AttorneySync Blog

Have you heard the one about the…

“Blanks” are safe from the threat of automation taking over their professions. No one would build a robot to do nothing.

If it weren’t for “blanks”, we wouldn’t need them.

Talk is cheap…until blanks get involved.

It is the trade of “blanks” to question everything, yield nothing, and to talk by the hour.

Two “blanks” were walking along negotiating for their clients. “Look,” said one, “let’s be honest with each other.” “Okay, you first,” replied the other. End of discussion.

“Blanks” are the only profession where the more there are, the more are needed!

What do you call 100 “blanks” at the bottom of the ocean? A good start!

Lawyer jokes? Nope. We’re talking about SEOs.

Like the legal profession, attitudes toward the SEO community are filled with skepticism, distrust, and a general sense of negativity. And, like the legal profession, at least some of this reputation is deserved. Take for example the following SEO paid-search ads:

“Rank #1 In Google In 48 Hours!”
“Top Ranking Internet Marketing Firm We Bring Websites To The Top!”
“#1 Ranked Internet Advertising Firm Results in 24hrs. 30% off Today!”

Hopefully by now, most of us realize that such claims are misleading, irrelevant, and generally dishonest. The truth is that no one can guarantee rankings in Google except for Google. Furthermore, getting “ranked” doesn’t necessarily mean more business for your law firm.

However, as is the case with hiring a lawyer, asking the right questions and being armed with some basic knowledge can help you avoid dealing with shady SEOs.

And, like having a good lawyer, having a good SEO firm on your side can make a all the difference.

As you know, people hire lawyers to navigate the complicated waters of the legal system. Likewise, SEOs perform services that most people typically don’t have a handle on, or more often, don’t have the time to execute. Getting new clients from the internet requires a full-time effort. It’s competitive out there!

When you have a good working relationship with your SEO, you maximize the benefits that the internet can provide to your business.

Here are a couple of basic questions that can help you hire the right SEO for your law firm:

1. Does your service include organic seo? The first thing to make sure is that we’re talking apples to apples and not apples to oranges. Some “SEO” firms will talk “SEO” but are really offering paid-search solutions. Paid-search is fine, but it’s simply not the same thing as organic SEO.

2. How quickly can you get me a top ranking? This is really a trick question. If the SEO responds with anything short of 2-4 months, be wary. The truth is, good SEOs won’t sell on ranking. Further, getting “ranked” is only part of the picture. You can probably get yourself “ranked” for your name in a couple of days. But unless you’re Brittany Spears, or President Obama, chances are not that many people are searching for your name (In fairness, branded law firm campaigns can produce results if implemented properly).

3. What specific strategies do you employ? What are you planning on doing? There is a wide spectrum of activities that an SEO might employ. These can range from benign and ethical, to flat-out malicious. Find out exactly what strategies your SEO plans to use and make sure you are comfortable with them. Ask them how they plan on obtaining links to your site. If you don’t understand their terminology, look it up. The internet is filled with information about SEO strategy. Make sure you are on the same page.

4. How do you charge for your services? Don’t lock yourself into long-term service contracts with your SEO. Make them prove value to you on a regular basis. Insist on reporting metrics. Just like every other form of marketing, you need to measure the value of your SEO’s services.

Photo by Hartboy

Free Guide: Hiring A Law Firm SEO Consultant Are you looking to increase your visibility online but are feeling overwhelmed by the number of service professionals promising the world to you? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide On Hiring A Law Firm SEO Consultant.

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I got a lot of positive responses regarding a previous post I wrote called “A Law Firm Website Done Right – A Real World Example”.  I want to follow it up with a list of 5 things to consider PRIOR to investing and creating a new website or blog for your law firm.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – This aspect of your website is often overlooked until AFTER your legal website is up and running.  The problem is that many of the important aspects of SEO need to be handled ahead of time and integrated with your website or blog.  Attempting to properly implement good SEO for your site after the fact can be difficult depending on how your site is structured.  Often web site design firms are not SEO specialists.  They can make an attractive site, but it may not be optimized and search engine friendly.  The time to hire an SEO specialist is DURING your website or blog design and creation, not after the fact.

