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Toss out the Book and Innovate

By on December 16, 2012

You already know the famous saying, “do the same old thing, the same old way and get the same old results”. This is never truer than during challenging economic times. The market is full of businesses just like yours and the customer needs to make a choice. Your same old message, based upon your same old business plan may no longer resonate and you’ll be at risk of losing out to the businesses that innovate. Innovation is clearly a method of differentiation.

Every CEO and business leader will claim that their business innovates; they will cite a few new initiatives in their annual plan. However there can be a huge gap between plans, efforts and actual results. I won’t use companies like Microsoft, Google and Apple to prove that innovation works, they might be outliers, although you might be amazed what “outliers” have in common by reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book on the subject.

Let’s instead look at Blinds.com, it started as Laura’s Draperies with Jay Steinfeld trying to sell blinds and shades door to door, a really tough gig. He built his first web site in 1993 and by 1996 was selling products over the web as NoBrainerBlinds.com. In 2004 Jay changed the name to Blinds.com and the business was growing. A defining moment came in 2007 when Jay introduced a real innovation, on-line videos explaining how to properly measure a window and then install a blind. Blinds.com now has a complete library covering dozens of “how to” video’s that make buying and using their products risk-free.

I could go on and on with innovation stories, even law firms have examples of innovations. Some are offering Project Management services to help align efforts and results with their clients. Other are offering self-help like Goodwin Procter, a Boston-based firm providing startup entrepreneurs and venture capitalists with free documents and tips on best practices on a site called Founders Workbench. Can you imagine that, free advice and forms.

Here are 5 ideas to keep in mind when deciding on innovation projects.

  1.  Get Away. The best way to come up with innovative ideas is to completely get away from your normal daily grind. Find a place to just goof off, clear you head and turn off the cell phones and email. Set-up a creative environment that allows people’s minds to ask why and why not.
  2. Plan on Failure, and Fail Early. Everything we do in business is to avoid failure, but innovation can’t exist without at least a tolerance for failure. Businesses can accept pilot project that are innovative and then structure the roll-out to test for failed concepts. Nobody should feel threatened for a failed innovation.
  3. Alignment. The best innovations are where the business aligns their core capabilities with the customers’ needs. What are your core strengths, what value can you provide your customer? In the case above, Goodwin aligned their expertise in helping emerging companies grow with an entrepreneur’s desire for self-prepared  documents.
  4. Ask Why and Why Not. Question everything, look at the client experience. When I think of Heinz ketchup I think of the bottle being upside down, makes it much easier to use. I’m not sure they invented this concept but someone there must have had a eureka moment. Turn things upside-down and see what happens.
  5. Leadership and Change. Make sure that you have CEO driven projects, or at least find a Vice President of Change in your business to help provide the leadership necessary to make innovation in your business an on-going process, not just an annual event.

When starting out, look for small “hits”, you don’t need a home-run in your first at-bat. These will come as you build a culture and track record for innovative ideas.

 

 

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Categories: AFA - alternative fee arrangement, Best Practices, Legal Marketing, Management, Productivity

Delving into Video – how and how not to market your firm

By on August 7, 2011

First came YouTube; companies started uploading “out of the box” viral videos that often didn’t directly promote the product, then companies posting videos on their own websites. For some reason, YouTube seemed a more forgiving venue for a poorly made video. At times, I cringe when I see the quality (and sometimes quantity!) of the homemade and even professionally made company video.  Law firms have delved into the online video marketing medium, and, according to Cisco’s Visual Networking Forecast, in 2012, “video on demand, television over IP and Internet TV will make up 90% of consumer IP”.  Video can be a powerful tool to market your firm, however, if poorly executed; it can shed a bad light on your firm.

