Category Archives: Marketing Tips

25 Tips for the New (and Old) Lawyer

By Tom Kane on May 16th, 2013 Posted in Marketing Tips, Uncategorized

It has often struck me as odd that articles aimed at categories of lawyers (newbies, middle-age, old and the extremely long in the tooth) can just as well and should be directed at lawyers of all ages. Such is the case with a download I ran across on Attorney at Work. It is entitled “25… Continue Reading

Tips for Better Client Communications

By Tom Kane on May 1st, 2013 Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips

I’m a strong believer in the adage I first heard from a marketing partner, who was a friend and mentor at one of my in-house marketing positions; and it is “marketing is everything you do as a lawyer.” The thought came to mind when I saw an article by Jared Correia on Attorney at Work… Continue Reading

What Corporate Clients Say About the Future, and the Role of Project Management

By Tom Kane on April 16th, 2013 Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips

Although there is a tendency to jump right into it new matter as soon as the client gives the go-ahead, that is the wrong thing to do. Not only from the standpoint of adequately serving the client and meeting client expectations, but it could end up being a financial disaster for the law firm (Read:… Continue Reading

Just Because You Made Partner, Don’t Think You REALLY Have It Made

By Tom Kane on April 5th, 2013 Posted in Marketing Tips

You have just begun. It really is no secret to folks that have been around law firms for as long as I have that when in an associate is promoted to partner oftentimes it’s because they’re a very good lawyer. But they may have little or no capability of fulfilling all of the other responsibilities… Continue Reading

5 Easy Marketing Tips for the Young (and Experienced) Lawyer

By Tom Kane on April 2nd, 2013 Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips

Sometimes I run across an article or blog post that just strikes me for its simplicity and clarity. Such was the case when I ran across an article by Orlando attorney Tony Sos that appeared in the most recent online issue of Law Practice Today. His “boots on the ground” marketing tips were primarily designed for… Continue Reading

Marketing Plans Can Be a Waste of Time and Money

By Tom Kane on March 22nd, 2013 Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips

Recently, I receive an RFP to provide marketing services to a large regional firm with a deadline of today. I declined. The request included strategic planning, advertising plan, pitch training, part-time consulting, and more. Nothing sought in the RFP I had not done in some fashion in my 27-plus years as a legal marketer. It… Continue Reading

Give Information Away, and It’ll Lead to Paying Clients

By Tom Kane on March 8th, 2013 Posted in Marketing Tips, Prospecting for Clients

Some lawyers still are hesitant to give a lot of information away. Whether when asked a legal question or during seminars. What brought this on was an experience I had with my computer. Stay with me here. My computer died last weekend. Problems began with a blank screen and when I tried to reboot, nothing… Continue Reading

How Vague Is Your Marketing Plan?

By Tom Kane on February 19th, 2013 Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips, Uncategorized

If you or your firm lawyers have a formal marketing plan, it was likely prepared with the help of a consultant. Often these plans are lengthy and full of jargon or boilerplate to justify the fee. As a result they are frequently put on the proverbial shelf and not implemented. Worse still is the failure… Continue Reading

Marketing: More Critical Today Than Ever

By Tom Kane on February 8th, 2013 Posted in Marketing Tips, Prospecting for Clients

There is a lot of hoopla flying around the legal space about the “new normal” and predictions that “law firms will never revisit their prerecession heyday.” It is hard to disagree with all the evidence out there, including the joint client advisory by Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group and Hildebrandt Consulting, and the joint report… Continue Reading

Multitasking: Can Raise Ethical Issues and Be Bad for Marketing

By Tom Kane on February 1st, 2013 Posted in Marketing Tips

I like to think that I’m a pretty good multitasker. While typing this post on my laptop, for instance, I’m also checking my emails on my iPhone, and sometimes surfing the Internet on my iPad. All at the same time. Pretty good huh? Oops, I just sent an unfinished message that won’t go over well…. Continue Reading

Spending too much time on marketing? Not a chance!

