by Trey Ryder

"Keeping their name in front of prospects" is often the reason lawyers choose certain marketing methods. But keeping your name in front of prospects is a very low standard.

When I choose a lawyer, it's not because I've seen his name over and over. It's because I want the benefit of that lawyer's knowledge, skill, judgment and experience.

That means, to make my choice, I must have some idea about the lawyer's knowledge and experience. That comes through educational methods the lawyer uses to communicate with me.

When you consider marketing tools, ask yourself what that tool does for you. Does it increase your credibility by offering information and advice about your prospects problem? Or does it simply "keep your name in front of them"?

Remember, any time you communicate with prospects, offer some amount of information and advice, even if it's just a small amount. This way, with each communication, your prospect learns something new. While these communications do keep your name in front of prospects, they also continue the flow of knowledge and experience from you to your prospect. This is a much higher standard and a much more effective way to market.

In this way, your prospect benefits from your communications. Without your knowledge in the form of information and advice, your prospect simply receives an advertising message, which he promptly tosses into the round file.But notes, letters, alerts, newsletters and fliers that contain information and advice are often kept -- sometimes for a very long time. I've seen prospects carry materials into my client's office as long as five years after we published that particular handout.

Bottom Line: In all of your communications, stay in the education mode. If you keep educating, your credibility with your prospect will continue to grow. This puts your marketing effort miles ahead of other lawyers who simply "keep their name in front of them."

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© Trey Ryder

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