19 Steps To Building A Nationwide Law Practice Part 2

By: Trey Ryder

Step #8: Educate your audience with written information and advice. Write your marketing message in a form that you can send to anyone who calls your office. Then, by offering to send copies without charge, you attract calls from genuine prospects. When prospects call, they give you their names and addresses (or e-mail addresses). Then you add these prospective clients to your in-house mailing list.

Important Note: The longer your materials, the better. The longer you keep your prospect's attention -- and the more facts you provide -- the more likely your prospect is to hire your services. Fortunately, prospects will read long materials, provided they are well written and relevant to their problem. The fact kit I used for 15 years varied from 40 to 50 pages in length. And many lawyers (my prospective clients) told me they read every word. I have now included all this information on my web site and in the article packet I send by e-mail, so I no longer use a printed fact kit.

Step #9: Define the geographical area from which you want to draw clients. Geographics identify individual prospects by where they live, where they work, and where you can find the prospective clients you want. Geographics identify companies by where they are based, where they have facilities and where they do business.

Step #10: Compile a media list of newspapers, magazines, newsletters and other media you want to receive your news releases and query letters. Your articles will appear in national, regional and local publications in all the states where you hope to serve clients. You can usually find current media lists online and at the library reference desk.

Step #11: Launch an aggressive publicity campaign by sending news releases, feature articles and query letters to your entire media list. If you send articles 4 or 5 times each year, you could have an ongoing flow of articles appearing in various parts of the country.

Step #12: Contact high-profile publications and interview shows on an individual and exclusive basis to gain the highest level of nationwide publicity. Offer to write ongoing columns for publications, and appear as a periodic guest on interview shows. You might offer to host your own legal, news-talk or interview show.

Step #13: Compile a list of trade associations that serve the prospects you want to attract. Keep these trade groups on your mailing list. Offer to present seminars that are sponsored or co-sponsored by these trade associations, in hopes that they will mail seminar invitations to all of their members.

Step #14: Compile a list of referral sources in the states you serve. Send them your packet of information so they understand what you do. Invite their referrals and offer referral fees, if appropriate. Keep these referral sources on your mailing list.

Step #15: Compile a list of past clients. Send them a letter announcing your regional or national practice and a copy of your information packet. Most people have friends and colleagues in other states. Keep these past clients on your mailing list.

Step #16: In all of your marketing materials, make sure you tell prospects the geographical area from which you accept clients. You might say something like: "Serving clients in the United States and Canada". Or, "I welcome inquiries from clients in (name the states)." If you don't mention the area you serve, prospects could easily conclude that you limit your services to your city or county. So be sure to tell prospects where you practice and put this information throughout your marketing materials.

Step #17: Establish a web site. The easiest way to reach prospects in different states is to establish an Internet site. This puts your materials at everyone's fingertips 24 hours a day, whenever they want it. The more information you provide, the more likely you are to win a new client. So be generous with the information you post.

Step #18: Market your seminars and speaking engagements nationwide. Make sure everyone on your mailing list knows you offer seminars. While they might not be the contact person, they can make your seminar known to the right people, who may get in touch with you. This is the most common way I receive invitations to speak to lawyers. Also, thanks to technology, now you can offer seminars over the telephone, by video conferencing, and over the internet.

Step #19: If you can collect e-mail addresses from people on your mailing list, send an e-mail alert or briefing every week or two. The more often you stay in touch with everyone your mailing list (prospects, clients, past clients and referral sources), the more new clients you'll attract.

After your law firm marketing efforts take root, and your publicity starts to appear, you'll get inquiries from prospective clients. Trade and professional associations will invite you to speak. And, one by one, you'll start getting clients from throughout the geographical area you wish to serve. Soon, you'll have a profitable, prestigious nationwide law practice, thanks to the energy you've invested in attorney marketing.

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TREY RYDER LLC Education-Based Marketing for Lawyers. Lawyer Marketing Advisor www.TreyRyder.com Trey Ryder is the Lawyer Marketing Department Sponsor For Jersey Justice. www.JerseyJustice.com Source: www.isnare.com