healthy or dangerous sites with special icons next to their entries.

If you are linking to websites that are not verified as safe by Internet security firms, you may be harming your own search engine rankings. To test how healthy your site links are, head to Google and search for your own lawyer website. If your Internet security verifies it, you're good to go. If not, you should check the sites you're linking to.

Many sites are flagged dangerous because they have bad third-party advertising on them. While they're not necessarily dangerous themselves, their banner ads may be, so you need to avoid linking to them.

Also remember that when you link to another website, you're endorsing them as a trusted source you associate with. If you wouldn't tell a client to their face that the information on X website is trustworthy, don't link to it. Your goal is to be seen as a knowledgeable source of legal information, so you should only be linking to the best of the best on your lawyer website.

There are many other tips and things you need to know when working on getting your lawyer website found on the Internet. My article covers the basics of how search engine rankings work, as well as other important ways to be found.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Webmasters and Your Legal Website Content Management System

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32154 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Content is a key player in your struggle for dominance in the search engine rankings. A good webmaster will not only understand this, but also know how to best help you take control of your search engine rankings. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is to have a good content management system.

A content management system allows both you and your webmaster to easily and quickly add new content to your legal website. The search engine spiders love to see that your legal website is being updated on a regular basis with new content. No matter if you write your own content or have a web content development company writing for you, you should always have access to updating.

Good content management systems allow even less computer-savvy users to easily add text, pictures and video. It should have a simple interface, sometimes known as a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface, where you can input your content just as you want it to appear on your legal website.

When discussing development of your legal website with a potential webmaster, make sure to ask them how they go about adding new content to your site. If they demand they handle it all without giving you any access, you should steer clear of them. They may argue that by letting them handle it all, they minimize the chances of others messing things up, but good content management systems have safeguards to prevent less-savvy users from getting too deep into things.

Your webmaster is a large contributor to how successful your website is as a part of your legal marketing strategy. Without proper cooperation between you and your webmaster, you may find your Internet presence lacking. My article explains the importance of your webmaster, as well as tips on finding the right one for the job.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

The Dos and Don'ts of Social Networking Profiles

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32022 — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

When you're establishing your social networking profiles, remember that nothing on the Internet is ever private. Even if you lock down every single part of your profile, the mere fact that you put it on a computer means there's the potential that someone will find a way to retrieve your information. The following are some tips for setting up your profiles:

DO include the pertinent information about your practice or law firm.
DON'T make the entire profile just about your business, unless it's specifically for the business itself.
DO include some more casual photos, such as your family, pets, company picnics, etc.
DON'T post any photos that would portray you or your office in a negative light.
DO include some fun information such as favorite books or leisure activities.
DON'T mention controversial matters that may drive away potential clients.

Setting up your profile should be common sense: it's like your virtual presence on the Internet. This is what your clients will see and how they will form their initial impressions of you, so you need to make sure you're conveying the image you want associated with your name and practice.

Social networking can be a scary place if you're not careful about what you post. Because your profile is sometimes the first point of contact for your potential clients, you need to make sure you understand appropriate social networking for lawyers.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Appropriate Interaction With Social Networking

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)32020 — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the major points of social networking is to socialize with your fellow users. Having a profile on Facebook or Twitter is useless if all you do is talk about yourself, or even worse - set it up and never use it again. It's frustrating to find someone's social networking profile and see that all they did was create it without adding any content.

When making the most of your social networking profile you need to remember that the point is to socialize and network-ongoing communication is key. Many companies like to use Facebook as an unofficial market research tool, posing questions to fans and asking for customer opinions on new ideas.

While you don't have a product to really sell, you do have knowledge. Use your social networking profiles to promote the education of your clients (and show off your knowledge of legal matters), or have some fun with them. Pose questions to invite discussion, and not just about legal issues. Ask your followers what their favorite vacation destination is; show that you care about life outside the office.

You should engage in discussion with your clients as often as possible to keep the "social" in your social networking. Don't let comments on your profiles left by your visitors go unanswered (this goes for blogs, too). Knowing appropriate use of social networking for lawyers is critical to yet another successful legal marketing presence on the Internet.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

The Virginia Bar's Campaign Against 3rd Party Websites

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31946 — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Last year, I brought arguments against a proposed Virginia bar rule that would restrict the participation of lawyers in 3^rd party lawyer referral websites. LEO 1851 was proposed to restrict lawyers from registering with websites that allow a client to enter their information and have it forwarded to the participating lawyers in their geographical area. The lawyer can then contact the client and discuss their services.

LEO 1851 claims that this practice is a violation of standing bar rules that prevent a lawyer from "giving something of value to a person or organization in exchange for recommending employment." This is misconstruing the fact that while the lawyers do have to pay to be listed on these types of 3^rd party sites, the site is only acting as a medium between client and lawyer.

When a client puts their information into one of these websites, they are effectively saying they are interested in being contacted by lawyers relevant to their case. They are requesting contact, they are not asking the website for a recommendation, only information from their potential lawyers. There is no endorsement coming from the website, the client is free to accept or deny all contacts that come from their inquiry.

You can read my letter to the executive director of the Virginia State Bar with my full opinion on the absurdity of the matter. Once you've seen how out-of-touch some bar rules are, read my article on marketing ethics and working with bar rules.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Ethical Lawyer Advertising Doesn't Need To Be Boring

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31945 — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

You shouldn't let the state bar rules on lawyer advertising scare you into vanilla ads and scaling back your legal marketing. In reality, you should look at ethical advertising constraints as a challenge to your creativity. If they're telling you not to do it one way, that's cause for you to find a new way to do things.

I know one lawyer whose state bar prohibits saying you're the "best" or "most successful" at any sort of practice area. He got around this restriction by simply saying in his ads "The state bar won't let me say I'm the best personal injury attorney..." There he was able to work that key phrase of "best personal injury attorney" in his text, but was still following the bar rules.

Of course, if you push the limits too much, you run the risk of provoking your state bar, so you should still be cautious. One of the safest, most effective ways of legal marketing that I've seen is the offering of free information. I've yet to see an ethical argument against offering a free book, guide, or CD because everyone has the ability to create these items and you're not asking for anything from the client except a way to get it to them.

State bar rules and ethical guidelines may seem like a chokehold on your legal marketing, but they don't have to be. My article on marketing ethics and working with bar rules helps explain the basic principles of lawyer advertising restrictions and how to work with them.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - 703-591-9829.

Strategies for Niche Legal Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31738 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A lot of lawyers employ what I like to call "random chance" marketing. They place generic Yellow Page ads and make broad spectrum websites in hopes that their next big client will stumble upon their legal marketing efforts. While, yes, there are clients out there that throw a dart and contact which ever lawyer's ad they land on, these aren't the kind of clients with million dollar settlements.

You already know you want to establish yourself as the big case lawyer. You want to work with ideal clients who will give you the revenue to sustain your law firm and let you sleep at night. You also want to spend less effort on legal marketing, but have it be just as effective. All this means is that you must focus your marketing efforts in the areas that matter to your target market.

Now that you've found your niche practice area, determine the profile of a client who would be looking for your type of legal service. Some questions to consider are:

Which side am I representing, the victim or the accused?
How old is my average client?
What kind of social background do they generally have?
Is there a common thread (motorcyclists, parents, businessmen)?
What kind of advertising do they respond to the most?

These questions will allow you to decide if a YouTube video would be more appropriate than a newsletter, or if your website should make special enhancements for elderly viewers.

I explore all the benefits and tips in my article, "Marketing Yourself as a Niche Lawyer. Niche lawyers who follow through with adjusting their legal marketing strategies have also effectively cut down on their overall marketing efforts. You can make a name for yourself in your local community by becoming THE name in your practice area.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Niche Practice Areas and Legal Marketing Go Hand in Hand

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31737 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you think you can narrow down your practice area to a specific niche market without changing your legal marketing strategy you're wasting your time. There's no sense in saying you'll only handle certain specific types of cases, but still advertise to a huge market of clients.

If you keep marketing to a general clientele when you've decided on a targeted practice area, you're going to waste money bringing in unwanted clients and time turning them away. The goal of Great Legal Marketing is to reduce the time and effort you spend on your legal marketing strategies by only focusing on the quality methods that will attract your ideal clients.

By focusing your legal marketing efforts on places and means that your client niche will respond to, you'll reduce the amount of marketing you need to do. You'll also reduce costs and still be able to bring in only the clients you want. You don't need to constantly sift through unwanted clients to find that one diamond in the rough.

I explore all the benefits and tips in my article, "Marketing Yourself as a Niche Lawyer." I've seen it work for several successful lawyers who've become the only name in town when it comes to their niche practice area. You can make a name for yourself in your local community by becoming THE name in your practice area.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Getting Published Isn't as Hard as You Think

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31736 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

I'm going to tell you about a friend of mine, Tom Costello, who is the publisher and editor at Word Association. They're a one-stop shop for editing, proofing, consulting, ghostwriting, formatting, design, credentials, printing, marketing, and distribution of your legal books. In short: Word Association does everything.

If you've written your content, Word Association will read through it, edit if requested, and send a publishing proposal with all the services they can offer. You can choose as many or as few of the options as you want, and they'll work with existing content or develop new content with you from scratch.

They offer both hardcover and paperback (they suggest paperback) and most importantly handle the ISBN and Library of Congress identification numbers (LoC only for books longer than 42 pages). These numbers allow your books to be sold by stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, should you choose to distribute nationally.

Companies like Word Association make it simple for anyone willing to put the effort into their legal marketing and image to publish a quality legal book. It's going to cost a few thousand to get a good run of books published, but it's well worth it when your book is in the hands of your next big case client.

To get your legal book published you first need to write it! Learn more about the importance of legal books to your reputation and legal marketing plan in my article.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

How to Distribute Your Legal Books

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31735 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Once you've published your first legal book and you've got stacks sitting in your office, where do you go from here? You don't want to just start passing them out on the streets, you want to make your client demand your tome of knowledge. One thing you'll see on many successful lawyers' websites is the offer for their free book.

Your book should offer more information than your client ever knew they needed on your niche of interest. When they go to your website looking for help, you should have an offer on every page to deliver to them your wealth of information that you neatly packaged in book form. When they sign up to receive your book, you get the chance to capture their information and get them in your legal marketing machine.

Your legal books aren't only a source of information to help your clients, they're also a promotional tool for your legal marketing. They show the client you know your stuff, and then it serves as a physical reminder that you're there to help them further. You should have your branding on the book itself - your logo, contact/office information - because when your client realizes how helpful your words are, they're most likely going to want to meet you in person.

Legal books are a great asset to any lawyer's practice, but there's a lot more to them than just distribution. My article touches on the process to get from idea to finished book without as much hassle as you may think.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Branding Your Law Firm With Your Name or Logo

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31734 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

When people think logos they imagine the McDonalds' golden arches, or Nike's iconic swoosh. These are graphical reminders of the company, and the very sight of them calls their name to mind. They didn't have to be obvious either, they just had to be on everything related to that company and they became a synonym for that name.

Your law firm may not want a logo, they can often be seen as unprofessional and many attorneys stick to just text and names. That's fine, as long as it's consistent. If you're looking to create brand recognition with your names and nothing more, you need to choose one constant style of type. No matter the font, size, or color, you need to develop the style for your name and stick with it.

The more your clients see your name written in the same typeface, color and font, the more they'll remember it. Repetition is key with most forms of legal marketing, and logo branding is no different. You can resize the names to fit on business cards and blow them up for banners, but you need to keep the basic design the same to create a visual connection between your name and your office.

Benefitting from the power of free giveaways involves more than just developing good logo recognition. Check out my article to learn the best items to put your logo on and where to promote them.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

The Greatest Giveaway Items Are Practical

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31733 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Let's face it; we've all got a ton of logo-emblazoned pens and silly key chains lying around in our junk drawers. While yes, pens are practical, and some people still dangle key chains from their hooks, these items are more apt to land out of sight than on your client's desk.

The point of your giveaways is to provide your client with a practical item they'd use in everyday life that also has a reminder on it that you're there for their legal needs. Pens are a good low cost promotional item, but eventually you get so many of them you don't care whose logo is on it, you just need a pen.

A few of the better choices I've seen for lawyer promotional items include:

Tote bags - they're becoming more popular with the green movement, and have come down in cost.
Calendars - most people have a calendar on their desk, wall, kitchen, and they see them every day.
Key chains that do things - utility tools, tape measures, bottle openers.

You should also consider your unique position as a lawyer. What do you identify yourself with? Don't be afraid to brand yourself with items particular to your practice. If you handle a lot of auto accident claims, maybe a pen-sized tire pressure checker. If you're a business law attorney, why not try branding a business card holder?

There's a lot more to consider besides choosing the right promotional item when it comes to the power of free giveaways. Check out my article to see how your logo identifies you and where to get the most impact from your promotional items.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So, how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Meetings Are the Biggest Time Wasters

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31732 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

We waste hundreds of hours annually in meetings discussing things that could probably be solved with a quick stop at our partner's desk, or a simple office e-mail. Think about the reason you called your last meeting:

Was the issue you met about something that definitely needed an audience?
Was there a set time to end the meeting? Did you achieve all your goals and then some?
Was there a structure to your discussion?
Did everyone present really need to be there?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you're going about your meetings all wrong. Just like the rest of your day, your meetings need to be structured and serve a solid purpose. Without this, you're going to turn what could have been a 15-minute discussion in your office into an hour-long comment-fest involving way more people and effort than the original issue needed.

When you feel the need to call a meeting, stop and think about what you're doing. Perhaps there's another way to do things:

Look for alternatives. Can your issue be handled with an email or a quick pow-wow in your office? If so, do it that way rather than a big production in your board room.
Schedule a solid end time. This way you've got a deadline to work against and you'll be more efficient in the actual meeting.
List what you need to accomplish. If you have a set list of goals to work on during the meeting, you've got a solid purpose that needs to be accomplished.
Structure your time. Prioritize the most important issues first, that way if you truly do run out of time, you'll at least have the most important things taken care of.
Invite only those directly related to the issue. Don't bring in anyone who "might benefit" from the meeting, only bring in those who will solve your problem.

Meetings aren't the only dangers you face when protecting your time. Your time is your most valuable asset and my article explains the other dangers and ways to avoid time-wasters if you want to enjoy the success of your law firm.

The strategies we impart at the Great Legal Marketing seminars cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts of becoming a successful entrepreneur! For more tips on effective time management for lawyers, order a copy of my Militant Time Management for Lawyers program for more tips on maximizing your time - (703) 591-9829.

Email and Phone: Time Vampires

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31731 — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

How many times have you taken a phone call only to hang up 30 minutes later and realize you really didn't discuss much business? Your ringing phone can be one of the biggest distractions in your office because it's far too easy to lose track of your precious time. Voicemail was invented for a reason, there are few phone calls that you can't put off taking until your designated "phone time".

Email is similar in nature, although the email itself isn't so much the distraction, but the allure of everything else on the Internet. It's way too tempting to follow "Internet breadcrumbs" from an email. You read a message, it mentions something you had been meaning to look up, you go to Google, and suddenly you've lost track of time because one search leads to another.

You need to communicate through these two important channels, but you also need to manage the time you spend on them. Don't completely ignore your phone and email, but make sure to structure time into your daily schedule to tackle them. Then, and only then, should you focus on answering messages and replying to letters, and that's all. Minimize the chit-chat, if a buddy wants to gossip, do it on your leisure time or lunch break, don't waste work time or else you'll end up spending all night trying to finish the work you could have completed by 5.

There are several other strategies that are critical to time management for lawyers that I discuss in my article library. Learn why time is your most valuable asset and why wasting your time during the day on unimportant things can prevent you from enjoying the success of your law firm!

The strategies we impart at the Great Legal Marketing seminars cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts of becoming a successful entrepreneur! For more tips on effective time management, order a copy of my Militant Time Management for Lawyers program for more tips on maximizing your time - (703) 591-9829.

Why learn from someone who knows nothing about your profession?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31621 — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

It boggles my mind when I hear lawyers complaining that their practice/circumstances are different and therefore my marketing methods won't work for them based on some weak excuse they've concocted. Yet these are the same lawyers that blow thousands of dollars on so-called "gurus of marketing" - professional marketing coaches that claim to have cracked the marketing code.

I've bought some of these materials myself and they are all junk. One of these "gurus" (who isn't a lawyer, I might add) recommended a follow-up practice that he says is "just like the bill collectors use." Lawyers already have an image problem, why would we want to make it worse by acting like bill collectors?

I've said it before; legal marketing is hard. When you're faced with a difficult problem, you go to a professional who specializes in that field. Whether it be a doctor, a plumber or an accountant, each field has individuals who specialize in niche markets within the service. So why would you listen to just any marketing coach when you could learn from a legal marketing coach who is actually practicing law and currently using the exact same marketing methods they are teaching?

There are a lot of other pitfalls and issues that come with utilizing professional marketing coaches that don't have any specialty. You run the risk of learning and using the exact same tactics as so many others blindly follow. The key to good legal marketing is learning from those who have succeeded and then making their successful strategy work for you.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Legal Marketing Coaching From a Lawyer

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31620 — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

When I look back at the piles of marketing strategies and advice I've purchased from so-called "professional marketing coaches" I realize two things:

They're not lawyers (or if they were, they haven't been in practice for years)

and

They're not actually spending their own time and money using their own system.

These professional marketing coaches are spending all their time pitching their generic strategies to anyone who will shell out the hundreds or thousands of dollars for the information. They couldn't be bothered with trying to run a successful law firm.

When you're looking for specific advice on marketing to your profession, in this case, legal marketing, I thought it would make much more sense to learn from an actual lawyer who not only developed their methods when in practice, but is still in practice and actively using those methods.

That's why I developed Great Legal Marketing. It was a way to wrap up all my experience and ideas in a neat package for anyone interested in learning how an actual lawyer learned to market for lawyers. I took care of the trial-and-error phase and condensed years of learning what worked in legal marketing into my programs. This is something the professional marketing coaches never bothered to do, and they never will.

There are a lot of other pitfalls and issues that come with utilizing professional marketing coaches that don't have any specialty. You run the risk of learning and using the exact same tactics that so many others blindly follow. The key to good legal marketing is learning from those who have succeeded and then making their successful strategy work for you.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

The Circle of Legal Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31240 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

To borrow a page from your old chemistry book, when looking at your legal marketing you can consider your client database to be the nucleus of the operation. All of your marketing efforts - your website, blog, videos, radio ads, newsletter, directory listings - revolve around your database, feeding it with new names and drawing from it to operate.

It's easy to establish your client database, as you should already have a handful of client names to put in there. Now here's where your media protons come into play. Your website is probably the biggest player in feeding your database with fresh, new names to grow. Your contact form or "request more information" page should connect to your database and automatically add those names to your roster.

Now that you've got a well-fed database, it's time to let the media electrons suck some energy out of it to power themselves. Your newsletter draws its distribution almost completely from your client database, so it's heavily reliant on your website to get those new names. What good is a big database of names if you don't do anything with them? Get that newsletter out there and start marketing your expertise!

Another great visualization of how all this legal marketing media works together can be found in my legal marketing pyramid. There I explain the circle of life with legal marketing and how all your media interconnects in one way or another. With these methods you can weave a tight legal marketing web and dominate your area as the know-it-all legal resource.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

The Legal Marketing Pyramid Breakdown

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31239 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Think of your legal marketing strategies as a pyramid where all the parts rest atop a strong foundation that helps run the whole show. I'll break it down into the basic levels for easy absorption (from the top down):

The Top - Outbound Media

TV ads
Radio ads

The 2^nd Layer - Lesser Inbound Media

Yellow Pages
Lawyer Directories
Professional Listing Directories
Local Review or City Websites

The 3^rd Layer - Strong Inbound Media

Your website
Your blogs
Your online videos
Your client newsletter
Your information offers (books, guides, CDs, etc.)

The Foundation - Your Client Database

Just like a pyramid, the media types get wider as you head toward the base. Everything above should feed from and into the database. Your newsletter relies on your database (to have clients to send it to), while your website gains you new client names to add to your database. It's the legal marketing circle of life.

Of course, this is just a bare bones look at my legal marketing pyramid. My article covers all the levels in depth, including how they function in your overall legal marketing strategy.

I can't say whether or not this structure will work for you because no two lawyers are the same. You may find huge success with TV ads-and many lawyers have-while your friend in the next county may be getting hundreds of clients from his successful online video series. It's all about looking at what I'm explaining and deciding for yourself what's best for your firm.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Why You Should Read Think and Grow Rich

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31237 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

I'll admit at first I was skeptical about Think and Grow Rich. The title made me feel a little uneasy. How ethical is it to get rich without doing anything? This book doesn't tell you to sit around and wait for money to fall in your lap, this book tells you to sit around and observe.

After reading this book I thought to myself, "What if I looked at successful business people and entrepreneurs outside of the legal world to see if I could find patterns of thought and behavior that made them successful and could be modeled to change my law practice? Is that possible?"

Years later, you're here on my Great Legal Marketing website, reading this article for help on marketing your law firm, and I can say yes. I changed my outlook on marketing my law firm, looked at it as a business, and found a happy formula for work and life.

The method of drawing ideas from other successful entrepreneurs and implementing them in your own law firm is the same basic idea I try to get across in my Great Legal Marketing seminars. We all yearn to be successful "like that guy" so we should be studying what it is they do to make themselves succeed.

I've got plenty more recommended reading for good legal marketing advice and business development in my article on the subject. There I talk about the wonderful works of Dan Kennedy and how a book on persuasion could help land your next client.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Successful Legal Marketing Ideas Come from Great Reads

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31236 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you can profess that you have developed a great legal marketing strategy that will change the way lawyers look at marketing and advertising, what good is it to keep it to yourself? If you can't show the fruits of your labor to others, they won't believe the great ideas you've created!

That's where all the books on successful legal marketing, building your law firm business, and other business-related topics come from: entrepreneurs who have discovered the methods that work. It's important to seek out these kinds of tomes and read, read, read.

Some of my greatest ideas were gleaned from the knowledge in books by great businessmen like Dan Kennedy, or insightful gentlemen like Napoleon Hill. There's no better way to show you've discovered a secret to success than by letting others in on it. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. If you're sure your methods work, teach others and let them try for themselves - and that's exactly what my recommended reading list does.

Check out my article for recommended reading for good legal marketing advice. You'll find mini-reviews on some of the most valued books on my shelf. They're part of how I got where I am today with Great Legal Marketing and my own law firm, and they can do the same for you.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Don't Play the Blame Game: Make Your Own Success

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31235 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Too often I hear lawyers blaming everyone under the sun for their own shortcomings. It's always someone else's fault for their lack of cases or their knack for attracting the troublesome clients. They blame insurance companies, judges, other lawyers, the economy, and even their own clients for issues that they feel they have no power to change.

One of the biggest downfalls of these types of lawyers is that they don't know anything about the basic principles of successful legal marketing: If you're not willing to actively seek out the kind of clients and cases you want to take, you'll never get them.

It's too easy to just blame your own lack of success on something else. This way of thinking is only going to keep you and practice stuck in a rut. The smart entrepreneur looks at the factors that are troubling them and figures out how to change things.

The difference between the average lawyer and the entrepreneur who both see holes in their practice is how they handle it. The average lawyer will chalk it up to the economy whereas the entrepreneur will do something about it. In hard times, people love getting something for nothing, so offering your free information to clients rather than just trying to sell your services through your legal marketing efforts is a welcome relief to your potential client.

Creating a successful attorney marketing campaign that stands out from the "average" lawyer is only part of how to succeed in your journey to becoming a lawyer entrepreneur.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Marketing for Lawyers Should Be Unique

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31234 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you've got no concept of legal marketing or how marketing for lawyers works effectively, then your first instinct may be to look around and see what other lawyers are doing. This is how we've gotten to a point of pages and pages of Yellow Pages ads for lawyers that all look exactly the same. If you copy what everyone else does you are playing roulette with your marketing - hoping that when your client tosses the ball it lands on your number.

Don't get me wrong, looking around is a good thing. See what others are doing. If it's working for them, great - take it, improve it and make it unique to you and your practice. You look to others for inspiration, not answers. It's up to you to research attorney marketing strategies and find out what will make you stand out.

Remember that you are NOT a commodity. Your skills are unique and your legal marketing should be too. While the other ways of marketing for lawyers are out there screaming "pick me, pick me!" with their ads, break free from the standard. Offer your potential clients something besides yourself - your information package, your book, your CD and so on. Clients love getting something besides a sales pitch when they're looking for a new attorney.

Standing out from the normal marketing for lawyers is only part of how to be successful in your journey to becoming a lawyer entrepreneur.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Famous Lawyers: Boon or Bust?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31230 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

I've talked before about becoming a celebrity-a legal guru among the community-as a great legal marketing strategy. While a small-town celebrity can be a good status to have, there's some question over whether big-time celebrity lawyers (real or not) are helpful to our reputation.

There's 3 kinds of so-called "celebrity lawyers" - fake comedic lawyers, fake dramatic lawyers, and real spotlight lawyers.

Fake comedic lawyers: Lionel Hutz from The Simpsons, Marshall Ericksen from How I Met Your Mother, and Mitchell Pritchett from Modern Family are all current examples of fictional lawyers who serve to give a humorous look at the legal world. While some characters, like Hutz, perpetuate the sleazy, ambulance-chaser stereotype, others like Pritchett and Ericksen show family men and the public service side of the profession.

Fake dramatic lawyers: The cast of Boston Legal, Jack McCoy from Law and Order, and Perry Mason of the late '50s TV series are all dramatic fictional lawyers. While they may have their quirks, they still portray a more straight-laced, hardened lawyer that's more apt to represent the 80-hour-week type of attorney.

Real spotlight lawyers: These are the lawyers that make actual local, regional and national news for their involvement in high-profile cases. Some have stories that attain such fame as to garner movies about their lives. Others have found place in pop culture such as Johnnie Cochran. The effect on lawyer stereotypes is mixed with these lawyers - some are seen as heroes, others as villains.

