Lunch Hour Legal Marketing

Erin Levine, founder of Hello Divorce, joins Conrad and Gyi to explain how her innovative tech platform streamlines and demystifies the divorce process for clients while allowing lawyers to practice law – not schedule appointments, manage clients, and waste time with administrative tasks. Entrusting basic drafting, scheduling, and filing work to a robot, though, does have one obvious conclusion––fewer tasks to bill for. But if you’re worried about your bottom line, don’t freak out just yet. Levine says Hello Divorce isn’t built to put you out of business but, by allowing clients to only use lawyers for what they need, to open up a broader pool of paying clients and improve the process as a whole. Hello Divorce and services like it may be harbingers of the future legal industry, so it’s time for you, dear lawyer, to start thinking about how to adapt your practice and messaging to fit in. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.

We know you’re a lawyer, so what? That’s not enough. What makes you stand out? Gyi and Conrad share tips on making your practice stand out in a country awash in lawyers. Know the difference between simple branding and real positioning. Also, a BIG change is coming to Google searches. It’s driving SEO specialists nuts. Plus, new findings from Clio show the importance of marketing your tech capabilities in a post-pandemic world. What are prospective clients looking for? Learn more at Clio.com/solo. And of course, “Dumb Sh*t Lawyers Do” (like, say … not reading their marketing agency contracts). Need to bone up on your marketing basics? Check out our prior LHLM 101 episode on Pay-Per-Click. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.

Pop quiz: Which LHLM hosts earned early paychecks running a paper route, and which pumped gas? Gyi and Conrad discuss their early forays into working life. Then, Gyi and Conrad then wade into the dispute between the North Carolina Bar Association and Google over Google’s recording of phone calls related to ad leads. In the recurring segment, “Dear State Bar Regulators,” Gyi lists the pros and cons of recording, third-party access, legal ethics, solutions, and the gap between tech advances and bar rules. On the topic of bar rules, Arizona’s decision last year to invite non-lawyer ownership has attracted an application from the behemoth un-law firm Legal Zoom. Conrad explains the model in terms of MBAs running medical practices that hire doctors. He and Gyi discuss how Legal Zoom might operate, ID impacted practices, and how lawyers can compete. Listen for instructions on how to get half off of the ongoing Bedlam Conference. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw and Clio.

As venture capital investment continues to sweep the legal market (and our news segment), Gyi and Conrad celebrate the $2 million seed round funding for Hello Divorce. Yay! In the segment, “Dumb Sh*t Lawyers Do,” the two discuss the case of a lawyer reprimanded for raking an unhappy client over the coals. They also discuss a Streisand Effect case in which a roofing company sued a couple because of their negative online review. The guys share their tips for responding to unflattering reviews and navigating these perilous waters. And to wrap things up, the pandemic has undoubtedly knocked back law firms onto their heels. But, how have lawyers who continued their marketing investment fared? Should you batten down the hatches and rely solely on organic traffic? Do you need to start doing Tik Tok dances? The data may surprise you. Gyi and Conrad break it down and look ahead to the uncertain future. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw and Clio.

Providing remarkable service is a no-brainer when it comes to earning a steady stream of referrals. It’s so basic that Gyi and Conrad aren’t even counting it in their lists of ways to get referrals. So what other methods are you probably overlooking? For one: give referrals. No one said it better than Paul McCartney in a classic SNL interview with Chris Farley, “The more you give, the more you get.” Getting clients in the door through referrals is great, but how do you budget for your marketing efforts? Whether a firm wants to take over Texas or just keep the lights on, Gyi and Conrad discuss why successful firms dedicate a portion (and how much) of their revenue towards marketing efforts. They also compare/contrast marketing effort and marketing infrastructure. Think gas v. engine. Listen to the end, and grab your popcorn, for Gyi and Conrad’s pop culture recommendations. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Professors Gyi and Conrad teach us about the ABCs of CPCs, then appeal to bar leaders to revisit anti-competitive ad rules. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi and Conrad reassure that the sky isn’t falling despite the latest SEO panic and explore pricing controversies with F.O.P. George Psiharis. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi and Conrad cherry-pick tips from the Bedlam legal marketing conference, cover Apple’s privacy push, and talk the dos and definite don’ts when recognizing holidays. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi and Conrad preview their Bedlam legal marketing conference and talk through the dos and don’ts of responding to one-star reviews. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi and Conrad count down the top five metrics law firms need to care about most/least. Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi and Conrad hash out the controversy over ‘conversions’ and debate the merits of fast, cheap, and quality. Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam preview a robust marketing track at ABA Techshow and explain why to say no to FOMO marketing. Join the conversation on Twitter with @GyiTsakalakis and @ConradSaam using the hashtag #LHLM Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications, LexisNexis® InterAction®, LawYaw and Clio.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam celebrate and castigate the best and bottom of the barrel in legal marketing during their first-ever awards show.

