Articles
Here is an extended comment from Ross Fishman (reprinted here with permission from Ross), a marketing guru. I always enjoy reading his comments on marketing. Since there has been a lot of discussion recently on several listservs about blogging, I thought you might be interested in seeing his thoughts.
Anyone old enough to remember The Great Web Site Debate? Around 1996?
Web sites were brand new and so generated enormous interest: headline stories, bylined articles, guru speeches, two-day conferences, mountainous direct mailings — mostly by the web-development companies who sold this new product. (more…)
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A recent survey produced by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Lawyers Professional Liability contains some interesting statistics. First, this report focuses on malpractice claims. The results here are not necessarily consistent with Disciplinary Boards’ results. More clients tend to complain to the State Bars than they file malpractice claims in court. The information, nevertheless, is instructive. (more…)
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See the New York Times article of today’s date (November 27, 2005, “What to tell the company as you walk out the door”), written by MATT VILLANO. (more…)
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Quite some time ago, I saw a statistic that shows plumbers get more treaining than lawyers do! They purportedly received 40 hours per year in order to keep their licenses. Lawyers are required to have approximately 25 hours in 3 years, or 8+ hours per year.
Is there something wrong with this picture?
Today, National Public Radio reported that the National Association of Manufacturers recommends to its members that they give 3% of their revenue to educating their employees.
What would that same percentage mean to lawyers? Assuming an average billable work load of 1500 hours, that would mean 45 hours per year!
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Question: Can I use clients’ names for testimonials?
Answer: I will register a contrarian perspective that has been developed by 25 years of practicing law. It is contrary to the perspective of all sales people I’ve ever met. (more…)
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Question: Are there ethical rules pertaining to the use of “associates” and “affiliates” in a law firm name; it’s my understanding that “associates” refers to associate attorneys within the firm and “affiliates” indicates a firm which outsources or refers some of its cases to independent law firms.
In the case at hand, the primary attorney (the firm is currently called “The Law Firm of ‘John Doe’, Esq.”) is planning to retire in a few years and wants to increase the good will value of the firm name; he’s concerned that a practice in the name of a sole practitioner will not yield a high sale price. (more…)
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Question: When I started, I had to give a personal guarantee. Now that I’m established, can my personal guarantee be withdrawn? (more…)
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Question: How do we get all the attorneys in the firm to buy-in and participate in creating both a firm plan and individual plans?
Answer: Generally, in my experience, successful planning is caused by an emphasis on the process from the top. The primary rainmakers of the firm, the management and managing partner all must be in concert: Planning is important and needs to be done by everyone in the firm.
Start with small projects, perhaps even individual coaching, to experience success with the process. Then, everyone will buy into the process.
A more forceful approach would be to determine compensation bonuses/rewards on the basis of plan development (a realistic and aggressive plan merits more compensation) and achievement of plan goals. Failure to achieve goals, however, should not be punished without consideration of the reasons for not achieving the goals: Personal illness, change of business conditions of clients, hard work but unrealistic goals, etc.
John Wooden, famed UCLA basketball coach says: “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” It’s better to know where one wants to go in his/her career. There, then, is a greater likelihood of achieving the goals.
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Question: How do I create my own blog?
Answer: Hire someone! The expense is far less than the time spent (no matter how easy with TypePad or other tools) which will take you away from other marketing activities.
Delegation is a principle by which I live. I want to do those things that only I can do, like coaching, consulting and marketing for more work. Other things that I need done can be done (and usually better) by someone else.
If you think of the creation of a blog or other web machinations as working in the garden, i.e., your time away from the office, then so be it. Mine is cycling. I get little enough time to do that … but if I did the other things myself, then I would get no cycling and always complaining about being overworked.
The issue of cash flow is important. But, if I can market for new business, I usually can get a client (with their cash flow) before or soon after I have to pay for the service I’ve delegated/ contracted to someone else.
Again, just my $.02 worth ….
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The Latino community is growing in the United States and represents significant buying power. This group also has significant legal needs. (more…)
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