The portrayal of lawyers in media can be a good and a bad thing. On one hand, it can show the more human side of the legal world, but more often it exaggerates the less glamorous parts. We need to rebuild the reputation and trust of lawyers in the community through ethical and interesting legal marketing. My article talks about the importance of this strategy and how you can best work on your own community presence.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Lawyers Need to Regain the Trust of the Community

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31229 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the most effective legal marketing strategies is to get out in the community and do some good. Building a brand around your name is a key component to establishing a good reputation with your clients. The more your name is seen within the local area, the more apt clients are to remember it when they need an attorney.

But how can you ensure you're putting your name in good places? Community sponsorships and events are an excellent legal marketing venue for getting your name out there while showcasing your commitment to better your community. Festivals, parades, local sports team sponsorships, school partnerships, etc. are all great places to put your logo, but being there in person is even better.

Many local sports teams and schools seek local businesses to sponsor them. In turn, you get to show off your logo on jerseys or sign boards. Festivals and parades are also great because not only can your name be present on banners for the event, but you can usually have a physical presence on a parade float or at a booth.

Community participation puts you face-to-face with your potential clients and shows them you care about what they care about - your community. Just think - you could be the only lawyer out there! Capitalize on that notion, chat with anyone who stops by and you'll be amazed at how many people can be convinced to hire legal help on matters they've been kicking around for years. At the least, they'll have your card, logo giveaway item, or brochure for future reference (which they can then share with friends!).

I've got a lot more to say on rebuilding the reputation and trust of lawyers in the community in my article. One of the best ways to regain your position of trust and authority in the community is through ethical, good legal marketing that breaks away from the stereotypes.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

The 6 Steps From Marketing to Sales

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31225 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

There's a 6-step process to get a potential client into your marketing funnel and down the spout to become a client:

Step 1 - Identify your ideal client. Know who you are marketing to before you even develop your attorney advertising. This will save you time with clients you don't want to deal with or cases you won't take.

Step 2 - Generate leads. The bulk of your legal marketing efforts do this - both direct advertising like Yellow Pages ads and the calls-to-action on your website. You get your client's attention here and make them want more.

Step 3 - Make them qualify. To make sure you're getting serious clients who are willing to work with you as much as you are with them, make them prove it. This can be as simple as requiring them to fill out an information form.

Step 4 - Individual consultation. Now that you know your potential client means serious business, invite them in to speak directly about their case. You can get a feel for the whole ordeal and know if you're willing to represent them or if you need to refer them to a colleague.

Step 5 - Proposal of work. Show your potential client that you mean business too, through past case results, testimonials, and references to cases similar to theirs that you have worked on.

Step 6 - Seal the deal. Once you're comfortable with them, and they are comfortable with you, it's time to put it all on paper. You've reached the "sale" part of the process and now have a new client to serve who will hopefully become a great source of good PR and future leads!

As you can see, there's a difference between sales and marketing. My article helps differentiate the two and shows how to master both.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Marketing and Advertising: Two Different Animals

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31224 — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Attorney advertising is only a part of your legal marketing plan. Your legal marketing campaign is like a puzzle and each advertising method is a piece of that puzzle; when they all come together they form the big picture that is your legal marketing strategy.

Attorney advertising is each individual event that you use to spread your name and services to potential clients. This includes:

Yellow Pages ads
Participating in a community festival with a booth or sponsorship
Promotional items (pens, stress balls, anything with your logo/name)
Business cards
TV and radio spots

These are all specific one-shot "yells" that serve to flash your name to the public and let them know who you are and what you offer. They grab attention and lead your potential clients to learn more. This is essentially the goal of attorney advertising - grab their attention and make them want more.

These methods are designed to feed into your overall legal marketing plan. Your attorney advertising should funnel your clients to your website or to order your information (your book, guide, CD, or whatever you offer). That's where the marketing kicks in. Your information-rich sources should give them the knowledge they need and the opportunity to ask you for more help.

Once you've got your attorney advertising working to feed your legal marketing and the clients are paying attention, it's time to make the sale. Don't let sales and marketing confuse you, there's a difference between sales and marketing that successful lawyers understand. My article helps differentiate the two and shows how they work together to help you build a successful practice.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

What is a marketing campaign?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31173 — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Your marketing campaign is the overall scope of all your marketing efforts. It's not just the single ad in the Yellow Pages or your website, because those are cogs in your marketing campaign machine. Your marketing campaign in the basic sense includes:

your client database;
your monthly newsletter;
your information packets/CDs/DVDs/e-books/guides;
your website;
your lawyer videos;
your social media accounts; AND
any other advertising methods (Yellow Pages, radio, etc).

These are all individual advertising venues or methods, not your entire marketing campaign. However, many of these methods work in tandem to perform the bulk of your marketing efforts. Your website lets your client order your e-book and in turn adds them to your client database. Or let's say a client becomes a fan of yours on Facebook. That client's friends see this and check out your website. They watch your YouTube video and decide they like you too, so they fill out your contact form and land their name in your database as well.

Notice how most everything leads back to your database? Yes, it's that important, because your database helps you in running a comprehensive, ethical and interesting legal marketing campaign, which I talk about a lot more in my article library.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Interesting Marketing Campaigns Don't Have To Be Over-the-Top

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31172 — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you're asked to name an interesting marketing campaign, you're probably going to list off the latest controversial TV ad or celebrity media stunt. While these are effective advertising strategies, they're not necessarily interesting. Does anyone really care that Michael Jordan wears Hanes?

Interest in your firm can be as simple as just being who you are. I know a lawyer who's an avid motorcyclist; he's been riding for 20 years. His practice areas include motorcycle injuries. See a connection there? This lawyer likes to weave in his personal experience whenever he's working the marketing angle of his practice. Clients trust him because he has first-hand experience in what he's marketing and he's one of them.

If you can make what you're offering interesting to the client, they're going to pay attention. A mother with a newborn suffering from a wrongful birth defect is going to pay a lot more attention to an attorney who's marketing themselves as a specialist in infant medical malpractice. You'll be even more interesting to her if you can site specific cases you've handled that relate closely to her situation and have community involvement in local children's hospitals or similar non-profit organizations.

I talk more about running a comprehensive, ethical and interesting legal marketing campaign in my article in our library. There's a lot to consider when developing your marketing campaign and the more effort you put in, the more return you'll get out.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Think like an Entrepreneur, Not a Lawyer

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31154 — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

What is an entrepreneur? They're the ones who discarded the normal way of thinking, took the risk, and forged ahead. Entrepreneurs are the types of people who can be presented with a new idea and see opportunity in it. There is no concept of "that's not for me" or "that won't work." Instead, it's, "well let's see what I can do with that."

If you were given the chance to improve some aspect of your business, wouldn't you jump at that chance? If you're the kind of person who can sit there and say "well, things are good, but they could be BETTER" then you're well on your way to thinking like an entrepreneur.

Even if something doesn't seem like it's appropriate for your legal marketing, there's a lesson to take away from it. Hiring an airline pilot to fly your banner over the beach may work for a local bar advertising their happy hour. But for a criminal defense attorney? Not so much. But a keen lawyer entrepreneur will look at that marketing tactic and think "OK. They're getting their name out in an appropriate place, now I have to find where my name is appropriate and get it there."

Visit my article library to learn more why you need to stop thinking like a lawyer and start thinking like a successful entrepreneur. There's a time and a place for thinking like an attorney and your legal marketing campaign is not it.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Why Thinking Like A Lawyer Hurts Legal Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31152 — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Always think about your goal for legal marketing: to attract your ideal clients and land the big cases. Are your ideal clients other lawyers just like you? In most cases, they're not, and that's why if you think like a lawyer when developing your legal marketing you're not going to get anywhere.

Lawyers are taught to be methodical, follow the rules, and adhere to the facts, which is all great for the court room, but horrible for legal marketing. What are some of the most memorable marketing stunts you've recently seen? They're the out-of-the-box, non-traditional sort of ads/marketing collateral that make people sit up and take notice.

Your work as a lawyer makes you immediately think of the facts. Too often I've seen lawyer's thought process toward legal marketing go as such:

FACT: my clients are looking for a personal injury attorney
FACT: my competitors advertise in the Yellow Pages
FACT: they're getting clients
CONCLUSION: I should advertise in the Yellow Pages and let my clients know I'm a personal injury attorney

Wrong! That legal marketing concept so sterile it's a wonder that anyone with that one-track minded approach would ever get clients, let alone their ideal clients.

I've got a lot more to say on the dangers of thinking like a lawyer when it comes to legal marketing and running a business in my article library. There's a time and a place for thinking like a lawyer and your legal marketing is not it.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Closed Minds Kill Entrepreneurial Attorney Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31150 — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Entrepreneurs are admired for their ability to break free from the norm and forge ahead in their profession. A sense of fearlessness and an open mind are key traits that are shared by many business leaders we consider entrepreneurs in their field. It's this open-minded mentality that allows successful lawyers to discover the right combination of marketing tools to help their law firm thrive.

Too often, I see lawyers develop their attorney marketing strategy by looking at their competition and copying exactly what they're doing, only louder/bigger. They'll see the new trends coming out like Facebook and YouTube and think "that's for THOSE kinds of businesses, a law firm is special." Guess what, your law firm is a business.

Law firms that reject all marketing venues that aren't being used by other lawyers are missing out on a golden opportunity. If no other lawyers are taking advantage of that marketing venue, why not be the first? At the very least, you'll be standing out from the competition because on that venue, there is none.

Humans would have never gotten anywhere had it not been for the brave entrepreneurs who decided to throw away traditional methods and try something risky and new. If you want to escape the average lawyer label and become an extraordinary entrepreneur in your area, my article can get you started.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Create a Successful Attorney Marketing Plan by Drawing Experience from the Right Sources

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31149 — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

We are taught in law school to learn from those who have been there; our professors and mentors who have spent their years in the legal profession. Unfortunately, many lawyers who go on to start their own law firm keep with this mentality always looking to their more experienced peers to see "how it's done." If they're still in business 30 years later, they must know what they're doing, right?

Before you start mimicking another law firm, take a look at their life. Are they living in the office 60, 70, 80 hours a week? Are they dealing with troublesome clients they'd rather not have? Are they working every case that comes in the door?

Just because they're a law firm that's surviving in the recession doesn't mean they're as successful and happy as they could be. When looking for an "entrepreneur idol" you should be looking beyond other lawyers. Think of the most successful businessmen in your area and evaluate what makes their business thrive.

Don't be sold on the thought that only other law firms know how to properly market law firms. Remember that your law firm is a business, and you can draw on ideas and experiences from any type of business to help build your own.

There's a lot more to discover when you're trying to escape the average lawyer label and become an extraordinary entrepreneur in your area. My article explains that entrepreneurs come in all professions, and being a lawyer is only half of your job.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Lawyer Directories vs. Google Search

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31093 — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

There's a reason Google is king of the mountain when it comes to search engines, and they're not looking to be ousted from their throne any time soon.

Even though some lawyer directory services pre-date Google in terms of when they were established, they're still living in the past, in a time when people used to search through books to find what they were looking for. Does anyone even hold on to their copy of The Yellow Pages anymore? Most of these paper directories have now entered the Internet age, but they're a few years too late: Google still wins.

If you were searching for a professional service like a plumber, how would you go about it? Most consumers hop on their computer, pull up Google (which is in many cases already their home page), and key in "Denver plumber" or whatever their geo-specific need may be. They're not going to add an extra step by searching "plumber directory" and then searching a directory to find their service provider.

Google has very sophisticated search engine metrics that analyze your website for its relevance to search topics. When your client types "personal injury lawyer Boston" Google provides the "lawyer directory" function of weeding out all other professional services in Boston and only showing lawyers.

The effectiveness of a lawyer directory as a lawyer advertising strategy looks pretty weak in the shadow of search engine giant Google. Before you try it, examine the costs of a directory listing versus some good maintenance on your existing website. You could find that your solution to being found is just some minor website tweaks.

The ball is in your court - there's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

It's Easy to Get Lost in Lawyer Directories

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)31091 — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Over the course of your practice you may have received notices of being listed in the "Best Lawyers" or "Who's Who In the Legal World" types of lawyer directories. Sometimes these listings are free of charge. Often, the group responsible for the lawyer directory will mention that they're also effective lawyer advertising. Hey, who wouldn't want to hire a lawyer that they've seen in the "Best of" magazine?

The problem is, the only people who typically see these publications are the lawyers themselves. This is just lawyer advertising to other lawyers! Your client probably doesn't even know this lawyer directory exists, or if they do, they have to pay a premium to use it.

Yes, these are real stories from real lawyer databases I've seen. They bait you with a prestigious offer of listing, and then reel you in with extra lawyer advertising perks and enhancements. What good is a lawyer directory listing if interested clients have to pay to see you?

There's more to be said about the effectiveness of a lawyer directory as a lawyer advertising strategy. Before you try it, examine the costs of a directory listing versus some good maintenance or upgrades on your existing website. You could find that your solution to being found is just some minor website tweaks.

The ball is in your court - there's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Your TV Commercial as an Effective Lawyer Advertising Tool

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30985 — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

TV commercials basically function just like any other lawyer advertising; you need to develop them with your ideal client in mind. If you're considering using TV commercials as your next marketing move, you need to ask yourself some questions first:

Does my ideal client look here for information?
Which channels does my ideal client watch and when?
What kind of hook can I use to draw the attention of my ideal client?
How can I stand out from other lawyer advertising TV commercials?

If the answer to the first question is no, you should probably forget about TV commercials as your lawyer advertising solution. Why waste money on advertising in places that aren't going to attract good clients? The answers to the latter 3 questions will determine the scope of your campaign.

Once you've got a plan for your TV commercials, you need to look at the cost and determine if it's a viable plan for your marketing goals. Remember that for every 1 ideal client reached through this lawyer advertising method, you may also be attracting several unwanted clients that will clog your phone lines or email inboxes, wasting your time.

Many more factors weigh in when you're deciding if TV commercials are a good lawyer advertising strategy. Check out my article on the subject for more pros and cons of TV commercial advertising for lawyers. You may think twice before trying to become the next Super Bowl commercial sensation.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Your ROI is About How Much You Spend with TV Commercials

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30983 — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you've decided to go the route of TV commercials for your lawyer advertising, there's a lot to think about in regards to broadcasting. Your goal in all your legal marketing is to target your ideal clients, and to do that you need to know where they are. The cost of your TV commercial campaign is largely dictated by when, where, and how often your commercial appears.

Your first instinct should be to determine the channels and times your ideal clients would be watching. This sort of information can be gathered through expensive case studies and focus groups, or you may be lucky and able to glean some insight through published studies. At the very least, you can just ask current clients about their viewing habits.

The big pitfall in dealing with TV commercial distribution companies is that no matter how many channels and time slots you purchase space on, you can always do more. The distribution company will tell you this, too. If you complain you're not getting any leads from your TV commercial, it's because "you didn't buy enough exposure."

TV commercials as an effective lawyer advertising strategy may not be all they're cracked up to be in today's age of digital recorders and online TV. For more pros and cons of TV commercial advertising for lawyers, check out my article on the subject. You may think twice before trying to become the next Super Bowl commercial sensation.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

What Your Radio Commercial Should Offer Listeners

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30981 — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

As with all of your lawyer advertising methods, your first goal is to get your information into the hands of your potential clients. You should have a book, audio CD, DVD, or at least some brochures that you can offer to send to interested listeners of your radio commercial. People love free stuff, especially when all they have to do to get it is pick up a phone or hop on your website.

Avoid rattling off all your practice areas and too many legal terms or case statistics. They're boring to listen to and won't attract clients. Instead, this information should be put on your website (except the legal terms; jargon is never a good read!).

Use the word "free" a lot, simply for the fact that people's ears perk up when they hear that word. Your radio commercials are audio-only, so you have to rely on tactics like repetition to get your message stuck in the listener's head. Remind them you're offering a FREE guide to your practice area, and offer FREE consultations.

Radio stations love free stuff too, because they can give it away to listeners. If appropriate (say, for instance, you've written a book on protecting yourself from foreclosure), offer the radio station a copy of your book to include in their on-air giveaways. This gets your materials in more hands!

Effective lawyer advertising with radio commercials relies on the message you impart and when it's heard. My article on effective radio advertising talks more about how to craft a great radio commercial for your firm and how to go about scheduling when it airs.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Analyzing the Right Timing for Your Radio Commercial

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30979 — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Figuring out when your radio commercials are most effective can be a very time-consuming task. It's going to involve a lot of questioning of new clients on when/where they heard your ad. The easiest way to track your responses to your lawyer marketing is to watch your call and email volume and Web traffic when you know your radio commercials are airing.

But if you list your main website or office phone number on your radio ad, how can you tell if the traffic is coming from your radio commercial or another source? The truth is; you can't. In order to successfully track your responses, you'll need to direct listeners to a landing page specifically set up for only your radio ads or a 1-800 number used solely for this purpose.

If you are noticing that your radio commercials aren't bringing in the traffic you had hoped for, it's time to switch things around a bit. Try a different time block, increase the frequency of your ads, test different days, or perhaps change your message, but make sure you're only changing ONE thing at a time. If you change too much at once you may be fixing things that aren't broken.

Effective lawyer advertising with radio commercials is a tricky thing that involves a lot of patience, but the direct response payoff can be great. My article on creating effective radio ads touches a lot more on the nuances of radio commercials and how they can work for you.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Expand your Great Legal Marketing Experience

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30975 — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

I hope by now you've taken time to explore my website and learn from some of the great advice and insight I've provided on legal marketing. If you haven't already, check out my library of articles and read through my blogs. The advice I give here is immediately available and completely FREE.

If you want something more tangible, head over to order my free marketing CD set (the order form is right on the main page). While you're on there, grab a copy of my free report full of stories from lawyers just like you who made the decision to stop wasting their time and take command of their legal marketing.

One of the best ways to get motivated about making the changes necessary to succeed in your practice is to surround yourself with like-minded, successful lawyers who are just like you. They're sick of the 80-hour work weeks, dealing with clients/cases they can't stand, and spending $1000s on traditional marketing with little return. If you're looking for a change, you can learn how to make that change at a Great Legal Marketing conference.

Lawyers who are open to thinking "outside the box" and looking for better ways of marketing and managing their practice are the ones who attend a Great Legal Marketing conference one year and come back the next.

The second time around, they're not the ones learning, they're the ones teaching, because they took my strategies to heart and turned their practice (and lives) around. Many of our attendees are our success stories, and more than willing to share their experiences with new lawyers and help them follow in their footsteps.

For more information on all the great benefits the Great Legal Marketing conference can offer you, check out the full article. If you're already sold and know you're the type of lawyer who wants to succeed in your area, then you can head straight to my Great Legal Marketing SuperConference website and register today!

The Great Legal Marketing conference is June 11-12, 2010 at the Fair Lakes Hyatt in Fairfax, VA.

What Kind of Attorneys Attend Ben Glass's Great Legal Marketing Conferences?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30974 — Mon, 03 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Both our lawyer presenters and our lawyer attendees have one major thing in common: they all want to succeed in their practice without being a slave to it. Those lawyers who have been to my Great Legal Marketing conference in the past made a decision to stop blaming external factors and do something about their own success.

Lawyers that yearn for a practice in which they are:

experiencing rapid and serious growth
constantly receiving referrals from former clients and other attorneys
accepting only the cases they want
earning more money
able to take a vacation or get home in time for dinner without fearing their practice will fall apart without them
enjoying a marketing system that produces a steady stream of leads with measurable results that doesn't break the bank

...are the kind of lawyers that will benefit from the Great Legal Marketing conference.

Many of our presenters are lawyers like me who were frustrated with traditional legal marketing and missing out on life because we were married to our practice. I stepped back and knew there had to be a better way, and when I couldn't find it, I looked to other professionals to see how they were succeeding.

Many of these professionals are presenters at the Great Legal Marketing conference, and you can learn from them the same way I did.

For more information on all the great benefits the Great Legal Marketing conference can offer you, check out the full article. If you're already sold and know you're the type of lawyer who wants to succeed in your area, then you can head straight to my Great Legal Marketing SuperConference website and register today!

The Great Legal Marketing conference is June 11-12, 2010 at the Fair Lakes Hyatt in Fairfax, VA. You can get a head start on learning by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Success Breeds Success: Choose Your Friends Wisely

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30888 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, "You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most." Think about your 5 closest friends - are they living the lives they want, or are they slaves to their jobs and struggling to remember the faces of their family members? You are known (and influenced) largely by the company you keep.

Your business relationships play a large part in your successful lawyer lifestyle. If you surround yourself with successful, positive people who love their jobs and are living the life they want, you'll find yourself striving for these same feelings. Nothing demotivates you quicker than pessimistic business relationships that constantly complain about their work.

Learning from a successful lawyer is a good way to start on your own path to success. You should seek out those who have taken the journey to success and emulate them. After all, who better to follow than someone who has already been there? Listen to words from the wise and figure out how to apply their advice and experiences to your own life.

You can draw plenty of inspiration from your good business relationships, and also by seeking out those at the top of their industry. Truly successful lawyers who are happy with their lives are eager to share their experiences. That's what you'll get from my Great Legal Marketing seminars - a collection of successful lawyers willing to share their tips and advice on joining their ranks.

Your business relationships and attention to other industry leaders are only two parts of the many tips I have on becoming a successful lawyer.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

How You Spend Your Time Is A Benchmark of Success

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30887 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

The slave Aesop, famous for his fables, once wrote "value is in the worth, not the numbers" or more modernly; "Quality, not quantity." This holds true for how you control your time management as a successful lawyer. You need to remember that your time is just as valuable as anyone else's, and neither your practice nor your clients have the right to take it from you.

Your time is a commodity and what you spend that time on will help determine how successful you are in reaching your goals. Don't let your calendar be eaten up by anything that's not deserving of your time. Using time management to weed out those small cases and other time-vampires will allow you more time to focus on things that matter to a successful lawyer.

Setting chunks of time aside for the necessary things like preparing briefs for a big case that is about to go to trial is a good way to make sure your time is being used efficiently. Being a slave to your Email and phone is a surefire way to get distracted from what really matters. A successful lawyer is in high demand, and your clients will understand this if they don't get a call back until a few hours later.

Use your time management skills to set aside blocks of time to work on certain tasks, and then allot a chunk of time for tackling your correspondence all at once. Forget the myth that if you aren't on call 24/7, you'll miss that big case client. You can set aside small periods of time between bigger projects throughout the day to handle your phone and Email.

There's a lot more to time management than what I've touched on here. So much, in fact, that I wrote a book on the topic; "Militant Time Management For Lawyers." Time management is one major aspect of becoming a successful lawyer, and my article of top lawyer success tips has even more tricks of the trade.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Producing A Lawyer Video Doesn't Require A Huge Budget

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30886 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

When someone mentions making a lawyer video for your firm, you may be struck with fear of production costs. Making online videos has become so inexpensive that some computers now come fully equipped with everything you need to become the next YouTube legal sensation.

There are only 3 basic things you need for making online videos:

a camera
a computer
video editing software

Many computers and laptops come with internal webcams, or bundled with a moveable one. While this style is OK for an informal Q&A lawyer video, you may want to invest in a better quality handheld camera for a more professional shot.

Both Apple and Windows computers come with pre-installed software that allows for easy, user-friendly lawyer video editing. You can add text, music, and transitions without prior experience in making online videos.

You don't need to spend money on sets or props; your office is a great setting from which to reach out to your clients, because that's where you eventually want them to end up. You may want to go for a less formal setting if you're covering a lighter topic. Dress appropriate to what you want the video to accomplish: business attire for answering serious legal questions and more casual attire for less serious issues.

Making online videos are more affordable than ever as video cameras become cheaper and free online video services continue to advance. Visit my library to learn more about why lawyer videos are an important part of your online success.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Make Your Readers Want to Read Your Lawyer Blog Posts

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30885 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Your clients will visit your lawyer blog for information and perhaps, for a bit of entertainment. Your blog content should be easily read, relevant, engaging, and constantly updated to be an effective part of your legal marketing strategy. This may sound like a difficult thing to accomplish in 300 words, but as long as you remember a few key points it will be a snap.

Be interesting
Be redundant
Be a tease
Be open

Don't be afraid to go a little off the beaten path every once in a while. Lawyer blog posts that throw in a little non-lawyer fun now and again will show that there is more to you than your law practice. Discuss community news, or share interesting (but never overly personal) tidbits from your travels or non-work activities. Holiday posts are always fun diversions from the everyday legal world.

Remember that the more blog content you post, the more your lawyer blog can help you. For more tips on how blogging generates traffic for your website, read my article.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Organizing and Maintaining Your Lawyer Blog

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30884 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Your lawyer blog is like a mini-website and can be organized just like your main website. Part of this maintenance means ensuring your blogs are linking back to relevant articles and content on your main website.

Because blog posts should be kept short, you can use them as samples or teasers to guide your readers to the more informative, meatier Web content contained in your article and video libraries.

The syndication of your posts is also a big part of the success of your lawyer blog. The more eyes that see your lawyer blog, the more established you become on the Internet as a source of trusted information. Make sure your blog posts allow readers who found your post through another website to easily view the rest of your blog entries as well as get to your main website.

Keeping your blog posts clearly categorized is important when clients are searching for specific information. Your lawyer blog should have each post fall within a category (car accidents, dog bites, DUI defense, etc.) that mirrors your practice areas. This list of categories will appear on your main blog sidebar and allow clients to easily find information that is specific to their interests.

Using good keywords and organizational methods are just part of how you can help your lawyer blog work for you. For more tips on how blogging generates traffic for your website, check out my article.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Your Website is the Center of Your Internet Universe

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30553 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Many of the marketing strategies I've discussed in other articles involve the Internet. While you need to branch out into Web services like YouTube and Facebook, remember that the center of your Internet activity, should be your website.

Your website is the link your potential clients will click on when searching the Internet for legal information and the place they should arrive at after reading your syndicated blog posts, Facebook status updates, Twitter tweets, and the like. Because so many of these other Internet marketing strategies are just quick plugs for your legal services, you need to have them lead your clients back to your website to give them the full scoop.

