by Trey Ryder

Smart way #1: Don't use mass marketing to deliver your message. When you deliver your marketing message through newspaper ads or TV commercials, you're using the most expensive type of marketing. You're using media time and space to explain how you can help a person solve his problems. Instead, I suggest you use the media not to deliver your message, but to offer your message. Then, when interested prospects call your office, send them your information packet by mail. This allows you to deliver much more information to the person who is interested -- and gives you the person's name and address for your mailing list.

Smart way #2: Don't spend money on four-color brochures. They're expensive and, in most cases, not necessary. The only time you need full color is when you're marketing something colorful, such as art or gemstones. And even then, you can often find alternatives that are less expensive than brochures, such as photographs. If you want a colorful "coffee table piece" to impress your prospects, your clients or yourself, that's fine. But don't expect it to be a cost effective part of your marketing program.

Smart way #3: Don't use institutional ads. For decades institutional ads have made impressions on audiences without generating measurable results. But what good is an impression if you don't know the identity of the person on whom you made the impression. I urge you to use a method that's accountable -- a method that generates inquiries from genuine prospects -- so you can tell what works and what doesn't.

Smart way #4: Don't use media publicity merely to gain exposure. Media exposure usually doesn't directly affect your bottom line. To increase publicity's effectiveness, use it to establish credibility and generate inquiries from qualified prospective clients.

Smart way #5: Simplify your newsletter. Many lawyers produce multi-page newsletters that cost a fortune to design, print and mail. Remember, the purpose of a newsletter is to deliver information and reinforce why prospective clients should choose you over other lawyers. A simple educational Alert of even one or two pages works just fine. Your newsletter's size is not nearly as important as how often you mail it and the value of the information you present.

Smart way #6: Don't serve food at seminars. People attend seminars because they want information. When you advertise that you're serving food, you attract people who want to eat, not listen. I've promoted hundreds of seminars and I assure you that you don't need to feed people to get them to attend. You simply need to offer facts your prospects want -- and then market your seminar so prospects understand what they'll learn.

Smart way #7: Stop outbound telemarketing. I've never heard anyone say he likes to be solicited by telephone. I urge you to invest in a marketing program that attracts qualified inquiries. Then you won't need outbound telemarketing and you won't create a bad impression on a prospective client.

Smart way #8: Deliver an educational message. People want information. That's why they surf the Internet -- attend seminars -- and request free information. When you use my method of Education-Based Marketing, you mail free information to prospects who request it. This gives them the information they want -- and gives you a mailing list of prospective clients. What could be easier!

Smart way #9: Hire an independent consultant. If you want to avoid the high costs of ad agencies and PR firms, I urge you to look for an independent consultant. I've found when I hire a private consultant, I'm paying for knowledge, skill, judgment and experience -- not expensive overhead. This is especially true in marketing.

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© Trey Ryder

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