2. Is The Backend User Friendly For You – Most blog and website software these days is setup in a way that makes it easy for you to update your site or write new posts.  This is important because updating your site or blog often is important for developing your online reputation and getting found in search engines.  The days of getting ranked while having a static site are over, especially in a field as competitive as the legal industry.  You want to make sure that your site is easy to update for you.

3. How Much Support Is Provided For You – This is a big deal when you are investing in a new site or blog.  Most times, you get what you pay for.  There are plenty of free solutions out there for you and many are excellent depending on how comfortable you are setting things up on your own.  However, as is always the case, there are distinct advantages in going with a paid solution even for a simple blog.  Writing and maintaining a blog is difficult and doesn’t come naturally to everyone.  Having support available for technical aspects as well as marketing aspects can be the difference between success and failure.

4. What Are Your Goals For The Site – I think often times firms invest in a website or blog because they think they have to or because everyone else is doing it.  The truth is that you need to consider what your goals are with the investment you are making.  Don’t be under the illusion that simply putting up a website or blog will get you found.  It isn’t that simple.  How do you plan on marketing the site?  What is the site’s purpose?  Is it purely for information?  Are you using it as a pamphlet more or less to show interested, potential clients?  Do you simply want to put it on your business card?  Do you want to establish yourself as a thought leader in your legal niche?  Do you want new clients to find you through the site?  All of these factors should be considered when setting up your legal site or blog.  The structure of the site, the style, and investments you make towards marketing it will be affected by your answers to the previous questions.  Don’t cheat yourself by neglecting to establish your goals for the site ahead of time.

5. How Much Do You Want To Invest In Your Web Marketing? – You wouldn’t be reading this post if you didn’t have an interest in investing in your legal internet marketing.  There are so many options out there to choose from ranging in price from free to thousands of dollars.  It is best if you consider your goals, prices, and what you want back in return BEFORE you begin searching for a company to provide you a solution.  It can be overwhelming to begin your search without thinking about your plan ahead of time.  Take the time to do some research and put together a plan of attack prior to speaking with companies offering solutions.  This will help narrow down your choices ahead of time and make your search more efficient and effective.

If you are currently looking for a solution for your legal website or blog project, AttorneySync can help.  We’d be happy to talk with you about what you are looking for and see if we can help design a solution that will work for your firm.  Contact us today for a free consultation on your law firm website or blog project.

Free Guide: Guest Blogging For Lawyers Want to learn how guest blogging can help build relationships and bring more business for your firm? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide: Guest Blogging For Lawyers.

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AttorneySync is excited to release a new guide today: 5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid.

The guide is free to download. Learn 5 of the most common mistakes when marketing your firm including:

1. Forgetting To Do Research

2. Failing To Distinguish Yourself

3. Trying To Do Too Much In One Ad

4. Creating Ads That Do Not Encourage People To Take Action

5. Failing To Measure And Track Your Results
We dissect each of these mistakes and demonstrate simple ways to avoid the trap when marketing your firm.

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There is a terrific urban legend about the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes.  In 1519, Cortes landed on the shores of the Yucatan looking to conquer the Aztecs and seize their riches.

As the legend goes, Cortes convinced 500 men and 11 ships to join him on his conquest.  Cortes knew that he had some distinct disadvantages.  He was far outnumbered and in a foreign land, “home court” for his enemy.  The Aztecs had survived and flourished for nearly six centuries before his arrival.  This was a monumental task for Cortes and his men.

As his soldiers rested, preparing for battle the next day, Cortes sent a few men to burn all 11 ships they had traveled in.  When the men awoke with their ships on fire, Cortes explained to his men “If we are going home, we are going home in their ships.”

With their backs against the wall, no means of escape, and no fall back position, Cortes and his men conquered the Aztecs.  The choices were simple, succeed or die.