With this is mind, create your website with your client's needs in mind. Your blog, your videos, archiving your newsletter, and building your client database through your contact form are all made possible as you set your website in motion. You may not choose all of these marketing strategies, but they all partner very well with your website.

Since your website is so important to the success of your other marketing strategies, you need to make sure your website is working for you. My article, Make Your Law Firm's Website Work for You, talks more in-depth about what your website says about you and the 3 steps to good Web content and searchability.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Your Website is Your Internet Image

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30552 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Any client who finds you through the Internet will most likely interact with your website before setting foot in your office. Even if they found your name through a linked blog entry, or saw your name on a legal directory, they'll eventually end up on your website looking for your contact information.

If your site design and content haven't been updated since you created your website, it's going to turn off most clients. If you aren't taking the time to maintain your online image, what does that say about your dedication to your practice? Just as your office and business cards are reflections of the success and reputation of your practice, so is your website.

Clean, easy-to-navigate websites are not only a good reflection on your image, but they're also what drive clients to explore more. If they're looking for information, they're going to want a site that points them to exactly what they're looking for. The better your site works for your clients, the better it works for you by leading them to your doorstep.

The look of your website isn't the only thing you have to consider when making your website work for you. My article on this topic talks more in-depth about the steps to good Web content, being found on search engines and more.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

The Importance of Your Web Content to Rank on Google

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30549 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

It should be a no-brainer that your website needs to have fresh, updated content added on a regular basis. Who wants to come back to the same stale articles month after month? Your clients' needs change, and your content should be one step ahead by addressing those needs.

Your content is the second biggest reason your clients come to your website (the first should be finding a way to contact and hire you). They're looking for information relevant to their case, and if your articles are talking about laws repealed 5 years ago, they're going to look elsewhere.

The biggest reason your Web content needs to be updated regularly is that search engines love new content. They can tell when a website isn't updating. In turn, they will bump it down the page - and possibly reduce their site rankings - when it comes time to display the results of any given search.

Your goal is to have your website at the top of Google's search results pages. Once you've conquered page 1, it's harder to knock you off your throne as long as you're constantly updating your Web content.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

The Key Points of Search Engine Optimization

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30548 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a fancy term for making your website and content easily found on Google and other search engines. Many companies specialize in offering these services to site owners, but even you can - and should - help your website climb up the search engines' ranks.

Content is the No. 1 factor that can make or break your standings on search rankings. If none of your keywords match what's in your page content, the search engines will cry foul and snub your site. Likewise, if you're not utilizing your keywords properly, this too can be a game stopper for your shot at the top.

Knowing how your clients search for you is important and the terms they enter in the search box are your keywords. Try Google's keyword search to see what kind of hits your keywords are getting. Not only may it surprise you to see how many people search for lawyers on the Internet, but also what kinds of lawyers are most popular.

Optimizing your website for searchability is just one step in the right direction to dominate Google. My article has a lot more information on how the search engines operate and how you can make them your website's best friend.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Use Your Client Newsletter as a Networking Tool

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30546 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Networking doesn't end at legal marketing seminars. A good lawyer has friends in all sorts of places, from doctors to plumbers. You never know who may be the link to your next big case. That's why it's important to get your client newsletter in as many hands as possible so people can see who you are and what you do.

Reaching out to other professionals to contribute to or be featured in your client newsletter helps you in 2 ways:

1) it adds some fresh, new content to your articles - something a bit off the beaten path but interesting;

2) it shows that you're involved with other well-respected professionals and businesses in your area. This builds both your community reputation and professional status.

You can form these networking ties in different ways. Asking around for article submissions is a great way to get businesses who are actively interested in marketing endeavors excited about contributing.

Another way is to approach interesting businesses or people for an interview, showing them that you're just as interested in them as your clients may be.

Whenever you write about or mention other businesses or professionals in your client newsletter make sure they receive or have access to copies of your newsletter to distribute to their clients.

For more tips on developing and marketing your client newsletter, check out my article on effective lawyer marketing through client newsletters.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Make Your Client Newsletter a Must-Read Mail Piece

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30542 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the main ways you can save your client newsletter from the fate of tossed out is to make it interesting. You want your newsletter to be a monthly piece of mail they look forward to, just like a magazine. This means your content needs to be fresh, unique, and relevant to their interests.

Remember that everything you find interesting that is related to your practice isn't necessarily going to interest the recipients of your newsletter. While the results of the latest state government statute revisions may send your interest meter soaring, it usually won't be the same for your clients.

Refrain from including straight legal content like, case briefs or even worse, legislature. Instead, report on these sorts of news items from an average person's perspective.

Don't forget to give your client newsletter some personality, too! Your clients want to know what else is going on in the world around your law firm, not just legal matters. Include fun stories about you and your employees, local events, and even interview a client or 2. A great strategy would be to feature client success stories and how your firm impacted their lives.

The client newsletter is a powerful outreach tool that serves as a great follow-up marketing strategy. Don't pass up the value this publication can offer to your law firm.

My article on effective use of your monthly newsletter offers content and organizational ideas to make your newsletter a success.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Networking Outside Your Field Can Grow Your Client Database

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30541 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Networking used to be confined to others in your immediate line of business. While growing relationships with other local attorneys not in your practice area is always a good idea, you should be looking outside of the legal world to make new connections.

Your law practice deals with many types of cases no matter what your practice area. Even if you're strictly a car accident attorney, you may deal with DUI cases, hit-and-run accidents, truck accidents, and a whole slew of other types of cases. Sometimes you may need expert advice or testimony for a case. Wouldn't it be nice to have a mechanic who knows his stuff in your client database?

Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective ways to grow your client database with little to no effort on your part. When your name is synonymous with your area of legal practice, people are going to refer their friends to your law firm. Because most people looking for a lawyer are asking non-lawyers, it makes sense to network with trusted professionals in other fields.

Word-of-mouth and referrals are just 2 ways you should be building your client database. My article on building a killer database talks more in-depth about how to build it, manage it, and use it to its full potential.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

The Importance of Knowing Where Your Client Database Comes From

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30533 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

With hundreds, potentially thousands, of names in your client database you need to establish a tracking system early-on to know how they found you. The names in your client database come from many different places including:

Contacts through your website form
Personal contacts like friends and family
Other local attorneys in other practice areas
Client referrals

Knowing how a client name got added to your database is important for two reasons: it lets you track which marketing strategies are working and allows you to tailor your marketing efforts to their specific needs.

If a name is added to your client database because that person requested your book on personal injury lawsuits, you're going to want to follow-up with them any time you have new information relevant to personal injury law. Likewise, if you notice that most of your new names are coming from your website contact form and not from client referrals, you may want to introduce a referral incentive program.

You can easily track and manage all your client database contacts with good planning and database software. My article on building a killer client database covers how to get those client names, manage them, and what to do once you've got things running.

There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Parts to the Whole: Your Big Lawyer Marketing Plan

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30531 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Don't let the idea of a wholly revamped lawyer marketing plan scare you into inaction. If you break your strategy down into simple steps and milestones, not only does this cut the intimidation factor, but it lets you better gauge your progress and successes. Keeping yourself on track with the development and implementation of your new marketing plan is essential to your success.

This isn't meant as a "to-do" list, as those are more suited for individual marketing efforts like how to set up a good blog system. Instead, these are key points you should consider as you develop your new lawyer marketing plan:

YOU decide on the ideal clients you want to serve in your practice.
Grow and cultivate your "herd" of raving fans.
Establish yourself amongst your ideal clients as the wise man/woman of the legal world.
A good client database that automates your marketing efforts is a must.
Make sure everything you publish - articles, blogs, newsletters, etc. - attracts attention and compels your readers to act!
In your writing and marketing materials, give your potential clients a taste of what they want, then make an irresistible offer to make them jump up and ask for more.
A good marketing plan has consistent communication 12 to 26 times per year (this can include newsletters, Emails, informational packages, and even holiday cards).
Be relentless in your follow-up.
Visit my library to learn more about developing a lawyer marketing plan. A great legal marketing plan involves a lot of effort and steps, but the payoff can mean the difference between being a slave to your practice and taking control of your free time.
There's a lot more to learn if you want to build your practice full of happy clients, reasonable hours and a 6-figure salary. Start by requesting a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report. Consider it a step toward transforming your law firm into a successful and highly profitable business - (703) 591-9829.

Don't Let a New Lawyer Marketing Plan Scare You

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30529 — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

You've worked your way through graduating law school, passed the bar, and established your own practice. In the midst of all that you may have gotten married, bought a house, had a baby, and many other life-changing events. You're not going to let a new project like committing to a lawyer marketing plan scare you, right?

Breaking down the areas of your marketing plan into parts will help reduce the intimidating size of the project. Once you have your parts in mind, you need to commit yourself to seeing the project through to the end. It will be tough, and you're going to have to work hard to start seeing results, but it will pay off.

You know from years of law school and lots of rough cases that anything worth having is worth working for, and it doesn't always come easy. That one-step fix to your marketing needs doesn't exist, if it did I wouldn't be writing this blog and pointing you to my article on the 12 points of success for great legal marketing.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Syndication is for the Internet Too, Not Just TV

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30328 — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

I've mentioned previously that repetition is key to a good marketing strategy. Your image as a legal guru and source of all things law-related is linked to how often you're seen. Syndication is not just a term for TV, it's also when you post your own content to other content hubs like Delicious, Boing Boing, Ezine, and even your own RSS feeds on the Internet.

The more people that read your information, the more you establish your image as a legal guru. When Internet readers see that your blog post is linked to on multiple sites, your credibility climbs through the roof. And not only do outside links to your articles and blogs help boost traffic to your website, they also show Google that you're worth bumping up in the search rankings.

The more people that are seeing your blog posts and articles linked to on other websites, the more clicks you get to your original content. Google sees this and in turn thinks "Wow, this guy must be the guru when it comes to (insert your practice area here), let's show them off more!" Suddenly, you're popular, relevant - you've become a legal celebrity!

Syndicating your image as a legal guru is only one part of your legal marketing machine. For more tips on establishing your new image as a lawyer-celebrity check out our article on becoming the legal guru in your world.

The strategies we impart at the Great Legal Marketing seminars cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts of becoming a successful entrepreneur! Get a free CD and report to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works - (703) 591-9829.

As a Legal Guru, Your Blog Is Your Image

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30327 — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

There are 3 major points to remember when starting a blog for your law firm:

#1 - Write often
#2 - Write relevant
#3 - Write using keywords

These 3 points can help you write the kind of blogs your clients actually want to read and boost your search engine rankings so those clients can actually find you online.

Consistently publishing new blogs lets people know that this is an actual blog written by a person and not just a computer generated repost of stale information. Relevance is also important, so you're going to want to:

keep it simple;
talk about the areas of law you practice; and
inject your personality into each post.

The keywords you use in your posts make the search engines more likely to index your entries and lead new clients to your website.

A few more legal marketing tips on establishing your image through blogging:

Know your audience - if you're trying to hook your ideal clients, write about what's relevant to their demographic. An 80-year-old may not be very concerned with new child care laws, but a 30-something mother of 2 probably will be.
Keep it short - This blog entry is less than 400 words and yours should be too; Internet readers don't want to invest a lot of time.
Write calls-to-action - don't just tell them what, tell them how. Top 10 lists, "how to" guides, and guiding them on how to get more information are great ways to engage your clients.
Tell secrets - people love to think they're learning something no one else knows. This boosts your image as the legal guru, too.
Invite discussion - allow comments, and make sure you keep an eye on them. Interact with your readers, prove you're real and you know your stuff.

Your image as the legal guru is just beginning with these tips on blogging. For the other 4 must-have pieces of your new celebrity image, check out our article on becoming the legal guru in your world.

At Great Legal Marketing, we focus on saying NO to ineffective traditional lawyer marketing. We seek out new strategies to market to our ideal clients in ways they'll actually respond to. So how do you get started? Get a FREE report and CD from legal marketing guru, Ben Glass.

Ben will teach you how to: stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block; grow the kind of practice you can be proud of; and still get home in time for dinner. Contact us today - (703) 591-9829.

Exploring Media Types for Your Lawyer Marketing Campaign

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30138 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

There's a vast expanse of marketing media types out there for you to take advantage of. I've been stressing a multi-media plan for your lawyer marketing campaign, but there's a difference between a well-balanced "multi-" and an oversaturated "multi-."

Here's a (very) short list of marketing media options:

Facebook;
LinkedIn;
Twitter;
YouTube;
and the list goes on...

For every Facebook, there's 20 other "social networking" sites out there that do the same basic stuff. Don't make the mistake of feeling that you have to get a profile on EVERY social networking site, because you're going to spread your lawyer marketing campaign efforts too thin. Instead, pick the one or two popular marketing media types that you're most comfortable with.

Don't work with a marketing media you don't understand. If you don't know a thing about YouTube, don't use it or you'll come across as someone grasping at the coattails of the new media trend.

Instead, take the time to research and learn what works for YouTube, and if need be, find someone who already knows and get them to help you. Don't be afraid to think outside the box and try new marketing media strategies, but don't try anything you're not ready to take all the way to success.

Running a constant lawyer marketing campaign with a few solid marketing media types is the key to getting your ideal clients. There's plenty more to be said about multi-media strategies in my article on following up with successful marketing campaigns.

If you want the full story on building a successful legal campaign, request a FREE copy of my marketing report and CD. Contact Great Legal Marketing today at 703-591-9829.

The Importance of Following-Up With Your Clients

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30136 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Think about services you use in your daily life; doctors, mechanics, plumbers. You probably have them in your address book just in case you need them in a pinch. Who wants to go hunt down a new lawn care company every time their grass needs cutting?

You use the same professional services over and over because not only is it convenient, but because you don't want the hassle of finding a new company if the current one works for you.

It's the same with lawyers. Unless you didn't satisfy your client, they're going to come back to you the next time they need legal help. But for most people, hiring a lawyer isn't an annual sort of thing. It may be years between cases for a client.

In the meantime, you need to follow-up and remind them that should they or a friend need legal help, you're there. Some great, non-invasive ways to keep your name in your clients' minds are:

Monthly newsletters;
Holiday cards;
Yearly calendar gifts; and
Relevant press releases (changes to local laws, firm news, etc.)

Even better: if you have their birthday or an anniversary date, send them a personal card! It takes 20 seconds to jot a short note and sign it, but those 20 seconds of follow-up can earn you major points with your client.

The client with a lawyer who keeps them "in the loop" with their marketing campaign is the one whose name they'll remember when their friend asks them who they use for their legal needs. There's plenty more to be said about the importance of follow-up with successful marketing campaigns.

The strategies outlined in my seminars and mastermind groups, Great Legal Marketing, cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts of becoming a successful entrepreneur! Request a free copy of my marketing report and CD. Contact Great Legal Marketing today at 703-591-9829.

Targeting Your Marketing To Your Ideal Clients

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30135 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Every lawyer must want the best clients, the ones that have the big cases with the least hassles and most easygoing nature, so how are you going to appeal to them above your competition?

The first step is to target the clients you want. Don't blanket market to hundreds of thousands of people through old methods like the Yellow Pages or newspaper ads. If you market to every sort of client, you're going to get every sort of case. Think about where your ideal client looks and lives:

Do they frequent the downtown art district?
Are they readers of the town crier?
Do they share their latest vacation photos on Facebook?

Find out where your ideal clients are and what they do and make sure you're right there with them.

The next step is to give your ideal clients what they want. You want a client that's willing to listen and put in their own time and effort into their case, just as you will. Big cases come with clients that will actually read through or watch what you send them.

Your DVDs and books are more than just giveaways; they're proof that you know what you're talking about. Even more important, they're a test for your clients to see just how serious they are about their case. If they're willing to educate themselves, you know they're willing to work well with you.

You have the right to only work with the ideal client and big cases that you want.

Visit my library to read more about how to become a big case lawyer.

Great Legal Marketing cuts through the fluff and gives you the real nuts and bolts of becoming a successful entrepreneur! Receive a FREE copy of my marketing report and CD to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works - (703) 591-9829

Getting Over the Fear of Passing Up Small Cases

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30134 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people every day looking for a lawyer. Guess what; you're not getting all of them as a client. Should you panic? Of course not. If there weren't millions of cases being generated every day, we wouldn't have millions of lawyers in practice.

You have every right to pass on a case. Maybe it's not in your practice area, or it's too small of a return, or you don't think it's a case at all, whatever the reason; if a case looks like it'll be more time and effort than the return you'll get on it, pass.

Don't be afraid that if you pass on their case now, you'll never get that client in the future. If you run a good follow-up marketing campaign, you can stay on their radar for when they have a case you do want.

Culling the case herd that tramples across your desk is also healthy for your practice. Do you want to handle 100 small $1,000 cases, or one $100,000 big case? Sure you can knock out smaller cases in less surface time, but you'll end up spending more time overall switching your attention from case to case.

Working with a few big cases will free up your time for more fun things, like your family and having an actual life. No one becomes a lawyer to spend their lives in the office.

When you read testimonials on lawyer websites you don't see things like "This Law Firm settled my dog attack case and covered my $200 X-ray bill, thanks!" Lawyers want to showcase their big achievements because that's the kind of case they want to attract.

Becoming the big case lawyer will not only make your work life easier, but also bring you the ideal clients you want keeping that life afloat.

There's a lot more to this legal marketing process than what I've covered here. For the whole scoop plus tips on how to get those media channels working for you in your lawyer marketing campaign, request a FREE copy of my marketing report and CD. Contact Great Legal Marketing today at 703-591-9829.

Are you scared of turning a profit with your law practice?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30133 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Too many attorneys are scared of turning a profit with their law practice. They might not realize this and will vehemently deny it if you call them on it, but it's true. If you look at the way these lawyers run their practices (or more accurately, let their practices run them) they are clearly frightened of the prospect of enjoying the financial fruits of their labor.

Maybe this fear of profit comes from the negative connotations that much of the public holds about attorneys. These lawyers have become so crippled by the fear of appearing greedy or money-grubbing, that they fail to operate their business in a manner that will turn a tidy profit.

In order to be successful, you must think of building wealth in bold new terms. The seminars and mastermind groups I operate through Great Legal Marketing discuss how successful business owners-including entrepreneurial attorneys-approach the profit/loss aspect of running a wealth-building enterprise.

As a business leader, every strategy you implement, including your legal marketing plan, should be a reflection of your profit goals, and my proven marketing strategies can help get you there.

Visit my article library to learn more about what drives successful business owners.

Contact Great Legal Marketing today for a free report and CD on marketing strategies, seminar information, and more straight from Ben Glass! (703) 591-9829

Traits You Won't Find in Successful Business Leaders

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30132 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

The seminars and mastermind groups I operate through Great Legal Marketing, focus a great deal on the traits that are shared by successful business leaders and the strategies employed by entrepreneurial lawyers.

And while it's important to think, talk and learn about what make those great minds tick, it's also important to understand what isn't happening inside the brain of someone who is enjoying financial and business wealth and independence.

We can refer to these as the traits you won't find in successful business people. Or, better yet; the entrepreneur's "turn offs." These turn-offs include:

Excuses. Lawyers who crave success will swear-off excuses for failure and whole-heartedly give up any justification for mediocrity.
Accepting limitations. An attorney who wants to become the preeminent legal mind in his or her field will not feel constricted by the supposed confines of education, experience or background. Just because someone doesn't have the "right" diplomas hanging on the wall doesn't mean they can't operate a wealth-building enterprise.
Closed minds. Successful business leaders aren't interested in keeping on blinders and shutting out those ideas and people that they don't understand or that are challenging and maybe even a little scary. An entrepreneur understands that an open mind breeds success.
The old way of doing things. A leading attorney is an innovator in the field. If this leaves you thinking; "How do you innovate in the field of law? We're not supposed to do that!" then you have come to the wrong place.

Visit my library to learn about what successful business owners have in common.

Contact Great Legal Marketing today for a FREE report and CD on marketing strategies, seminar information, and more straight from Ben Glass - (703) 591-9829.

Why Marketing Is Your Most Important Job at Your Law Practice

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30131 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Here's a concept that lawyers don't hear very often - your most important role in your business is to market your law practice. It may sound crazy at first, but the truth is, it's crazy if you aren't making this a priority!

Marketing for attorneys is no easy feat and it is vital to the success of your business - and your role as an entrepreneurial attorney - to make this your No. 1 function.

There are a set of universal, specific challenges that every attorney faces when trying to market their law practice. I discuss each one in detail in my book, Great Legal Marketing, and provide "attack plans" to address these hindrances. But to very briefly summarize some of the main concerns with marketing for attorneys:

There are too many marketing "vultures" who are circling your law practice and ready to descend, selling you on expensive marketing plans that don't work;
Too many lawyers use McMarketing techniques, wherein all lawyer marketing begins to look the same, no matter where you are or who you are trying to reach; and
Too many law practices are stuck in the same old ways of doing things.

If you don't recognize that your most important job is understanding how to market for attorneys and then implementing the best marketing strategies for your law practice, you'll never get to a position where you can fully enjoy the financial gains of a successful business.

Visit my library to learn why you need to start treating your law practice as a tool to serve your lifestyle.

Contact Great Legal Marketing today to request a FREE copy of my CD and report - (703) 591-9829.

Who Is In Control – You or Your Law Practice?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30130 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Control is an integral factor in determining success. Entrepreneurial lawyers and business owners recognize that in order to achieve their goals and establish a wealth-building enterprise, that they must be the ones in control of every angle of the situation.

I've talked before about the need to maintain control in choosing the clients that you accept and the cases that you handle. But another arena that any affluent lawyer will have mastered is the power dynamic between themselves and their law practice.

If you are a lawyer who is also a business owner, you must recognize that your law practice is a tool that you use to support your lifestyle. Your practice should function as a wealth-building device, not as your lord and master, dictating your every waking moment.

If you feel like a puppet with the "puppet master" law practice controlling your every move, you have no one to blame but yourself. You must take control of the situation and cut the strings. Your business, i.e. your law practice, should be in service to you; not the other way around!

A significant aspect in asserting control comes from establishing systems that allow your law practice to function without you. Yes, that's right. In order to take control, you have to extend the effort to create a law practice that can function efficiently and cost-effectively without weighing you down and encroaching on your life.

Without maintaining the upper hand in this relationship, you won't be free to focus on the aspects of running a business that will ensure that your practice becomes the wealth-building tool that it needs to be.

Visit my library to learn why you need to start treating your law practice as a tool to serve your lifestyle.

If you're ready to take back control of your life and career, request a FREE copy of my marketing CD and report to learn more about the Benjamin Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works. Contact Great Legal Marketing today - (703) 591-9829.

Why Random Acts of Legal Marketing Just Don't Work

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30128 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

A lot of lawyers would like to think they are above having to market their law practice. After all, lawyers serve the public good, so the public should just come to you! Unfortunately, the days of the town lawyer that everyone goes to for advice are pretty much over (at least in its old form).

Right now, there are hundreds of lawyers in your town, and if you want your perfect client to hire you instead of them, you need to learn how to effectively market your law practice.

The first thing you need to do is, stop engaging in random acts of marketing. This is when you purchase the same ads every other lawyer purchases, or create a website that's nothing more than your picture and a contact form. This also includes trying to market to everyone equally, instead of marketing directly to your perfect client.

Your law firm is special, and until you start marketing it that way, no one will know it but you. Your legal marketing strategy should be just as specialized as your law firm. You don't want every potential case; you want to work on particular cases and with particular clients.

The best (and only) way to attract these perfect clients is to drop the random marketing, accept your niche, and start focusing your marketing efforts. Stop making the same promises of "free consultations" and "no fees until we win your case," and start offering the incentive of valuable information and your legal expertise.

When we market ourselves generally we don't stand out to anyone. If, however, you're ready to start marketing your law practice to attract the type of clients and cases you really want, Great Legal Marketing can give you the tools you need to get there.

Learn more lawyer marketing tips and strategies by visiting my article library.

To learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing, request a FREE copy of my marketing report and CD - (703) 591-9829.

Turning Your Website Into an Informational Resource

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30127 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you want your website to work as your No. 1 legal marketing tool, you need to make sure your website is doing everything possible to market you and your law firm to your perfect client.

Most lawyers' websites are nothing more than a nice photo of themselves or a court house and a few pages of content that don't give readers any real information about their legal concerns. This is not going to get your perfect client to contact you, let alone hire you.

At Great Legal Marketing, we stress the importance of turning your website into a marketing machine by using it as a tool to solidify your reputation as a legal expert and the most knowledgeable lawyer in your field. Branding yourself and your law firm as an informational resource is the best way to attract your perfect client.

As always, legal marketing should be a multi-pronged approach, so turning your website into the informational resource should include several legal marketing strategies, such as:

writing, promoting, and providing free E-books, reports, consumer guides, and other useful information to your potential clients;
ensuring your website contains a full library of articles that discuss (in detail) the legal issues pertaining to the cases you want to handle. This doesn't mean 1 or 2 articles about personal injury law, but hundreds of Web pages that have all been search engine optimized for your perfect client; and
constantly adding new content to your website through blogs, articles, FAQs, and so on to keep your website in good standing with Google while also giving your perfect client a reason to keep coming back to your website, again and again.

Learn more lawyer marketing tips and strategies by visiting my article library.

Stop thinking like everyone else and create the law practice you actually want! Learn more by contacting Great Legal Marketing today to request a FREE copy of my marketing report and CD - (703) 591-9829.

Back Up Your Online Marketing Efforts with Tracking and Follow-Up

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30126 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Maintaining a fully functional and well-designed website for your law firm is critical to your success as a lawyer trying to attract new clients to your firm. While some areas still have use for the Yellow Pages, the vast majority of your clients will likely locate you on the Internet, so you need to be prepared and understand how to appeal to your ideal clientele online.

That being said, the best online marketing efforts are wasted if you don't have a backup system in place to support it. For your law firm's website, that backup comes in the form of tracking your success and following up accordingly.

If you don't know how many leads your website is attracting, how will you know what's working and what isn't? You could be throwing thousands of dollars away every month by not tracking the success of your website.

