Alyn-Weiss and Associates Blog

If your law firm marketing plan coming out the recession includes repositioning lawyers into related or new areas of practice, one marketing tactic to consider is having the lawyers author a chapter in a highly-used reference work that’s about the new type of work sought. We just advised a plaintiffs injury trial lawyer, who has done business torts and commercial litigation in the past and wants to do more, to do this. Yes, write a chapter on trial techniques in a reference work used by business litigators, we said. We also made it clear that the lawyer shouldn’t just sit down and write whatever comes to mind after doing his research. Third-party input is requisite. Writing such a chapter allows an author to reach out to (potential and existing) referral sources of the new work he seeks. Specifically to ask them for input on the chapter outline before a single word is written, then again for input on the draft(s). In other words, being author of a chapter can serve as a “catalyst for a conversation” on the topic, as one leading lawyer coach often says. The idea here is for the lawyer to market the writing of the chapter within a community of commercial litigators from whom cases might result in the future. Once the chapter is published, the lawyer was advised to send copies of the work seeking comment on the the final product, as well. Then, to lecture on the subject of the chapter at CLEs attended by referrals sources. Taking these steps will maximize the value of writing an article or chapter.

Labels: maximize the value of writing articles, repositioning into new areas of practice

How far in advance should you notify clients and referral sources that you are relocating your law offices? In our experience, as soon as people get a new address or phone they update their records and start using it. So, we recommend you send the notice of the move to those who are outside your local area on the Wednesday before the Monday you arrive in the new offices, and to local contacts and vendors on Thursday. If you send the information out before people can use it, say, by several weeks, recipients lose it. We learned this the hard way-- a client once showed up at new offices the week before a firm moved. Many of our clients send their move announcement via email. Some take pictures of their new lobby and conference facilities, and the exterior of their new building if it is well-known and recognizable. Directions also are helpful. Don't forget to update your Web site with this new information, as well. A new location can bolster the good impressions made through the rest of your law firm marketing plan. A seamless transition to anew location anecdotally confirms how efficiently and effectively you handle legal matters.

Labels: moving law office, timing announcement of move to new offices