The idea of “burning the ships” applies to many aspects of running a firm or business.  It’s easy to keep a safety valve instead of taking the risk to push through.

That’s not to say that it isn’t important to have a plan and a vision.  However, often what winds up happening is that we refuse to take much of a risk.  We stick with what we know and what is comfortable.  If we know that our ships are still out there waiting for us, when things get tough we instinctively head for them so we can escape. It’s just human nature.

I speak with lawyers every day that want to find new ways of marketing and advertising their firm, but without the risk or commitment.  Like any other aspect of running a law firm, we must take smart chances, try things out, and give them the focus, attention, and motivation they need to succeed.  Only then can we judge the merits of the directions we choose.

5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid Want to learn 5 of the most common mistakes when marketing your firm? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide: 5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid.

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The movie Braveheart was on tv the other day and I caught the last hour and a half.  Since this was somewhere around my 14th viewing of the movie, my mind was wandering to lawyer marketing as I’m sure happens to everyone when they watch Braveheart.  It dawned on me that there are some pretty valuable lessons to be learned from our friend William Wallace which we can apply to our lawyer marketing efforts.  Here goes:

1. People respond when you address their needs and problems, not when you talk about your skills. The people of Scotland rallied behind William Wallace because he stood for something that addressed the problems and needs they all had.  They desired freedom from Longshanks, the King of England, and the oppressive reign of his minions.  Wallace offered solutions to their problems and the people responded.   Do you think they would have had the same desire to follow him had he simply said that he was a skilled military strategist and a solid fighter?  Well, do you think customers retain your services simply because you are a lawyer that works in a certain practice area?  No, they feel you have a solution to their problems and needs.  Make sure you market yourself as a solver of problems, not simply an individual with a certain skill set.

2. Be passionate about what you are doing. Wallace was certainly passionate about his efforts.  So much so that he gave his life for the greater cause.  People saw his passion and wanted to be a part of the movement.  It inspired people and showed through in his work.  I think in terms of lawyer marketing, the same point holds true.  I understand that every marketing effort isn’t going to make you boil over with excitement, but having some fun with it will enable your enthusiasm to show.  When it does, the message and emotional impact is much greater.  People can tell you like what you are doing and a person that gets fulfillment out of their job is going to be someone people are likely to hire.

3. Build relationships. Much of William Wallace’s success can be attributed to the relationships he built and the people that helped him to succeed.  His mission was too large an undertaking to be successful on his own.  He would have died multiple times if it weren’t for the friends and acquaintances he picked up along the way.  Similarly, your marketing efforts online and otherwise should be designed around building relationships.  This is where you develop your reputation and where the best clients will come from.  Kevin O’Keefe wrote a post discussing the importance of relationship building for lawyers online.  Obviously, I think your networking efforts should also include all the offline activities that have been staples of your lawyer marketing for years.  The point is to make sure you include heavy doses of networking and relationship building in your marketing plan.

4. Have a plan and be ready to adjust. In order to succeed, you need a good plan of action.  Wallace and the Scots were outnumbered, short on resources, lacked the military might, and should have had no shot at winning the battle.  But by utilizing the tools they did have (calvary, shields, wooden spears) and thinking through a plan ahead of time, they were able to defeat the army they faced with all odds working against them.  In the same context our lawyer marketing efforts face many hurdles.  We might be short on resources (time, extra money to invest) and possibly we lack the man power.  But we do have the ability to come up with a sound plan of action.  So long as we have a direction we are heading in, an idea of how we want to get there, and the ability to be flexible we will put ourselves in a position to win with our marketing plan despite the obstacles.

5. Give people a reason to talk about you. One of my favorite lines in the movie comes about as Wallace’s legend grows.  People begin to tell stories of his accomplishments across Scotland.

“William Wallace killed fifty men, fifty….if it were one.  Cut through them like….Moses through the red sea”

People dug Wallace and wanted to get on board with what he was doing.  I’ve written before about the art of story telling when marketing a law firm. When you do good work, people talk about you.  Don’t ignore the built in marketing opportunities that exist with happy, former clients.