There are a few ways to do this, but the essentials include:

Have a dedicated 800 number tied exclusively to your website. This way you know exactly how many leads you are attracting through your website if a client chooses to call you instead of completing the contact form on your site.
Create a working database to track your leads. The details you should record in this database should include all of your leads, along with information detailing exactly how each client found you and what follow-up occurred. Your database will be your marketing lifeline and will help you ensure that all of your leads are being tracked and addressed correctly.
Create a follow-up schedule for all leads. This means more than just calling any potential client who contacts you (which of course should always be done in a timely manner), but creating a routine of follow-ups that include sending information to your potential client regularly. In my Great Legal Marketing mastermind groups, we're constantly discussing strategies for sharing information with clients that will keep you fresh in their mind long after their initial meeting or phone call with you.

Learn more about great online marketing strategies for lawyers by visiting my article library.

Great Legal Marketing cuts through the fluff and gives you the real nuts and bolts of becoming a successful entrepreneur! Receive a FREE copy of my marketing report and CD to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works - (703) 591-9829

Online Marketing Essentials for Legal Websites

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)30125 — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Online marketing is essential for any lawyer who wants to maintain a growing practice that will attract their perfect client. While a website is a great online marketing tool, it won't work unless it is designed and maintained to constantly attract new clients.

The best way to attract potential clients to your website is to go beyond the typical legal website. If you want to establish yourself as the legal expert in your field, you're going to have to prove it. Instead of only including a few boring landing pages, create an information hub.

While you could wait for clients to call you and set up consultations, this isn't a cost- or time-effective way of bringing in new clients. Here are a few online marketing tips you need to implement on your website to start attracting your perfect client:

Write content about the legal issues you care about that deal with the type of cases you want to work on. If you want to be the dog bite injury attorney in your city, you need to have ample content on your website discussing issues relating to dog bite injuries and litigation. Most people aren't searching for a dog bite lawyer; they are searching for information about what to do after a dog bite injury. When those clients find the answers to their dog bite questions on your website, you've become the informational hub on that subject in your area.
Create information packages you can physically send to your clients. Whether this includes free books, reports, consumer guides, CDs, DVDs, and so on, giving your potential clients this free information lets your content do your marketing for you. I can't even tell you how many hundreds of hours I've saved by mailing information packages instead of conducting time-consuming consultations and phone meetings.
Turn your website into a marketing machine. By implementing online marketing strategies like SEO (search engine optimization), writing great content, and knowing how to design your website's layout with your perfect client in mind, you'll be able to sit back while your website brings in those leads for you.

Learn more about great online marketing strategies for lawyers by visiting my article library.

The strategies I teach at my Great Legal Marketing seminars cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts that you need to become a successful entrepreneur! Request a copy of my marketing CD and report today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing - (703) 591-9829.

Challenging Yourself to Change

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29839 — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

When I tell attorneys about my legal marketing strategies through my Great Legal Marketing mastermind groups and conferences, not all them are happy about what I have to say.

Some are looking for that "magic bullet", the one easy thing they can do to change their life. It's not so easy. There is no magic bullet or just one simple thing.

My legal marketing strategies include a lot of different lawyer marketing methods and tips that have proven to help lawyers across the U.S. and Canada, but if there were a magic bullet, it wouldn't be a marketing strategy; it would be the ability to think about your law practice differently.

Challenging yourself to lose all of those ingrained ideas about what it means to run a law practice and start running your firm like a successful business is really difficult for a lot of lawyers. I get a lot of "oh no Ben, my law firm is different" or other similar excuses from lawyers who just don't want to leave their comfort zone. And that's fine.

If you are: happy with how your law firm is growing; making a great profit; working on the cases you enjoy most; and running your law firm the old fashioned way, that's great! You obviously don't need any help.

But if you're not truly satisfied and want to expand your law firm into a thriving business, you need to stop thinking about traditional lawyer advertising and start thinking like a business owner.

If you can step up to the challenge and open your mind to the possibility of doing things differently, then you have the ability to change and make your life, and law firm, better in the process. It all starts with this concept. If law is and always will be your "jealous mistress", at least you won't have to worry about all the time and money you could save by running your firm differently.

Learn more about saying No the jealous mistress known as law by visiting my library.

The strategies outlined in my book, Great Legal Marketing, offer the legal marketing tips and strategies that help you stop thinking like everyone else and help you grow the law practice you actually want! Contact Great Legal Marketing today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works. - (703) 591-9829

Getting a Life Beyond Your Law Firm

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29838 — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Even though law might be considered a higher calling then some other professions, it doesn't mean your law practice should be running your life. In my experience, when lawyers let their law firm completely take over every waking minute of their day they are not only missing out on their actual "life", but they can't even give the focus and attention they need to their law firm.

Sleeping with your cell phone next to your pillow and dealing with a never ending stack of files that only seems to grow daily is no way to run a successful and satisfying law firm.

Being the best lawyer you can be comes from balance. Balance comes from:

taking on the cases you actually want to handle;
learning how to best manage your time to work on those cases; and
having time for a real life after work.

If you are married or have a family, or even if you have a hobby you enjoy, there is no reason why you can't balance all the great things that make your life valuable along with running a great law firm.

Part of this balance comes from learning how to say NO to the cases and clients you don't want and marketing your law firm to the clients and cases you do want. Law is commonly referred to as "jealous mistress" who will always demand your full time and attention. To that phrase I have only one basic response, it doesn't have to take over your life if you don't let it.

The strategies outlined in my book, Great Legal Marketing, offer the legal marketing tips and strategies that help you stop thinking like everyone else and help you grow the law practice you actually want! Contact Great Legal Marketing today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works - (703) 591-9829.

I can you help achieve balance and show you how to get the extra time and money (you would have otherwise spent on ineffective advertising and bad cases) you need to grow your law firm into the thriving, successful practice you've always wanted.

Learn more about saying No the jealous mistress known as law by visiting my library.

Legal Marketing Basics: Running Your Law Firm Like a Business

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29836 — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

A lot of lawyers, even the ones that come to me for legal marketing strategies, get upset when I tell them they need to start running their law firm like a business. They give me excuses about law being a higher calling, but at the end of the day, running a law practice is running a business.

When you lose track of that basic idea, you are stopping your law firm from growing and becoming profitable like a well-run business would.

A big part of the process is to stop relying on traditional lawyer advertising and change your legal marketing strategy to actually focus on the types of cases you care about.

Any successful entrepreneur will tell you that they don't attract their ideal client by generically marketing themselves to everyone or copying their competitors' advertisements, but that is exactly what lawyers do every single day.

What type of cases do you want to work on? You need to start thinking about who your perfect client is and what they are looking for in an attorney. Successful businesses market themselves to their specific demographic. They figure out what information those clients are looking for and deliver through their branding, advertisements, and so on.

When you stop looking at how every other lawyer is marketing themselves and start looking at running your law firm like the business that it is, you'll start attracting the cases and clients you really want. Only then will your law firm grow into the type of practice that allows you to provide great legal services while still getting home on time for dinner.

Learn more about what's wrong with traditional legal marketing by visiting my library.

The strategies outlined in my book, Great Legal Marketing, offer the legal marketing tips and strategies that help you stop thinking like everyone else and help you grow the law practice you actually want! Contact Great Legal Marketing today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works - (703) 591-9829.

Escaping Traditional Lawyer Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29835 — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, why would you spend thousands of dollars on the same traditional lawyer marketing that every other lawyer does and expect to stand out from the crowd?

It's that kind of thinking that is holding you back from getting the cases you really want to work on and stopping your law firm from growing into a thriving practice.

Traditional lawyer advertising is no way to set your law firm apart from an oversaturated marketplace. In Great Legal Marketing, the goal is to get away from traditional lawyer marketing and learn how to market your law firm effectively to the clients you want to work with and the cases you want to handle.

Buying generic ad space just doesn't work. And relying on word of mouth isn't enough unless you back those claims up by getting potential clients to contact you about your services and then giving them a reason to hire you.

The Ben Glass approach isn't about going after clients, but giving those clients a reason to come to you.

Getting that perfect client to pick up the phone or walk through your door isn't going to come from a generic advertisement with a picture of a courthouse and your phone number. It's about offering a real incentive, the incentive of legal expertise, that's not only going to get those clients to remember you, but trust you enough to handle their case and recommend your services to their friends with actual enthusiasm.

Learn more about what's wrong with traditional legal marketing by visiting my library.

The strategies outlined in my book, Great Legal Marketing, offer the legal marketing tips and strategies that help you stop thinking like everyone else and help you grow the law practice you actually want! Request to receive a free copy of my marketing CD today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing - (703) 591-9829.

Standing Out In A Sea Of Lawyer Yellow Pages Ads

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29773 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Most people consider ‘standing out' in a page of Yellow Page ads to be flashy graphics, and bold headlines. But if everyone thinks that way (and they do) then you're going to have page after page of annoying clipart and screaming text.

Then come the "bigger is better" ads - basically paper screaming matches where one lawyer gets a bigger ad than his competitor just so he's seen more. Usually these big ads don't say anything more than the smaller ones and just take up space.

So how do you stand out against giant, yelling ads with promises of no-cost and free services without becoming one of them? Be different. Not just in your ad design, but in what your ad offers.

People are looking in the Yellow Pages for information and that's what your ad should give them. Offer more than just your list of practice areas and a free consultation. Offer a copy of any books or resources you've written. Get your knowledge in their hands - that way not only do they have some answers, but now they know and trust you.

Many consumers admit they'd much rather have information available to look at on their own time, rather than having to contact a business directly before becoming a client. Offering your informational materials to them in a way that's at their discretion, on their own request is a great way to establish the client-lawyer relationship.

Get information on the success or failure of a Yellow Pages marketing strategy by visiting my article library.

If you are ready to make that change and start marketing your law firm to attract your ideal clientele, contact Great Legal Marketing today for free reports on marketing strategies, seminar information, and more straight from Ben Glass! (703) 591-9829

Are Yellow Page Online Enhancements Worth It?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29772 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

"Enhanced listings" is a term we now hear everywhere online: eBay, dating sites, and even Yellow Pages. In most cases it's nothing more than a bolded title and different colored box on the listing background.

Yellow Pages offers enhanced listings in various stages that offer graphic space, a slogan line, descriptive text space, and linking to your website. Is this a good thing? Maybe, but you're going to have to use your new listing real estate space to do some great eye-catching advertising, because anyone can purchase these ‘enhancements' for their ad.

The Video Profile enhancement actually has some merit. In my book, Great Legal Marketing, I stress the importance of getting on the online video bandwagon. You want your clients to be familiar with you before they decide you're their new lawyer. Don't jump too quick at this one, though, and do a little price research first. YouTube is the leading online video website and it's free - but it doesn't have an optional production crew (which is most likely costly too).

You're going to get the same mileage out of the YPclicks! and website solutions as you would with any good SEO company. These enhancements have little to do with your actual Yellow Pages ad and more with your website and traffic.

Learn more about my take on Yellow Pages marketing and how you can make it work for you if you really want it to.

If you are ready to make that change and start marketing your law firm to attract your ideal clientele, contact Great Legal Marketing today for free reports on marketing strategies, seminar information, and more straight from Ben Glass! (703) 591-9829

Who Is In Control – You or Your Clients?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29771 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of the most important things that you can do as a business owner is take full control of every aspect of your business. This doesn't mean that you need to come in at 6 a.m. and stay until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and micromanage every detail of your law firm just to stay on top of things. That to me is a sign of failure.

By following my proven successful marketing strategy for lawyers, you're taking the first step to freeing yourself from the long hours and other unnecessary demands that so many lawyers complain about with their firms.

Another common complaint I hear from lawyers is that they're not wild about the quality of client that they have. You know whose fault I say that is? Theirs. No one says that you have to accept every client that comes your way. It is your business, your firm and your time, and you have the power to say "yes" or "no" to every potential client that inquires about your services.

If your jaw has dropped to the floor with the mere thought of turning away a potential client, I'll ask you to take an honest look at your client base and the types of cases you handle. If you use a successful legal marketing strategy, there's a chance that you couldn't be happier with your clients and cases. Congratulations, and keep up the good work!

But, if like many lawyers, you're not achieving the financial and professional goals that you originally had in mind, you need to learn how to find high-profile cases and clients that will help you to grow your business. Are you ready for some tough love that gets results? My book, Great Legal Marketing, cuts through the fluff and tells what you need to know to develop a marketing strategy that works.

Visit my library to learn why you should focus on how to find high-profile cases and clients as part of your lawyer marketing strategy.

The best way to start marketing your law firm to attract those perfect clients is by ordering a copy of my Free Report and CD about how to stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block and grow the kind of practice you can be proud of while still getting home on time for dinner.

Don't Launch a Legal Marketing Campaign Without a Plan!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29770 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

A successful, entrepreneurial attorney is someone who has made the commitment to establishing clear goals and implementing efficient, detailed strategies-including a lawyer marketing campaign-that is supportive of those goals. This applies whether you are a member of a small personal injury practice in Georgia, or partner at a large class action firm in California.

Let's say you're preparing for a first-time road trip from northern Maine to the Grand Canyon with your 3 kids, spouse and the family dog. You wouldn't hit the road without consulting a map and planning out your journey. No way! Unless you want to wind up driving in circles through the desert while listening to your kids complain and the "low gas" light blinking on your dash, you would establish a strategy before you even left the house. Flying by the seat of your pants may work for a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive, but not when so much is at stake.

So why would you approach your lawyer marketing campaign in a casual, "let the chips fall where they may" attitude? There is a time and a place to let your free spirit loose and running your business is not one of them. The more efficient you are in planning your lawyer marketing campaign, the more likely you are to achieve your top marketing goals; finding the right clients and landing the high profile cases that you want. Not to mention running a business that allows you enough free time to plan those family road trips.

Don't waste time and gas (i.e. money) driving in circles in the desert with no clue of the direction you need to take to reach your destination. Before you set out on the road of your marketing campaign think about what you are trying to achieve, and specifically, the kind of clients you want to attract and the cases that you need.

Learn why you should focus on how to find high-profile cases and clients as part of your lawyer marketing strategy by visiting my library.

Stop wasting your time on marketing campaigns that lack focus and planning! My book, Great Legal Marketing, is designed to give lawyers the tools they need to develop a marketing campaign that attracts the "perfect" clients. But you don't have to wait for the book, order my Free Report and CD about how to stop marketing like every other lawyer on the block and grow the kind of practice you can be proud of while still getting home on time for dinner.

Lawyers: It's Important to Identify Your Ideal Client

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29769 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Think about your working life and what makes a job good or bad. It may be the hours, the location, but mostly it's the people you have to interact with. If you're in customer service, it's obviously the customers, and if you're in an office it's your co-workers. The people you deal with on a day-to-day basis can make or break how much you enjoy your job.

The first step to building your ideal clientele is to narrow down your legal marketing campaign. Who are you looking to represent? If you're a personal injury attorney you're going to be looking for injury victims of course. But do you specialize in victims of car accidents, defective products, workplace accidents? Advertising a specialized practice area is great, but there's a broad range of personal injuries and an even broader range of clients within.

No two clients will respond to a marketing campaign the same way and if you have a specific client in mind, you'll want to concentrate on hooking that one client. Tailoring your marketing campaign to a specific small group of people who are likely to become long-term clients is worth much more to you than casting a wide net over people who won't benefit your practice beyond a single case.

Visit my article library for more information on how to reinvent your marketing strategies to attract your ideal clientele.

If you are ready to take control of your law firm's marketing and start getting the clients and cases you really want, contact Great Legal Marketing today for free reports on marketing strategies, seminar information, and more straight from Ben Glass! (703) 591-9829

Cutting Back On Your Legal Marketing Efforts Means More Success

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29768 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

How often do you hear that cutting down on your legal marketing campaign will increase your clients? It's true, successful legal marketing campaigns are the ones that really know who they want to reach and don't bother trying to cast their net too far.

In most cases, the more people that see your ad, the more expensive it is, so why waste money on appealing to people that aren't interested?

A legal marketing campaign that uses a diverse number of methods to reach your clients while focusing on the "ideal client" is the best way you can start down the road to being able to forget marketing all together.

By bringing in clients that are exactly what you want and developing lasting relationships with them, you can end the cycle of the revolving door, one-time client that creates a constant need to seek out new ones once their case is over.

A client that you see for one case is only worth as much as that case. However, YOUR client, the ideal customer of your law firm, they're worth a lifetime of business because you've become THEIR lawyer. They will tell their friends about THEIR lawyer, and how they should use you too.

There's more to quality client relationships and firm reputation than just marketing campaigns. Get more information on how to reinvent your marketing strategies to attract your ideal clientele by visiting my article library.

If you are ready to take control of your law firm's marketing and start getting the clients and cases you really want, contact Great Legal Marketing today for free reports on marketing strategies, seminar information, and more straight from Ben Glass! (703) 591-9829

Why "Brand Identity" Isn't Enough

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29767 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

The majority of marketers will try to sell you on the idea of developing your brand identity, otherwise known as your image. And while, yes, you need to project a specific, cohesive image for your law firm, a lot of marketing consultants talk a good game, but fail to understand one of the key components of brand identity - growing your herd.

Your herd is the group of loyal customers and clients upon whom you can rely to give you repeat business and/or positive word-of-mouth advertising. They are your advocates and you need to understand the value that your fan-base plays in your overall legal marketing strategy.

Unfortunately, I've met far too many lawyers who get caught up with marketers who are intent on selling them a catchy jingle or a catchphrase. So, fine; you've got a nice little slogan, but do you think that's all that it takes to really build a solid foundation of clients? Of course not.

There's no shortage of marketing consultants who act like they've got the magic formula for you to grow your business and your herd, but will fail at that task. Or, they charge an arm and a leg and they maintain the upper hand in the relationship. Why give all the power to someone else?

Successful entrepreneurs know the value of taking charge of their lives and not having to rely on other people for all of the answers. My strategy focuses on giving you the tools you need to free yourself from useless marketing strategies that simply don't deliver.

A lot of marketers will try to sell you on the importance of brand identity, but in the end, all they'll give you is an empty promise, or a worthless catchphrase and jingle.

The strategies outlined in my book, Great Legal Marketing, cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts you need to become a successful entrepreneur! Contact Great Legal Marketing today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works. - (703) 591-9829

Visit our library for more information about why you need to develop brand loyalty and a herd of raving fans.

What is a "herd" of fans, and why do I need one?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)29766 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

If you're a lawyer, or any other type of entrepreneurial business leader, you should make it your goal to grow and cultivate your herd of fans. This isn't something that will happen spontaneously, as if by some cosmic accident, where you wake up in the morning and suddenly your community realizes that they can't live without your services. It requires know-how and a careful strategy to develop brand loyalty and a great following, and I want to show you how to make it happen.

Do you ever think about your consumer spending habits? No? Well, take a moment to consider the brands and service providers you always choose (and that you act as an advocate for) simply because you wholeheartedly believe in that brand's superiority above all others.

Let's say, for instance, you're particularly fond of the coffee sold at Starbucks. It's delicious, fast and you always have a great experience there. Even though you live across the street from an Einstein Bros. and there's a Dunkin' Donuts next to your office, you travel 5 miles out of the way every morning to get your tall latte from Starbucks because that's how much you love it.

Your brand loyalty makes you a valuable part of Starbucks herd of fans. If you advocate for the brand-telling other people about how great it is or defending its products and services any time they are called into question-you could actually be considered a member of the herd of raving fans.

This symbiotic relationship is win-win. You get great coffee and reliable, pleasant service, and Starbucks can rely on a steady stream of income and the promise of (free) positive word-of-mouth advertising.

Too many marketers will try to sell you on the importance of brand identity, but in the end, all they'll give you is an empty promise, or a worthless catchphrase and jingle. The strategies outlined in my book, Great Legal Marketing, cut through the fluff and give you the real nuts and bolts of how to become a successful entrepreneur! Contact Great Legal Marketing today to learn more about the Ben Glass approach to legal marketing that actually works. - (703) 591-9829

Connecticut Bar Complaint Against Total Attorneys Goes Down in Flames

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)29545 — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Remember the complaint filed by one attorney in a whole bunch of states against the Total Attorney marketing program? This guy ZENAS ZELOTES went around filing this complaint.

Well, that complaint went down in flames, as have "investigations" in 13 other states. This guy wasted a lot of time and money. The various investigations wasted a lot of time and money. Here's the update from Total Attorneys.

Don't Miss The 2010 Great Legal Marketing Conference!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)28507 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

How is your law practice doing these days? Are you barely surviving the current economic climate or is your business booming?

You have the opportunity to be a part of an elite group of lawyers who are not only surviving the recession, but are actually thriving. These are attorneys who have chosen to ignore the poor economy and focus on creating a law practice of their dreams. You can too by making the decision to attend the upcoming Great Legal Marketing 2010 SuperConference.

As an attendee of this information-packed conference, you have the opportunity to not only learn from the dynamic speakers who cover topics relevant to your practice, but you also have the chance to learn from some of the greatest legal marketing minds. This conference is a place where successful and progressive attorney marketers gather together to share ideas and best practices.

If you are ready to experience rapid growth, become a celebrity in your location, consistently get referrals, accept fewer cases and actually have the time to take vacations, then you won’t want to miss the SuperConference scheduled for June 11th and 12th, in Fairfax, Virginia.

For more details, click here.

Keep in mind that this event is not for everyone. It is designed specifically for the success-minded and self-reliant attorney.

Restrictions on New York Attorney Advertising Rejected by Circuit

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)28166 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has rejected most of the content-based attorney advertising rules in New York, because they violate the First Amendment. This information was provided by Great Legal Marketing member, Jim Reed of the Ziff Law Firm. Thank you Jim!

According to the Circuit Court, not allowing New York attorneys to use client testimonials for pending cases and nicknames that implied their ability to get results, was unconstitutional.

The lawyer advertising rules, which went into effect on February 1, 2007, also prohibited
“portrayals of judges or fictitious law firms.” The Circuit Court did rule that portraying a fictitious law firm or using fictitious names of lawyers not associated with the law firm was misleading and not protected under the First Amendment.

The New York attorney advertising rules also established a thirty-day moratorium following a specific incident, before lawyers could solicit personal injury clients through targeted television and other media ads. The Circuit Court did uphold this thirty-day waiting period.

You can read more about the case here: http://www.greatlegalmarketing.com/library/Cahill_appellate_decision.pdf.

Virginia Lawyer Advertising Rules Could be Changing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)28030 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Virginia State Bar’s Standing Committee on Legal Ethics has proposed changes that will impact how lawyers advertise and solicit business in the state. The amendments are to Rules 7.1 to 7.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which regulate lawyer advertising and solicitation.

The changes are designed to make these rules more general when they are applied by eliminating specific examples of lawyer advertising from the body of the rule. Requirements and examples of application from the Committee’s opinions on lawyer advertising will be placed in the comments.

Some of the proposed changes include taking the terms, “fraudulent” and “deceptive” out of Rule 7.1, because if an attorney’s advertisement was “fraudulent” and “deceptive” it would be “false” or “misleading.” Rule 7.2 may be changed by removing the requirement of a disclaimer for specific or cumulative case results and Rule 7.3 may be broadened to include the prohibition against in-person solicitation for all types of matters, not just wrongful death and personal injury.

Although the amendment to Rule 7.4 is still being considered by the Ethics Committee, a proposed change has been made for Rule 7.5, which includes adding a new comment to clarify that attorneys should practice using the official name under which they are licensed or seek an appropriate and legal change of name from the Supreme Court of Virginia.

To learn more about the proposed amendments, visit the Virginia State Bar’s site at: http://www.vsb.org/site/regulation/prop-rules-71-75.

The Virginia State Bar is requesting comments from the public by April 14, 2010. I would also like to know your thoughts on these amendments, since I have been receiving calls and emails from Virginia members who want to know how these changes will affect what we teach at Great Legal Marketing.

Judge rejects Hospital Challenge to Prevent Attorney from Blogging About Case

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)27007 — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST

This is a fasciniating read for attorney-bloggers. A hospital had turned over an incident report that had certain facts about a Virginia wrongful death case that it didn't want to become public.

The plaintiff's attorney, Avery Waterman, of Newport News, Virginia, blogged about the case. The hospital filed a bar complaint (!) and some sort of "emergency motion" about the blogging.

Ruling: you can blog about whatever you want... the incident report was voluntarily given up and there is no prohibition on what the attorney did.

Here is the transcript of this very interesting hearing about attorney blogging.

It's Official - JumpStart 2010 is Sold Out!

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)24682 — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST

I'm excited to share some big news with you today. With a final surge in registrations just after the holidays, JumpStart 2010 is now sold out. This marks the fifth consecutive GLM conference event to sell out (and the earliest).

The GLM conferences have proven to be the best on the planet for lawyers who are success-minded and self-reliant and who are committed to building thriving practices.

If you missed your chance to register, I do want to let you know that all hope may not be lost. In the past we've sometimes ended up with a few last-minute cancellations due to an unexpected emergency or a change in a trial schedule, so we've gone ahead and set up a waiting list.

If you would like to be placed on the waiting list or check to see if there have been any cancellations, please contact Nicole at Nicole@NicoleTully.com or by calling 717-824-6553.

For additional information about JumpStart 2010, please go to GLMJumpStart2010.com.

Ben Glass

Solo and Small Firm Lawyers...its not ALL about Tiger Woods

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)23580 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

While the rest of the world is being misdirected as to where to spend their time...the smart lawyers are getting their marketing stuff together and planning a trip to Northern Virginia. (It won't be about Tiger--but check out why here.)

Michigan State Bar idea of "Good Lawyer Advertising"

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)23160 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

It's no wonder lawyers all over struggle with advertising and marketing their practice. Here's an article from a law school professor, published in the Michigan State Bar Journal, telling lawyers that "telling the facts" is a great way to differentiate yourself.

You gotta read the article to see the examples...you'll laugh or cry!

Michigan State Bar article shows lawyers how to advertise effectively.

