When we pitch email newsletters to our clients, we’re often met with the verbal equivalent of an eye roll. You know the arguments: “Nobody wants another email in their inbox,” “No one is going to read my email newsletter,” and “I hate getting email newsletters — when I do, I put them in the trash or mark them as spam, and my clients are going to do that, too!”

That attitude is unfortunate because we know for a fact that when law firms send their clients an email each month, they inevitably generate more referrals. Why? Because none of us have enough time to personally stay in touch with everyone on our contact list. Sure, you might make space in your schedule to meet with key referral sources or colleagues, but there’s no way you can stay in touch with everyone you’ve met in the last 15 years. Now, imagine you could maintain those relationships. How is it possible they wouldn’t lead to at least a few more referrals?

Email isn’t the only way to stay in touch with your contacts, but it’s the first step. Even if only 20% of the people you send to open your email, you’ll be reaching many more than you could personally. And don’t forget — even the people who don’t open your newsletter still see it, keeping your firm’s name top of mind. We’ve had leads call us who have gotten our email newsletter for years and rarely opened it. Still, when it’s time to do business, they call.

An email newsletter can also boost your networking abilities. Imagine how good it would feel to plug the emails off a fist full of business cards into your mailing list instead of tossing the cards on your desk. One of our clients took this to the extreme when he sat next to a guy on an airplane and they exchanged cards. A year later, that same guy called him up. He’d gotten our client’s newsletter for the last year and needed some legal work done — to the tune of thousands of dollars.

If you want to cash in on an email newsletter today, call Spotlight Branding at 800-406-7229. We have a full-service solution that will keep your brand top of mind.

Networking is about nurturing relationships. It’s about being visible through email, blogging, social networking, and of course, in-person! Even if you have other marketing efforts in place, nothing beats getting some boots on the ground and ingraining yourself in your community. If you’re not sure where to start, here are several options!

1. Social Media Networking

Having a foot in the digital space is a great way to connect with others and expose your brand to a larger audience. Using whichever social media platforms you prefer, connect with your community (other surrounding businesses, local organizations, etc…) and connect with other professionals within your industry. Follow, say hello, share, and engage!

Some platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook have specific groups and forums that you can join. This is a great opportunity to see what others within your profession are doing or to get involved with the community happenings.

2. Guest Blogging

Do you know of another professional that has a blog? Offer to provide a guest article for them to publish, perhaps in exchange for publishing one of their blogs to your network. It’s a win-win! Your brand and content gains exposure to a larger audience, and you are helping another professional do the same.

Make sure the topic is relevant to something that you both do. For example, if this person handles divorce cases and you practice estate planning, consider writing a blog about how divorce can affect estate plans.

3. Join Industry-Specific Organizations

Do some research and find both local and national organizations that you can be a part of. This is a great way to meet new people and make connections.

A few things to consider when choosing organizations to join: your big-picture goals, your specific client needs, what you want to gain from this organization, the cost to join, the time investment, and the size.

4. Attend Conferences, Classes, Workshops

These types of gatherings are great for polishing your skills, getting inspired, networking with other professionals, and connecting with potential clients or referral sources.

Also, look for opportunities to be a leader or speaker in these types of events. You may not feel like you have a lot to offer, but you do. Share your knowledge, your processes, and your opinions on how you run your own business, or how potential clients could gain benefit from using your services.

5. Volunteer

This is something that you can do as an individual or even as an entire company or group. Get involved in your surrounding community in a way that benefits others. This is an incredible and humbling way to get your name out there and connect with the everyday people that are in your area and might need your services. Be visible, make personal connections, and let your actions show people what your brand is all about… helping others!

Take it up a level and get branded t-shirts for your team to wear. Take photos so that you can share what you’re doing with your online audience by posting to social media or including a blurb in your newsletter.

6. Meet-Ups

Believe it or not, there is a huge community of people wanting to meet up for coffee once a week or a happy hour once a month – sometimes with a specific goal in mind, and sometimes just to meet new people and make connections.

Who are these people? They may just be random people within your area, or maybe other legal professionals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs.

You don’t have to attend a meet-up with the intention of handing out your business card and giving your sales pitch to everyone you come in contact with. There are meet-ups designed for networking purposes specifically, and then there are others for people with common interests or the same hobbies. The point of a meet-up is to MEET others. Remember, networking is about nurturing relationships, which doesn’t need to be a ‘business’ relationship. You never know who may know a friend of a friend that needs your service a month or two down the road!

