The professional organizations feel your pain as SmallLaw/Solos. For example, the New York City Bar Association put out this wonderfully useful white paper digging into must-knows like unbundling services. Here you can read it. LittleLaw success story Alla Roytberg, founder of Good Law Firm, passed the guide along to me.
However, when the rubber meets the road, it's just you and maybe your small workforce who bring in the business. When I wear my marketing communications hat and talk with you, too many of you 'fess up that 90% of what you're doing has zero ROI. Know what? Those poor results usually begin with your mindset.
One internal shift you might try is to think like a drunk. That is, develop the out of box organizational fundamentals and tactics of those who started Alcoholics Anonymous. They were desperate. Through trial and error they came up with one of the few things which is effective in getting and keeping drunks sober. Let's apply just one of its best practices to your need to attract clients:
SPECIAL EVENTS ON THE CHEAP
AAers came up with the idea to approach churches to allow them to hold their meetings at a low rental rate. No way could they afford a room at the Holiday Inn. Consider approaching ministers, priests, and rabbis about your special events talking to people about how to bullet-proof their estate planning or be compensated for their pain and suffering.
The timing for your special event couldn't be better. Human beings have become weary of being online and on mobile. They want to get back together in person.
Frame your own special event as a public service. After all, you are educating people in the community about points of law.
How to get the low-cost space? Go beyond the public service angle. Give something, in addition to the low rent. You can promise publicity for the institution in your digital communications. For example, instead of using your Facebook fan page to showcase yourself, configure it as a kind of community newspaper in which some local events are covered. The way to get business as a small business is through showing the community you care. One successful advertising agency in Connecticut has built word of mouth referrals through featuring clients, not itself, on its Facebook page. On a regular basis the clients send breaking news about themselves and about what their own clients and customers are doing. There's a seamless transmission of community spirit.
In addition to the low-cost rent, you can leverage the non-commercial setting to introduce and reinforce the meme that all us human beings are in this together. We have to reach out to and help one another. Do this right and the setting can be the tipping point into trust.
Learning more about how the organization AA functions
There are many organizational models. Since AA's has proven effective in its recovery mission, why not find out how it works. Here is an introduction. You can borrow from the public library books on its beginnings. Also, contact your local AA branch online or by phone to find out when and where there are open meetings you can attend. "Open" means you don't have to be a member of AA to attend.
Complimentary, no pressure, consultations available about your marketing communications. Please contact Jane Genova mgenova981@aol.com. Here is the Webinar I delivered for BigLaw about going beyond social media. Download Rainmaking
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