Lunch Hour Legal Marketing

Our 50th episode features a deep dive into 2021 legal marketing trends and a look ahead at 2022.First, news: With a million new COVID infections nationwide, ALM’s New York Legalweek conference has been postponed to March 8-11. And a report on significant changes to Google’s vicinity advertising algorithm that may affect your firm.Gyi and Conrad also discuss interesting statistics from Justia’s annual survey. Most notably, some 17% of surveyed firms are backing away from Google ads. Why? Plus, what’s going on with local service ads and what firms are saying about their overall legal marketing spend. And surprising stats about LinkedIn, websites, and blogs.New client intake data from Clio.com’s Legal Trends Report finds prospective clients are turning to video conferencing and texting. Are you?And … the return of Conrad’s Crystal Ball. How will shifting economic factors—and, oh yeah, COVID—affect legal marketing? There’s a lot to think about. So how does marketing evolve? Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.

The end of the year means the start of new opportunities for next year. It’s time to think about business metrics, what you’ve learned, and how to build on that. It’s never too late to start planning ahead.Conrad and Gyi talk about ways to look back not just on last year’s revenue, profitability, retention, but also on team health, team building, and trust. What can you do better?Plus, the guys review the year that was for the podcast, recount their favorite episodes from 2021, and share their resolutions for the show for 2022. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio. 

Are you working outside the law and ethical boundaries of Google Business functions? Or are competitors passing you by? Law practice marketing is one of the Internet’s roughest neighborhoods. Google has the tools, but what are the guardrails, and how does Section 230 dictate how far you – or your competitors – can go? Guest Eric Goldman, co-director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, digs deep into this fascinating and confusing field. If you haven't already, check out Part 1 of our conversation with Dean Goldman.Plus, news: The new Local Search Rankings Factor report is out (hint, maybe geotracking isn’t all that), and maybe a looming trademark fight between law firms Hello Divorce and Hello Prenup. And in the 2021 Clio Legal Trends Report, lawyers say tracking revenue is the most crucial factor for measuring business health and growth. But is it?---------At the top of the episode, Conrad and Gyi take a moment to share their horror at the tragedy of the November 30th Oxford High School shooting, reflecting on the pain events like this cause not only for the victims, but for their beloved Michigan community at large. The guys, and the producers at Legal Talk Network, invite you to join them in showing your support to the victims of this terrible event by contributing to funds set up for the victims via the links below.GofundmeOxford Bank---------Sponsor music provided by SoundStripe:Got Me Like by Dr. DelightSpecial thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.

How important are online reviews, and what can you do about them? Guest Eric Goldman, legal scholar and expert, explains the intersection of Section 230 and the ethics of online reviews. Tune in next time for part 2 of the conversation.And Thanksgiving is a time to remind your clients you appreciate them. In a segment dubbed “Crappy Holiday Promotions,” Conrad and Gyi share thoughts on holiday season communications. Why share the same stock photo and silly platitudes? Get a jump on the season before Thanksgiving and tell clients how thankful you are for them. And, as always, the guys break down the most important news in legal marketing. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio. Mentioned in This Episode:Regulation of Lawyers’ Use of Competitive Keyword Advertising by Eric Goldman and Angel ReyesAn Overview of the United States’ Section 230 Internet Immunity by Eric GoldmanPrevious Lunch Hour Legal Marketing, with guest Carolyn ElefantBlog: FindLaw WordPress Websites: A Cynical Middle Finger to Their ClientsGoogle Core UpdatesClio Legal Trends 2021 ReportScorpion acquires MediaSmackSmokeball-InfoTrack acquires LawLyticsGoogle My BusinessSection 230, text

If it seems like Google favors big firms – with big dollars – over small or solo legal practices, that’s because it does. With an eye on Google My Business (“GMB”) practices, the guys examine a retro approach to marketing that may end-run Google dominance. Guest Carolyn Elefant joins Conrad and Gyi to talk about getting back to basics: rethinking billing practices, and how networking and focusing on “community” instead of “audience” may be a more efficient way to attract clients.Also, Clio’s new Legal Trends Report is hot off the presses and they’re showing a spike in consumer interest in remote legal services and electronic payments. But that’s not all that’s changing. Are you keeping up? Sponsor music provided by SoundStripe:Got Me Like by Dr. Delight Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.  

It's a special bonus episode. Recently, Conrad appeared on the long running program Lawyer 2 Lawyer and he had loads of fun, so we decided to run it for you here. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to Lawyer 2 Lawyer.---------Many attorneys have received an offer of an award recognizing them as a distinguished lawyer in your city or state. Perhaps the message, coming as an email or a message on Facebook, offers a custom plaque, an inscribed crystal, and/or an appearance in a publication, and all for the low, low price of the membership fees to the awarding organization. Who would ever pass up such a rare opportunity?So are we looking at a pay-to-play here? A scam? What is the application process? And should lawyers beware?! On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host Craig Williams is joined by Conrad Saam, founder of Mockingbird Marketing, to talk about the award industry, the constraints for legal marketing, and what lawyers should do if they receive a solicitation promising an award for a price.

In a special Halloween edition, Conrad and Gyi share their top 10 legal marketing horror stories. Are you dragging your practice to an early grave with some of these? Long-term marketing agency contracts? Renting instead of owning your website and domain name? Misunderstanding web traffic data and metrics? Or––dun dun duh––Letting Phone Calls Go Unanswered (even if you think you’ve hired a reputable service)?Scary stuff. Plus, in the news, trends in legal mergers and acquisitions, the upcoming Clio Cloud Conference, and some frightening survey data about offering clients discounts and devaluing your practice. Watch this channel next week for a special bonus Lawyer 2 Lawyer episode featuring our very own Conrad Saam. But there’s no need to wait! Click here to find all the great content from Lawyer 2 Lawyer.Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.

Conrad and Gyi take on the elephant in the courtroom. Clio’s Legal Trend Report shows us potential clients are interested in both pricing and payment plans, but as lawyers, we’re reluctant to go there. Why? Explore options on how you can better position yourself. Are you less expensive than the competition? More efficient? A better value? Dig into the marketing opportunities that make you special based, in part, on your pricing model. Hey, the other guy is doing it. If it’s something you’ve never considered, it’s probably time you did. And in the news (maybe related, just a bit!) we’re seeing a spike in inflation, even if the Fed wants to call it transitory. Look around, everything seems to be going up … except legal fees? Plus, Facebook (and its global apps) go down. In legal tech, what’s up with Smokeball legal matter management? Changes in Google marketing? Let’s talk. Special thanks to our sponsors Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Clio.Mentioned in this Episode: Clio Legal Trends Report: https://www.clio.com/resources/legal-trends/Smokeball: https://www.smokeball.com/Google changes: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-local-5-pack-32208.html and  https://whitespark.ca/blog/2021-wlss-day-1/Facebook ad revenue damage due to down time https://www.snopes.com/news/2021/10/04/facebook-ad-revenue/Thumbtack: https://www.thumbtack.com/k/affordable-divorce-lawyers/near-me/Yelp: ​​https://www.yelp.com/nearme/cheap-divorce-lawyersHello Divorce, https://hellodivorce.com/  Erin Levine podcast: https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/lunch-hour-legal-marketing/2021/09/hello-erin-levine-of-hello-divorce/Pricing Podcast with George Psiharis: https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/lunch-hour-legal-marketing/2021/06/pricing-to-get-hired-bridging-the-gap-between-lawyers-clients/

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.