Can’t find a meet-up to attend? Host your own!

7. Charity

Similar to volunteering, getting involved or helping out a charity is a great way to gain positive brand exposure while giving back!

Maybe your office decides to host a canned food drive. Advertise on social media, in your newsletter, on your website! Share flyers with local businesses, put up a poster on your street, spread the word!

Consider hosting a cook-out where all proceeds will go to a charity that your firm decides on as a team. The possibilities for giving back are endless, and your firm is sure to stay memorable.

Here are a few additional tips…

Mingle! Introduce yourself, share your passions, talk about why you do what you do.
Be YOU. Show up as yourself with an open mind and a smile. People are more likely to remember you if they are able to make a personal connection with you.
Have business cards on hand. You don’t have to walk around handing them out to anyone and everyone, but if the opportunity arises, absolutely give them your card! AND make sure to ask others for their business cards so that you can add them to your network and connect with them online later!
Follow up. Don’t just make a connection and let it go flat. Networking is NURTURING. Send a quick follow-up email just to say hi and that you enjoyed connecting! Make sure they feel comfortable reaching out to you if they should need something in the future. And perhaps most importantly, add them to your Contact list and include them on any ongoing marketing, such as a digital or print newsletter. Top-of-mind awareness is the key to effectively leveraging the relationships you create while networking!

You can find various networking events around your city at:

1. Meetup.com
2. Your local Chamber of Commerce
3. Your local bar association
4. Eventbrite.com

It’s that easy! If you have any other questions about the power and importance of networking and how you can make it part of your brand, give us a call! We’d be happy to chat.

Content is king, right? If your website and social media profiles are stagnant and haven’t been updated in a while, you’re losing out on thousands of dollars in business. Why? Because people are looking for information.

We believe the content you produce should include evergreen, practical information that your visitors can come back to over and over again when they have questions. Not only does it build your reputation at the authority in your practice area, but it brings more informed clients to your desk to sign the deal and start working with you.

Unfortunately, it’s not enough just to produce content. Equally as important as what you produce is howyou produce it. However – a lot of lawyers write a blog and stop there. If you can repurpose your content and distribute it across multiple channels, it exponentially sends your credibility upward.

Diversifying Your Content – The WHAT

We all learn and consume information differently. Just producing one kind of content is doing you and your audience a disservice. Here’s what you can do:

1. Blogging – It’s tried and true, and a robust library of blog articles looks great on your website. A blog is a great way to share information and break down legal concepts so people can become more educated on their situation before talking with you further.As a bonus, it’s easier than you think to self-publish a book. You can even take your blog library and compile it into book form. Think about how great you’d look if you had copies of your own book available in your office?
2. Video – Visual content is exploding. Don’t believe us? Here is (ironically) a blog article highlighting a ton of statistics proving it.
3. Podcast – Having your own podcast does two things: First, it provides a third way for people to consume information, especially if they need something to listen to on their commute or something to take in at the office while they get work done. Second, having your own podcast is a really impressive credibility tool. This fast-rising medium can do wonders for your firm, and there are stats to back it up, too!
4. Events and Webinars – Yes, this can be considered content, too. Sign up for speaking events, host webinars, do whatever you can do to get your voice and your knowledge out there.

Diversifying Your Content – The HOW

It’s one thing to have all that content, but it can’t reach its full potential unless you’re putting it somewhere. There are plenty of places for your content to go, including:

1. Social media – share your content on all of your social channels!
2. YouTube – post your videos here!
3. Apple Podcasts/Stitcher/Etc – put your podcast episodes on a good server and syndicate them to a popular app so people can download your episodes as they become available.
4. E-newsletter – this is a great way to stay top-of-mind and remind people what you do!
5. Directories – sites like Avvo allow you to upload your videos and blogs as legal guides, giving you another outlet you make your content available.

There are countless ways you can distribute your content, and the more you diversify, the more you can elevate yourself and build a premium brand.

My book launch was fantastic—it is officially an Amazon Bestseller. A heartfelt thanks to those of you who helped. For e-book fans it is now available on Kindle.

Retirement or a Third Act—What Will You Choose? Available on Amazon!

The book came about because of the phenomenal registration for my CLE,  Retirement or a Third Act, at the Florida Bar Conference—1001— which was capacity, by the way! This was a sign that there is an enormous interest in the topic, the likes of which I have never seen before in my over 20 years in the legal community. And what happened right after the CLE was even more encouraging. I received many emails sharing with me the impact my presentation made.

