Grow Your Law Firm

Alan Crone’s personal role model is St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, who taught that, because God can be found in our everyday work, all work is important. That’s why he listens so carefully to his clients and takes their concerns to heart. Founder of the Crone Law Firm, he is their Team Leader. Whether he’s helping achieve a business dream or seeking compensation for someone who’s been treated unfairly, he draws from a deep well of compassion and experience. He’s a master at devising winning strategies and innovative tactics. Sometimes the only thing to do is file a lawsuit and fight it out in court. And other times it’s better to negotiate a settlement. Either way, Alan knows how to get the best outcome. A fifth-generation native of Memphis, Tennessee, he is a voracious reader and semi-avid golfer. The art of political negotiation has always fascinated him. He has been active in local and state politics for more than 22 years. He is the former head of the Shelby County Republican Party and currently serves as Special Counsel to the Mayor of Memphis. He is also the very proud father of three children and is devoted to his wife Allison. What you’ll learn about in this episode: What law firms and other business owners with fewer than 50 employees need to know when it comes to the paid leave provided by the federal government in the CARES Act How the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has been amended to include leave for employees who are caring for a minor child due to their school being closed for coronavirus How employers who are paying leave under the FMLA amendment get a tax credit, and why employees who can work remotely from home are exempted under this form of leave How emergency paid sick leave has been created under the Fair Labor Standards Act to cover employees subject to a federal, state or local quarantine or isolation order What significant differences exist between furloughing an employee and laying them off, and how each impacts an employer Why the biggest problem Alan sees in law firms is a lack of objectivity when it comes to hiring and firing, especially at smaller firms Why professional staff like paralegals and secretaries are generally not exempt from overtime, and why clearly communicating your expectations to your team is critical How well-documented disciplinary actions such as write-ups can help legally protect your firm after termination, and why an employee handbook is a valuable tool Why it is important to regularly review job descriptions and have a clear understanding of what your employees do every day Why Alan strongly recommends you consider applying for the forgivable Paycheck Protection Loan Resources: Website: https://cronelawfirmplc.com/blog/team/alan-g-crone/ Telephone: (901) 737-7740 Email: acrone@cronelawfirmplc.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alancronememphislawyer/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecronelawfirm/ Additional Resources: PILMMA’s Super Summit 2020: https://www.pilmma.org/pilmma-super-summit-2020/ PILMMA’s free Coronavirus Survival Kit: www.pilmma.org/free-resources/ Strategic Attorney Coach: https://www.pilmma.org/strategic-attorney-coach/ PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/

Luke Russell founded Russell Media in 2009 after working in web development since 2006, but Russell Media isn’t the first business he owned. That distinction goes to his first venture of collecting rock crystals from the playground in grade school and selling them to the other students for $0.50 apiece! Luke is proudly a family man. He married his best friend Stefani in 2012, and they have a daughter and son who amazes Luke every day. He loves playing board games and the intellectual challenges that come with it – he even built a custom gaming table to “feed the need” at home. On the business side of things, Luke has been honored to travel the country and speak at conferences and private engagements about websites and social media marketing. He worked as a contracted Director of Marketing for a national law firm for almost four years. One of Luke’s biggest strengths lies in his ability to take a topic and distill it into simple terms so that people can understand and take action accordingly. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Luke first came to work with the legal industry, and how he began to focus his attention on designing Facebook advertising campaigns for law firms How the global pandemic has impacted advertising and social media, and in particular trends in Facebook advertising What content Luke recommends lawyers use for their Facebook ads, and why being compassionate and informed is critical during the global crisis Why lawyers are in a great position to be a knowledge resource for people during this confusing and concerning time What content to avoid posting, including content that is overly enthusiastic, and why it is important to match the current tone Why it is important to remember that you aren’t here to make a profit from other people’s suffering but rather provide a service people need Why you should consider the knowledge you possess that business owners and business professionals need to know during the crisis Why creating free content can be a powerful way to help educate people and market yourself without being insensitive during widespread suffering Why building an email list and then sending them frequent free content updates is a powerful marketing strategy How Facebook is developing a grant program you need to know about, and why warning people about COVID-19 scams is a vital service Resources: Email: luke@russellmedia.us Schedule a call with Luke Russell: https://callluke.com/ Website: https://russellmedia.us/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lukewrussell/ Additional Resources: PILMMA’s free Coronavirus Survival Kit: www.pilmma.org/free-resources/ Strategic Attorney Coach: https://www.pilmma.org/strategic-attorney-coach/ PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/

