Re: Going Solo

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Here's some advertising/marketing ideas (glad there's someone
willing to listen):

1. As Carol said, informational pamphlets. Cheap and effective.
Check your local bar association.

2. Also check your bar association(s) for legal referral programs.

3. Join Hyatt legal plans, Signature legal plan, and ARAG. These are
legal insurance companies that don't pay a lot, but they produce
good clients who usually give you repeat business. It's free to
them, so why not? If you conduct a closing for them, for example,
they'll almost always follow up with a will, since they don't pay
for it. Just keep on top of them. Again, persistence.

4. I don't like yellow pages advertising, but if you do it, make
sure you're in the front. One trick that's worked is to list your
self as "Attorney so-and-so". That way, you're name will be with
the "A's (the only problem being that many yellow pages companies
have caught on to this and won't allow it). If your first name
happens to begin with "A", then you can list yourself that way. You
don't need a big add, but you should display the type of law you
practice prominently. If you state "ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER - John
Smith", you will obtain some estate planning clients. If you
state "JOHN SMITH - Estate Planning Lawyer, you'll get people
looking for John Smith. In other words, nobody. Personally, I think
your money would be better spent with a small ad in the local
newspaper, because you have a better target audience with less of a
financial commitment.

5. Consider AARP's legal panel, which is a referal program even
though they won't call it that. It's a little pricey (about $600.00
a year), and you get a lot of elderly people looking for free
advice, but you do pick up some good work, and the good clients tend
to refer you to all of their friends.

6. Internet advertising seems to work. Do a lawyer search for your
practice area and town and see what sites come up (findlaw being one
example). Then, join that site, if it's in the budget.

7. Do be careful in taking cases other lawyers don't want. These
are usually dog cases that can kill you. I don't think they lead to
good cases, either. If they did, one of two things will happen: 1.
the referring lawyer would want the case, or 2. You would take the
case and earn the reputation of a client-stealer.

8. If you do rent space with other lawyers, find a suite where
nobody practices in your area. Then, the referrals will be
legitimate.

9. There's no substitute for networking & volunteering.

10. Run a seminar. If you can team up with another professional (a
real estate agent, financial planner, CPA, etc.), all the better,
because you'll be forging another relationship.

10. Finally, I've found it incredibly easy to get published. Call
your local paper and ask to write a guest column. Many small papers
are always looking for something to print. Writing an article for
the general public is a lot easier than writing something for a
legal journal, because you'll be writing about basics rather than
some scholarly law-review type article. Being published is free and
effective.

11. All of the above: all the clients you gain will refer you,
assuming you give good service (unfortunately, many people don't
know good service when they see it, but this problem is unavoidable).

12. Whatever area of law you concentrate in, tell everyone willing
to listen that you're an expert. Have a big mouth. Of course, make
sure to back it up!

Good luck, Solo to be, and keep us informed And btw what state are
you in?

On 10/23/06, Solo to be... wrote:
> I've heard consistent references to Foonberg's book, which I've
> just ordered. I look forward to reading it. In your opinion, is
> sharing office the space the (only) way to go? Also, what kinds
of
> advertising, if any, do you reccomend to spread the word that I've
> gone solo? A mailer, add in the bar journal, etc.?