Today I want to share one of them. It’s from Gail Grossman a criminal defense lawyer from Oxford, Florida. Here are excerpts from a couple of emails…

Email #1: Thanks to you, tomorrow I am taking my nephew to experience NASCAR racing at Daytona. You had mentioned in your seminar that you drove a Porsche at Homestead Speedway and how much fun it is.  My nephew, who is a rising senior, majoring in engineering, at the University of Massachusetts, is down visiting me from Massachusetts. He LOVES NASCAR racing.  I took him to the Daytona 500 race last year and he LOVED it.  After hearing your seminar, I was going to bring him to Miami to do the Porsche driving experience but I found the Daytona experience online, which is a lot closer to me, so we are going to Daytona tomorrow for him to drive a NASCAR around the Daytona 500 track. He is ecstatic about the experience. Thanks for that great idea. I really enjoyed your seminar and got a lot out of it.

This is of my nephew and Me.  I am the shorter one, at 6’0′ tall.  Daniel is 6’5″ tall.

Email #2: Daniel will be graduating next May, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and will be looking for a full-time position.  His dream job is to work for NASCAR, or Formula One Racing, or any racing team, or Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, etc. as an engineer, OR to work for NASA or SpaceX or any space company.  He loves cars and space and would love to work as an engineer for a car company or a space company.

Thanks again for a great seminar and for sharing your racing experience with all of us. Without your seminar, I never would have known about the racing experiences that were available and never would have taken Daniel to NASCAR.  He said the G-Forces on his body were very intense, particularly going around the steep curves at Daytona at 151.36 mph.

I bought Daniel the in-car video of his drive showing him getting to 150 mph and he has watched that video about 20 times now. As he said to me many times since Saturday, his experience was “wicked cool.”  It was truly one of the highlight moments of his life.  Thanks so much. 

There is no joy so great as the joy we give to the ones we love! Thank you, Gail Grossman, for sharing with us the love you have for your nephew, Daniel.

I wish every lawyer lots of happiness, love and fulfillment! Think about what’s at stake—If not now, when?

P.S. If anybody knows someone in the auto or space industry, I’m sure Gail and Daniel would love to hear from you.

It pays to be the expert. This is true in just about every field – and it’s certainly true in law.

Most consumers looking for a lawyer are facing significant issues – divorce, bankruptcy, defending their business in a lawsuit, helping a loved one immigrate, planning for the future of their estate, and so on. These are significant issues, and they’re often overwhelming. Consumers facing these situations want to hire a lawyer that they can trust to guide them through.

Developing your status as an expert in your field is a critical way to establish this trust. And if you can do so, it will pay off handsomely. Your expert status will allow you to stand out from your competitors, to bring in more business, and to charge higher rates.

To illustrate why this is the case, imagine that a loved one was diagnosed with a rare disease. When you’re looking for a doctor to treat this disease, would you prefer to work with a recognized expert in their field, a professional with books published, papers written, awards won… or would you prefer to work with a generic and unremarkable provider?

Obviously you’d prefer the expert. And you’d be willing to pay a premium for that expertise. Most of your prospective clients would do the same when they need to hire a lawyer. So it’s well worth investing the time and resources to build that “expert” perception.

Here are a few practical ways to begin doing so:

Give speeches. Whether it’s a networking group, an industry gathering, a trade show or convention, or some other forum… public speaking is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and build credibility.

Write articles and blog entries. Write on subjects and topics that appeal to your target market and/or your referral sources. Well-written content establishes your expertise and gives readers a chance to understand your thought process and your approach to their legal challenges.

Invest in a modern, mobile friendly website. In many cases, your website creates the first impression of your law firm. A modern, content-rich website helps to reinforce your professionalism, while an out-dated site may make visitors wonder about your commitment to your practice. Keep in mind that consumers today use a mobile device more often than not to access the internet – so your site needs to be mobile-friendly.

Use video on your website, in email marketing, and on social media. Well-filmed and well-produced video is a powerful tool. High quality audio and video can make you look and sound like the trusted professional you are. We recommend building an “FAQ Library” in which you answer common questions and concerns that potential clients often ask. For more information, check out this blog entry on the subject.

There’s a lot more you can do. Other effective strategies include leveraging media like TV and radio – or even publishing a book. Contact us today if you’d like to learn how we can help. But whether you utilize our services or not, remember… it pays to be the expert.