By Tom Kane on January 18th, 2013 Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips, Prospecting for Clients

In my 27-plus years in legal marketing, I can assure you I have never – let me repeat, never – encountered lawyers who spent too much time on developing business. On the contrary, I’ve met too many who didn’t and don’t spend enough time on it. And I have run across a lot who wasted… Continue Reading

Don’t Surprise Clients, Except…

By Tom Kane on December 18th, 2012 Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips

It should come as no surprise that clients don’t like surprises. Who does? Well, most of us wouldn’t mind being surprised with a nice Hanukkah or Christmas present about now. But, you get the point. I have written a number of posts (three listed below) over the past eight years regarding the dangers (and benefits… Continue Reading

Networking Tips For First Year Lawyers… And Partners

By Tom Kane on December 6th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Tips, Prospecting for Clients

One might ask how networking tips for brand new associates would be applicable to partners. Stick with me here, because in my experience there are many partners who know what they should have been doing in terms of staying in touch with former classmates, colleagues, people they’ve met, etc. but haven’t. So, they could gain… Continue Reading

Boosting Your Marketing Productivity With GTD

By Tom Kane on November 29th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips

Ran across an interesting article about getting things done and thus being more effective in practicing law by adopting five principles of GTD discussed by Daniel Gold in a piece he wrote for Attorney at Work. It struck me that the same ideas are applicable to greater effectiveness when it comes to marketing. His five… Continue Reading

Law Firm Marketing is Like Politics … and Hunting!

By Tom Kane on November 16th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Tips, Prospecting for Clients

How timely in this particular month that my old standby for marketing ideas would address the relationship between politics and marketing. Larry Smith and Richard Levick in 365 Marketing Meditations: Daily Lessons for Marketing & Communications Professionals state in today’s meditation: “All marketing is even more local than politics. Marketing is one person at a… Continue Reading

Avoid Client RFPs

By Tom Kane on November 2nd, 2012 Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips

A recently released survey by LexisNexis® reported on an increased level of RFP activity by law firms of various sizes. (See Summary here). The results surprised me somewhat for a couple of reasons. Some results: Close to half the 359 survey participants (41%) couldn’t tell how many RFPs they dealt with on a monthly basis… Continue Reading

Marketing Success in 4 Words

By Tom Kane on October 26th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Tips

Make it your lifestyle. That’s it. Simple, huh? It is according to Larry Smith and Richard Levick of Levick Strategic Communications in their 365 Marketing Meditations: Daily Lessons For Marketing & Communications Professionals. Their meditation for Wednesday of this week consists of just four words: “Marketing is a lifestyle”. For many lawyers that would mean… Continue Reading

Don’t Send DUMB E-mails

By Tom Kane on October 15th, 2012 Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips

Do not – repeat – do not send stupid, overly emotional, inappropriate emails. Have you ever sent an email that you wish you hadn’t? Of course you have. And I stand guilty as charged myself. I’m not just talking about an incomplete one, or hitting the Send key before proof reading typos or such. Everyone… Continue Reading

Do You Know Why A Client Handed Your Firm a Pink Slip?

By Tom Kane on October 5th, 2012 Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips

If your firm has ever lost a client (yeah, I know), I hope you know why. Not think you know, BUT really know the reason(s). My guess is that it was due to poor client relations and/or failure to produce value, or a combination of both. An article by Aric Press, editor-in-chief of The American… Continue Reading

Stop procrastinating!

By Tom Kane on September 28th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Tips

I hate it when someone hits me side of the head to get my attention. BUT, it does work ya know. All week I’ve been procrastinating on this week’s post. Lo and behold I run across Ruth Carter’s post “Beat Back Procrastination” on Attorney at Work this morning. It got my attention. Do you procrastinate… Continue Reading

Does Crummy Boss = Lousy Marketer?

By Tom Kane on September 19th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Tips

Having worked in a number of law firms, I have heard many complaints about lawyer behavior towards staff and more junior lawyers. Believe me I have some stories. [For example, one lawyer who couldn’t keep a secretary for longer than 3 months, or another who several times with only slight variation would bring an outline… Continue Reading

Turn down clients? Are you nuts!

By Tom Kane on September 7th, 2012 Posted in Marketing Tips, Prospecting for Clients

In response to that question in these economic times, some (if not many) lawyers might say that you would be nuts to turn down any work that comes across the transom. Well, wrong answer IMHO. I would argue that you’re nuts if you don’t turn down cases that are not suited for your practice, or… Continue Reading