Here are some things to be cognizant of in order to turn video traffic into a possible client:

  • Save the commercials for television. A good online video often answers a question that the viewer is researching. Perhaps someone gets in trouble with the law. They could Google how to take the right legal action, etc.  Would you be more likely to go to a lawyer touting their legal services and how they will get justice or how about someone who just helped you with the steps to take in a legally related situation? I believe it would be the latter. Try to solve a problem.
  • Make sure the video doesn’t look like it was made in a basement. Remember borrowing a friends’ video camera, fooling around and making the worst videos ever? Well, some corporate and legal videos out there look exactly this way. Even if you are offering some great information, if the quality is not there, the message will suffer.
  • If you decide to hire a professional (which I would suggest), ask around. Depending on how much you want to spend (FindLaw offers an expensive video production service), ask around to find someone with a good reputation who can produce the video. A producer with legal marketing experience would be the best bet. Take a look at YouTube to get good and bad production ideas.
  • Make sure the videos make it on more sites than just yours. Visit the web and look for legal marketing directories to post videos. Look around and find places to make them more viral.

Please feel free to share your own legal video producing tips and tricks. Good luck!

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Categories: Best Practices, Legal Marketing, Technology, The Legal Market

Facebook vs. Google – Will Firm’s allow “Buzz”ing?

By on May 17, 2011

Obviously, Facebook is not going anywhere.  It’s everywhere and has, arguably, become the predominant source of communication, even for attorneys.  With every Tom, Dick, Jane and Harry on Facebook (over 600 million users), it’s no wonder it has inched into the social search engine universe. As a result, Google has tried to get on board and become more relevant and social by adding weak features like Google Buzz.  Google has also tried to add a “like” feature called “+ 1,” where users, when signed into their Gmail account, can “like” a search result.  Since many firms are limiting employee use of Facebook at work, this new feature allows users to do Facebook-like things at work, and, when signed in, allow them to see their social group of friend’s “likes”.  In addition, Google can use the +1 feature to up the popularity of a search engine listing. Hopefully, Google is smart enough to know when a biased source is +1-ing their own link more than once or the organic search engine game could become “processed” very quickly.

To rival the copycat +1 feature (and a copy of pretty much all the Facebook features), Facebook has started to request if users would like to make Facebook.com as their home page which would reduce Google’s traffic extraordinarily.  But, with all the rivalry, does social really matter that much? Google has served its purpose well over the years. There are many non-social products related to law firms that Google has provided. Google Buzz is hardly used, and it isn’t making or breaking Google. Really doesn’t it come down to quality versus quantity? When a brand tries to be all things to all people sometimes the quality suffers. Although Facebook has access to a lot of information, it doesn’t mean that the quality would be the same as Google’s and I think that’s okay. Facebook could, ultimately, become the one stop shop for emails, RSS feeds, etc. but it doesn’t necessarily mean the search quality and proficiency would rival that of Google.

Facebook is good at what it does: provides a mega social media medium for millions of users. Google is good at what it does: provides a practical and centralized location for searches from Ant to Zephyr. Facebook is the Mac of the online world, whereas Google is more the PC. There is nothing wrong with the PC, it provides a function and it is good at it. There is nothing wrong with a MAC, it’s a more fun, creative tool to both communicate and accomplish tasks. Merging the two, although somewhat useful to the computer world, would be a mistake. I suppose it really comes down to is it best to be jack of all trades or does that deflate the tools as “master of nothing”? We shall see.

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Categories: Best Practices, Legal Marketing, Technology

“Streamline Your Way to Bigger Margins”#5 – Maximizing your Marketing Dollars

By on January 20, 2011

This ongoing series will visit small (and large) overlooked ways firms can save money that can add up to big dividends.

Although I don’t profess to be a marketing guru, I have spent some time in my 29 years of work experience in the legal industry drafting marketing budgets and coming up with creative strategies to make the dollars work.  Here are some observations I have made in my own business that have helped us to take a more hands-on and individual approach to marketing our business. I hope these practical strategies help you as well.

