MARKETING A LAW practice may not top a busy lawyer's to-do list, but it is an essential part of creating a successful business. Without marketing one's skills, even a good lawyer will not be noticed, marketing consultants agree.

"Attorneys are the worst at publicizing those wonderful things that they do," said James O'Herron, president of Rainmaker Marketing Inc., a North Carolina based firm that handles marketing for lawyers nationwide.

"You've got to tell people what it is that you do, and why they should hire you," said Mr. O'Herron.

Clyde Eisman, chair and founder of the New York County Lawyers' Association Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, said marketing is as fundamental to his five-year-old law practice as lawyering. "I wear three hats in my solo practice, lawyer, marketer and administrator," said Mr. Eisman. "I'm nothing without marketing myself."

Of course, there are different ways to market a practice, and not all have to be costly.

Mr. O'Herron suggested that instead of diving into expensive newspaper and television advertising, solos should first take the common-sense approach. Start with sending announcements to family, friends and business acquaintances letting them know who you are and what you do, he said. And, Mr. O'Herron warned, include Rolodex and business cards in the mailing. People will throw out letters quicker than useful cards, he said.

Also, each lawyer should create and constantly update a comprehensive data base of all people that lawyer knows, said Mr. O'Herron. This might be time consuming but it is cheap, he added.

And attorneys should provide their employees with business cards because they can market the business in other communities, he said.

"The goal of marketing is to build relationships," said Mr. O'Herron. "Relationships are the key to your future livelihood."

Focus on Specialties

Solo practitioners should define two practice areas as their specialty, even if they will handle anything that comes through the door, said Christine S. Filip, an attorney and president of Filip & Caminos, a marketing, public relations and design firm.

"The generalists don't fair well, no matter how much marketing they do," she said.

Ms. Filip suggested that if solos choose one form of marketing, it should be sending letters every quarter to inform their prospective clients of their work.

Mr. Eisman, a Manhattan solo practitioner, said that his experience has proved that sending letters to friends, past and current clients and colleagues is a great way to network and market yourself.

"You've got to keep your name in the client's eye," he said.

Mr. Eisman also suggested getting on different bar associations and in particular, their referral panels for case referrals, and writing for legal and trade publications, like the New York Law Journal.

Another way to make contacts is to become active in a community.

"Become an active participant in either your church, trade group or co-op board. And not just once or twice a year," said Ms. Filip. "Roll up your sleeves and really get involved," she added.

According to Ms. Filip, most solos get better business from referral-based marketing than by taking every random matter that comes along.

Networking

Ms. Filip also suggested joining or starting your own networking group made up of business professionals from various industries. If these professionals complement rather than compete with each other, then eventually it will become a good source of business for an attorney, she said.

Paul Krasnick, a solo practitioner with a one-year-old practice has done just that. He joined a group run by Business Network International, a business referral organization that sets up different, nationwide networking chapters for a fee.

Mr. Krasnick's 25-member group, which includes a computer expert, an electrician, a printer and a health professional, meets once per week. Mr. Krasnick also advertises in the Daily News four days a week, for about $700 per month. Although he said the advertisement sends many people to him for routine bankruptcies and personal injury cases, the work is not particularly lucrative.

"What you are looking to do is get better cases, not necessarily more cases," he said.

And so far, other lawyers have not been a good source of referrals for Mr. Krasnick.

"Unless you have a very specific specialty, [lawyers] don't refer work if they are general practitioners. They'll either do it themselves or they already know someone else [to refer the work to]," he said.

But Henry Diaz disagreed. A civil rights and plaintiff's litigation attorney, he does all his marketing by networking with other lawyers. Mr. Diaz, who is involved with the County Lawyers' small firm committee, does not believe in advertising.

"You'll get many calls from people seeking free advice," said Mr. Diaz, who started his practice three years ago. But when he gets referrals from other lawyers, he said, "the clients are already serious about getting counsel."

And networking with other attorneys is the cheapest way to market, which is very important when you are on your own, said Mr. Diaz.

"The best thing for me is to get exposure within the profession, and to let other lawyers know what type of work that I do," he said.

© Copyright 2002, The Success Group

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