Gyi and Conrad divine what’s to come in 2021 and offer New Year’s resolutions for those wedded to vanity metrics.

Gyi and Conrad explain the term UTM and why it helps mine SEO gold. Spoiler alert: Google is involved.

Gyi and Conrad discuss some fundamentals that need to come first before you get fancy with your SEO. Friend of the Pod Jared Correia joins in to discuss the Digital Client Journey and to play a game of Becoming the Archetype.

Now that Conrad and Gyi have decided whether or not to rebrand this podcast, the game is on to see who can market it best.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam take on the cold-hearted client rejection letter, review the headlines, and consider a new podcast jingle.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam explore new Google Screened ads, respond to listener feedback, and ask for your help in rebranding this very podcast.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam dissect current events and trends affecting legal marketing.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam serve up strategic tips to help you invest your marketing money wisely.

A new chapter for Lunch Hour Legal Marketing begins today with new co-host Conrad Saam. Tune in to hear the first of what promises to be a long line of insightful conversations.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street share how to create tactful, empathetic marketing to reach new clients during the pandemic.

Rich Marvel explains how data can pinpoint areas of success and weakness to help lawyers make better business choices.

Wendy Witt gives tips for creating marketing strategies that emulate your firm’s goals and your personal ideals.

Janet Falk gives attorneys tips for connecting with reporters to become a source for comments.

Paul Faust explains the benefits of branded phone numbers for law firms.

Casey Cheshire shares strategies for successful marketing automation.

Katy Goshtasbi shares strategies for identifying and utilizing your strengths to grow your legal business.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street answer listener questions in this special mailbag episode.

Traci Reuter offers essential strategies for social media marketing for lawyers.

Thomas Hamilton examines AI trends in the legal industry and dispels many myths surrounding AI tech.

Rebecca Harding of Saltwhistle shares the value of creating a human connection with clients, common mistakes in law firm marketing, and how younger lawyers can help drive their firms’ IT planning.

Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Michelle Calcote King about all things PR for law firms. They discuss best practices for press releases, laying out what types of news are worthy of release to the media and outlining how to establish a relationship with a journalist.

In this episode, hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Martha van Berkel about all things schema markup, a.k.a. structured data. Martha explains how this data language helps search engines understand what people are looking for in the real world and connects them to optimal search results. They discuss how lawyers can apply schema markup in their SEO and how understanding what drives online engagement can help lawyers make better business decisions.

Some lawyers may not realize that creating fake reviews is illegal and has serious consequences. In this episode, hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Jason Brown, founder of reviewfraud.org, about his work investigating fraudulent reviews. They define what constitutes a fake review and discuss the most common instances of abuse found in the legal community.

How can lawyers build influence in the legal community? In this episode, hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Jordan Harbinger about his career as a social dynamics expert and influential podcaster. They discuss Jordan’s networking advice for creating meaningful and useful professional connections. They also delve into how to make good impressions and exude approachability.

How can lawyers make their online content more visible for prospective clients? In this episode, hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Dave Chaffey about how lawyers can implement technology for digital marketing. Prospective clients are drawn in by good online content, but the huge number of marketing technologies available may make the choice seem daunting. Kelly and Gyi get insight from Dave on how lawyers can prioritize the tech that will serve them best.

In this episode, hosts Kelly Street and Gyi Tsakalakis talk to Dr. Natalia Wiechowski, personal branding strategist and international keynote speaker, about what elements need to be considered as lawyers develop a personal brand. She gives insight into how interacting with social media, particularly LinkedIn, can enhance your brand and grow your business. Dr. Natalia also shares how she came to be known as the LinkedIn Unicorn.

Hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Rand Fishkin about his new book, “Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World.” Gyi and Kelly get tips from Rand about how lawyers can use the tactics from his book as they build their businesses. Rand gives practical advice about reputation building, client research, resource development, current SEO trends, and much more.

For most people networking feels like a chore, but strong connections can impact every facet of your life, especially your business. Hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Jayson Gaignard about how he builds himself up by building up his connections. He shares networking tips that can apply to the most introverts as well as advice on how to build successful relationships with mentors and peers.

For lawyers who want to use technology in their firm but are overwhelmed by options and implementation challenges, this episode is for you. Hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street talk to Chad Burton about legal technology trends and how law firms can step up their tech game. They challenge the idea that lawyers are generally tech-averse and talk about the regulatory issues that affect client communication through technology.

For lawyers who are investing a lot of time and money into marketing your firm, how can you tell whether that marketing is working? Hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street explore the topic of testing and analyzing your marketing techniques in order to make informed and data-based decisions about where you’re investing your time and money. They discuss establishing your marketing goals and the different methods of tracking your success rate, from web analytics to call tracking.

