I consider myself a fair writer. So, when I was asked to evaluate and write about an editing software I was skeptical.  [Those who have been with me for the past 8-plus years know that, as a general rule, I do not endorse products or services by writing about them on this blog, although I am often asked to do so.]  After receiving a free one-year subscription (with no commitment to comment on it), I tried it out.

Since good content – whether on a web site, newsletter, in a proposal or elsewhere – is very important in marketing your law firm, it is equally important that the content be well-written or you will rapidly lose your readers.

So, I gave WordRake 2 a test on two of my earlier posts, segments of which show the results below:

There’s the story about the annoying client who called all the time, so the lawyer didn’t call her back.  After a number of several attempts to reach her lawyer, she gave up and called another firm about her cousin who had just been run over by a Coca Cola truck that ran a red light.

Oops.

Another story was related by a lawyer I heard speak at a conference. He said he never goes to sleep at night without returning every call from that day.  Even at 9:00 p.m.  He said he usually doesn’t have rarely has the client’s file at home, but he extends the courtesy of telling the client what time in the next day or two in which he would get back to the client with more information.  He said his clients loved it, and I believed him.

True story: my doctor returned from vacation and called me at six p.m. on a Saturday night to give me the favorable results of blood work done in his absence.  NOW that was amazing!!!   Of course, my My blood pressure went through the roof due to his unexpected call, but you can be assured that I became a hell of a referral source for his budding practice. (Excerpted from my April 30, 2014 post entitled “Return Phone Calls, NOW!”)

And,

When flat or fixed fees started to be was bantered about in the last few years, partners in several of my firms said: “Won’t work for litigation, since it is too unpredictable.”  Well, welcome to the new world.

….

What is the point? you may ask.  The point is that offering Offering fixed fees is smart marketing. Firms that do will have an advantage over law firms that don’t.  Those that won’t offer fixed fees may just be sending may just send a message to potential clients that includes: (1) we may not have enough experience in the practice area to predict how a case is likely to proceed, (2) don’t have a history of similar cases have no history of similar cases so we don’t know how much it will cost, and (3) are not willing to share in the risk.

So, law firms that are prepared to offer alternative fees, including fixed fees, have a jump on the competition IMHO. (Excerpted from my April 24, 2014 post entitled “Litigators: Prepare for Fixed Fees”)

On careful reading, you may note it isn’t perfect; and I did not accept all of the suggested changes (rightly or wrongly), due to my personal writing style.  But, I agreed with several changes, and overall consider the software a worthwhile tool.

The software costs $129 per year (other pricing options are available), which I mentioned to their rep may be a bit steep for solos and small firms.  The rep said she would pass that along.  I get no cut from any sales. A 30-day free trial is available, and suggest you give it a go.  It just might improve your marketing message.