Ben Glass Highly Critical of South Carolina Bar Ethics Monitors

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)22895 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

There's a very interesting new case out of the South Carolina Supreme Court about lawyer advertising that should really upset South Carolina lawyers (even though the end of the story is good) because of all the money wasted in a really stupid effor to shut down a TV ad.

See what Ben Glass wrote about this new opinion on ethics in lawyer advertising.

Legal Marketing Expert Ben Glass Featured in Newsweek Magazine

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)22761 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

As the founder of Great Legal Marketing, Ben Glass has conducted sold-out seminars, and coached and mentored hundreds of attorneys from across the U.S. and Canada. He has been featured in TRIAL Magazine, Wall Street Journal Online and the Washington Post, among others. Ben has also authored 7 books, including The Truth About Lawyer Advertising.

The full press release on Ben Glass's feature in Newsweek is here.

Ben Glass Great Legal Marketing Newsletter Service Launched

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)22680 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

The number one case generator for BenGlassLaw is my website. The number two case generator is the newsletter that I have been sending out a monthly basis for years.

Most lawyers make a major mistake in spending a time of money to acquire client or potential client and then never marketing to that person again even if I end up representing them. Lawyers who do figure out the newsletter can be a killer marketing tool often mess things up by sending the newsletter less than monthly or, heaven forbid, by being ultra cheap and e-mailing it. (With less than 15% of all e-mails be opened this is about the dumbest thing in lawyer marketing the history of the world.)

A great law firm newsletter is opened and read. Clients call when they don't get it on time. It does take work, however, to produce. Now, because of the request of my great legal marketing members, we can now help get that done for you.

Find out more information about the Ben Glass Great Legal Marketing newsletter system here.

The E-Myth Attorney, Michael Gerber Book due out in 2010

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)21490 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

We've just heard that estate planning marketing guru Robert Armstrong has teamed up with Michael Gerber (of E-Myth fame) to pen a new book for lawyers.

More information about The E-Myth Attorney is here and we'll keep you updated as we hear more.

The Connecticut Complaint--Total Bankruptcy--Legal Ethics Enforcement Gone Wild

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)21045 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

I've now had a chance to review to review the Connecticut attorney grievance committee's complaint agains the attorneys who participate in the Total Bankrupcty advertising system.

First let me say that I'm no great fan of these Internet mass advertising sites. I think attorneys can do better on their own with a little educational marketing. That being said, I understand that some attorney would rather pay another to help with marketing than to develop educational information/websites, etc. themselves. Also, note that I have no dog in this fight. I don't do bankruptcy cases and don't know anyone who is a participating member of Total Bankruptcy. I don't know Kevin Chern and have never spoken to him.

I did file a comment with the Virginia State Bar that opposed a recent proposed legal ethics opinion that was itself "opposed" to Total Bankruptcy. At the time, however, I was unaware of who the target company was.

That being said, this Connecticut complaint seems rife with unwarranted conclusory allegations all designed to label Total Bankrupcty.

The entire complaint is premised on the shaky foundation that Total Bankrupcty is a for profit (and thus illegal) lawyer referal system. My view is that no rational consumer (the ultimate judge) would look at the Total Bankruptcy site and come to the conclusion, as the chief ethics counsel for Connecticut does, that Total Bankrupcty present potential clients with bankrupcty information "in such a wasy that suggests it is an indepedent agency recomending an attorney's services."

It simply does not. Go and look at the site yourself. No rational, objective consumer, would think that the site is an independelnt agency.

Its an ad for legal services. Simple. Nothing more, nothing less.

At page 6 of the complaint, it gets really bizarre. It complains that the site "capitalizes on the financially insecure consumer's fear of debt, poor credit rating, shame and crditor harassment."

So what? That's marketing 101.

The Complaint agrees that the site contains a ton of useful information including information about whether bankruptcy is the right choice for you, a government "means" test and advice on life after bankruptcy.

That's marketing 101.

The Complaint then alleges that the site purports to be evaluating a potential clients needs because it has check off boxes asking questions like "how much debt do you have and where is the debt coming from."

The complaint says that these check off boxes "imply that Total Bankruptcy is considering these factors in determining which local attorney is right for the client."

No it doesn't.

Lawyer advertising ethics rules purportedly exist to protect consumers. There are almost no consumer complaints filed about lawyer advertising. Complaints come, by and large, from competitors.

At "worst" Total Bankrupcty could beef up its disclaimers and make it known that lawyers are buying an "area exclusive" marketing opportunity.

There.

Problem solved.

Instead, the Connecticut Bar wants to charge 5 lawyers with felonies.

Which path will protect consumers?

Better disclaimer or jail?

Connecticut Grievance Committee Says "Felony" to Those Who Participate in Total Bankrupcty Program

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)21010 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Here is the the to the rather amazing complaint filed against lawyers who participate in the Total Bankruptcy program.

Virginia recently withdrew a proposed opinion regarding Total Bankruptcy while Connecticut seems to want to charge these lawyers for engaging in felonious conduct.

Here is the Complaint regarding Total Bankruptcy.

Market for young attorneys continues to be quite difficult

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)20670 — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Virginia Lawyers Weekly has an article in this weeks edition about the use of "contract attorneys" by large law firms. These are, by and large, highly qualified young attorneys for scanning and coding documents per $25 an hour. They spend hours and hours a day reviewing thousands of documents.

I wonder if the law firms feel any guilt whatsoever about completely ignoring the business side of the practice of law

? In failing to teach lawyers how to start and grow a business? How to market?

Using a Blog as Your Firm's Spokesperson

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)20377 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Gone are the days when blogs were only used as a personal commentary. According to a recent article posted by the Wall Street Journal titled, "Companies Increasingly Look to Blogs as Spokesmen," some of the major corporations are looking to blogs to fill the roles of spokesmen.

Nearly one-third of Fortune 100 companies are using blogs nowadays. Corporations that refuse to directly comment to reporters are fielding questions this way, because it provides an avenue to give points of view without having to have a full conversation.

Why not follow the example of Fortune 100 companies and use a blog to make comments on current issues in your specialized practice area or industry? Instead of hiring a spokesperson or PR rep, you can use a blog to get your name out there and to try to capture the attention of reporters. Blogs are attractive to reporters because they are able to get their information faster and easier.

The Wall Street Journal article mentioned a recent blog by Southwest Airlines Co., which is a great example of how you can effectively use this form of marketing. The blog was titled, "Why Do They Hate Your Bags?" Readers were reminded that Southwest Airlines does not charge extra fees for the first two bags. The blog read, "Did anyone else see the news today about a competitor who wants you to pay more than $249 a year for your bags to fly? Did anyone else think it was an Onion article headline?"

You may be wondering at this point, what should I write in my blog? The answer is simple. Comment on something your competitor is doing, give your opinion on an issue that is related to your field or discuss a current event in the news. The idea is to get your name and, your company's name, out there.

What was that Niche Market Spam Email?

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)20192 — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Recently, our blog post on Niche Marketers Spam received some attention. Folks were asking questions about it through our live chat box. Some were suggesting that its "OK to send blanket emails to a known class of a class action."

Well, here was the email that was sent, bulk and unsolicited.

And I ask, which class action would this be?

What is a Ben Glass Legal Marketing Seminar Like?

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)20171 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

When you come to a Great Legal Marketing Conference one of the things we do is show you at least a hundred examples of what I call the "good, the bad and the ugly" with lawyer marketing. I'm not making judgments here about whether it's a good thing or a bad thing to use the sound of a bird in your ads. (That's for the state bar ethical theorists to pontificate about.) What I teach is the most effective use of your next dollar and you next hour in terms of the marketing side of running a law business. How much sense does it make to keep handing over your hard earned and well-deserved dollars to the marketing reps selling you the crap that I see on TV, in the Yellow Pages and on the Internet, without ever knowing whether you are getting the best return for your money? I can show you how to improve it, track it, measure it and most important, grow your profit from your advertising.

Virginia State Bar Withdraws Website Third Party Website Proposed Opinion

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)19157 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

The Virginia State Bar has announced that is has withdrawn proposed legal ethics opinion 1851, Participation in a Third-Party Internet Website for future consideration.

I had written in opposition to this opinion, as did others.

Here is there letter announcing the withdrawal.

AVVO allowing anonymous, defamatory statements

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)19009 — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Twice this week I've been contacted by attorneys who have had nutballs post anonymous, defamatory statements, on the "attorney rating" page.

Attorneys find it very difficult to respond to this sort of garbage without violating the attorney client privilege.

One attorney even claims that one person is creating numerous fictitious accounts in order to post numberous defamatory statements on the AVVO site.

What is AVVO's response to this?

WebWeavers Event Hosted By VA Women's Attorneys Association

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)18752 — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

I'll be speaking this Friday, September 25, at the Virginia Women Attorneys Association's Fall 2009 two-day Webweavers event. The VWAA has put together a group of ten speakers versed in various aspects of online marketing and developing a unique web presence.

My presentation will be titled "Marketing In Good Times and Bad" and, you guessed it, I'll be talking about how to continue to defy the recession and how to make yourself immune to the woes of the economy. I'm not sure if you can still register but it's worth a shot. Check out the VWAA Webweavers Brochure and Registration Form for more information. It's located at the Lansdowne Resort out in Leesburg and they even have a golf tournament set up so come enjoy the resort and learn how to improve your practice!

Most bar ethics rules presume that consumers are idiots

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)18703 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Most other small business owners laugh when I show them how ridiculous most lawyer advertising ethics rules are. Imagine not being able to give out 2 business cards to someone (North Caolina) or having to seek pre-approval of every newsletter you send (Kentucky).

Now the chair of the American Bar Association's Section of Law Practice Management says he agrees.

Here is an interesting editorial on lawyer advertising ethics

Ben in California outlining the Mission of Great Legal Marketing

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)17839 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

At a recent Great Legal Marketing Seminar in Hollywood, California, Great Legal Marketing founder Ben Glass outlines the mission to the roomful of attorneys.

Two Laywers, Same Name, Virtually Same Websit URL's and no common sense

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)17838 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Here's an interesting story of two lawyers who have the same name and then duked it out in federal court over who could own the URL for the name.

In my opinion, these folks were knuckleads--not able to figure out a way to differentiate themselves in the marketplace and then wasting the federal court's time.

Here's the tale of two knucklehead lawyer marketers.

"Hidden Video" from attorney marketing expert who drives the marketing vultures crazy

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)17654 — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Here's a "sneak video" from today's shooting of the TV show in Hollywood. There will be more later but it may take some time to put it all together. ...

Your Great Legal Marketing Ideas are Great (and its not all about advertising!)

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)17653 — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Ben,

I am writing to thank you for some of the great ideas you have shared in your Great Legal Marketing materials.

I needed to find another associate after one of my existing lawyers had an "entrepreneurial seizure" and decided to form his own form. I created a long advertisement based on the letters in your GLM marketing materials. I was astounded on the number of people who applied who had exactly what I was looking for! In the past, I did generic ads, and got both a fairly low response rate and an even lower number of respondents who were the right fit for the position. This experience alone is worth what I have paid to GLM thus far.

I am hoping to have similar success stories to report in the future on my marketing efforts. I published my first book, The Insider's Guide to Texas Car Accident Cases, and have started running television commercials pushing the book. I hired Foster to redo my website. And I just sent out my first newsletter to 1,600 current and former clients.

Thanks for everything.

Sincerely,

Michael Cowen

New Website Videos From Ben Glass

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)17651 — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

We've recently shot some new videos at the Fairfax Video Studio for use on the BenGlassLaw website. This was all done through my FosterWebMarketing web "machine" (aka DSS.) The new videos are all over YouTube as well.

A Major Misconception About Attorney Marketing (and why you are missing it)

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)16881 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Let me ask you this question:

Once a prospect makes contact with you, how long do you think it takes them to make a decision about who to hire as their attorney?

Most lawyers think that the hiring decision is made quickly and if they don't respond right now, they won't get the case.

From our own data and from the conversations we are having with Great Legal Marketing members, this is not true.

The best personal injury cases are signing fee agreements anywhere from 31 to 365 days after starting down our marketing system.

This means that if you are not marketing to them with a consistent, automotic, useful and interesting follow up marketing campaign, you are missing a huge opportunity.

So let me ask you: what does your marketing to a prospective client look like after day 31?

Those of us who have a well thought, ethical and effective marketing campaign are marketing to these prospects in a vacuum. You are quitting way too early.

Now I see what's driving the Virginia State Bar's LEO on 3rd party web sites

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)15910 — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

I wondered what was driving the Virginia State Bar's recent proposed LEO on Third Party Websites. Hopefully that LEO will, based the responses the Bar got, die a slow death before spending a quarter million or so defending another lawsuit.

But I wondered what got them going? Who filed the complaint. Now we have the answer.

Now I see what's driving the Virginia State Bar's LEO on 3rd party web sites

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)15909 — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

Great Lawyers.com website

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)15451 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

After my last post about Laywers.com "pulling" my A.V. rating I thought I'd go look and see what kinds of websites they are producing these days.

I did a simple search for personal injury lawyers in Fairfax.

Here's what I found -- this was near the top so I expect the firm was paying extra to be there. I deleted the firm name because the website is so bad its embarrassing. (By they way, Lawyers.com was running a banner ad for a Danville, Virginia law firm on the right hand side. So someone IS paying for that. So, for a "Fairfax, Virginia personal injury" search they run (and presumably charge for) and ad for a firm more than five hours away!!

In fact its hard to believe that anyone is actually paying for this.

OVER 40 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE

Thank you for your interest in the law office of XXX and XXX, PLLC and welcome to our web site. Our goal is to provide the highest quality legal services, to aggressively represent our clients' interests, and to secure results in a timely fashion. Please visit our firm profile and attorney pages, where you will learn about our practice focus and credentials. We welcome the opportunity to talk with you and to discuss how we may be of service.

Lawyers.com no longer publishing A.V. rating

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)15450 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

I received the email below advising that neither Lawyers.com nor Martindale.com would be "publishing" my "A.V" rating next to my "listing" unless I paid them $50.00.

Oh wow.

Like consumers really go to Lawyers.com or Martindale, rather than Google, to look for a lawyer. Thousands of potential clients come through the BenGlassLaw.com website a year. I talk to a ton of them. Not a one of them has reported to me that they even know what lawyers.com or martindale.com is, let alone recognize it as a primary source of useful information about finding a lawyer. No, looking at ads that all look pretty much the same is not the way consumers hunt for a lawyer and smart lawyers know this.

Anyway, here's the email I got:

Dear Benjamin W. Glass,

Martindale-Hubbell works with American Registry to help AV Rated attorneys such as yourself maximize the opportunity for leveraging your Peer Review Rating.

As one of a select few attorneys to have achieved the highest possible rating of AV, we want you to be aware that your rating is currently NOT being displayed on Lawyers.com or Martindale.com.

To restore the display of your rating normally costs $59. Now through July 24, you can both save 15%, and pay by invoice on net 30 terms. Here's how:

Simply reply to this email with the subject line "Yes, Please Invoice Me for my AV Rating Display" and we will take it from there.

You will be invoiced for $50.15 and your AV Rating will once again appear beside your listing on both Lawyers.com and Martindale.com.

If you have any questions or concerns about this fee or being invoiced, please contact me, Pat Barnes, by replying to this email, or by phone at 800-892-6998 x2.

Sincerely,

Pat Barnes
Account Manager, American Registry.
By the way, here's the listing they do have for me:

Benjamin W. Glass, III
3915 Old Lee Highway, Suite 22-B
Fairfax, Virginia
(Ind. City; Seat of Fairfax Co.)

Benjamin W. Glass, III practices in the following areas of law: Medical Malpractice; Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Insurance Coverage; ERISA Litigation; Disability Insurance
Admitted: 1983, Virginia; 1984, District of Columbia; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia; 1997, U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia
Law School: George Mason University School of Law, J.D.
College: College of William & Mary, B.A.

Do they really think that adding "A.V" to that is going to make a potential client call a lawyer?

Great Legal Marketing Announces Los Angeles, CA Seminar

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)15382 — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

Memo to the West Coast fans of Great Legal Marketing.

We'll be conducting a very special "mini" seminar on Sunday, August 30, 2009. Our two day marketing events have become the place to be for solo and small firm lawyers looking to improve their practices, be heroes to their families and icons in their communities.

To find our more information and find out what we'll be covering, check out our California Legal Marketing Seminar information page.

Lawyers Should Check out artist Annette Polan

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)14820 — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

Lawyers often feel a twinge in their stomach when I talk about "marketing over mastery," the concept that being the very best lawyer in town if often no marketing advantage at all.

Learn to be the best marketer (or at least vastly improve your marketing skills) and watch you revenues, happiness and "hero factor" with your family improve.

Think you can't do it? Take a look at this artist who is bucking the norm and ask yourself, "how could I use what she is doing in my business?"

Law Firm Sues Google for Letting Others Buy Its Name to Sell Adwords

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)14093 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Here is an interesting lawsuit for the legal ethical theorists.

A lawsuit against Google for allowing one law firm to buy another law firm's name as a keyword. Google makes money on this advertising. The suit was filed by Stratton Faxon.

Word has it that Google took down the ads.

Here's a discussion about competitors buying other company's names as search terms.

Is LexisNexis following Great Legal Marketing

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)14036 — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

We recently discovered that LexisNexis was buying pay per click ads and using "Great Legal Marketing" in the headline of the ad.

Concidence?

Check out what LexisNexis is doing with Great Legal Marketing

Billing Ethics In The Age Of Computers and Technology

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13976 — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

You pay a flat fee to WestLaw or LexisNexus, you charge your client an hourly fee for its use, or better yet, charge each of your clients the whole flat fee you pay to the service. That's what Chadbourne & Parke out of New York has been doing. Say they pay $100 per month for WestLaw and they have five clients. Chadbourne has been charging each client $100 per month for WestLaw use, so they get $500 for a service that in total costs them $100. They're making a profit off of charging for their costs!

Unethical? I'd say so. The article about it links above and it's got some pretty interesting bits aside from the always enjoyable silk-stocking firm slip up.

2009 Great Legal Marketing Super Conference SOLD OUT

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13940 — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Ben Glass and Great Legal Marketing, LLC announce, that for the third time running, the Great Legal Marketing Super Conference is sold out.

Over 160 attorneys and their staff will be attending the premier legal marketing event for solo and small firm attorneys in Ashburn, Virginia on June 26 and 27, 2009.

There will be no registrations taken at the door and no one who is not registered will be allowed into any sessions.

The agenda for Ben Glass's 2009 Great Legal Marketing Super Conference promises two full days of marketing, management, mindset, Internet and motivation for those lawyers who are not only surviving, but thriving in tough economic times.

There is a waiting list being formed in case there are any last minute cancellations. Interested individuals can call Nicole Tully at 717-824-6553 to get on a list.

Virginia State Bar Proposed LEO on Third Party Websites

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13932 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

One must wonder just what the Virginia State Bar ethics committee was thinking when they drafted a proposed new opinion that would prohibit attorney participation in many third party website advertising programs. Read this comment on third party websites drafted by Ben DiMuro, an expert on legal advertising ethics. Sounds like the Virginia State Bar needs some advice on what exactly the Internet is all about.

Ben Glass

Virginia State Bar and Third Party Website Advertising LEO 1851

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13694 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

The Virginia State Bar circulated a draft of a new Legal Ethics Opinion regarding lawyers advertising on third party websites. This opinion could affect groups like Legal Fish, Legal Match and a host of others.

Problem is, the draft opinion is not based on reason.

You can read Ben Glass's comments on Proposed Ethics Opinion on Lawyer Advertising here.

The Most Important Marketing Tool You Own Is...

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13690 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

I recently interviewed the phone success doctor, Chris Mullins. Chris' company the Mullins Media Group helps companies to build their business by utilizing the phone to its full potential as a marketing tool. If you think your firm isn't losing potential clients based on poor initial call impressions read the interview summary and see if you still think that and can't use Chris' help. If you know your firm is losing clients because of this, read the interview summary for a remedy.

Either way, read the interview and prepare your staff for a call-handling makeover.

Read all the way through for a great FREE offer from Chris!

Multi-Tasking: A Brain Divided Against Itself Cannot Function

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13146 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Do not multitask. Multitasking does not make you more efficient; it makes you stupid. The mind is a very powerful machine but only when concentrated. Just like a computer’s processor slows down when it’s doing a million things at once so does your brain’s processor. Focusing your mind on one thing at a time can allow you to do that one thing very well and probably faster than usual. It goes along with Tip Number Three, blocking your time, in that specifically setting out your time to work on projects means that you’re not working on two, three, four projects at once. Find out how you're multitasking without even realizing it!

WARNING! Lawyers Should Unplug Themselves

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13145 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Here’s a great tip that can work wonders for your time management and ability to stay on task. Disconnect. Technology is great and it’s helped the world and business in particular boom. The instant passing of ideas from one side of the globe to the other is a wonderful thing… except when you’re trying to get work done. The mind likes to wander and that’s fine, it can lead to great ideas. The problem is that when the mind wanders so follows the cursor and the search engine. A quick investigation into an unfamiliar medical term can quickly turn into something completely unrelated and not at all productive. I know, I’ve often been guilty of it myself. That is until I took my own advice and just… let all the technology go. I’m not saying that I got rid of all my devices (who could operate a business these days without a computer and a cell phone), I’m only saying that I’ve learned to turn them off when its time to work offline. Learn how Ben Glass disconnect from the Information Age.

Tedious Work Getting In The Way Of The Important Stuff? BATCH IT!

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13144 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

I’ve talked a lot about goals and quitting and blocking things that aren’t important to your success. A lot of people say that this is a pipe dream and that we can’t always do what we want, the real world won’t let us, and our bosses don’t “get it.” Learn how to make it work through time management!

Think Accessibility Is The Key To Good Service? Think Again!

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13143 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Block your time. Two ways. First way covers how you schedule your day. Too often people make To Do lists. Lists are great for organizing ideas and keeping track of what you need to pick up from the store but not scheduling your day. If you have a To Do list for the day and 8 hours to do it then that list is probably going to take the full 8 hours. Work grows in relation to the amount of time you have to do it. This is where blocking your time comes in. Blocking is basically making appointments with yourself. It’s a high sign of integrity to make and keep appointments with yourself and if you can’t keep them then it’s very difficult to keep appointments with others. So set yourself a specific time for a specific task and keep to it. Set yourself a timer for however long you think that project will take and when it goes off, move on to the next thing. It’s hard at first and you won’t be able to get everything done in the time allotted but keep at it and soon enough you’ll find yourself achieving tasks in the time you’ve allotted. Also by setting out your schedule in blocks you’ll get a great idea of how busy you actually are. Once you see how busy you are it’s that much easier to execute Tip Number Two: The Art of Quitting, and to cut unimportant tasks out before they even find their way on your schedule. If Ben Glass can do it, so can you!

Want To Be A Winner? Start By Learning The Art Of Quitting!

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13141 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Now I know what everyone says about quitters. Napoleon Hill himself said “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.” But there’s a secret to succeeding that quotes like this one don’t quite embody and seem to overlook. That secret is this: All winners are accomplished quitters. And I’m not referring to the adage in which winners fail several times before succeeding or anything like that. All winners are accomplished quitters in that they have perfected the art of quitting everything that is holding them back from whatever it is they’ve set out to do. It can be tough we all have our vices and our way of doing things. Quitting is easy when the thing you’re quitting is hard. Quitting is much harder when the thing you’re quitting is easy. Get started on quitting!

If You Don't Know Where You're Going You Won't End Up Where You Want To Be!

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)13140 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

I'm going to be putting together a six-part series of blogs on time management over the next few days. So stay tuned each day for new tip. Here's the first one on goals.

What are your goals? Pretty big question, right? You’ve got goals in your professional life, your personal life, every aspect of life you have goals. You have to or what would be the point. If someone says they don’t have a goal in something they’re wrong and just haven’t thought about it enough. Goals, either conscious or subconscious, exist in everything. And they can be big or small, long-term or short-term. The great thing about goals is that YOU set them and they can be as ambitious or un-ambitious as you let them. Goals are great but they have one shortfall. They have a propensity to get neglected in day-to-day life. People set goals but then they see them as a far off thing, something that can be put off until tomorrow because such and such an issue is perceived to be more pressing. Do not let things that matter least take precedence over the things that matter most. Set your goals accordingly. Click here for rest of this post.

Ridiculous Lawyer Advertising Ethics Ruling From Indiana

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)12089 — Sat, 16 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

The Supreme Court of Indiana has publically reprimanded an Indiana lawyer who used the phrase "legal advertisiment" instead of "advertising material" on marketing pieces.

The lawyers defense? "We submitted the piece to the Indiana Bar as the rules require and no one said anything."

Response from the Indiana Supreme Court:

Just because you submit it doesn't mean anyone actually reads it!!!

Heres the full opinion of this ridiculous legal ethics ruling from Indiana.

Attorney Web Marketing Report Now Available

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)12016 — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

America's top web marketing guru, Tom Foster, has just published a report on the biggest errors that lawyers make with their web marketing.

Click here to get The Attorney Web Marketing Report.

Update on Great Legal Marketing Super Conference

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)11947 — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Here's the very latest information on what you can expect when you attend the 2009 Great Legal Marketing Super Conference.

Remember, there is a reason that wealth is unevenly distributed in America and its got nothing to do with upbringing, race, religion or politics.

You have a choice to make about whether your life and your law practice is everything you want it to be.

Attorney Rachel Kugel Marketing Teleseminar for Lawyers

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)11587 — Mon, 04 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Rachel Kugel has announced that she is holding a free teleseminar...

"How to Close More Prospects, Increase Fees, and Go into the Office Less"

You'll discover everything I did to increase the number of prospects I turn into clients to 90%, double my fees, and accomplish all of it even though I now hardly ever meet a prospect in the office!

On the call you'll learn:

-The system I use to ensure I don't waste hours of my time in long free consultations just to find out that the prospect is a tire kicker.

-How I went from right out of law school to thriving practice in a matter of months. Once I figured out these strategies, my practice doubled quickly!

-What to do to end the dog and pony show of "selling" prospects on your experience and services. With my 1-2-3 step strategy prospects will be pre-sold and begging to retain you by the time you speak with them.

