How far would YOU go on a first date? (yes, seriously)
There are a lot of ways for law firms to get marketing wrong. But, there is one critical mistake that law firms make that makes me a little crazy. When I see it, I get that same feeling that you get when someone rakes their nails on a chalkboard. I call it the “premature marriage proposal.” It’s like meeting someone for the first time, not knowing if you are good for them or if they are good for you, and just blurting out, “Will you marry me?”
Let me explain…
Take a look at a few attorney ads and you’ll see what I mean. Most attorney ads are really brochures. They are filled with phrases like “We do this,” and “We do that.” Then, in big bold letters at the bottom they say, “Give me a call TODAY!”
News flash most prospects….they aren’t going to.
To most people, calling a lawyer’s office is scary. It takes a lot before someone is willing to call the office and schedule an appointment. They aren’t going to schedule an appointment just because you told them to. They need to know more about you and how you can help them before they take the step of coming into your office.
Advertising is expensive! Be sure that you do it right. Before you throw your money away on brochure ads, stop and think about your strategy first, then develop baby-steps that will guide your prospects to your front door.
Here’s an example:
You decide your strategy is to target motorcycle drivers who’ve been injured due to negligent drivers. The trick is to give them a step that is easy and less intimidating than coming into the office. Address their pain points. Answer the questions you know they have. They may be wondering, “Do I have a case?” or “Should I call my insurance company first?” or any number of things. Speak to them about these things by offering a free, downloadable report. Explain the pros and cons of their choice so they understand it really is in their best interest to work with you. You should also be ready if they still need more encouragement by developing a follow-up sequence that provides even more information – easily done with an automated email follow-up sequence.
I challenge you to take a look at any ads you are running right now and to put yourself in a position of being someone who really doesn’t want to see you. I know that sounds strange, but with this mindset you can determine if you are jumping to the marriage proposal too soon. If so, take a step back and think more about the courtship. Woo your clients rather than demand. You are spending too much money to not make sure that you are in the best position to convert prospects to clients!
If you would like to learn more about “wooing” prospects, sign up for our free 21-day Day Legal Marketing Bootcamp. It’s filled with ideas about how to reach your clients in a multitude of ways and concrete steps to take to produce results.