 

One of the concerns we hear most often from clients is that they fear their content is becoming repetitive, boring, or monotonous. They’ll come to us wondering if it’s okay, for example, that the same blog appeared twice on their website, or that we linked the same video several times on their Facebook page. They’ll ask, “Don’t you think readers will be bored?”

If you share those concerns, then it’s understandable, but the reality is that rather than boring readers, repetitive posts are actually key to getting them engaged! In fact, repetitive content is a proven digital marketing strategy that will help your firm succeed, net you more leads, and keep your practice areas top of mind. Here are three reasons why “boring” is the smart marketing move.

1. REPETITION IS THE BEST WAY TO DRIVE HOME A MESSAGE AND BUILD YOUR BRAND.

Think about the ending of a Nike commercial. It’s always the same: Fade to black, then the words “Just Do It” and the signature white swoosh. That’s the empowering message Nike wants you to get, and they’ve drilled it (and their branding) in with repetition. You can do the same by repeating your practice area-specific blogs, videos, and social media posts to drive home the message of what you do.

2. YOU’LL CATCH THE VIEWERS YOU MISSED THE FIRST TIME.

A brilliant journalist once said to his recruits, “It’s only after we’ve written about a problem long enough to be sick of it that readers will finally realize it exists.” Like a good marketing company, he recognized that not everyone was reading his newspapers every day. Take our word for it: No one is browsing your social media feed as often as you. What’s old in your eyes will be fresh for them.

3. REPETITION SAVES YOU MONEY AND TIME.

We’ve shown you before how easy it is to turn one piece of content into 30. Yes, the pieces will be similar, but they’ll get you maximum impact with minimum input. By repeating your content or variations of it, your marketing company (and thus, you) will save money and time. For completely unique content, you’d have to pay through the nose to achieve the same results!

There are more than just three reasons “boring” is best when it comes to content strategy. If you’re still not convinced, then call us today and we’ll talk you through the rest of them.

Having a blog on your website can be a great way to show off your knowledge and expertise about your particular practice area(s). The key to having a great blog, however, is making sure you have the right information on display.

Many lawyers make the mistake of having their blog be a news hub where they share their most recent case victories or minute updates to a particular law. If that’s you, you’re wasting your time. Sure, there is value in letting people know you’ve won cases and that laws have changed, but your blog isn’t the place for that.

Truthfully, people don’t care about updates to a law so much as they care about how it will impact them. For example, simply saying an alimony law has changed means nothing unless you can speak to how it impacts single mothers receiving child support.

So what should you be blogging about? We’ve taken some basic topics for several practice areas and outlined them below. Feel free to use them!

Business Law:

  • Which entity structure is best? (pro tip – you can write blogs highlighting the pros and cons of each!)
  • What legal documents are needed to form a business?
  • What is involved in a M&A?

Family Law:

  • What is required to file for divorce in your state?
  • Tips for preparing for divorce, telling the kids, adjusting to life post-divorce, etc.
  • The legal process of adoption

Estate Planning:

  • The difference between a Will and a trust
  • A brief overview of what each of the various trusts out there do for an individual
  • The importance of estate planning for younger adults

Bankruptcy:

  • An overview of each of the main chapters of bankruptcy
  • A step-by-step guide to the filing process
  • Tips for financial health after bankruptcy

Employment:

  • Explaining the protected classes
  • Examples of harassment
  • What a wrongful termination case looks like

Tax:

  • Red flags that could trigger an IRS audit
  • What to do if you’ve been audited
  • Explanation of IRS installment plans / offer-in-compromise

Immigration:

  • You can easily write a blog for each and every visa available; i.e, what it does and who it’s for
  • Overview of the deportation process
  • How to apply for a Green Card / citizenship / naturalization

Of course, there are other practice areas, but this just goes to show you that there’s a lot you can be blogging about.

If you need help (or you have writer’s block!), we’re experts in writing legal content for attorneys. In fact, there’s hardly a practice area we haven’t written for at this point! If you’d like to learn more, contact us today.

When it comes to social media, 99% of users — businesses or otherwise — try to play an engagement game. They think likes, comments, and shares are currency and that they can only win by chasing them. While this might be true for celebrities, food bloggers, and Nike, in our experience, lawyers won’t convert social media leads by aiming for engagements. The best thing for a lawyer to do is to abandon the social media “influencer” dream and reach for a new archetype: social media resource. There are three big problems with aiming for influencer status.