-How to double your profits with less time spent in the office, even without a lot of staff or huge office changes.

-How to identify the four "practice killers" and make sure they are not lurking in your practice.

Want to be part of this free teleseminar? Go here to register, the call is free:

www.dreampracticesecrets.com/teleseminar.html

To your success,

Rachel Kugel

Danger Will Robinson: StarPosition.com

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)10937 — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

More unsolicited email from yet another web company.

You have to ask....how good can they really be when they send me (a personal injury lawyer in Virginia) an email directed to divorce lawyers in Austin?

But hey, you be the judge!!!

(I espcially like the part about the "other" 13 search engines!!!!!)

Here it is:

Subject: Divorce Lawyers--Please read

Hello,

I represent a company called Star Position, a company that does what's known as advanced search engine placement. We reach a Network of over 35 million people who are predominantly US based. Our Network is entirely opt-in, and the users on our Network allow us to present them with a preferred choice whenever they are looking for anything on the top sixteen search engines. (GOOGLE, YAHOO, MSN and thirteen others.)

I seek one source to send the users on our Network, from the major search engines, for divorce lawyers in Austin and surrounding markets.

Please contact me at your earliest convenience. I am in the office daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific time.

Best regards,

Kathleen Daigle
Sales Manager, Star Position
Phone: 800.481.2979, ext 2003

Danger Will Robinson: TopRankingLinks.com

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)10900 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

My advice regarding buying one way links back from 'high PR' sites.

Stay away.

Here's an email that I, a personal injury attorney got from TopRankingLinks.com

Two quick thoughts:

Why does anyone need to spam these days (I did not solicit the marketing piece--that is spam.)

How good could these guys be when they aren't even the slightest bit careful in the beginning?

Bottom line--deal with legitimate we developers. Its easy to find them. Just look at the top ranked sites in your market area for your specialty. Its a decent bet the firms behind the site are good at what they do.

Hello, my name is Steve Wilson and I am an internet marketing specialist.
I was looking at websites under the keyword bankruptcy attorney fairfax
and came across your site vamedmal.com. I see
that you're ranked #8 on page 17 in google.

I am not sure if you are aware of why you are ranked this low but more
importantly how easily correctable this is.

There is no reason you cannot have a top three ranking for any keyword
which is important to you based on your site structure and content.
You have a very nice site.

You need significantly more one way anchor text backlinks. If you are
interested I can help you with this...

I am talking about getting you ranked for ALL your keywords. Adding new
backlinks on a steady and consistent basis from high PR quality websites
is what produces the rankings you are looking for vamedmal.com.

The right kind of links are very critical in getting top ranking....and I can
hand deliver these quality links to you.

My partners and I own 1000's of websites and offer private linking to hundreds
of website owners just like yourself.

I did not send this email out to very many people but I am currently
reaching out to a list of your 'keyword competitors' as well. But I do
favor your website because I can see your website monetizing the targeted
website traffic this can deliver.

I have your contact info as: phone #703.591.9829. Is it ok if I give you a
call?

If so, just hit reply and give me the green light to call you for free consultation.

I have a very simple way to prove that what I do works and it is risk free
for you to try. Nothing beats seeing the results with your own eyes.

Is it ok if I give you a call? I would love to pursue this further over the
phone with you or should I go somewhere else?

Sincerely,

Steve Wilson
Senior Executive
TopRankingLinks.com

P.S - I am talking about keywords that produce the right kind of traffic...
Traffic that delivers leads, sales and profits. Because getting a ranking
that does not generate leads and sales is worthless.

Is it Ok to give you a call? If so, just hit reply and tell me specifically
who to ask for when I call and what time of day is best to reach that person.

Trust and Estate Planning Attorney talks about Great Legal Marketing

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)10855 — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

One of the questions we get is: I'm a [name a legal specialty], will Ben Glass's Great Legal Marketing system work for me.

The answer is that we have members across all consumer specialties. Here, nationally recognized trust and estate planning attorney Dave Frees tells why he comes to the Great Legal Marketing Conferences.

Wealth Accumulation by the Few -- Good or Bad?

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)10835 — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

Many politicians talk about the disparity in earnings between "the few at the top" and "the rest" like this is something to be "fixed." They then create confiscatory tax regulations that attempt to "equal things out."

I spoke at Christopher Newport University recently and talked about what it takes to be successful in America. I pointed out that the 80/20 rule applies to income earners (producers) and no amount of political shananigans (short of 100% socialism) will ever change that.

I followed up that talk with a short article about income disparity in America.

Visiting Disney With America's Premier Experts

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)10040 — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Getting Calls from AskMyLawyerNow.com???

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)9764 — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

It has come to my attention that a "Becky Patrick" from "AskMyLawyerNow.com" is calling our members to pitch something. She refers to the "Ben Glass system" and says her system would be a "perfect fit."

Just letting you know that I don't have any relationship with her, do not know what she is pitching...so do your own due diligence but don't be mislead that I have somehow endorsed them.

This morning their askmylawyer.com website appeared to be down, so I couldn't even see what they were offering.

Ben

Why Some Firms Will Thrive, Others Fail, in a Recession

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)9754 — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Almost every day there's another headline of massive lay offs at giant law firms. This puts added pressure on the solo and small firm as attorneys flee the major firms to start up their own practices.

There will be firms that thrive in this economy and no, its not just about their practice areas. Its about how they live their lives.

Read Why Some Law Firms Will Thrive in This Recession

Ben Glass Named to America's Premier Experts

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)9682 — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Fairfax, VIrginia Personal Injury Attorney Ben Glass named to America's Premier Experts.

“We are proud to honor Ben Glass as one of America’s PremierExperts™. He does a remarkable
job of coaching and mentoring attorneys on advertising and marketing that is both effective and
ethical. We know he will be a great addition to America’s PremierExperts™ Class of 2009,”
Nick Nanton, Esq. co-founder of the organization said.

Are You Getting Calls from CyberLink Technologies, "CTI" or WebOpts about your website?

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)9661 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

have you gotten a "warning" call from someone at Cyber Link Technologies, aka CTI or WebOpts?

Here's a web SEO company that is using some pretty unusual tactics to get clients. Seems they are calling the client list of Foster Web Marketing.com.

They profess some sort of insider knowledge about Google and that the FosterWebMarketing sites are "going to be delisted."

When pressed, they really can't explain it and, when given the opportunity, they launch into a sales pitch for their services.

I've blogged about WebOpts and Cyber Technology here and there's another note about WebOpts and Cyber Technology here.

Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer Local Group Forms in Northern Virginia

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (Blog Author)9511 — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle announces the formation of the Northern Virginia chapter where small business entrepreneurs meet every month to build and grow their practices and businesses. This group is only for people who reject the 'sucking sound" produced by the recession.

Check out the Glazer-Kennedy (GKIC) Northern Virginia Chapter Blog here.

Niche Marketers Network -- Spammers

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)9404 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST

Have you received an unsolicited bulk email from Niche Marketers Network. Attorneys who are involved with them are, in my opinion, skating real close to the legal and ethical edge. Here's more on Niche Marketers Network.

Ben Glass

No, We Do't Guarantee More Income Just for Showing Up

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)9375 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST

I had an interesting email exchange with an attorney who will remain nameless.

Ben:

If I recall correctly, the last conference in Virginia I think it was the cost was over $1500.00 to attend. If I'm going to spend that kind of money, then I want a money back guarantee that if my business doesn't grow in income by 3 to 5x that amount, then I see no reason to attend.

David (name withheld)

Here was my response.

David:

No, I'm NOT Going to Guarantee that You'll Make more money just by showing up at my conference. To do that I'd have to make sure you actually take action, then personally answer your phones and then do your cases for you. I'm not doing that. I don't guarantee what I have no control over.

Here's my promise:

Stay for the entire conference. If you are not totally, 100% convinced that this isn't the best legal marketing conference you've even gone to and if you head isn't ready to explode with all the ideas I've given you then tell me at the end, and I'll cheerfully refund your money. The only "condition" is that you have to look me in they eye, man to man, and tell my WHY you are dissatisfied. Keep all of the materials we have given you and we'll part friends.

By the way, the conference is much more expensive than $1,500 but we discount with early registration. We sold out the last two so we must be doing something right.

I am concerned about your goals however. 5 X $1,500 is only $7,500. Most who attend would add one "zero" to that and my mastermind group would add 2 zero's. So, if you are thinking in terms of $7,500 additional profit it can't be worth your time to travel to Northern Virginia, could it?

Seriously.. download the application...read the testimonials...contact some of those folks.

Florida Supreme Court at it again with lawyer websites.

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8806 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST

The Florida Supreme Court recently held hearings (againi) on the whole issue of lawyer websites. One justice even suggested that it would be "no problem" to review maybe thousands of pages of websites from thousands of lawyers. (I guess you could just expand the Advertising Committee again and help bail out unumployed ethicists.) Anyway, I've commented on latest information on lawyer advertising ethics from the Florida Supreme Court here.

Solo and Small Firm Lawyers....Why What You Do Matters

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8361 — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

The MyShingle blog ran a neat contest over the last month or so, asking solo and small firm lawyers to explain why what they do matters.

I entered and talked about Great Legal Marketing and the changes we are mking in people's lives.

You can read the various entries here.

National Great Legal Marketing Event is SOLD OUT!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8349 — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Great Legal Marketing announces that the two-day Jump Start National Legal Marketing Conference SOLD OUT. This marks the second time that the conference, which starts January 30, in Fairfax, VA, has sold out.

Ben Glass, founder of Great Legal Marketing announced today that the conference, which has expanded this year to two full days, will offer attendees a wealth of opportunities and ideas to keep their law firms thriving, even in a down economy.

Marketing Is Most Important

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8170 — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

We must accept that marketing/practice building is the most important thing you can do in your practice. Now, I know we all think our business is different, and we went to law school, many of us, in order to be able to help people. I am not disagreeing with any of that, but you are running a business. Michael Gerber, in E-Myth, says "Look, it is a myth to think that just because you can practice law you can run a law business." You have to get good at a lot of different things from being a manager to being a marketer to being, in our case, a trial lawyer. I am sure you would agree with me that you can be the best lawyer in the world but without a steady stream of new cases coming in your door it is like having a big fancy car in the driveway with no gas. Yes, marketing and practice building are the most important things you can do in your practice. Without them, you have no practice.

-Ben Glass

Know Where You Are Going

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8119 — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

A mega mistake many lawyers make is not knowing where it is that they are going. Before embarking on a course of marketing they fail to make a decision as to what the perfect practice and the perfect client will look like. You cannot develop a marketing plan or purchase advertising media, such as Yellow Pages ads, TV commercials or websites, without understanding where you are going. What does your perfect client look like? What do you want your practice to look like? The correct answer to the question, "Why do you want to spend any more money on marketing?" should not be simply, "More cases." Not drawing at least a mental picture of what it is you are after with your practice is like getting on an airplane and saying, "Take me anywhere."

-Ben Glass

Become a Published Author

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8081 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

For someone who does not know a lawyer, but who is looking for a lawyer because they have been hurt and they see pages of ads, your irresistible offer is an offer for information in a low-pressure-easy-for-them-to-get-without-actually-talking-to-a-lawyer environment.

When you write books and special reports, you can tell a much more complete story than you can in a one page Yellow Page ad. You can have the mailman bring them a whole box of stuff. You are not limited to a full page phone book ad or a 30 second TV spot. They will read it because they requested it and gave you permission to mail it (you are a "guest" and not a "pest"). You can follow up with sequential mailings and email (auto-responders) in an interesting, helpful, and ethical way.

Books:

The Five Deadly Sins That Can Wreck Your Accident Case

Why Most Malpractice Victims Never Recover a Dime

How to Buy Car Insurance in Virginia

The Truth About Lawyer Advertising

- Ben Glass

Getting Referrals From Who You Know Best

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8048 — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Getting referrals from family and friends is the easiest sort of practice building by referrals - so long as you provide excellent service and let them know you want and welcome referrals. After all, people who already know you and know of the excellent service you provide trust you and like you and seemingly would be eager to recommend you to others. These are all the people who you have personal, not professional, relationships with.

The most obvious way to get referrals from this group, the group that knows you the best, is to ask for them. Never assume that just because someone knows you are a lawyer, they know what you do. Furthermore, never assume that just because someone knows what you do, they know that you would welcome referrals from them. You would be astonished at how many people in your sphere of influence know neither of these things about you. There is nothing wrong with being straightforward about what you do and that you would welcome referrals.

Of course, your family and friends and current and former clients are on your mailing list. So, in the interesting material you send them regularly, be sure you mention that you are "open for business" and would welcome their recommendations.

- Ben Glass

Agenda for Ben Glass's JumpStart 2009 Legal Marketing Confernce for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)8011 — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

We are just about sold out for our January conference. If you have not registered and want in, the only way to register at this point is to call Mairim in Ben Glass's office. 703-591-9829.

Here is the agenda for the JumpStart 2009 Legal Marketing Conference.

Yes, They Really ARE Looking for YOU on the Internet

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7978 — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Other than family and friends (31 percent), the Internet is now the single biggest source for legal information, outpacing books and newspaper/magazine articles, which came in at just 12 percent.

At BenGlassLaw, we generally have between 4 and 5 thousand unique visitors a month. Our Internet Marketing goal is to have anyone who is in our Northern Virginia market who is seeking an injury or malpractice attorney to at least visit our site, and hopefully, start a relationship by asking for more information. This is strengthened by having two independent and well-performing sites, www.BenGlassLaw.com and www.NorthernVirginiaInjuryBoard.com that typically place in the first five positions on page one of Google.

Imagine being able to have everyone who is on the Internet looking for an attorney in your market area at least seeing your site on the first page of Google. If that interests you, then you might want to contact my webmaster, Tom Foster, at Foster Web Consulting, if your site does not place on the first page of Google for search terms applicable to your practice area.

Frankly, if you are paying for a "position" and enhanced rankings in one of those big mega law firm directory websites like www.Findlaw.com or www.Lawyers.com before you have #1 page positioning in Google, you are wasting your money (just my opinion.)

- Ben Glass

An interesting way a bankruptcy lawyer uses his TV ad budget

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7874 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

This is an interview conducted by Great Legal Marketing's Ben Glass with one of his marketing mastermind members. Each month, members get to "look inside" other member's businesses via recorded and transcribed interviews.

Web Video for Lawyers

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7390 — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

One of the huge advantages that small firms have over the large firms is that we believe in the Internet. I've heard several big firms in big cities say that the Internet is something that is "coming." The big firms generally don't have a system for getting their websites well placed in Google and they are lost at the whole idea of using the Internet to collect names for the herd and marketing back to them.

This is the key... we can compete by continuing to cultivate the group of people who already have given us permission to market to them. Be interesting and "remarkable."

Using tools like Tom Foster's "DSS" or Tom Young's www.InjuryBoard.com backed by a CRM software such as Infusion (www.Infusionsoft.com) will do two things. First, it continually will separate you from other small firms in your ability to be nimble, responsive, and a "personality/celebrity" to your herd. Second, it helps you to battle with the mega-firms that are willing to spend anything to get a new client, but usually fall flat on their faces to cultivate the clients they already have to be "evangelists."

I also talk frequently with my Internet friends about the "next great thing." It's here and it's Internet Video. Check out www.Rapplaw.com and www.BenGlassLaw.com .

- Ben Glass

Recycling Works!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7378 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

I don't know how to recycle plastic and make it into something else like draperies, but I do know that recycling what we send to our herd works. I don't mean that we recycle the very same newsletters word for word. I'm talking about regularly sending the same kinds of helpful, informational messages to our clients.

For example, August is a great time to send postcards to your herd that have a theme of "back to school." You could give reminders of safety - wearing seatbelts and crossing streets and wearing clothes that can be seen in the dark. You could give reminders of "now's a good time to check your insurance policy, especially if you have a new driver."

Using the calendar (seasons, holidays) or hot topics (community concerns), or recent news items as an "excuse" to send a postcard is an easy way of finding a reason to communicate with your list. Several years ago, I developed two postcards that have worked so well I re-send them every year. And you know what? No one has ever complained that they've read this already. In fact, I hear from people who say they don't have young children or new drivers in the family, so they give the postcard to neighbors. How cool is that!

Your clients will look forward to hearing from you just as long as you don't violate the most important rule: DON'T BE BORING!

- Ben Glass

The Importance of the "Widget"

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7365 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Getting the "widget" - the free special report - is the reason the potential client calls in the first place.

My first lead generation ads offered a Free Special Report about personal injury or medical malpractice cases. They were simple and brief, but they had good information in them. When someone responded to the ad, they received the Free Special Report plus an envelope full of other related information and promotional material about the firm. We estimate that we have sent out 1500 Free Special Reports to people who responded to these ads in the last nine years. Each person has been added to our list and receives our newsletters.

The "trick" to getting a valuable response is to develop, promise, and deliver a "widget" that lots of people will want even if they do not (also) immediately need or want your services. This strategy enables you to start and develop relationships with each of these people, so when they do need a lawyer, you are already there.

Lead generation ads have allowed us to grow the list of raving fans with whom we regularly communicate. They get our newsletters and large postcards throughout the year. We have had a lot of feedback from people on our list. They find the newsletters informative and interesting (NEVER BE BORING).

- Ben Glass

This is what most lawyers are learning about web marketing--so no reason you can't dominate your market

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7308 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

If this is what you competition is learning about "marketing on the Internet" then you'll have little problem dominating your market area. Compare this generic advice to brand your law firm with a phrase like "we're quick" with Tom Foster's major mistake paper.

No comparison. Most folks selling you any marketing media, including web sites, don't have a clue about marketing and this Lawyers USA article gives you example after example of that!

Louisiana Backs Down on New Ethics Rules Which Ignore the First Amendment

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7299 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

As soon as Louisiana announced new lawyer advertising rules that, among other things, set out an outright ban on lawyers advertising past results (without any evidence whatsoever of harm to the public) it was sued.

Twice.

Now it has backed down, announcing that it won't implement the rules for several months while the constitutinal issues get 'worked out.'

One of the lawyers suing the bar is blogging about it here.

If only state bars would spend a fraction of the money the spend on trying to regulate lawyer advertising on simply (1) educating the pubic about how to find a good lawyer (2) enforcing existing rules they wouldn't have to try to throw out the First Amendment. Louisiana attorneys should be screaming at their mandatory bar for wasting dues defending these lawsuit. They should drop the proposed changes.

Who Cares About You?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7182 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Take this challenge:

Go through your marketing materials and everywhere you say something about you, mark it in blue. Now pick up your red marker and everywhere you see something about the potential client (his fears, worries, concerns, goals, interests, etc.) mark it in red. If you see more blue than red, you have lots of room for improvement.

What do you know about your potential clients, anyway? We think we know, don't we? Really good marketing and advertising is about people... their life experiences, desires, frustrations, and hopes.

- Ben Glass

New Marketing Blog Launched

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7157 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Join the conversation at the solo and small law firm marketing blog.

Getting Things Done--Free Teleseminar Replay is Now Available

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7156 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

You can listen in on a neat discussion that I had with several of the Great Legal Marketing Mastermind members as we discussed what it takes to be highly successful and get more things done in a day than most do in a week.

The link to the replay is here.

What is the Easiest Way to Get a New Client?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7105 — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Word-of-mouth advertising is the most powerful, effective type of advertising there is. People believe what they hear from those who they have the closest relationships with - people in their sphere of influence. Nothing you could ever say about yourself, no matter how well you say it, can have as much impact and credibility as something a disinterested third party says about you.

You can create, stimulate, and nurture word-of-mouth advertising, all for free.

There is a single, basic secret to stimulating a high rate of word-of-mouth advertising. I first discovered the secret from studying the Disney companies. Word-of-mouth marketing is taught there as "find ways to do what you do so well and so uniquely that your customers cannot resist telling lots of other people about you." At the Disney parks, this principle is implemented in the forms of cleanliness and authenticity. When first-time visitors are surveyed and asked what sticks in their mind most about their visit, the overwhelming answers are the cleanliness of the parks and authenticity of the environments. Disney people think of cleanliness as marketing, not just maintenance. That sort of commitment to something as basic as picking up trash creates a buzz when visitors go home and talk about their vacations.

There's something like this in your practice too. Find out what your clients say is most important to them in a lawyer, understand how it translates into real life and use it to stimulate word-of-mouth advertising. You'll be surprised to hear that often, it's doing things that should be done anyways - and then make sure you're the lawyer who actually identifies them and makes the changes in your practice to stimulate word-of-mouth advertising.

- Ben Glass

Free Legal Marketing Teleseminar--"How Do You Get It All Done?"

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7086 — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Our final free teleseminar of 2008 will be Tuesday, December 9 at 3:00 p.m. eastern.

Rem Jackson and I will be discussing the question that is asked most of highly successful, busy entrepreneurs: "Just How Do You Get it All Done?"

One of the great secrets of the most successsful of our marketing mastermind group is that they "do a lot of stuff." Planned out and executed. What they do sends most lawyers to exhaustion, and we are just talking about the marketing and practice building part of the business.

We've opened this teleseminar up to all entrepreneurs other owners of small businesses.

The call starts promptly at 3:00.

You do NOT to to preregister for this call.

The call will last one hour.

The dial in number is 419-400-0202.

The Code is 332894#

Why Lawyers Market Poorly

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7048 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Lawyers tend to want to spend a lot of money chasing the next new client, rather than cultivating the list of people who already know them. This is what the marketing vultures (Yellow Pages and TV reps) encourage... they encourage it because they don't know how to market.

Ignoring the gold in your files and databases is a HUGE mistake.

It costs at least ten times as much to obtain a new client as to keep in contact with old clients and indeed, everyone who contacts you. Your files are filled with names of people who know you. Those people generally have at least 50 other friends in their "circle of influence". Lawyers are happy to spend thousands on Yellow Page and TV marketing while ignoring completely those who they already have some relationship with.

- Ben Glass

What To Do With Your List

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7047 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

You might belong to InjuryBoard or a similar body that drives plenty of leads to you; however, probably none of those leads already has a relationship with you that would get you to the top of their most trusted list. Here are some ways you can move yourself up their lists to a prominent position and turn them into raving fans:

- Every system in your office ought to be focused on making the first contact better than the potential client would ever expect. Each one has to feel like theirs is the most important call you've taken all day, because, frankly it is - to them. You want them telling their friends about that first experience.
- Most of the leads do not turn into clients, and most lawyers think no more about them. But, you're different. You will get the name/address/e-mail address/phone number of everyone who calls. Even if you turned down their case but gave them a great first contact experience, they will be delighted when they receive a package of interesting material from you in the mail. Include special reports on topics that are important to them, information about you and your firm, general information about what it means to make a claim or "sue" someone after they are injured, or how to make their way through the minefield of dealing with insurance companies.

Once they have your information, you will have taken the second step in distancing yourself from the other lawyer advertising.

- Ben Glass

Why the "List" is the Most Important Asset of Your Business

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)7005 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

If you listen to conversations lawyers have with their colleagues, you'll hear most of them asking, "How can I get more cases?" You've probably asked that same question.

But, that question misses the point. To get the next case, you must deliver a message to the right person (injured) at the right time (after being injured but before hiring a lawyer). Thousands of advertising dollars are wasted because most of the people who read your ad are not the right person at the right time.

The question that should be asked is, "How do I build my list?" Your goal is to attract people to you, people who know you have something interesting and valuable to give to them so that you are the only person they think about when they need a lawyer and who will tell others about you. Your marketing dollars will be used much more effectively when you enable an entire group of people - your raving fans - to act on your behalf to reach the right person at the right time. Plus, your "list" is giving your "permission" for you to send your marketing message to them.

People list their "most trusted" to "least trusted" sources of information this way:

Husband/Wife/Partner 5.Retailers
Friends 6.Manufacturers
Work Colleagues 7.Government
TV News 8. Advertising

You want people at the top of the trusted list to be in your list. Aside from your family and friends and close community contacts, building the rest of the last takes some thinking and planning. You first have to figure out how to spend your marketing money the right way to get the contact, and then you must do whatever you can to keep that contact within your sphere of influence.

- Ben Glass

How Do I Build My Own "Herd"?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6967 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Your goal is to attract people to you, people who know you have something interesting and valuable to give to them so that you are the only person they think about when they need a lawyer and who will tell others about you. Your marketing is much more effective when you enable an entire herd of people who will act on your behalf to reach the right person at the right time.

In some way, you must first spend your marketing money the right way to "get" the contact, and then you must do whatever you can to "keep" that contact within your sphere of influence. Building the herd starts by delivering interesting information to all people, even if they aren't the "right" person (injured) right now.

Building your own herd is as simple as 1-2-3:

CHANGE what your ad does.
KEEP TRACK of who it is who responds.
KEEP IN TOUCH with them on a regular basis.

Lead generation ads are the most effective way to build your herd. The sole purpose of the initial ad is NOT to convince someone to hire you right now. The purpose is to motivate someone to raise their hand so you can collect their name and address and begin a relationship with that person. Then, if you can do what you must to keep that relationship for years, you will have made your herd immune from other lawyers' advertising. You will become the first lawyer they think of when the need arises.

- Ben Glass

The "Herd"

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6966 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

As far as I know, the use of the word "herd" in this context was first used by Dan Kennedy. I have learned much from Dan, including my appreciation for the importance of not just marketing to people who need my services - new clients - but also of building and taking care of the herd. (www.dankennedy.com)

What would your answer be if someone asked you to name the most important asset of your practice? You may own your own building, your technology may be top of the line, and your partners and staff may be committed to the practice.

However, if you do not understand that the most important asset of your practice is your "list", then you are on the road to working too hard and spending too much money building your practice.

The "List" is essential to building and maintaining an active, enjoyable - and, yes, lucrative - practice. Every client you represent, and even those you end up not representing, has tremendous long-term value to your practice. Not surprisingly, most lawyers do not understand this and do nothing to preserve this value.

The "List" includes your current and past clients, friends, family, vendors, personal contacts. These people will help build your practice and make your marketing dollars stretch for three very important reasons:

           They already KNOW OF you.

