Copywriting and Social Media Planning for Attorneys
Transcript of Copywriting and Social Media Planning for Attorneys
Hello!I’m Bryan MarbleI am here because I want to help more attorneys reach the goal of running a sustainable small practice.
You can find me at @LostMahbles on Twitter or
amazelaw.com
A Family of Businesses
◇ I grew up in NH, went to school in NY and returned to build inbound marketing software for small businesses.
◇ My wife, Katie is the solo owner of Marble Employment Law
◇ I run AmazeLaw, a website and marketing platform for solos and small firms
◇ We have two kids. Sean (4), Colin (2)
A little background on
Slides and discount at:http://amazelaw.com/nhbar
Writing for Clients
Lawyers suck at copy.It doesn’t take much to stand out.
A little tour of the first 3 Google listings for Austin, TX attorneys...
◇ Names have been blurred to protect the guilty◇ Literally the first 3 firms, no curation here
“Zzzzz ZZzzzzz……………
#1 must be good right?
“
OK, not a pattern yet…#2?
“Our Austin Law Firm is comprised of a solid team of litigation attorneys whose expertise and courtroom experience include representation for clients covering a broad range of issues.”
—Boring Ass Law Firm, PLLC
“
Third times the charm?
The bar is low.
Some basic principles.
Stop writing to appeal to all potential clients.
Start writing to delight perfect clients.
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Stop writing like this.No one likes these people.
But who are your people?
That’s the fun part. You get to pick.
The more specific the better.
The Basics
◇ Interested in your practice area
◇ Looking for an attorney.
◇ Have a pulse (optional)
Little Deeper
◇ Income level?◇ Industry?◇ Job title?◇ Repeat offender?◇ Age range?
The Good Stuff™
◇ Do they pay on time?◇ Do they value your
expertise?◇ Do they want you to take
charge or just offer guidance?
◇ Do they know they have a problem?Where most firms stop.
Be explicit about who you want to work with.
Give them a face and a name.Restauranteur Ronnie, Aging Annie, Repeat Ray, Startup Steve, etc.
Know them like the back of your hand.
Questions to answer...Emotional Connections
◇ What do they worry about at night?◇ What are they afraid of?
■ Why?○ Why?
● Why?◇ What are they hoping for?◇ How do they describe themselves?◇ What would they do if they didn’t
have you?◇ Beyond a legal outcome, why do
they want that outcome?■ To impress? To remove worry?■ To heal?
Day to Day
◇ What websites do they frequent?
◇ What activities do they like?◇ What life events are they going
through?■ New house? Getting
married? Kids? Aging parents? Illness? Divorce? New job? Unemployment? Fiscal problems?
■ How do those affect their day to day schedules, thoughts, priorities, etc.
Once you know them like a best friend...
You can write and engender trust like a best friend.
““All things being equal, people will do business with — and refer business to— those people they know, like and trust.””
—Bob Burg
Stop writing about yourself.
Every “I/We” should be questioned.
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““People aren’t interested in you. They’re interested in themselves.”
—Dale Carnegie
Me vs. YouThings Lawyers Write
AboutThings I Care About
Law School Publications
NamePhone #
Experience in fields unrelated to my matter.
Case Law
Clerkships from 1992
Platitudes like they’ll “fight for me.” or they’re “fair” or that they “work
hard”
Case Law F’ing Case Law!
Do they understand my special snowflake of a problem?
What are the odds I fork over cash and regret it afterwards?
Do they REALLY understand what I’m going through?
In the most vivid way possible, how will my life be different after I hire
them?
Ballpark, how much moolah?
We are divorce specialists.
The law firm of Duey, Cheatem and Howe are specialists in divorce and can bring 30 years of experience to your case.
We’ll fight to make sure your side is heard.
Example time...So you’re getting divorced...
You never thought you’d be in this position, but it’s time to face facts and do what’s right for your family, as hard as that might be.
You’ve seen horror stories of other dads in your kids’ play groups go through nasty divorces; feeling railroaded in arbitrations, being unfairly portrayed as deadbeats, when all they want is a fair settlement that lets everyone begin the healing process of learning a new way of life.
At Smith Law, we’ve helped hundreds of dads like you navigate the tough road of divorce while making sure your rights as a father and your family’s financial future are protected...
Write to evoke emotions.
The Busy Solo’s 20-Minute Social Media Plan
The Process
Buffer
HootSuite
Pocket(getpocket.com)
Evernote
Curate Schedule Distribute
A - AlwaysB - BeC - Curating
Curate Content on the Go
Don’t start with a blank slate every morning.
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When you see a video, tweet, article that you like or think your audience would like...
◇ Add a note to your “system”■ URL■ Potential Headline (optional)■ Comment about the content
ProTip: Use Pocket app on phone and in browser to save articles and resources.
Pocket(getpocket.com)
Dedicate Time Every Morning
Like Checking Email
Make it sacrosanct.
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Come up with one original post per channel (5 minutes)
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Arrange curated content for the day and write posts to go along with them.(10 minutes)
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Schedule posts for the day and for recurring posts.(5 minutes)
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BufferFree.
Auto schedule’s for you. Does not allow for manual scheduling. Super easy if you keep it stocked.
How do I schedule?HootSuiteFree up to 3 accounts, $9.99/mo for more.
Allows for fine grained control. Schedule same message on multiple platforms.
Time Sensitive Content
Post once on Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.
Consider posting once to relevent LinkedIn Groups.
Schedule two posts on Twitter for the day.
What’s the optimal schedule?
Evergreen Content
Same as Time Sensitive.
Add 3 posts per channel spread over the next 6-8 weeks.
Thanks!Any questions?You can find me at:
◇ @LostMahbles◇ [email protected]
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CreditsSpecial thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free:
◇ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival◇ Photographs by Unsplash