I love to fish.  If I am taking time off, it will most likely be with a rod in my hand and a heart full of anticipation for the ancient dance of man vs. fish.

This photo of me and my wife Ruth was taken a few days ago up in Lake Tahoe. Landing these beauties led me to reflect on how many attorneys struggle with landing clients. In the angler’s vernacular, here are my tips for how to market your law firm to land the big ones:

Find the right time.  The bait doesn’t matter if the fish aren’t feeding.  Understand what triggers a prospect’s need for your services.

Find the right place.  When you fish a familiar body of water, you know the spots where you are most likely to catch a fish.  Once you understand your target market, you will be able to identify the best venues (online and offline) to find them.

Choose the right lure.  Not every fish is attracted by the same lure and not every client will be attracted by the same marketing tactic.  Knowing your target market means knowing which marketing tools to use to reel them in.

Drop a line.  You will never catch anything if you don’t put a line in the water.  Done is better than perfect when it comes to law firm marketing.

Anticipate a feeding frenzy.  Sometimes new laws or regulations will trigger a feeding frenzy for your services.  Be ready by anticipating and preparing the right solution.

Set the hook.  When you feel a tug on the line, you set the hook or your fish is gone.  Don’t fail to respond in a timely manner to inquiries.

Be patient.  All anglers know the feeling of being skunked at one time or another.  You may go a long time before you get that trophy catch, but having the patience to persevere will eventually get you there.