           They probably TRUST you and your knowledge about personal injury law.

           They probably also LIKE you personally.

These are the people who are most likely to think of you and recommend you when they have a problem, or know someone who has a problem that you can help with. These are the people who are most likely to tell others, free of charge, about you. They can become your own "herd" of fervent followers, eager to tell others about you.

- Ben Glass

What's the Most Important Thing you MUST do for your Business RIGHT NOW?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6886 — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

It is hard work to create a USP. It may be the hardest thing you have to do in your marketing, but, it is also the most essential. Your marketing should be built around your USP. It's the skeleton that holds the rest of the plan together. It's the roadmap. You need to take time, sit down, and think about what is unique about you. It's not enough to say, "I'm experienced and I will do a good job for you." Everyone can say that.

Here's how to get started. First, you must know who your ideal client is. Once you know who you are trying to communicate with, you can decide what you need to say. Then, after you have identified your ideal client, list all the common problems she has that you want to help her with. Ask yourself, "What keeps her awake at night, what is she worrying about?" The next step is key. For each problem, come up with a specific solution that you can clearly articulate.

Your USP must be specific. When someone reads or hears your USP, you want their response to be, "Really? How do you do that?" If your USP can be applied to any other business without making any changes, you know you have not done your job. You may have a slogan, but you don't have a USP.

- Ben Glass

Where Is Your Market, So You Can Go There to Give Them the Message?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6501 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

You develop a message that you think your market will be interested in, then, and only then, after you have gone through all of that, do you look to the media. And by media, we mean TV, radio, newspapers, other forms of print, including brochures, Yellow Pages, Internet, and even referral systems. The media is, in a broad marketing sense, how you deliver the message.

Determining the most effective media is as important as figuring out your market and message. You must have a tight market-message-media match. That is, your message must reach your target market through media your market receives and pays attention to.

Trial lawyers who represent individuals rather than corporate clients have a special challenge when it comes to reaching their potential clients. Our potential clients very likely do not know when they read our ads that they will need us. If we represent injured people and our ads are seen by people who have not yet been injured, why should they pay any attention to us? The answer is that your ad must be where it is most likely to be received by your potential clients - even before they know they are going to need you. Therefore, go where your market is and find out what they are doing.

If your market is found in a common geographical area, go to that neighborhood. Go shopping in the grocery store and the pharmacy. Buy the neighborhood newspapers. Listen to what is being said. What TV shows do they watch? What radio programs do they listen to? What do they do for a living?

We cannot give you the best media or the best message for your market. You must do that through your hard work and focus.

- Ben Glass

So You Have Your Market. Now, What Will You Tell Them?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6500 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

First and foremost, you must know who you are talking to, because until you know who your market is, you do not know what to say to them. If you want to reach long-distance, long-haul truck drivers, you likely would talk to them differently than you would middle-aged women who enjoy gardening. You must figure out what to tell them that will resonate with them, that will touch something inside them that makes them respond to your message.

You surely have seen those ads that have only the firm's name and list of services. They are called "tombstone" ads. You put up the name of the firm - My Name Law Firm - and the areas you practice in - personal injury or whatever it is. So what? Tombstone ads are aptly named. They really are dead ends. A potential client is going to look at that and say, "Well, that doesn't tell me anything." What kind of message is that? Simple. It's no message at all. They do not tell the prospective client anything. They give her no information to help her decide that you would be the best lawyer to represent her.

To have an effective message to give to your market, think about what that market wants. What are those people looking for in a lawyer? Do they want to know about your past experience in the area of nursing home litigation? Do they want to know that you are available at all hours of the day and night?

If you are the only lawyer talking the language of your market, you are the only one they will hear.

- Ben Glass

Who Is Your Market?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6499 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

No matter how you cut it, the first thing you need to do is figure out who your market is. If you're in personal injury, are you going after the victims of drunk drivers? The person who was injured in a major retail establishment by a falling display? People who were severely injured by dangerous products? People who suffered traumatic brain injury? Many lawyers would look at this question and say, "Well, my marketplace is everybody." If you think your marketplace is everybody, you have no marketplace, because the fact is, that message is far too diluted for you to be sure you will be able to track anybody down in the confusion and clutter of today's marketplace. Spend some time figuring out who your market is. If you don't figure out who your market is, the marketplace will figure it out for you and you may not like what you get.

All business is not necessarily good business. Many lawyers have trouble understanding this. "How can it be bad if someone wants to come in and write me a check?" The answer is that if you are taking in the kind of business that really is not designed to help you get where you want to go in the long term, then, while you may collect your hourly fee, it may distract you from your marketing efforts and may take you down a path that will have you chasing your tail, and becoming frustrated and discouraged in the process. Be careful about getting into the mindset that you have to take every case and every client that comes your way.

Without a focus on what kind of practice you want to develop, you can become an advertising victim and find that you have wasted your budget on ineffective ads and end up with an unsatisfying practice. If you decide who it is you want to attract and figure out the marketing message and, finally, the media for delivering the message, you will find that you will start to attract the kind of people you want to attract. For example, are you passionate about making sure that the elderly in your community have the best nursing home care possible, and you want to help make sure nursing homes are held accountable when they injure their residents? If so, you have an identifiable market of people to talk to - people who have family members in nursing homes. Talking to this market directly about what their concerns and fears are is the secret to getting the kind of practice you want.

- Ben Glass

Do You Want to Have a Successful Attorney Website in 2009?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6463 — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

My friend and the webdeveloper behind BenGlassLaw.com , Tom Foster, of Foster Web Marketing, has just released a new free report on internet marketing for lawyers that is a must read, especially if your "webmaster" is still one of those mega law firm directory vultures!

The new Report on Maximizing Your Lawyer Website in 2009 is here.

Yellow Pages Association Letter to Wall Street Journal

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6430 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting letter to the editor about yellow page advertising from the President of the Yellow Pages Association, Neg Norton (Sat Nov 22, 2008).

The letter show "they still don't get it."

With rare exception, the lawyers in our mastermind and coaching groups are reporting cutting back on yellow page spending due to diminishing returns.

Mr. Norton makes an astonishing statement that "Yellow Pages are universally used." Huh? By who. Except for looking up the phone number of a restaurant (not searching to find a restaurant) I can't think of a single instance where my family has used the yellow pages in years.

Mr. Norton then goes on to make a pretty common mistake when he says "no other advertising medium generates new and qualified sales leads as effectively as the yellow pages."

Here's the mistake: its not the medium, its the message. All media can be made to work but its a mistake to think that, with most businesses, one medium is better than another, everything else being equal.

For lawyers, most consumers are looking on the internet (but not, as Mr. Norton asserts, by going to yellowpages.com. They are going to Google.

Ben Glass
Great Legal Marketing

Now is the time to be "greedy"

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6408 — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Mark Merenda has a great post about how lawyers should be thinking about the 'recession.'

If you follow the crowd then just ramp down your marketing, lay off staff and go cry in a corner.

The really smart folks are saying, "more real estate for me to conquer" and they are doing it by ramping "up" their marketing. Hunting that future client who has a legal need and who is looking for someone just like you got easier. If you are any good at what you do you owe it to the market place to let it know about you.

Read Mark Merenda's comments here.

What's the Most Important Thing you MUST do for your Business RIGHT NOW?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6335 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

More likely than not, you have not taken the time to sit down and think about and create a statement that describes why you are different from every other lawyer who is your competition. I'm talking about creating for yourself a unique selling proposition (USP). If you are not able to tell in a simple, clear way what it is that's unique about you, then you are just like every other lawyer in town. Your USP should answer the question, "Why should I hire you instead of hiring the guy down the street?"

It is hard work to create a USP. It may be the hardest thing you have to do in your marketing, but, it is also the most essential. Your marketing should be built around your USP. It's the skeleton that holds the rest of the plan together. It's the roadmap. You need to take time, sit down, and think about what is unique about you. It's not enough to say, "I'm experienced and I will do a good job for you." Everyone can say that.

Here's how to get started. First, you must know who your ideal client is. Once you know who you are trying to communicate with, you can decide what you need to say. Then, after you have identified your ideal client, list all the common problems she has that you want to help her with. Ask yourself, "What keeps her awake at night, what is she worrying about?" The next step is key. For each problem, come up with a specific solution that you can clearly articulate.

Your USP must be specific. When someone reads or hears your USP, you want their response to be, "Really? How do you do that?" If your USP can be applied to any other business without making any changes, you know you have not done your job. You may have a slogan, but you don't have a USP.

- Ben Glass

What Successful Entrepreneurs Do

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6253 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

In order to be successful at our style of "outside the box" marketing you have to accept:

1. You are 100% responsible for outcome, stop blaming others or "tort reform" or anything else.
2. It's important to look to find "commonalities" amongst good marketers and then to "steal" those ideas and ask yourself "how can I use this in my business?"
3. If you don't know what to do, and you have no mentors, the best thing you can do is to look around, see what everyone else is doing, and do the opposite.
4. If we are unable to make and keep commitments with ourselves, then forget about it... because if we aren't good to ourselves and don't function "right" then how can we be good to our families, clients, and partners?
5. It's not only "OK" but vitally important to spend a good portion of your time working on, not in your business.
6. Finally, there is a huge power in the "mastermind." You don't need to know much of anything, you just need to know where to go to find the information.

Join a mastermind group and start making promises to other like-minded entrepreneurs.

- Ben Glass

Report From Peak Performers

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6181 — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

I am a member of one of the Glazer Kennedy Coaching Groups. We meet three times a year for two days of masterminding. There are also emails and quarterly coach calls. We spend at least one half of the time working on personal development and productivity issues. Here are some big points from one of the last meetings:

Give yourself permission to say, "I am the most important person" and take your power back.
Figure out which of your time slots are being taken by other people's rituals and change the rituals.
Remember that most people in the world get paid no matter what happens and no matter what they do. We do not. Our time is our currency.
Multi-tasking makes you stupid. We allow our brains to be overloaded to the point of ‘brain fog.' This is done by constant, unrelenting communication.
‘Famous People' will not email you back. You can be ‘famous' now.

- Ben Glass

I'm Too Busy – Can I Do This?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6147 — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

The two real reasons behind the excuse of lack of time when it comes to marketing:

"It takes such a huge time commitment. It takes too much time away from my practice."

The solution is to NOT make it such a big deal. Children learn to walk a little at a time; do the same with your marketing. Make doing something every day to market your business a part of your everyday habit. Just one thing every day, whether it's making a call to set up a speaking gig, or calling a referral source to express your thanks and encouragement, or writing the next paragraph in your global marketing plan. Just make it a habit to do something every day.

2. "Marketing ‘feels like' selling, and I hate selling."

If this is your real excuse, it likely is because you don't do it very well. There's a simple solution: change your perspective. Nobody likes to sell and nobody likes to be sold. Marketing is about finding the people who need your help. Instead of trying to talk people into hiring you, think of yourself as being in one of the "helping" professions like doctors and nurses and therapists. You don't have to say, "I want your business." Instead, try something like, "Would you benefit from our assistance?"

If you will just commit to do a little something every day and to change the way you go about talking to people about your practice, you will be a long way to eliminating the "I'm too busy" excuse and find a way to have more time to put into your marketing. That start will make a difference, I promise.

- Ben Glass

8 Steps to Vastly Improve Your Law Firm Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6121 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

1. Get control of (or start) your client database. Marketing to people who know you, like you, and find you interesting is far more effective than marketing simply to the ‘masses.' Thus, you need a database of folks who have said to you, "market to me". Every time someone asks for information or visits your place of business, their name goes into your database to be marketed over and over again.

2. Make yourself the "guru" -become an author. There is no better way to establish yourself as the wise man/woman at the top of the mountain than to become an author. In today's world of print on demand, you can go from idea to publication of a "real" book in a week. Do it one time and you'll soon be on your way to becoming a multiple-book author.

3. There are two types of media, "inbound" and "outbound". First, perfect your "inbound" media. "Inbound" media is the media consumers are using when they are hunting for you. Today, it's the internet and (still) the Yellow Pages. Perfect these media for your business before spending tons of money on "outbound" media. "Outbound" media is TV, radio, print, and anything else where you are just sending out a message and hoping it hits someone who might just need what your business offers today.

4. Work on making an irresistible offer. What would almost force the consumer to contact you first? It should be unique. For many, that irresistible offer can be an offer of information that will help the consumer solve their problem. We are in a ‘research' world.

5. Develop your "Shock and Awe" package. When the consumer raises their hand and says, "I'm interested in what you have to say about my problem," have a multi-media package ready to send to them. Reports, books, CD's, and video's. I can almost guarantee that no one else in your market is doing this.

6. Master the Internet (or at least know how to talk to your webmaster). It doesn't matter how pretty your website is if it isn't on the first page of Google. As the business owner you need to understand search engine optimization or hire someone who is an expert. The great thing about this is that it's easy to test. If you are a dentist in Houston and typing "dentist in Houston" doesn't put you on the first page of Google, then you have work to do.

7. Develop your newsletter system. There is no better way to stay in constant contact with your database than through an interesting print newsletter mailed (not emailed) monthly. Don't use a canned newsletter. Become a personality. Be interesting.

8. Associate with folks who do this better than you do. Most business owners put "learning about marketing" too far down on their list of things to do. As Michael Gerber says in the E-Myth, we are too busy working "in" the business to work "on" the business. You have to reverse that and find the time to work "on" your business. A great way to do this is to find or start a mastermind group of like-minded entrepreneurial business owners who will commit to getting together frequently to help each other think about their businesses and, importantly, their marketing. This is not a business "cross-referral" group. This is a thinking group.

Having A Life

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6120 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Here are some of the things I have been subtracting that have helped me get to adding what I want.

UNWELCOME PESTS: People who call or show up at the office, thinking I would want to take my valuable time to meet with/talk to them.

DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE CLIENTS: Those who take up too much energy or are too needy or whose cases have taken a surprising turn for the worst (like when I find out they have not been totally honest with me).

UNPRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEES: Once I figured out how to find and delegate to reliable outsourcing suppliers, I no longer have employee headaches.

What's the one thread through all of my subtractions? DISTRACTIONS - I have worked harder on eliminating distractions than I have on any other major change in the way I run my business. By ridding myself as much as possible of people and things that cause me aggravation, I have much more energy to focus on what's meaningful in my life and my business. The magic is that subtracting = adding. I subtract what I don't want and get to add what I do want.

You may be surprised to find what's hidden beneath once you start subtracting.

- Ben Glass

Lawyers Increasingly Turning to Advertising

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)6030 — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Lawyers Increasingly Turning to Advertising.

That's the headline at least of a Florida Bar New article that tries to equate the number of lawyer ad reviews it is doing to real spending by lawyers on advertising.

Apparently the Florida Bar's "advertising committee" has seen 20% more ads for review than it did a year ago.

The increase may have nothing to do with actual lawyer spending on ads since the Florida bar recently changed its lawyer advertising rules to require pre-approval of electronic ads.

Duh....

Since internet marketing is becoming THE dominant force in lawyer advertising, is it really any surprise that the bar is reviewing more ads?

What would be really interesting is for the Florida bar to publish a compilation of ads it gets and note where it has "dissallowed" the ads. Then the Florida Bar advertising committee might actually be doing something useful for lawyers (instead of routinely trampelling on the First Amendment.) On the other had, such a compilation might just expose the advertising committee's agenda.

Let's wait and see!

Giant Trades for "Success" as a Lawyer

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)5953 — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Time- Stolen from family

Health- Stolen from self

Family- What are they going to remember?

Sanity- Stolen by easy access to you via cell phone and email

I'm not willing to trade any of these. Are you?

- Ben Glass

Using Your Law Firm as a Tollbooth?--What Could That Be About

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)5924 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Great lawyer marketers realize the value of being in a tollbooth position. Carolyn Elephant has a post on this today and its especially vital when so many are complaining about "the econony."

Check out Carolyn's blog here.

Lawyer Marketing Question: What The First Thing a Laywer Opening a New Practice Should Do?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)5922 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Ben, I am opening my new law office soon. What's the very first thing that an attorney should do regarding the marketing of a new practice?

First piece of advice is

Develop your database.. what is going to be the software to keep you contacts for you? It might be one of old school case management pieces of software but probably not.

here's the criteria

1. can names be segregated into multiple groups easily (i.e. referal sources, consumers, current clients)

2. if some one comes to my website (that I'm going to build) and fills out a form asking for info, will their contact info automatically be added to my database?

3. can I do batch email out of that software... not that email will our primary way to market but it will be A way to market

4. can I set up an auto reponder system using the database?

Next step... write your information piece. (book, white paper, etc)

Yes, this is "hard." Good marketing is complex. Most are too lazy to try. The biggest difference between my marketing mastermind members and the lawyers who quit our program is that the mastermind members are always taking action.

Personal Injury Conference Highlight Videos Added

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)5635 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Highlights of the Great Legal Marketing Super Conference lawyer marketing seminar have now been uploaded and are available for viewing.

Ben Glass offers a free three hour marketing CD set that will help any lawyer in a consumer oriented law practice to grow his or her business. Just check out these videos and see what some of our members are doing with what they have learned.

Trust and Estate Attorney Dave Frees on Great Legal Marketing

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)5462 — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

My biggest problem is trying to decide what to implement when I get home

October 21 is new date for First Free Legal Marketing Teleseminar

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)5273 — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST

Because of my own trial schedule and the unavailability of one of our scheduled speakers, the first in my series of Free Legal Marketing Teleseminars has been pushed back one week to October 21, 2008.

The other dates remain:

November 13

December 9.

All teleseminars are at 3:00, Eastern.

Full details are here.

Florida Bar "Advertising Committee" is at it again!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)4940 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

Florida Bar "Advertising Committee" is at it again

The Florida Bar's "advertising committee" must think that the public is just a bunch of morons unable to decide for themselves how to respond to words about lawyers.

According to the October 1 issue of the Florida Bar news, Florida attorneys are not allowed to ask former clients to go to Avvo.com and post a comment about the lawyer's services.

Never mind that the Avvo site is not run by the lawyer (and thus could not be a communication, at all, by the lawyer about services) and that the lawyer has no control over the content placed by the former client. The bar "advertising committee" says that this is the same as using a testimonial (more on that in a minute.) As Josh King, general counsel of Avvo noted, this is just like a prohibition against a lawyer even saying to a client, "if you think I did a good job, tell someone about it."

I'm firmly convinced this "advertising committee" in Florida wouldn't know the First Amendment if it hit them. What are they so afraid of???

First, the general prohibition against the use of testimonials in lawyer advertising clearly violates the First Amendment. (But hey, this is a state where it is deemed deceptive per se for a lawyer to say "Member of Florida Bar" since even though 100% factual--I kid you not.) The bar thinks the public is a bunch of morons. Imagine this... you run an ad in Florida and say you are a member of the Florida Bar... you could be disciplined.. crazy..

The Florida ethics rules for advertising suggest that the use of a testimonial might be misleading because it suggests an ability to achieve a specific result and "past results are no indicative of future results."

OK, this is true...but guess what....the public already knows this...and even if it were true you don't BAN speech when some less intrusive method would work--like how about a disclaimer that says "past results no guarantee of future results."

Free Legal Marketing Teleseminar Series Announced

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)4801 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

Here's the lineup for this Fall's Free Legal Marketing Teleseminare Series that I am doing.

Full Details are here

October 21 -- 3:00 Eastern

Why Some Lawyers Are Quadrupling Income While Others Continue to Struggle.

November 13, 2008 -- 3:00 Eastern

How come when you type in search terms for lawyers you see some lawyers taking up two or three of the spots on the first page of Google?

December 9, 2008 -- 3:00 Eastern

OK, Ben, you run two businesses full time and you have seven kids. You don't work nights and you get to their games....AND you are a TRIAL LAWYER...how do you do it?

That's the question I get asked most. Let's discuss on this call.

DUI Marketing Teleseminar Thursday September 11

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)4418 — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

One of my mastermind members, Richmond, Virginia attorney Bob Battle, is a DUI defense attorney who has quadrupled his income using my marketing techniques. (Yes, I've seen all of his numbers and he's shared with my mastermind grop exactly what he is doing. Now he has taken what I taught him and "niched" it for DUI.

He's taken all the guesswork and risk out of DUI advertising and created a simple, easy-to-follow, turnkey system that works (and that you'll be proud of).He's doing a teleseminar this Thursday to talk about what he does and to introduce a new, area exclusive, DUI marketing program.

Bob's a straight up guy so you might want to listen in on the free teleseminar. (While anyone can listen in to the teleseminar, the marketing program itself is limited to experienced DUI attorneys. It is a national marketing program with a very high degree of integrity.)

Teleseminar on Sept 11, 2008 @ 2 & 8 pm Eastern. To hear more and sign-up-

http://www.duianswer.com/register/

If Your FindLaw Site Drops In Google, Read This

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)4034 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST

When you see a pitch that promises that you can buy your way to a first page ranking in Google, run--away.

Findlaw has been accused of essentially selling Page Rank, which is a big no-no with Google. And, as you know, mess with Mr. Google and whammo, you can be gone. And no one regulates what Google does with its search engine results...there is no appeal to a higher body.

I've posted more over here but if you are still a Findlaw customer and wonder why your site isn't ranking this week as high as it ranked last week (if indeed, any Findlaw site actually does rank high--another story for another day-- read this article.

Favorite Marketing Books for Lawyers

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)3855 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST

I get requests all the time from lawyers: what books are you reading. My own library on the subject of marketing is huge. Here's a list of some of Ben Glass's Favorite Marketing Books for Lawyers.

See the ad AAJ rejected and tell us what we should do.

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)3689 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

As you know, we have been running full page ads in TRIAL magazine for months. We recently re-designed the ad and incorporate some of the results Great Legal Marketing have been getting. Unfortunately, AAJ rejected the ad because it talks, in part, about money that lawyers are making.

We are curious as to which way we should go now.

You can see the ad here.

Click Here to let us know which way we should go with this

Texas State Bar to Profit from YouTube, FaceBook

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2764 — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Here is a press release from the Texas State Bar, which now seeks to charge attorneys when they post a video on YouTube.

Attorney or law firm videos disseminated on video websites such as YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook that solicit legal services are considered advertisements in the public media and are required to be filed with the Advertising Review Committee. The application can be downloaded at the Advertising Review website at www.texasbar.com/adreview. The fee is $75. Failure to file can result in a fine/fee of $300, and possible disciplinary action. If you have any questions, please contact the Advertising Review Committee at (866)566-4616.

Of course, the whole issue is: what does it mean to "solicit?"

Lets say an attorney does as I teach, and posts an instructional video about dealing with the insurance industry...or...promotes a consumer book she has just finished writing.

Is this a solicitation or is this fully protected informational speech not the least bit of concern to the Texas State Bar?

Done correctly, and informationally, a good attorney video should not be subject to any state bar advertising committee "rule" and certainly should not be a tool for profit for the bar.

Hopefully someone from Texas will stand up to this nonsense.

Here's One Good Reason to Attend the Legal Marketing Event of the Year

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2462 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST

We are about 60% SOLD OUT for our June Lawyer Marketing Super Conference.

Yes, we are more expensive than any state bar run "marketing" event. Yes, we are even more expensive than anyone else who is running specialty marketing events just for lawyers. One guy even emailed me, rather upset at our "arrogance" at charging so much.

I checked out his website... he can just keep on handing over his wallet to the Marketing Vulture that sold him that one!!! I'll be his Yellow Page ad stinks too.

So people ask me---

"Ben, Give Me One Good Reason To Attend Your Lawyer Marketing Super Conference on June 20-21 in Fairfax, Virginia..."

I'll ltet one of my mastermind members speak for us:

Ben, no one spent more money to attend your Great Legal Marketing Super Conference last year than Chris and I did. We not only flew cross country but we flew my parents to Virginia and paid for their hotel rooms as well as our so they could watch our kids while we attended the conference.

We are doing the same thing again this year AND we've since joined your exclusive Mastermind Group, so we are actually incurring additional costs to meet with the other mastermind members the day before the conference. Why are we coming back? Because we experienced immediate results from implementing the things we learned at the Super Conference.

Here are our results so far:

In the first 90 days since we stepped off the plane back in Seattle, we experienced a 45% increase (vs. the prior year, same quarter) in potential client meetings and a 60% increase in the conversion rate of those meetings to actual clients.

In the next 90 days, when measured against the same quarter the prior year, we experienced a 411% increase in potential client meetings and a 317% increase in conversions of those meetings to personal injury clients.

After listening to Tom Foster and implementing exactly what he revealed to about Internet Marketing for Lawyers, we doubled out website traffic in the last six months of 2007.

We've booked our plane reservation and the hotel rooms. Virginia, here we come.

                       Mischelle Davis
                       Davis Law Group
                       www.injurytriallawyer.com
                       (206) 727-4000

Note From Ben:

We are 60% sold out already and have had to expand our room block at the hotel once already. No other lawyer marketing conference matches what we offer and we guarantee it all. Think we haven't delivered? We'll gladly refund your money. Mischelle and Chris will be presenting at this year's Super Conference and they'll walk you through exactly what they did.

You have a choice. Keep buying what the yellow page rep, website directory group and other marketing vultures are selling you. Let them do their marketing for you. Or, come try us out. Another order form is enclosed. Please note the deadlines. We are serious about the deadlines and have disappointed a few who can't read a calendar correctly. Fax the enclose form in today. If you need more info, go to www.GLMSuperConference2008.com.

Free Legal Marketing Teleseminar Wednesday April 14, 2008

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2379 — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST

I have been getting calls and emails from folks who want to know more about the Great Legal Marketing Super Conference (Virginia in June). So we have rounded up, on very short notice, two folks who have attended our conferences in the past and have revolutionized their practices and their lives.

On Wednesday we'll be talking to Richmond, Virginia DUI attorney Bob Battle and to Mischelle Davis, the director of marketing for the Davis Law Group, in Seattle. Both came to a Super Conference, made a list, took action..and are now reaping the benefits of effective, ethical and outside the box marketing for their practices.

They'll be sharing some of the GLM marketing strategies they have implemented and how their practices have changed. And they'll answer your questions!

