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Ezine Marketing Information for Lawyers and Small Law FirmsThis page will prove to be a valuable resource for any attorney looking for Ezine Marketing Information. Ezines are an effective and often underused tool that can help attorneys to build "Top of Mind Awareness" (TOMA), with referral sources and clients alike.So lets start with the basics... What exactly is an Ezine?The term Ezine is nothing more than a contraction of "Electronic Magazine". Another way to think of an Ezine is an electronic legal newsletter. The only cost to you is the time you take to write it, produce it, and maintain your mailing list. (Check back later for more information on how you can automate this process to save your firm time and money). Obviously, this is easier and less expensive than publishing and mailing a traditional newsletter.
Why should I write an Ezine?You should write and publish an Ezine for several reasons. First, providing Ezine Marketing Information is an excellent way to position your law firm and cultivate your existing network of referral sources and clients. Second, by writing and publishing an Ezine, you will solidify yourself as an expert in your chosen area of legal expertise.
Finally, you'll gain people's trust. By providing informative information that people can use, you can effective "presell" people on your legal services. I can't tell you how many times I've been hired by clients solely because of the quality information that they read in my Ezine or on my website.
Who is a good audience for my legal Ezine?In my opinion, there are four major groups that would serve as perfect audiences for your Ezine marketing information. These groups include:
Let's start with referral sources. As mentioned previously, it is important to maintain "Top of Mind Awareness", or TOMA with your referral sources. You want them to always have your name on the top of their mind when they need to refer a prospective client to someone that does what you do. If you are sending a referral source relevant, valuable Ezine marketing information on a monthly basis, then it only stands to reason that you will be the first person that they think of when they send out that referral. When I mention Prospective Clients, I anticipate that most lawyers will respond - "But we can't solicit business directly from prospective clients!" Yes, this is true. But if you follow the tips and strategies that are outlined in this website, you can certainly send out a monthly Ezine to prospective clients without worry that you are violating any ethical rules. In addition, by "preselling" to prospective clients via an Ezine, you are helping to build credibility with prospects before you have even engaged in a face to face meeting. In other words, you are beginning to develop a "know you, like you, and trust you" relationship that is so important in sales. Ezine marketing information is a tremendous foundation upon which you can begin to develop this credibility. Most lawyers market to prospective clients by trying to "shout" louder than their competition. By this, I mean that they spend more money on advertising (specifically yellow page ads) in an effort to overpower all the other lawyers. I strongly recommend that you do not engage in this practice. Instead, I recommend that you focus your marketing efforts on providing quality, and useful information to your prospective clients in the form of Ezine Marketing Information. The last two groups include current and former clients. Presumably, these groups already like you, or they wouldn't have hired you to represent them. And if you did a good job on their case, then they probably won't have any problems referring you business. However, you do need to maintain top of mind awareness with them, so that they will be sure to refer that wonderful case to you when it comes along. A legal Ezine is a fantastic way to maintain relationships with current and former clients.
Are there any drawbacks to writing an Ezine?
Just as with any other legal marketing strategy, there are always going to be
plusses and minuses about marketing information to your clients via an Ezine.
Right now, there are so many Ezines circulating through the web that you must
make sure that you offer something of high value to your referral sources or
prospective clients. Otherwise, they won't want to subscribe, or simply
won't open the message when they receive it.
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