Terry Graham Legal Marketing & Public Relations

Legal Marketing

Legal marketing refers to all forms of "communications" and "solicitations" that promote services provided by lawyers to prospects, with the ultimate goal being a "sale." Marketing of professional service such as law requires special attention be paid to help key marketing targets distinguish your services from those offered by your competitors. A strategic marketing plan -- whether it is for your firm, a practice group, or an individual attorney -- identifies your services, key target markets, and an appropriate, realistic, cost-effective mix of marketing activities. A marketing calendar keeps you on track. Tracking soft- and hard-dollar results over time allows you to identify, improve and strengthen best activities. To succeed, your marketing plan must always be a work in progress, as dynamic as the market itself. (Terry Graham, brings years of experience and an entrepreneur's perspective to your specific situation. She has developed scores of marketing plans tailored to meet her client's needs.)

Ethical Considerations in Law Firm Marketing

The State Bar of California in its Rules of Professional Conduct (link on the left) includes Rule 1-400 Advertising and Solicitation. Attorneys engaging in any marketing activities should study this Rule. The justification for Rule 1-400 is that it will protect the public from having to discern the commercial intent of promotional activities strictly from the content of the message. According to the State Bar, the Rule is intended to keep all forms of legal marketing information from being "false, misleading, deceptive or confusing." Ultimately, all marketing communications are judged against these criteria. The State Bar Board of Governors also adopted 16 "standards" (repealing Standard #11 in 1997) intended to clarify Rule 1-400. Lawyers cannot be charged with violating the remaining 15 standards; they can only be charged with violating Rule 1-400. However, the Standards provide detailed guidelines that can help the Bar determine if a violation has occurred. The State Bar of California maintains a toll-free Ethics Hotline at 1-800-238-4427 to help lawyers identify and analyze their professional responsibilities. (Terry Graham has taught the ethics of marketing communications for the State Bar and other local bar associations, and applies Rule 1-400 to marketing activities she recommends and implements.)

Marketing to Referral Sources

Are you overlooking a key source of new business as you focus upon other less effective marketing activities?

Referral sources, both non-clients and clients, can serve as your enthusiastic, credible and unpaid sales force -- delivering a superior return on investment for each marketing dollar you spend than most other business development activities,

Still, many law firms fail to identify, target, nurture and reward even those referral sources who have played a major role in helpiing them to gain new clients... (More)

Summer Special through September 1, 2010

Focus on Referral Sources : $595

Do you have systems in place to identify and track referral sources? These important generators of new business for your firm deserve your attention.

Terry Graham will work with you to identify key referral sources, and establish simple and effective data capturing systems so that you can cultivate both client and non-client refferal sources.

Call Terry today at 415/686-8442.

Rainmakers, Mistmakers & Wet Blankets

by Terry Graham, M.A.

In a booming economy, talented rainmakers bring in legal matters that are often handled by "Worker Bee" attorneys. Bee-Team players may have significant client contact, but the rainmaker owns the client and is typically paid accordingly.

This mutually beneficial rainmaker/worker relationship changes radically in a weak economy as clients seek faster, cheaper solutions to their legal needs. In a reasonable effort to protect their income, rainmakers delegate less work. Idle workers respond by competing internally for fewer billable hours, a time-wasting exercise in futility that fosters a divisive versus cooperative workplace. (More)

Entrepreneurial Attorneys: Nature or Nurture?

Are entrepreneurs born or can they be created? The term was coined in 1800 by French economist J.B. Say, who explained that, "The entrepreneur shifts economic resources from an area of lower productivity and yield to one with higher productivity and greater yield." Hard evidence does not show that entrepreneurs fit any particular personality pattern; they are defined not by who they are, but what they do: innovate. By contrast, management tends to protect the status quo. Encouraging entrepreneurship in your practice -- if handled carefully -- will help you to create new business opportunities, new client niches, and new approaches that increase profits. (More)

Attorney, Sell Thyself:

Knowing & Growing Your Personal Selling Style

By Terry Graham, M.A.

Many attorneys think "sell" is a four-letter word, loathing any suggestion that they be part of their firm's business development efforts. They point to colleagues who are "born" sales stars, while claiming they lack the required DNA.

But the truth is, anyone can learn how to sell if you take the time to: (1) understand your personal style, including strengths and weaknesses, (2) identify your prospect’s buying style, and (3) modify your sales pitch to satisfy your prospect’s needs and make the sale. (More)

Top 10 List Jumpstarts Sales

Creating and "working" a Top 10 List of your best potential sources of new business is the fastest way to make new sales. Depending upon your practice emphasis, your List includes current and former clients with ongoing legal needs, prospects who are inclined to hire you, and friends and family members.

A Top 10 List of Referral Sources, gleaned from historical information on past business referrals, can be an even better source of business than a Client List if you create a plan to ask for their help in finding new clients.

Ideally, your firm's attorneys will meet to discuss their own Top 10 Lists, generating a firmwide Top 10 List. Cooperative strategies to land new business from each prospect should be mapped and implemented, with results tracked regularly. (More)

Terry Graham, Marketing & Public Relations

Terry Graham, M.A.