Bill Hauser is CEO of the SMB Team, the fastest-growing Google Ads & Landing Page management company for lawyers in the U.S. He is the author of PPC for Lawyers (Not Dummies), and the Host of the Lawyer Marketing Lab Podcast. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How a series of tragic events led to Bill’s career in digital marketing and advertising, and how he came to focus on helping lawyers market themselves Why going into PPC (pay-per-click) advertising through Google requires knowledge and a clear plan, and why the “spray and pray” method is costly and ineffective Why it is important when using a Google Ad campaign to control the four W’s: the where, the who, the what, and the when Why good, affordable “long tail” keywords are highly specific and have a comparatively low search rate Why you need to focus on the three “enoughs”: spend enough, for long enough, with a good enough strategy Why any PPC ad campaign takes time to come to fruition, and why data and the learning experience is worthwhile even if a campaign isn’t a huge success Why Bill and his team design simple, clean landing pages, and why an effective landing page will look nothing like your SEO-optimized website Why the value of video depends on your practice area, and why small-budget campaigns don’t really benefit from split testing Why “click to call” ads are only 25% as effective as ads that take prospects to a landing page Resources: PPC for Lawyers (Not Dummies) by Bill Hauser: www.lawyerppcbook.com/ Website: https://smbteam.com/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bill-hauser/ Additional Resources: PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/ PILMMA’s free Coronavirus Survival Kit: www.pilmma.org/free-resources/ Strategic Attorney Coach: https://www.pilmma.org/strategic-attorney-coach/

Tiana Hinnant Hardison has practiced law for 29 years, with an emphasis in personal injury and disability law and now balances her time and energies between practicing law and working with PILMMA. You may contact Tiana at tianamhinnant@gmail.com. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why it is important to help your employees make the adjustment to working remotely, and why you as the firm’s leader need guide and provide security and empathy Why strong communication will help you and your team address the new challenges that are cropping up every day Why tools like Slack and other collaborative video and audio conferencing programs are vital for helping to maintain strong connections despite the physical distance Why a “daily huddle meeting” helps your entire team coordinate their tasks and remain on the same page, and what three pieces of information each member should share Why you should set clear expectations for each team member’s role as well as the hours they should be at their computers Why systematic oversight can help offset fears that remote work won’t be done or won’t be done correctly, and why you should be looking at reports to track your team’s progress Why phone coverage 24/7 is critical, and why you should carefully plan your phone coverage by anticipating employees’ time needs and availability Why you should be conducting weekly team meetings to address problems and review metrics, KPIs as well as to reiterate core values and “rally the troops” Why you should be flexible and focus on the work being completed rather than what time of day it is getting done so that staff can work around their other responsibilities Why you should be focused on signing up clients remotely, and why software like DocuSign can help clients complete documentation remotely Additional Resources: PILMMA’s free Coronavirus Survival Kit: www.pilmma.org/free-resources/ Strategic Attorney Coach: https://www.pilmma.org/strategic-attorney-coach/ PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/

Since October 2001, direct-response copywriter, author, and seminar speaker Tom Trush has been writing marketing materials that give entrepreneurs and executives in more than 120 industries an alternative to the typical corporate nonsense that makes most outreach efforts useless. From website content and direct mail to special reports and email campaigns, Tom shows clients how simply changing their perspective on prospects can help position them as an industry authority, deliver higher returns on their marketing investments, and allow them to reach larger audiences with less effort. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Tom transitioned his interest in sports writing into a career working for a news wire service and then writing for marketing materials How branding and direct-response marketing differ, and why direct-response is a better option for getting your prospect to take action Why differentiating your law firm from your competitors is the key to effective branding and marketing Why it is important to ensure that your website contains words like “you” and “your” to show that you are focused on the prospect and their needs Why trying to force a single message to work for all audiences is ineffective, and why you need to tailor your messaging to the market you’re addressing Why your messaging should be clear and target your prospects’ needs and problems in an individualized way What steps Tom recommends you can take to create an interesting and attention-grabbing headline How to create a call-to-action that explains to your prospect what will happen and provides an incentive Why the language used on your landing page should mirror the language you use in your pay-per-click advertising Why the channel you choose doesn’t determine your marketing success, and why you need to focus on your market and message before you decide what channel to use Resources: Website: www.writewaysolutions.com The “You” Effect by Tom Trush: https://amzn.to/2WyRdKa Escape the Expected by Tom Trush: https://amzn.to/3a4hLH7 The Reluctant Writer’s Guide by Tom Trush: https://amzn.to/393iJCn Facebook: www.facebook.com/tomtrush LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tomtrush/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/write-way-solutions/about/ Twitter: @tomtrush Additional Resources: PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/