1. NO ONE WANTS TO BROADCAST THEIR LEGAL NEEDS

Do you think a guy looking for a divorce is going to like a divorce lawyer’s post? What about a woman facing bankruptcy — is she going to share her secret with all of her friends? Of course not. Lawyers solve problems, and often these problems are personal, embarrassing, and unshareable. This makes becoming an influencer nearly impossible, and you’ll waste your time trying.

2. MOST EYE-CATCHING POSTS DON’T INFORM. 

This isn’t an absolute rule, but in general, social media posts that grab the eye and generate engagements aren’t the most informative ones out there. Most posts that get likes on social media are pretty, sexy, or shocking. None of those things will help bring you clients that are educated, informed, and ready to work with you.

3.  HYPE DOESN’T ALWAYS EQUAL TRUST

You don’t want your potential clients to see you as an attention-grabber or an alarmist — you want them to trust you and view you as competent, confident, and experienced. If you’re constantly pedaling irrelevant stories or begging for likes, you’ll build wariness, not trust.

So, what should a smart lawyer do? The law firms we’ve seen succeed on social media are the ones who use it as a tool to educate their audiences, reinforce their expertise, and stay top of mind. By filling their feeds with relevant, well-researched, expert content, they build trust with their followers, convert them to clients, and inspire referrals. If you’re ready to refresh your social media presence and become a resource, call our team today. We can put together a marketing campaign that will take your firm to the next level.

Retirement or a THIRD ACT—What Will You Choose? is now available on Amazon!

In this inspiring, action-oriented workbook, award-winning author and coach Paula Black provides a road map for professionals looking to create a fulfilling THIRD ACT rather than settle for traditional retirement.

This empowering workbook is a practical guide for professionals on how to find joy and meaning in their lives. Join Paula Black and her colleagues, and learn how to create your own fulfilling THIRD ACT!

Here is what some readers of advanced copies had to say:

  • Paula Black is truly a master communicator and visionary of the meaning of life.  She provides a depth of self-reflection and understanding that reaches into each reader’s heart, spirit and mind to self-define the journey of what is next, what is important, and how to get there.  I could not put the book down once I opened the first page.  A deep soul-searching experience with profound outcomes. —Lorenzo A. Trujillo, Ed.D., J.D., Assistant Dean (Ret.), University of Colorado School of Law; Affiliate Professor of Music, Metropolitan State University in Denver
  • Don’t be deceived by the title Third Act. If you have been sitting at home for the last few months of this pandemic pondering the following questions—Am I living to my full potential?  Am I making a difference in this world?  Am I doing what I love? What would I do if I knew I would not fail? — Then this book is for you.  This workbook is a unique blend of provocation, inspiration, and practical application, all designed to help you unlock your passion and live life on your terms. Be prepared to be pushed way out of your comfort zone and into a brave new world of self-discovery.  Paula serves as your personal guide to help organize your thoughts and goals to create a tangible plan for you future.  Her vulnerability is refreshing and creates a safe space for the learner.  Don’t wait another minute to dig in to this workbook! —Laura Ravo, Retail Guru, Author, and Speaker
  • Paula’s book, Retirement or A Third Act — What Will You Choose? is a gem of a read!  Funny anecdotes coupled with catchy phrases really make you stop and think about your 3rd act and what you can make it — the workbook format coaxes you to answer probing questions.  It is refreshing and uplifting and provides a truly optimistic perspective on how to approach our later years in life! The pictures are beautiful and all the more meaningful because Paula took them and then shares how she has created a 3rd act of which to be envious. —Mercedes M. Sellek, Esq. Partner, Mercedes M. Sellek, PA; Founder, Ellesquire Women’s Network

It was a labor of love. I hope you will read it and find it inspiring. I wish you lots of happiness, love and fulfillment! 

Having coached hundreds of lawyers, I have observed that when the lawyer has been involved in sports of any kind they have valuable sportsmanship experiences that can set the foundation for a successful legal career and we can learn from them.

Meet Danielle R. Browne, a former Columbia University  four-year member of the varsity women’s basketball team. She was Columbia’s all-time leader in games played and is the second player in the university’s history to rank top 10 in scoring, assists, and steals. 

Today, Danielle has her own firm that focuses on Business, Trademark, Estate Planning and Entertainment law.