If you are a Yellow Page rep or major law web directory rep, you probably won't like what they have to say.

This call is free (if you are one of the 2 people left in America without free long distance service you'll have to pay for the toll call) and there is no registration required.

Date: Wednesday, April 16

Time: 3:00 p.m Eastern
Dial In: 419-400-0202 Code 332894#

Notice: Dial in early, we only have 197 lines for this call.

For more information:

www.GLMSuperConference2008.com - More info on the SuperConference
www.bobbattlelaw.com - Check out Bob's website.

www.injurytriallawyer.com - Take a look at Davis Law Group's site.

Marketing Conference Videos Are Now Up

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2346 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST

We've had a tremendous response to our "internal" marketing of of our 2008 Super Conference. Now that the 'formal' marketing has kicked off some folks have said they would like to see what it is we are doing.

We've posted some videos to YouTube.

They are Ben Glass's Attorney Marketing SuperConference #1

and

Ben Glass's Lawyer Marketing Super Confernce Video #2.

To get the shocking report behind this conference go here.

Deliberate Systematic Branding--Lessons from American Idol

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2194 — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

No matter what you may think of Ryan Seacrist or American Idol (I'm not a fan) you should probably read the article that appeared in this Sunday's Washington Post.

He's famous now but he wasn't always... yet he went about a very deliberate, well thought out, strategy for making himself famous. It's a strategy any lawyer could follow.

Read the article at the Post here.

Marketing Super Conference 2008 Now Set!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2176 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Great Legal Marketing Super Conference 2008 is now set for Jun 20-21, in Reston, Virginia. This year's event will include presentations from members of Great Legal Marketing who have revolutionized their lives by taking action.

If you would like to receive information by email about the event, go to GLMSuperConference2008.com

Prioritzing Your Marketing Resources

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2158 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

Lots of people teach how to market a law firm and what tools to use, but rarely do you see advice on how attorneys should allocate their two most precious resources: time and money.

In other words: if you have a dollar to spend and an hour to use, where do you start?
Here are some tips:

1. Get control of (or start) your client database. I'm shocked at how many lawyers don't have a marketing database. Marketing to people who know you, like you and find you interesting is far more effective than marketing to the 'masses.' Thus, you need a data base of folks who have said to you "Market to me." Every time someone visits your website or calls your office their name goes into your database to be marketed over and over again.

2. Make yourself the "guru"--become an author. There is no better way to establish your self as the wise man/woman at the top of the mountain than to become an author. I've written The Utlimate Guide to Virginia Auto Accidents and The Truth About Lawyer Advertising. Its not that hard.

3. There are two types of media, "inbound" and "outbound." "Inbound" media is the media consumers are using when they are hunting for you. Today, its the Internet and (still) the Yellow Pages. Perfect these media for your law practice before spending tons of money on "outbound" media. "Outbound media" is TV, radio, print and anything else where you are just sending out a message and hoping it hits someone who might just need what your business offers today. Outbound media is "sexy" (you get to see yourself on TV. Inbound media is the most cost-effective way to market yourself. Don't skip over it.

4. Work on making an irresistible offer. What would almost force the consumer to contact your first? Clue: it ain't "Free Consultation." It should be unique. For many, that irresistible offer can be an offer of information that will help the potential client solve their problem. We are in a 'research' world.

5. Develop your "Shock and Awe" package.When the client raises their hand and says "I'm interested in what you have to say about my problem," have a multi-media package ready to send to them. Reports, books, CD's and video's. I can almost guarantee that no one else in your market it doing this. More work, certainly, but tremendously effective.

6. Master the Internet (or at least know how to talk to your webmaster). It doesn't' matter how pretty your web site is if it isn't on the first page of Google. As the business owner you need to understand search engine optimization or hire someone who is an expert. The great thing about this is that its easy to test. If you are a personal injury attorney in Houston and typing personal injury attorney in Houston" doesn't put you on the first page of Google, then you have work to do. The company that puts me on the first page of Google is Foster Web Marketing.

7. Develop your newsletter system. There is no better way to stay in constant contact with your database than through an interesting print newsletter mailed (not emailed) monthly. Don't use a canned newsletter. Don't slap you name on some boring waste fof paper. Become a personality. Be interesting.

8. Associate with folks who do this better than you do. Most business owners put "learning about marketing" too far down their list of things to do. As Michael Gerber says in the E-Myth, we are too busy working "in" the business to work "on" the business. You have to reverse that and find the time to work "on" your business. A great way to do this is to find or start a mastermind group of like-minded entrepreneurial business owners who will commit to getting together frequently to help each other think about their businesses and, importantly, their marketing. This is not a business "cross-referral" group. This is a thinking group.

Far to many attorneys are willing to throw their marketing resources of time and money at the glitzy TV ads without really thinking about the effective ways to build and nurture a relationship with customers and patients through a system of attracting their attention with interesting advertising and irresistible offers and then maintaining that contact through frequent newsletter "touches."

Huge "Shout Out" From Attorney Marketing Center

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)2050 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST

David Ward writes an attorney marketing blog and is the author of referal marketing system. He gets our the BenGlassLaw law firm newsletter and recently had some very nice things to say about the way we market the law practice.

Your Yellow Page Marketing Dollars At Work--NOT!

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1977 — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Here's a cool story and video that my good friend, Mischelle Davis alerted me to. All those stats your phone book rep tells you about distribution are probably true...trouble is, not all the books make it in the front door.

Yellow Page Marketing Video Report.

"Fake" Million Dollar Bills Now Available

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1905 — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Great Legal Marketing Mastermind member Bob Battle showed me these personalized, fake, million dollar bills.

I guarantee they won't be thrown away. You can have them imprinted with graphics, USP, phone, whatever.

"Fake" Million Dollar Bills Now Available

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1904 — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Great Legal Marketing Mastermind member Bob Battle showed me these million dollar bills that can be personalized with your name, USP, whatever..

I guarantee that no one will throw them away!

Florida Bar's Attack on the First Amendment

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1855 — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Florida Bar has got some of the wackiest anti-lawyer advertising rules anywhere, most of which unlawfully curtail commercial speech. As pointed out in the Wall Street Journal last week, Florida purports to have the power to regulate and ban certain sounds in lawyer ads.

According to the Journal, a personal-injury firm produced a series of TV spots with scenes including children running and lawyers at work in their offices. In 2006, the Florida bar struck down the ads on the grounds that they contained improper content, including the sound of children bouncing a ball. Other impermissible sounds, according to the bar: a computer turning off, a light switch turning off, and footsteps.

Those who make and enforce the lawyer advertising rules in Florida are nuts, plain and simple. What governmental interest, let alone the substantial interest required under the First Amendment to ban certain type of speech, is protected by the banning of the sounds of a bouncing ball in an ad.

Can you imagine this scene: otherwise reasonable people sitting around a conference room on a beautiful day in Florida, listening to sounds on lawyer ads, then voting: "yes, that one's OK; no that one we should ban."

Hopefully, some attorney in Florida will take them on (again.)

Decline of the Mega Legal Directory Websites (It's been going on for years, actually)

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1854 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Kevin O'Keefe reports today on the decline of the Mega Legal Directory sites such as Findlaw and Lawyers.com.

I think this has been true for years. Consumers who use the Internet to find lawyers have, by and large, never even heard of these directory sites. They just go to Google and type in their search request.

Should one of them luck upon Findlaw or Lawyers.com they are faced with an array of look-a-like websites with now real ability to differentiate one firm from the next.

Lawyers need to get better at marketing. Build and "talk to" your database 12-18 times per year. Perfect you system for getting and managing leads that come through your website and, if you are in the Yellow Pages, figure out a different message and make an irresistable offer. Its really not that hard but it does require thinking 'outside the box.'

By the way, I'm making an irresistable offer at this web site. You can get three hours of highlight of a recent marketing seminar for $4.95. (the cost of postage.)

I can guarantee that you will learn something (and it won't be what the yellow page reps are 'teaching' you while they have their hands on your wallet!

Verizon's Newest Gimmick

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1730 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Verizon reps are in the area. In this Northern Virginia area, the attorney ads have been listed under "Lawyers."

Now, big surprise, they are opening an "Attorney" section near the front of the book. Before you reach for your wallet, apparently you have to buy a display ad in the "Lawyers" section in order to be 'allowed' to buy a display ad (at a heavy discount) in the attorney section.

All media can and does work. Its usually the message that isn't very good. I don't care how much money you spend in Yellow Page advertising, if the best you can think to say is "Personal Injury... Free Consultation... No Fee if No Recovery and (my favorite)..We Care For You... then you are taking a huge risk.. your marketing is no better than saying "HEY, Look at Me!"

Dan Kennedy's Greatest Free Gift Ever Offer

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1573 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

I made arrangements with the #1 Marketing Expert in the world, Dan Kennedy, to give you THE MOST INCREDIBLE 'FREE' GIFT EVER which includes 2- FREE Months of Dan's 'ELITE' Gold Membership (Including The World's Best Marketing Newsletter on The Planet...The 'No B.S. Marketing Letter').

Now...you've just got to find out about everything that's included in with this $613.31 gift by clicking here: (at the very least go to the site and see a video of me with a bunch of very smart enterpreneurs talking about the Greatest Free Gift Ever.)

If you haven't heard of Dan Kennedy let me give you the
quick run-down. As a marketing consultant he has worked hands-on with clients in 136 different product, service, and business categories.

Dan and I have recently teamed up to co-author the Ultimate Success Secret.
He routinely commands fees of $19,000.00 per
day for private consulting, $45,000.00 to as much as
$75,000.00 plus royalties to write an ad campaign, series
of sales letters or other marketing materials, with over
80% of all clients who utilize his services once opting to
do so repeatedly. Many of these client relationships are
now 5, 7, 10, even 15 years in duration.

Frankly the No BS Marketing Letter alone is like a day-long, intense seminar in print arriving every month in your mailbox.I promise once you start reading this newsletter you'll be hooked. Simply put, that's the whole reason he'll let me make this sensational offer.

Go see the entire offer here.

North Carolina says Bear OK in Ads

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1515 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

Here's a commonsense look at lawyer advertising from the North Carolina state bar. The opinion basically says that the bar will not try to analyze every animal known to man, but will, instead, look at the ad as a whole to see if it is deceptive.

The North Carolina opinion on the use of a bear in lawyer advertising is here.

You are the average of the Five People You Hang out with the most

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1494 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

Surround yourself with winners who are as focused and committed to building the practice they want, not just accepting the practice that walks in the door.

What you will learn in one cold day in January.

Here's a short list. Go ahead and compare it to the last "marketing seminar" brochure you got from your state bar (the one where they tell you all the things you can't do to build your practice.)

1.    Why a mindset change is the most important change you can make for 2008

2.    How to build a "herd" of people who will do your marketing for you, for free

3.    How to become a better leader within your practice and your life

4.    How and why to become absolutely militant with your time. (If your NO means nothing then neither will your YES.)

5.    Why the headline is the most important part of an ad (quick: what's YOUR headline say?)

6.    How to create marketing material that ethically proves that you are the obvious expert in your practice area

7.    Why and how to become a published author (hint: go to Amazon.com and search for "The Truth About Lawyer Advertising" to see what I did)

8.    Where, if you are just getting started, you should be spending your marketing dollars FIRST (it isn't what you think)

9.    How to build effective video ads for your website that will make potential clients say, as one said to me recently "your video answered our question and was THE reason we called you."

10.    Why your marketing should be on autopilot (and I'll show you HOW)

11.    How members of my mastermind group have taken my ideas and improved upon them AND taken those ideas to other practice niches with huge success. (They'll be there and you will have open access to them)

12.    How and why to publish interesting newsletters that get opened and read.

13.    How to take back control of your time. (No, it's not an "A", "B" "C" list of to-do's)

14.    Why every marketing piece you use should have an offer in it (and the offer is NOT, "free consultation")

15.    Building your perfect team

16.    The mindset that is required to set AND keep your goals

Interested?

Dan Kennedy and Ben Glass Co-author Ultimate Success Secret

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1481 — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST

Have you read The Secret then wondered what it was they left out? Dan Kennedy and I have filled in the gaps with The Ultimate Success Secret.

This is the first book Dan Kennedy has co-authored with a lawyer and I had to arm-wrestle him to agree to do it....but here it is.

Find out more about what's inside and how you can get yours at TheUltimateSuccessSecret.

Does Pessimissim Lead to a "Better Life?"

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1354 — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Ed Poll over at Law Biz Blog

has an interesting post about positive thinking:

Quoting an article by Debra Cassens Weiss:

"... Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania, who studies positive psychology, says most optimists do better in life than merited by their talents alone.

But with lawyers, the opposite is true.

Seligman's survey of law students at the University of Virginia found that pessimists got better grades, were more likely to make law review and got better job offers.

"In law," he told the newspaper, 'pessimism is considered prudence.' "I think that Seligman's conclusion,suggesting that lawyers who are pessimists have better lives, is flawed.

Why?

He equates "do better in life" with getting better grades, making law review and getting better job offers.

That's silly. None of those things necessarily equates a "better life." In fact, many lawyers I know who got the best grades, made law review and had "better" job offers out of school have miserable lives.

Life is what you make it. Hang out with postive thinkers, not Eeyore.

Does Percentage of Conversions Increase?

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1316 — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

Recently I was speaking to a perspective Great Legal Marketing member who wanted to know whether, after I had started marketing the "Ben Glass" way the percentage of new potential clients that became clients increased.

I think he was surprised to hear that the percentage declined!

But here's the story. What good marketing done well does is vastly increase the number of leads coming into any business (my business is not different.) You want to be the portal through which all potential legal work in your geographic area flows.

This allows you to be more selective in your cases. Even if you weren't more selective, the mere fact that you can guadruple the number of people who are raising their hands and saying that they are interested in you drives conversion precentages down.

So you get the best of both worlds--more potential cases coming through the pipeline and an ability to carefully choose the cases most deserving of your skill and expertise. Frankly, you may end up working on fewer (but more meritorious) cases.

What's so bad about that?

New Fairfax Car Accident Attorney Blog Launched

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)1314 — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

We have started another blog in a continuing effort to further our firm's web presence for Northern Virginia personal injury cases. The Fairfax Accident Attorney Blog is here.

Yes, You Must Block the Time to Market

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)373 — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EST

At a recent two day marketing seminar on Effective, Ethical and Outside the Box Marketing for Lawyers one of the participants asked if I was suggesting that lawyers actually block out time for marketing (or does marketing get done "when you get around to it?" Let's be clear. Marketing your practice is the highest value use of your time. It must come first. I know those cases sit on your desk and beg your attention. And it is the natural instinct of all of us to put off the hard work of marketing the law practice. That makes it all the more important that you make an appointment with yourself to do your marketing--regularly. Otherwise it won't get done. So, yes, each week there is time blocked off on the calendar for marketing. It's absolutely essential.

Yes, They Really Are Looking For You On the Internet

ben@benglasslaw.com (Blog Author)368 — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:00:00 EST

At a recent conference on lawyer marketing where I was the lead presenter, some attendees seemed astonished that BenGlassLaw actually did receive personal injury and medical malpractice cases through the Internet. (Then the learned about our system that drives a consistent flow of new case to our site, educates the client, weeds out the non-meritorious cases and establishes our firm as the "obvious choice" for their attorney--all before we have a face to face conversation.) It seems that they have had a web presence for years, sometimes with some of the mega directories like Findlaw and Lawyers.com, without generating any substantial revenue. A new survey by Harris Interactive on Internet searching for legal advice concludes that: Other than family and friends (31 percent), the Internet is now the single biggest source for legal information, outpacing books and newspaper/magazine articles, which came in at just 12 percent. At BenGlassLaw, we generally have between 4 and 5 thousand unique visitors a month. Our Internet Marketing goal is to have anyone who is in our Northern Virginia market who is seeking an injury or malpractice attorney to at least visit our site and, hopefully, start a relationship by asking for more information. This is strengthened by having two independant and well performing sites, BenGlassLaw and Northern Virginia Injury Board.com, that typically place in the first five positions on page one of Google. (We are not talking about paying for placement, where someone can come along and click your bank account dry, we are talking about standard placement for such search terms as: --Virginia Injury Attorney --Virginia Malpractice Attorney --Fairfax Car Accident and so on....) Imagine being able to have everyone who is on the Internet looking for an attorney in your market area at least seeing your site on the first page of Google? If that interests you then you might want to contact my webmaster, Tom Foster, at Foster Web Consulting if your site does not place on the first page of Google for search terms applicable to your practice area. Frankly, if you are paying for a "position" and enhanced rankings in one of those big mega law firm directory websites like Findlaw or Lawyers.com, before you have #1 page positioning in Google, you are wasting your money (just my opinion.)

New Virginia DUI-Drunk Driving Attorney Blog

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)9454 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST

Fairfax, Virginia DUI attorney Brian Glass has launched a new Virginia DUI Drunk Driving Blog, filled with information for Virginia residents.

Check back often and see what he's up to. He's a very smart attorney and entrepreneur.

Full disclosure: This is dad speaking.

New video from America's No. 1 Legal Marketing Conference for Solo and Small Firm Laywers

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)8611 — Sat, 16 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

We've just launched a new video for America's No. 1 Legal Marketing Conference for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers.

As of Saturday, May 16, we have exactly 37 seats left for a conference that starts at the end of June. We have registrants from across the United States and Canada

Join us but watch this new video first.

Ben Glass

Attorney Only Asset Protection Seminar--Evan Farr

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)8502 — Sun, 10 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Register for this free teleseminar now and you’ll discover how to supercharge your practice by offering your clients a simple-to-understand asset protection trust that will protect their assets from probate PLUS the financial devastation of lawsuits, divorce, etc. PLUS (and most importantly) the catastrophic expenses of nursing home long-term care . . . and put an extra $70,000 per year in your pocket!

Why, you wonder, am I hosting this free teleseminar and giving away all this valuable information and my Special Report for free? There are two reasons. First, I truly want to share this vital information with all of my fellow estate planning and elder law attorneys because the tremendous lack of knowledge on this topic hurts all of us. It hurts you because you’re not able to offer your clients what they really need; it hurts your clients because they’re not able to get from you what they need; and it hurts me because my clients are always asking “Why haven’t I ever heard about this before? Why didn’t my old attorney tell me about this?” Plus, there are millions of potential clients out there who can benefit from this revolutionary knowledge, and I certainly can’t provide service to all of them. I’m doing all this for the same reason I teach frequent CLE courses on this topic – because I truly enjoy spreading the word so that all of the potential clients out there who need this service can be reached.

Go here to register for the Evan Farr free asset protection teleseminar

Legal Marketing Super Conference, PR Web News Release

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)8396 — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Attorney marketing expert Ben Glass, founder of Great Legal Marketing, and developer of the Ultimate Personal Injury Marketing and Practice Building Toolkit, announces the lineup of speakers and topics for this year's legal marketing superconference.

Information about Ben Glass's June Legal Marketing Super Conference is here.

Registration is Now Open for the Best Legal Marketing Seminar on the Planet

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)8272 — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

Dear Fellow Attorney,

In a moment, I'm going to tell you about the place where, for the last two years, the most advanced lawyer marketing seminar in the country has been quietly helping lawyers across the United States and Canada grow phenomenal practices. A place where lawyers like Lisa Douglas, of Cabot, Arkansas, have said: My practice will never be the same. Your program sets it out, step by step, and helps to focus the marketing without all the blunders and the waste. I am so glad I found you. A place where skeptical lawyers like Steven Joseph, of Ocoee, Florida, have left saying: I was very wary and skeptical of how this could help us with marketing our law firm...We just wanted to find something that actually worked...We not only left with excitement, a plan, a direction, and a new perspective on marketing, but received the tools, the vendors, the ongoing support and the exact map of how to implement their proven system of success...

Want to know more?

Virginia DUI Attorney Bob Battle Gets Massive Free Publicity for his work with Intoxilyzer

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)8067 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

Virginia's best drunk driving, DUI attorney, Bob Battle, has recently had huge success in battling the Commonwealth's use of outdated intoxilyzers. When the press caught on, his phones lit up and his website visits soared.

It starts with being a great lawyer. But having great marketing skills adds to the impact.

Battle began by forcing the issue of the veracity of an intoxilyzer in Fairfax General District Court. When pushed against the wall, the government refused to allow Battle's expert to examine the machine, opting, instead to reduce the charges dramatically.

Bob then took his DUI Intoxilyzer argument to Goochland, Virginia and a judge there has permitted Battle's expert to examine the machine. I imagine that Battle is driving the Goochland prosecutor nuts.

From these arguments, and some well thought out public relations moves, Bob has appeared in a major regional newspaper and has been on local TV.

Congrats to Bob Battle for not only being Virginia's best DUI attorney but also for quality, ethical and effective marketing of his big wins in court.

By the way, people drive hundreds of miles to be represented by Bob and no, he doesn't do free consultations. He is the author of THE Virginia DUI/Drunk Driving Book.

What type of mindset does it take to be successful in business?

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)7931 — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

I'm writing some general article on success thinking over at my Glazer-Kennedy-Virginia website. This is the place where smart Northern Virginia entrepreneurs are gathering to make themselves immune to the recession, government intervention and the general malaise of today's marketplace. We are learning to make ourselves significant to others. In doing so, we are prospering.

Check out my latest notes on Success Principles for Small Businesses.

Ben Glass Interview on America's Premier Experts

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)7879 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Virginia Attorney Ben Glass is interviewed in Orlando, Florida on America's Premier Experts for his work in revolutionizing the ways lawyers market and build their practices. Mr. Glass was selected as one of America's 20 premier experts and it participating in a one year program with other entrepreneurs from across the country.

Great Legal Marketing thanks InfusionSoft for its kind donation to Love Without Boundaries

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)7303 — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST

As many of you know, my wife, Sandi and I have a heart for China's orphans. In fact, 2 of our 7 children were adopted from China and later this year (2009) we will travel back to China to once again experience the gift of international adoption.

Our favorite non-proft group working in China is Love Without Boundaries. In January of 2009 I found out that this rather huge organization of international volunteers was doing its work in the back of spreadsheet.

That's right. Love Without Boundaries had no singe, effective database for keeping track of the children, its many donors and all of its workers.

Unbelievable. Here I was using some of the most powerful software ever invented for running and growing a small business, InfusionSoft, and I had not yet made the connection.

I quickly faxed a letter to one of the founders of InfusionSoft, Clate Mask, whom I had known for many years. Forty eight hours later InfusionSoft had agreed to donate its application to Love Without Boundaries.

This will be unbelievably effective because it will help free up the time of many to do more productive activities for the children.

I've been a raving fan of InfusionSoft for years. I am so excited that is has recently introduced several new versions that, frankly, are just about perfect for lawyers and other professionals running small businesses and learning to master the type of highly effective marketing that I teach at Great Legal Marketing.

Thanks InfusionSoft.

P.S. If you are a small business owner and you want to be a hero to your family, check out InfusionSofts double your Sales guarantee

Just 2 Seats Left for Our Jump Start Marketing Conference

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)7043 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

As of 5:02 p.m on Wednesday, January, 12, we have two seats remaining for the Jump Start Marketing conference.

If your plans have changed, you need to contact Nicole Tully at (717) 824-6553 immediately.

The agenda for the meeting is here.

Benjamin W. Glass,
Great Legal Marketing, LLC

Attorney Offers Free Review of Yellow Page Ads--Even Though "Yellow Pages are Dying"

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)6646 — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Fairfax, Virginia attorney and nationally recognized marketing expert Ben Glass now offers a free review of attorney Yellow Page advertising "since most attorneys have allowed the Yellow Page rep to design the ad and her job is to make sure it looks just like everyone else's ad," says Glass.

Even though this media is clearly dying lawyers are still spending millions on Yellow Page advertising, proving once again that lawyers can be really dumb when it comes to effective marketing.

Here is the offer for Free Review of Attorney Yellow Page Marketing.

New Marketing Blog Launched

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)6601 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

The Solo and Small Firm Legal Marketing Blog has been launched.

Attorney Web Marketing Guru Releases New Report Critical to Internet Success for Lawyers in 2009

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)6428 — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Tom Foster, the creative and technological genius behind BenGlassLaw.com and a host of other well-positioned and client producing attorney web sites, has release a new report critical for lawyers who will continue to spend record amounts of dollars on internet - website marketing in 2009.

Most lawyers continue to throw their money away, often using one of the mega-law firm website developers (and directories) and then hoping that by some random chance a prospective client will actually be intrigued by the (usually) lame and boring copy.

While many developers can get you on the first page of Google, Tom Foster has also mastered the second part of the equation--getting a visitor to convert to a warm prospect and ultimately to a client--by following a disciplined and well-thought out marketing process.

I encourage you to read Foster's new report on Internet Marketing For Successful Attorneys

Free Legal Marketing Teleseminar Series Set for Fall 2008

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)5789 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

Here's the lineup for this Fall's Free Legal Marketing Teleseminare Series that I am doing.

October 14 -- 3:00 Eastern -- Why Some Lawyers Are Quadrupling Income While Others Continue to Struggle.

November 13, 2008 -- 3:00 Eastern -- How come when you type in search terms for lawyers you see some lawyers taking up two or three of the spots on the first page of Google?

December 9, 2008 -- 3:00 Eastern -- OK, Ben, you run two businesses full time and you have seven kids. You don't work nights and you get to their games....AND you are a TRIAL LAWYER...how do you do it?

Full information and registration details for the 2008 Great Legal Marketing Free Teleseminar Series are here.

Washington Post Features Ben Glass and Great Legal Marketing

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)5753 — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST

In the "Making It" column in the Washington Post Magazine, Ben Glass and Great Legal Marketing were recently featured.

Jump Start 2008 Conference Announced

blog@www.greatlegalmarketing.com (News Author)3662 — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST

The Great Legal Marketing Jump Start 2008 marketing and practice building conference is now open for registration on a first come, first served basis. This conference offers the best in legal marketing today and offers a very unique "double your money back" guarantee. For more information visit the Jump Start 2008 webpage