  1. Make Sure to Measure
    This is listed as point #1 for a reason. So many firms blindly run marketing campaigns because, a) it’s the way it’s always been done and, b) because it’s an afterthought. Measuring responses and prospective clients will help your firm keep track of each initiative while justifying the effort and dollars spent.
  2. Social Networking is Worth It
    I’ll start out by saying most social networking mediums are free. With this said, it’s imperative that a firm doesn’t take a carte blanche approach and slap whatever they feel like up on the web. I wrote a past blog entry about this; make sure what you communicate via Facebook, Twitter and via blogs is potent and valuable.
  3. E-Communication
    From the mid-1990s on, e-newsletters and digital communication has become a leading way to get in touch with prospects. The only downfall is obvious; people are sick of it. This is why targeted messaging is so important. Avoid poor execution and watered down information by knowing your audience(s).
  4. Try Some New Stuff
    Many firms are afraid to branch out a bit and go outside the norm. Although I’m not advising that you throw away all sense and decorum and send out smoke signal messages in the center of Times Square, sometimes utilizing existing mediums to “test” new concepts such as special event invites or a survey may be the best way to see what works without blowing the budget. It’s also easier to track success rates and interest this way.
  5. Repurpose and Outsource As Needed
    Ramping up your marketing campaign can be expensive, no matter how thrifty and wily a marketer you are. Sometimes it may be best to outsource a campaign and some of the grunt work. It may sound crazy when you’re trying to save money, but often freelancers can do things quicker and with quality because, simply stated, they have practice.

 Whatever you do, make sure your marketing money is spent with purpose. So often it’s easier to do things because competition is doing it or because it’s a challenge to come up with creative marketing solutions. Do your research and cross your fingers that it will pay off.

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Categories: Best Practices, Legal Marketing, The Legal Market

“Streamline Your Way to Bigger Margins”#5 – Maximizing your Marketing Dollars

By on November 21, 2010

This ongoing series will visit small (and large) overlooked ways firms can save money that can add up to big dividends.

Although I don’t profess to be a marketing guru, I have spent some time in my 28+ years of work experience drafting marketing budgets and coming up with creative strategies to make the dollars work.  Here are some observations I have made in my own business that have helped us to take a more hands-on and individual approach to marketing our business. I hope these practical strategies help you as well.

Make Sure to Measure
This is listed as point #1 for a reason. So many firms blindly run marketing campaigns because, a. it’s the way it’s always been done and, b. because it’s an afterthought. Measuring responses and prospective clients will help your firm keep track of each initiative while justifying the effort and dollars spent.

Social Networking is Worth It
I’ll start out by saying most social networking mediums are free. With this said, it’s imperative that a firm doesn’t take a carte blanche approach and slap whatever they feel like up on the web. I wrote a past blog entry about this; make sure what you communicate via Facebook, Twitter and via blogs is potent and valuable.

E-Communication
From the mid-1990s on, e-newsletters and digital communication has become a leading way to get in touch with prospects. The only downfall is obvious; people are sick of it. This is why targeted messaging is so important. Avoid poor execution and watered down information by knowing your audience(s).

Try Some New Stuff
Many firms are afraid to branch out a bit and go outside the norm. Although I’m not advising that you throw away all sense and decorum and send out smoke signal messages in the center of Times Square, sometimes utilizing existing mediums to “test” new concepts such as special event invites or a survey may be the best way to see what works without blowing the budget. It’s also easier to track success rates and interest this way.

Repurpose and Outsource As Needed
Ramping up your marketing campaign can be expensive, no matter how thrifty and wily a marketer you are. Sometimes it may be best to outsource a campaign and some of the grunt work. It may sound crazy when you’re trying to save money, but often freelancers can do things quicker and with quality because, simply stated, they have practice.

Whatever you do, make sure your marketing money is spent with purpose. So often it’s easier to do things because competition is doing it or because it’s a challenge to come up with creative marketing solutions. Do your research and cross your fingers that it will pay off.

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Categories: Best Practices, Practice Management, The Legal Market

Facing Facebook – Some Tips to Navigate THE “Social Network”

By on September 27, 2010

Call it a hunch, but if you’re reading this blog article, you’re probably familiar with Facebook in some capacity. The word ‘Facebook’ is now used as a noun, i.e., simply “Facebook” verb, i.e., “I’ll Facebook you…”, and an adverb, i.e., “Mom, give me some privacy, I’m Facebooking right now…” In fact, a movie called “The Social Network” detailing the “invention” of this social empire is coming out on October 1st.