6. Painting your face blue and wielding a weapon can be intimidating. This has absolutely nothing to do with lawyer marketing, but I challenge you to deny that it’s true.

5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid Want to learn 5 of the most common mistakes when marketing your firm? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide: 5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid.

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Anchor Text Definition from Wikipedia:

“The anchor text, link label or link title is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. The words contained in the Anchor text can determine the ranking that the page will receive by search engines.”

Anchor text is important for two reasons.

1. It helps with the usability of your site. Anchor text lets someone know what to expect when they click on the link.  For example, it is far less helpful to create a link to my site that says Click here than it is to say Learn more about Lawyer Marketing.  Both link to the same page but the latter gives you information about what you will find when you click the link.

2. Helps the search engines to understand what your page is about. In the world of search engines, links are the currency.  When links point back to your website and it’s pages, this tells the search engines that you matter.  The anchor text of those links tell the search engines what you “matter about”.  By getting external links to your site with specific words or phrases, the search engines will rank you higher for those words or phrases when a search is performed.  The number of links you would need to get returned in the results varies depending on how competitive that word or phrase is.

Photo by Eqqman

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Attorney Pay Per Click (PPC) search engine advertising is the advertising model in which the advertising attorney pays the ad host when their ad is clicked.  The two most prominent types of PPC advertising include bid-based and fixed price. Under the bid-based model, attorney-advertisers bid on selected relevant keywords. Attorneys can target their advertising campaigns with practice and geographic specific terms.  Under a fixed price model, the advertising host charges a fixed price per click rather than a bidding system. PPC ads are displayed when a keyword query matches an advertiser’s selected keyword. PPC advertisements are typically referred to as sponsored links or ads, and appear next to or above organic results.

Typically, the success of PPC attorney advertising is primarily dependent on click through rate of the ad, along with various other factors.

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Using inbound internet marketing for lawyers to drive clients to your firm

When it comes to internet marketing, Hubspot definitely “gets it.”

Here’s one of our favorite viral videos, courtesy of our Hubspot buddies:

Curious?  Entertained?  Totally Confused?

So what is inbound marketing?  As Hubspot puts it:

“Inbound Marketing is marketing focused on getting found by customers.

In traditional marketing (outbound marketing) companies focus on finding customers. They use techniques that are poorly targeted and that interrupt people. They use cold-calling, print advertising, T.V. advertising, junk mail, spam and trade shows.

Technology is making these techniques less effective and more expensive. Caller ID blocks cold calls, TiVo makes T.V. advertising less effective, spam filters block mass emails and tools like RSS are making print and display advertising less effective. It’s still possible to get a message out via these channels, but it costs more.

Inbound Marketers flip outbound marketing on its head.

Instead of interrupting people with television ads, they create videos that potential customers want to see. Instead of buying display ads in print publications, they create their own blog that people subscribe to and look forward to reading. Instead of cold calling, they create useful content and tools so that people call them looking for more information.

Instead of driving their message into a crowd over and over again like a sledgehammer, they attract highly qualified customers to their business like a magnet.”

Bravo Hubspot!  We couldn’t agree more.  That’s one of the reasons we’re proud to be Hubspot members.

Interested in learning how we use this inbound internet marketing philosophy to attract new clients to your firm?

5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid Want to learn 5 of the most common mistakes when marketing your firm? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide: 5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid.

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Here at AttorneySync, we discuss education based lawyer marketing a lot.  Its the philosophy and backbone of all our marketing strategies.  I wanted to share with you today a real world example of a law firm that is marketing its website the right way.

Breyer Law Offices – www.breyerlaw.com

What they are doing right:

1. Attractive, professional looking website

2. Multiple calls to action – As you can see, there are several ways to contact the Breyer Law Office all of which appeal to different types of users.  Prominently featured on the right side of the page is an offer for a free e-book (education based marketing) that will appeal to the potential clients of the firm. Below that is a simple form to capture a potential client’s information that wants to contact the firm.  Phone numbers are prominently displayed as well.  The key is that not everyone has the same intent and interest when they visit your firm’s website.  Different things will appeal to different users.  Make sure you are offering your visitors multiple ways to reach you.

