Ten Ways to Market Your Practice By Doing What You Love To Do
By Alvah Parker
Parker Associates
Submitted March, 2006
Most attorneys get so involved in the work of the business that there never seems to be enough time to do the necessary marketing. Even when business is good you must continue marketing because if you stop, the business eventually will stop too. Marketing your practice simply means to nurture good relationships with your clients and potential clients so that they will buy from you again or they will refer you to others. Think about the kinds of things you enjoy doing and then use those activities in your marketing efforts. In this way you can have fun and market your practice.
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Public Speaking
If you like to do public speaking then let the association and club program chair know that you are available to speak. Invite your clients and potential clients to come to hear you when it is appropriate.
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Writing
If you like to write, write a newsletter, book, article etc and distribute it to your prospects and client. These might be given to people with no charge or they could be sold to prospects and clients.
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Dining out
If you like to dine at special restaurants, invite a client or strategic partner to join you. A restaurant provides a relaxed atmosphere in which to get to know your client, prospect or strategic partner better.
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Sporting Events
If you like sporting events (baseball, football, tennis etc.) invite your prospect to watch a game with you. Share your enthusiasm for a particular sport with a client who shares that interest with you. There will be opportunity to chat between innings, quarters, sets etc.
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Theater or Concerts
If you like the theater or concerts, invite a prospect or client to go to a production with you. By knowing your clients tastes in entertainment you can choose plays and musical events that you are sure they will enjoy. One way is to take them yourself. This is a great opportunity to deepen your relationship. Another is to give the client the tickets so that he / she can go with a friend or partner.
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Benefits
If you have a strong feeling for a particular nonprofit and they have a benefit, invite a client or clients to join the festivities as your guest. Buy a table and invite several clients to join you. This can give your clients two gifts: they get to go to an exciting event and they get to network with other clients. Obviously it would be up to you to choose the appropriate client mix.
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Play a sport
If you like to participate in a sport (golf, tennis, sailing) invite your client or prospect to join you. This is probably the most popular way of marketing. Many clients will enjoy the opportunity to golf, play tennis or sail with you. A setting focused on something other than work can be conducive to sharing information on future plans that could involve more business.
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Entertain in your home
If you like to entertain in your home, have a dinner party, brunch, or cocktail party for clients and prospects. Have an intimate dinner or a large open house. Either way you have a chance to get to know a different side of your client and the client sees a different side of you.
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Conduct a workshop
If you like to teach, run a workshop for prospects and clients to teach them something. Keeping clients informed about changes in the law that might impact them is to stay in touch with them. It can be done in writing but you could also run a workshop to review a more complex change or to inform clients on your area of expertise.
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Volunteer Work
If you are someone who likes to do volunteer work, invite prospects and clients to work with you. Houses built by Habitat for Humanity might be a great place to work on a project together. There are other nonprofits that give you an opportunity to work on a day or half day project.
About the Author: Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor to attorneys and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker’s Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. Parker’s Value Program© enables her clients to find their own way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. While she specializes in working with attorneys she also works with other professionals, and coaches people in transition. Alvah is found on the web and may also be reached at 781-598-0388.
Copyright © 2006 Alvah Parker. All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced without the express written permission of the copyright holder, except as follows: You may link this article to your website, either directly or through an ExpertLaw Library index page, provided your link does not depict this article, its author, or expertlaw.com in a negative manner.