I’ll admit it, we have a Facebook page; we did it as an added benefit to our clients and prospects. We also did it, frankly, because everyone else is.  Once we got the page, the major question was, “how do we make this different than our website?” We really don’t want it to become a watered down version of announcements and press releases but it’s often a challenge to make a Facebook page with noteworthy news that isn’t too, well, newsy. So, how do companies and firms leverage this social media beast without coming across as a watered down version of the companies’ more “official” website? What are some Facebook best practices? I’ll admit I’m not an expert on this new frontier, but here are some observations that seem to work:

  1. Don’t pull a “Nestle”
    In early 2010, Nestle’s Facebook page became the central location for an outburst from Greenpeace. Apparently, Nestle was using palm oil that displaced animals, namely the orangutan, from their rainforest homes. Angry Greenpeace protesters voiced their displeasure with the company on Facebook and caused quite a stir on the social network. The company responded “humanly” and as a knee-jerk reaction defended themselves. Lesson learned – being on the web, especially on a site like Facebook, makes your company vulnerable. One should always have a disaster plan in place to thwart PR disasters like Nestle’s.
  2. BLOG
    Not to toot my own horn here, but blogging is a great way to post notable news on Facebook and other social media sites such as Twitter. Not only does it provide an added value for clients and prospects, not to mention countless other constituencies, it helps increase your search engine viability. Blog posts can be posted on Facebook – it all ties together.
  3. Make it Interactive
    Have you ever been in a conversation with a “touter”? You know that person who goes on and on about themselves and what they have accomplished and you can’t get a word in edge-wise? It’s really annoying, but often time businesses forget to engage prospects by making the conversation one way. Engaging prospects by asking questions, posing things for discussion, etc. is a great way to generate interest and make it less of a sales pitch.
  4. Target your Efforts
    Instead of making Facebook a branding tactic, look into making it more targeted based on fans, etc. Use your Facebook page to educate prospects via webinars, podcasts and other events. Send them invitations; invitations for participants to learn more about a new core competency or gain knowledge in a confusing area. Engage.
  5. Keep it Fresh
    Make sure you aren’t posting news just for the sake of doing it but at the same time, be sure to keep your Facebook page fresh by updating photos, posts, etc.
  6. Reserve your Name
    If your firm is currently not on Twitter, Facebook, etc. be sure to reserve the name on each site to ensure that your reputation isn’t jeopardized by a competitor or someone else. Besides, with 150 million members and counting, you may want to consider using this free resource as a way to complement your current marketing tactics.

 

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Categories: Best Practices, Productivity, Technology, The Legal Market

Mid-size Firm Managing Partner’s – Poor View of Technology

By on July 7, 2010

I was a little shocked to see the Hildebrandt story on how a dozen managing partners felt about their technology investments. Their perspective was they just wanted to make sure the network was reliable and maintained at a reasonable cost.  We don’t know all the details of the discussions that took place with the partners but one thing is certain, “they are missing the boat.” One of two possibilities come to mind, either the partners just couldn’t articulate the benefits of the technology the firm actually uses beyond stable networks, or their firms really don’t use technology for much more than email, document storage and a few legal software applications.

Technology can be a game changer for a mid-size firm, here are some examples:

  • Business Development – without a good contact management system (other than just Outlook) it’s just not possible to manage relationships and track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
  • Business Process Improvement (BPI) – business processes used by firms may not have changed very much in the last 10-20 years. Most of these processes are manual, paper based systems, for example, new client/matter intake, requesting a check, requesting a vacation day etc. These are just ripe for cost reductions and improvements in service.
  • Attorney Dashboards – at a glance, how am I doing compared to the requirements? Am I missing time for a certain day, do I have excessive client un-billed costs aging over 60 days, is my billing realization dropping below 95 percent? Attorneys need on-demand access to hard-hitting performance related information, gone are the days of sending out reporting packages (aka, paper).
  • Green Billing – stop sending your corporate clients paper bills, they don’t want paper. Green billing allows your firm to send clients a digitized bill, ready to be immediately imported into their in-house system for processing and approval. Happier clients and faster payment cycles is a win-win for both parties.  

Of course, the list could go on and on, the overall message is that when the managing partner can say that technology is being used by the firm as a strategic advantage in the marketplace his firm will be in a much better position to compete and quite possibly more profitable.

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Categories: Best Practices, Productivity, Technology, The Legal Market
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