3. Free E-Book Offer – Too often, the only potential client information capture is on a “Contact Us” page.  Why should they want to contact you?  Give them a reason, offer a free e-book or a guide relating to their issue.  Think what’s in it for them, not what’s in it for you. Yes, it takes time and effort to write and craft a useful e-book or guide, but that’s the point.  If it was easy everyone would do it (like putting your phone number on a contact us page…and nothing else). Step into the shoes of your client.  They have a serious issue they are concerned about.  Offer to help them and educate them (what they want) in exchange for their information (what you want).

4.  Testimonials, Case Results, and Media Appearances – All of these “trust” factors add credibility to the firm and their accomplishments.  Doesn’t it make more sense to have others talk about your expertise and accomplishments rather than just saying it yourself?  It goes a long way towards building that all important trust while making your first impression.

5. Blog and Videos – The Breyers understand that adding content to their site is imperative.  Through the use of video prominently featured on the homepage as well as their blog, they are adding relevant and interesting content to their website.  This will lead to search engine placement and positioning themselves as experts in their practice area. The blog also offers RSS feeds and email subscriptions, both keys in gaining a loyal following.

6. Pictures of themselves -  In the age of the internet, there is a certain anonymity that exists.  People want to do business with other people, not faceless companies or firms.  This is especially true with regards to those of us offering professional services.  Let people see who you are.  When we can put a face with a name and a brand it goes a long way.

I hope you can take some of these ideas and apply them to your own firm’s website.  If you are looking for additional attorney advertising avenues, AttorneySync can help implement these same principles to get more clients for your firm as well.

5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid Want to learn 5 of the most common mistakes when marketing your firm? Download AttorneySync’s Free Guide: 5 Lawyer Marketing Mistakes To Avoid.

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Is there no such thing as bad publicity when it comes to lawyer marketing?

When Irish author Brendan Behan said, “There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary”, he was referring to the attention he got from his drunken public appearances, on both stage and television.

Nonetheless, he may as well have been talking about Joe Jamail’s, now notorious, Texas-style deposition.

But does the “no such thing as bad publicity” idea really apply to lawyer marketing?  Perform a simple search for Mr. Jamail in google, and it becomes quite obvious that his reputation as a trial attorney is highly celebrated.  And he certainly isn’t alone.  The internet is filled with lawyer videos and advertisments depicting completely unprofessional, if not unethical, behavior.  But based on the sheer volume of lawyers that engage in these tactics, they must be working, right?

Perhaps “bad publicity” is simply a matter of opinion.  While my reaction to the “Texas-style deposition” was appalled, many people responded quite differently.

“Wow, what a fighter!”, “I’d like to have him fighting for me”, and “I wouldn’t want to face him”, were just a couple of the “positive” responses I have heard from others.

Now I certainly don’t consider myself self-righteous, but perhaps many of us have come to believe that cursing, insults, and threats a good lawyer make.

In any event, before engaging in this type of “lawyer marketing” strategy, you may want to consider the broader ramifications of such an approach (I understand that Mr. Jamail is no longer welcome to practice in Deleware, not that he cares).

Other consequences may include, losing professional relationships, high blood pressure, and getting your a** kicked!

While I don’t agree with many of the arcane, inflexible, and downright arbitrary attorney advertising rules, I do believe that some degree of lawyer marketing professionalism should be encouraged, if not mandated.

I am sure my criticism of such tactics will be met with, “Well he’s made millions with that lawyer marketing approach.”

This, I cannot deny.  However, in my professional experience, success with this type of “style” is the exception, not the rule.  Whether you’re a Boston bankruptcy lawyer or a Los Angeles civil rights attorney, the likelihood of benefitting from such an approach is low.

Call me weak.  Call me idealistic.  Call me “big-boy.”  But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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