I asked her to share with me— What in your athletic training—discipline, drive and ability to deal with pressure has helped you be a better:

Lawyer – To succeed as an athlete you have to be disciplined and goal oriented. The same is true as a lawyer. I often create systems and workflows that I believe will give my clients a great experience with my firm. When clients have great experiences, its almost as if they join your firm as a sales associate. They rave about you to other potential clients and lead to other business relationships. If I don’t remain disciplined and follow the systems in place, I run the risk of a client having a bad experience with my firm and potentially missing out on future business with them and their network.

You have to strap yourself in and prepare for changing circumstances.”

Business Owner– As an athlete, you are self driven and don’t need extra motivation to get things done. You are used to pushing yourself in workouts and trying to take your skills to the next level. Of course, there are days that are harder than others but you are used to realigning and finding a new source of motivation (e.g. not wanting to let your teammates down). The same is true when you are running a business. You don’t have a boss to motivate you, so you have to motivate yourself to do things that will take your business to the next level. Additionally, athletes develop the ability to deal with pressure. Sports creates some of the most pressure filled moments. You have to be able to remain poised and calm. You can’t get flustered easily, if circumstances change. Similarly, entrepreneurship is a roller coaster ride. You have to strap yourself in and prepare for changing circumstances. A great example of this is the COVID-19 outbreak. As a business owner, I couldn’t panic because business slowed down. I had to evaluate and shift my messaging and offerings to make sure I connected with potential clients in ways that they needed

Rainmaker– As a team player and captain, I had to develop strong interpersonal skills. I’ve played basketball with people from all over the United States and the world. As a result, I developed fluid people-oriented approaches and communication styles that I frequently adjusted based on which teammate I was interacting with. I literally would have to change approaches and styles in a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds, to communicate effectively with a teammate. I had to read facial expressions and body language to gauge whether my message was getting through to a particular teammate. This translates directly to business development. All clients are different. Some want to hear about your process, some want to hear about your accolades and accomplishments, and others just want to know that you can get it done. My ability to hone in on subtle reactions and identify pain points for each client and then address those head on, has helped in my business tremendously. Lastly, no athlete can win every game. I learned early on in my athletic career how to bounce back from (perceived) failures. This resilience is key in business development. Not every client will engage my firm and oftentimes a lack of engagement will have nothing to do with my firm. I have to be able to keep things in perspective and be able to make adjustments, when necessary.

At the core of developing business is communicating the reasons that make you uniquely qualified to serve potential client’s needs. How do you communicate your points of differentiation? I communicate them on my website’s homepage, social media, in webinars, during consultations, and through referral partners.

And what are those points of differentiation? Because we are a flat fee based firm, we offer transparency and predictability. Clients don’t have to worry about unexpected bills. Additionally, for some services, we offer a payment plan. Another selling point is that I am a 3-time entrepreneur, who has also worked with major organizations. I am uniquely qualified to understand the business and legal needs of small to medium sized businesses. We are also technologically advanced. With the exception of the signing of estate planning documents, we can conduct all of our meetings, document sharing/signings and payments via your mobile device or computer. This works well for clients who can’t afford to or don’t want to commute to an office.

You have a series of logos on your website. Tell me what the thinking was behind putting them on the site? I want potential clients to see that major organizations have trusted me with their work. The logos speak to my credibility, experience and competence. They say that I am trustworthy because these brands have trusted me.

As a solo practitioner, I try to be intentional about the life that I am building for myself.”

And have they served that purpose? Yes, I have clients say in consultations that the reason why they have contacted me was because they saw that I worked with these other companies and their goals are to be as successful as those companies. I also have clients speak to my athletic experience. They trust athletes because they were former athletes and understand the skill sets that you acquire.

How does being a solo practitioner create a lifestyle to be able to do the things you love? I absolutely love to travel! Being a solo, allows me a level of freedom and flexibility that I wouldn’t have if I was working for someone else. I can schedule client calls and meetings around my travel schedule. Sometimes, I even choose to work in remote locations. This allows me to refresh and reset, which makes me happy and fulfilled, which in turn makes me a better attorney for my clients. As a solo practitioner, I try to be intentional about the life that I am building for myself.

The Takeaway

  1. Be disciplined in creating a client experience system, so every client becomes a raving fan.
  2. Learn how to bounce back from perceived failures.
  3. Whether you are solo or work for a big firm, it is a roller coaster ride—get comfortable with it.
  4. Know your points of differentiation and how to use them.
  5. Decide what lifestyle you want and build your practice to support it.