Ken Hardison has fought for people’s rights as a trusted personal injury lawyer for over 35 years. His ethics, integrity, and passion for his clients helped to build one of North Carolina’s most successful firms, Hardison & Cochran, and a successful Social Security disability firm, Carolina Disability Lawyers, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Now, as owner and publisher of the law firm management website, Law Practice Advisor, and founder and president of PILMMA, Ken devotes his time to helping attorneys build their own preeminent law practices with proven marketing strategies and management resources. Ken has been recognized as one of the top 100 Trial Lawyers in North Carolina and is a member of the exclusive Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Systematic Marketing is his tenth book. Ken has authored 5 books on marketing and managing law firms. He is a sought-after speaker throughout the country on marketing and managing law firms. Ken is known as the “Millionaire Maker” due to his coaching clients doubling and quadrupling their law practices and income following Ken’s practice growing advice and insights. Ken lives in North Myrtle Beach, SC where he enjoys playing golf and fishing when he is not helping lawyers grow their practices. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How your law firm can survive and thrive during the Coronavirus pandemic How to be proactive and keep your clients happy amidst all the economic chaos Where to find PILMMA’s law firm survival kit for the Coronavirus pandemic What law firms can do to set up their servers for remote access, and how they can manage their staff remotely Why these trying times are actually an opportunity to grow your practice Different tools that will help law firm teams communicate with each other and their clients during the lockdown Additional Resources: Website: www.pilmma.org/pcoach Email: ken@pilmma.org Coronavirus Survival Kit: https://www.pilmma.org/free-resources/

Liz Wendling is the rainmaking attorney coach and the author of 6 books! Attorneys from all over the world seek her out when they want to discover how to be more confident and fearless in their practice and client development, lead generation and lead conversion process. Liz Wendling combines a rock-solid sales background with a passion for coaching and the result is a powerful, new way to understand how to sell in today’s crowded marketplace. Her innovative approach will support you in opening doors, closing sales and building relationships. Liz is a much sought after business consultant, sales expert and emotional intelligence coach. She is straightforward, practical, and sassy and helps professionals innovate, modernize and master their sales approach, language, and process. Because what worked reasonably well a decade ago is now miserably outdated and inadequate. Liz is known for her energetic programs, presentations and business-building superpowers that transform professionals into wildly successful sales rock stars! What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Liz works with her client attorneys and law firms to help them modernize their lead generation approach to keep pace with today’s market Why today’s consumers are savvier, and why it is important for attorneys and their firms to sell to these consumers in a way they appreciate Why the first five minutes of an initial client consultation is the “make or break” moment that determines whether the potential client becomes a client Why the best way to close with a client is to manage the conversation and do everything right from the start, and why there is no “magic closing technique” Why following up using the right strategy and the right language with the right frequency is powerful What critical mistakes firms make and why it is important to differentiate themselves, make a true connection, and go beyond marketing Why making generic declarations about baseline expectations like “we treat every client with care” does nothing What three steps Liz recommends attorneys take that can help them get more client conversations Resources: Website: www.therainmakingcoach.com The Rainmaking Mindset for Attorneys by Liz Wendling: https://amzn.to/2VNU9CF LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lizwendling/ Additional Resources: PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/

