Renegade Lawyer Marketing by Ben Glass, III, Word Association Publishers, 2015, is directed at solo and small law firms who serve the general public to help them to more effectively market their legal services. Glass is a lawyer.
For me, the book did not get interesting until about Chapter 20 where Glass begins to disclose what should be included in a marketing plan. These are Glass's five components of a marking plan:
(1) Create a marketing message that will provoke both those who are ready to hire a lawyer and those who are not quite ready to contact you;
(2) Write a book that you can send potential clients;
(3) Use internet marketing effectively;
(4) Create and manage a marketing database;
(5) Completely think through the entire marketing cycle and the steps you want potential clients to take along the way.
In Chapter 21, Glass advises lawyers to think about what your ideal client would look like and act like and create a marketing plan that will attract those types of clients. Also, consider which clients are a huge drain on resources and rid yourself of them by creating systems that exclude those types of people from becoming clients. But should they get through your screening process, refer them to other lawyers (and collect a referral fee if your jurisdiction allows this).
In Chapter 22, Glass advises firms to hire a marketing director or assistant director to focus on client acquisition so that your time can be directed to other aspects of your law practice.
Chapter 23 focuses on creating a marketing system. Glass advises that by attracting a large number of potential clients this allows you to select from the cream of the crop to become clients at your firm. Glass believes the best way to do this is by creating information products, such as books, newsletters, and information pieces that help to answer common client questions.
An attorney can write the book alone or create a bullet list of potential topics and record someone interviewing the attorney on those topics and then transcribe this and polish it to create a book. The book can be used to send to potential clients and other referral partners.
The third step of the marketing system should be geared at following up on potential leads by providing them with more great information. Infusionsoft is a database marketing system that is used by many lawyers and recommended.
Fourth, the lawyer can publish a monthly newsletter that contains some information about the firm but also interesting articles about the local community.
Step five is to create online and offline marketing systems that drive potential clients to request your book(s).
Step six is to create a “shock and awe” package for potential clients that contains these six items:
(1) your book(s),
(2) a CD which usually is an interview with the lawyer,
(3) a book or report on how to find the right lawyer for a typical case in your practice area,
(4) testimonials by happy clients,
(5) an information DVD,
(6) a cover letter emphasizing why prospective clients are smart to ask for this information.
A later chapter emphasizes the importance of getting law firm staff to use scripts that also “sell” and promote your law firm to potential clients and to closely monitor this so that your marketing efforts are not sabotaged by a receptionist or another law firm employee who sounds busy and preoccupied while answering the phone, which is likely to turn off potential clients.
Additionally, Glass mentions the importance of referrals and training happy clients to act as referral sources for your law firm. Glass also addresses the importance of maintaining your website, and your law firm’s favorable presence on online attorney websites, such as Avvo, Superlawyers.com, and Bestlawyers.com.
The book also contains a CD of an interview with Ben Glass where he discloses his business philosophy. If you purchase the Kindle edition of the book, the audio can be downloaded from a website using a code. Additionally, a list of recommended books is included on both marketing and business in general.
Rating: $$$$ out of 5
Although this book contains a lot of non-essential information, only one $ is deducted because the information that is included is priceless and can help lawyers to do a better job of marketing their law practices.
Disclosure: This book can be purchased by clicking on the link below. The first link is for the paperback book and the second link is for the Kindle edition that can be viewed on a computer if you don't own a Kindle. If you click on the link below, you will be directed to Amazon. We may receive a small commission that will not increase your purchase price. I purchased this book with my own money and did not receive anything in exchange for this review by the book's author or publisher. Comments are welcome. Thank you.
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