You win or lose based on what you offer

You win or lose based on what you offer

Here are a few suggestions about what you can offer and the type of response you will likely receive.

SERVICES: If all you put in your ad are your name, contact information and area of practice, that's all prospects will know about you. Is that enough information to persuade them to call you?

ADD -- a call to action that invites their call for a fr*ee phone consultation. Now will prospects call you?

ADD -- facts about how long you've practiced law. Will this information attract calls?

ADD -- your professional memberships. Is this enough to get prospects to call?

ADD -- that you're a certified specialist in your area. Does that attract phone calls?

ADD -- the types of clients you serve. Does this generate calls?

ADD -- your photo with good eye contact and a friendly smile. Now do you get calls?

ADD -- the specific services you provide within your area of law. Does your list of services prompt calls?

ADD -- a testimonial from a former client. Is this enough to get calls?

ADD -- a recommendation from a former judge. How about now?

ADD -- a list of current or representative clients. Does this result in calls?

How much information do you need to include before your prospect will call you?

You think: If your prospect has a problem, he will certainly call you. Right? Not necessarily.

Many prospects, while afraid of their problems, are even more afraid of lawyers! I call this phone-call fear. Phone-call fear is the fear of what your prospect thinks might happen when he calls your office. Here are a few of your prospect's fears:

1. He's afraid you may charge him for the phone call.

2. He's afraid you may refuse to talk with him over the telephone.

3. He's afraid you may not handle his type of problem.

4. He's afraid you may not have time to help him.

5. He's afraid you may charge more than he can afford.

And so on.

You think: "Why would any prospect be afraid of me?"

In truth, he isn't afraid of YOU. He's afraid of lawyers as a group. And, generally, the less sophisticated your prospect, the greater his fears.

Your prospect thinks you're like all other lawyers until you explain how you're different -- until you explain that you will not charge him for the initial phone call -- until you explain that you'll gladly speak with him over the phone -- until you show that you'll eagerly take time from your schedule to speak with him -- until you deliver your entire marketing message.

So what should you do?

The education-based marketing model suggests that you offer fr*ee educational materials that explain your prospect's problem and the solutions you can provide. Prospects like requesting fr*ee information, especially since they don't have to speak with you. They can request your materials from your secretary or receptionist, and then read your writings in the comfort of their office or living room.

In those materials, you have the opportunity to explain that you're not like most lawyers. In fact, here are 17 ways you differ from other lawyers -- and your explanation continues. In addition to your competitive advantages, you include 5 Costly Misconceptions About Wills. Or -- 9 Mistakes People Make Before Filing for Bankruptcy. Or -- 7 Ways to Improve Your Chances of Getting Custody of Your Children. Or -- whatever lists will attract the specific prospects you want to reach.

The more information you provide to prospects BEFORE they speak with you, the more willing they are to call you. The more credibility you build BEFORE prospects speak with you, the more willing they are to call you. The more you overcome prospects' fears BEFORE they speak with you, the more willing they are to call you. The more prospects understand how you can help them BEFORE they speak with you, the more willing they are to call you.

For the highest response from prospective clients, offer fr*ee educational materials so prospects can get them without pressure, without commitment, without hassle and without effort -- at least, no more effort than it takes to place a phone call or send an e-mail.

This is the foundation on which education-based marketing is built. And it's the most powerful, most productive, most efficient way to generate responses from ads. (It's also the most powerful way to generate inquiries from articles and interviews.)

This is the same method I used to help a lawyer generate 80 calls per radio commercial.

This is the same method I used to help a lawyer land a small newspaper article, which filled his seminar with 233 prospects

This is the same method I used to help a lawyer secure an interview on the TV mid-day news, which resulted in calls from 200 prospects within three hours, over 500 in all.

This is the same method I used to help my wife get into Ann Landers's advice column, which generated 19,000 written inquiries the first week.

Remember: You should not compare someone else's results with results you hope to achieve. Even so, I know of no marketing method more powerful -- more persuasive -- more effective -- or more efficient than my method of education-based marketing.

It's the only method I use for myself. It's the only method I use for my clients. And it's the only method I recommend. Why? Because it's the only method that I know works!

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