Jay Ruane is a nationally recognized expert in digital and social media marketing for lawyers. In addition, he is an Amazon best selling author in the Law Practice Management category. When Jay was a kid, his father was a local criminal defense lawyer. Jay watched him go to work every day defending the rights of people just like you and me. He took enormous pride in his job, and he taught Jay the importance of protecting the rights of every man and woman. Jay’s father firmly believed that it is the job of the criminal defense attorney to check the power of the court and make sure that the laws are followed during the prosecution process. This is a belief that Jay saw in action every day and one that he came to adopt as his own. This way of viewing the world led him to his career as a lawyer. In 2001, Jay went into private practice with his father. They started Ruane Attorneys, a modest criminal defense firm in Bridgeport focusing mostly on DUI defense. Fourteen years later, the firm has two additional locations, another senior partner, 8 associate attorneys, and a dedicated administrative team of 8. Since opening Ruane Attorneys, Jay has spoken at several conferences, has been involved in local and national law associations, and has spent a minimum of 40 hours each year furthering his defense knowledge. He also authored and co-authored several books, including The Connecticut DUI Trial Handbook, Lady DUI’s Connecticut DUI Survival Guide, and The Connecticut DUI Survival Guide. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Jay shares his career journey and explains how he initially began marketing his practice digitally out of necessity How Jay founded a social media marketing training company for other lawyers to help them better engage with followers Why Jay believes the key to building a successful law practice is to focus on the areas where you find passion and purpose, and why profits aren’t enough How Jay created a systems-based process within his firm, and why systems have been the key to his firm’s growth Why Jay wishes he had spent more time building his personal network early in his career, and why personal referrals are a powerful resource for growth Why Jay believes that social media is one of the most powerful relationship-cultivating tools we have at our disposal in the modern world Why nontraditional, digital marketing offers significant potential over more traditional marketing methods How Jay’s books have become instrumental marketing tools statewide and have generated at least one new referral a month by themselves How to get a free 15-day trial of Jay’s FirmFlex social media coaching just for being a Grow Your Law Firm podcast listener Resources: FirmFlex free trial: www.getfirmflex.com/pilmma Website: www.ruaneattorneys.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jayruane/ Additional Resources: PILMMA Join Page: www.pilmma.org/marketing-lawyers-law-firm-management/

Chelsea Williams is the founder of Core Solutions Group, a Financial Guru + Accounting for the Legal Industry & Speaker. Not your typical “no-man” stereotypical accountant, Chelsea is more of an entrepreneur who uses numbers to paint a financial picture. Shortly after she decided to serve law firms with her skills, something happened that really solidified her belief that she was in the right place at the right time. She met a man who had been practicing law for over 30+ with no retirement in sight. Chelsea felt for him as she saw his head hang after he told her he will “die working in this office”. So she set out to keep other legalprenuers from having to feel this weight. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Chelsea recognized an inherent shortsightedness in the financial advisor industry, and why she chose to found Core Solutions Group to do things differently Why business owners often struggle with financial management, and what common mistakes firm owners make and myths they believe Why managing your cash flow is an important step you can take to benefit your firm, and why “you have to spend money to make money” is a major myth Chelsea outlines her top ten myths and misconceptions many of us hold about money, and she explains why each is false What steps a law firm can take to better manage their finances, including adapting a cash management strategy What a balance sheet is, why bankers are interested in it, and how it gives an overview of your finances over the life of your business What bank reconciliations are, and why they are periodically necessary to minimize inaccuracies and record transactions monthly Why you should comb through your expenses annually and “trim the fat” and then project necessary expenditures for the year Why there are two very distinct approaches to marketing: the “slot machine” method, and the “vending machine” method Resources: Website: www.yourcoresolution.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC80TT79FdeRwH2oNaSkqvQA/videos Email: chelsea@yourcoresolution.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-m-williams/ Additional Resources: Strategic Attorney Coach: https://www.pilmma.org/strategic-attorney-coach/

Kelsey Bratcher is the host of the Get Automated Podcast, where he chats with business owners and entrepreneurs about the ways they grow and automate their businesses. He is the Co-Founder of Automatic Practice Profits, a marketing agency for Regenerative Medicine clinics all over the US that offers a Done For You new patient acquisition service specifically designed to consistently produce cash buyers. Kelsey is an expert in firm automation and time-saving software, and he has saved over 30,000,000 minutes of time in his own businesses. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Kelsey got involved in working with law firms to help them optimize and automate the lead generation and intake process to minimize effort and time spent Kelsey explains CRM (Contact Relationship Management) software and discusses his favorite piece of CRM software, Pipeline, as well as other companion tools he recommends What “drip campaigns” and “nurture campaigns” are and how they follow up with prospects’ requests through automated processes Why drip and nurture campaigns can be easier than you might expect, and why the window of time you have to contact a lead is tight How CRM software and tools can be flexible, versatile resources with many potential uses in your law firm Kelsey discusses Zapier, a tool that allows you to connect and integrate many different pieces of CRM software together Why it is important for the software tools your firm uses to be expandable and automatable to help your tools grow with your firm Why automation is one of the easiest “low-hanging fruit” process improvements you can make at your firm to save time and effort Resources: Website: https://getautomated.co/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kelseybratcher/ Additional Resources: PILMMA Super Summit mini-site: https://www.pilmma.org/pilmma-super-summit-2020/