Why did you start a law practice? Was it to help people struggling with family law issues or to work for yourself in a strong business? It is important to understand your “whys” -- the essential reasons for becoming a lawyer -- to build a foundation for your firm’s marketing. Mitch Jackson goes in depth about how to build a digital footprint using newsjacking, in which lawyers can become experts using their knowledge to comment on current events.

We are excited to announce our relaunch with legal marketing experts Gyi Tsakalakis and Kelly Street as hosts. This new show, which can be consumed during your lunch break, will feature high-profile marketing gurus as guests, both within the legal industry and across all fields of professional services.

Almost every lawyer wants to command higher rates, attract more clients, and increase his or her profile in the marketplace. However, many are unable to achieve these objectives because they are stuck pursuing ineffective strategies – or no strategy at all. In this presentation, Jay Harrington will provide some tips on how to develop more business by establishing a niche legal practice. “Getting narrow” is more important than ever as, in all aspects of today’s economy, consumers are trending toward specialization. Consumers of legal services are no different. They are no longer looking for lawyers with broad skill sets and general knowledge, but rather are seeking out specialists with very particular knowledge in narrow industries and practice area sub-specialties. Jay will discuss niching strategy and issues such as: Why it’s important to carve out a niche Why lawyers with niche practices develop more business more easily, and command higher rates How to pick a profitable and sustainable area of specialty Jay will also discuss how to market your niche practice through various thought leadership and content marketing initiatives.

As more and more clients find us online, it’s imperative that small law firms have the basic tools in place to capture and capitalize on potential opportunities. In this session we will cover the tools you can’t live without, and some wish-list items for future growth. Including; Avvo, Social Media Automation, Email Marketing and more. Chelsey Lambert is Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Smokeball, a provider of productivity software for small law firms, based in Chicago. Her mission is to help attorneys, and legal professionals understand the technology that is available to them, how to use it, and the positive impacts it can have on their business. After leaving theChicago Bar Association in 2014, she continues to speak and write for legal organizations across the US, on technology, hiring, marketing and small law firm best practices. In her spare time, she enjoys a good yoga class, volunteering, and taking in the sunshine on Chicago’s beautiful lakeshore.

The only thing more expensive than hiring a lawyer is advertising as one. For example, a recent study of online advertising found that 78 of the top 100 most expensive Google advertising terms are fought over by lawyers looking for clients. It can cost a lot of money to market a law firm. Worse, most law firms cannot track whether their expensive advertising is actually producing clients. In this session, learn from Joshua Lenon, Lawyer in Residence at Clio, about the numbers you should be tracking when it comes to legal marketing. Learn about: How much marketing costs your firm should carry; Calculating Return on Investment (ROI) for each method of advertising you use in your firm; and Tools to measure revenue from cases against your advertising costs. Joshua Lenon is an attorney who currently serves as lawyer-in-residence for Clio, providing legal scholarship and research skills to the leading cloud-based practice management platform.

Are you struggling to establish a powerful online presence for your law practice? Is your website failing to bring in business? Learn how to establish a comprehensive online presence that will increase your exposure and enhance your credibility, while maintaining MRPC compliance. This presentation will cover: Branding + using imagery that will resonate with clients SEO keywords + tips Turning your website into a potent resource Using legal content to convey credibility Blogging benefits + best practices Utilizing effective marketing tools to supercharge referrals Selecting a provider Fred Cohen is the founder and CEO of Zola Media, a legal marketing and technology company that specializes in high-impact attorney websites and marketing services. Fred’s management and experience spans across the information technology, marketing and legal sectors from founding a tech startup which was acquired by a publicly-traded company to practicing trusts and estates as a partner at a New York law firm. Fred writes on a wide range of topics related to legal technology, marketing and ethics in attorney advertising. He is also a regular speaker and CLE presenter at bar associations throughout the country.

Adam Kosloff presented our Lunch Hour Legal Marketing webinar on November 18, 2015 at 12pm EST. Most attorneys who even attempt to write books get bogged down, because the process takes way too long, and they have far too many other things to do. This webinar will give you a proven shortcut. It will show you how to leverage content that you’ve already produced on your blog (and elsewhere) to create your ebook. You won’t need to rely on untested writers or expend much effort or time. Adam Kosloff has ghostwritten over 60 books for attorneys on subjects as diverse as personal injury, criminal defense, family law, tax law and estate planning. He will walk you through the exact, battle-tested process he uses to create ebooks for his clients. We will cover: How to survey your current content library to assess its ebook potential The importance of a Big Idea for your ebook — and how to create that awesome hook The secret to sewing together seemingly disparate ideas and content pieces using the same tactic employed by bestselling authors like Dave Barry and David Sedaris An interview-transcription process that will personalize your book and fill in any gaps — and will only take about 1-2 hours of work on your part How to organize your blog (and other content creation activities) in the future to create more books Repurposing your book into other forms of content, such as a podcast or YouTube channel The smartest, most certain ways to monetize your book — and how to measure success