A Marketing Guide for New Lawyers

1. Marketing Mistakes New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
presented by
Matt Starosciak and Scott Schulten
▶ 38 years of law practice
experience
▶ Founded Schulten Ward
Turner & Weiss, LLP in
1986, currently at 18
attorneys
▶ Executive Board
Member, Legal Netlink
Alliance
▶ Co-chair, Managing
Partners Committee,
Atlanta Bar Association
▶ AV Rated, 14X Super Lawyer,
10.0 Avvo Rating, Legal Elite
▶ Licensed for 19 years
▶ Practice experience in
small and large firms
▶ 10 years selling law firm
marketing products
▶ Founded Proven Law
Marketing in 2011
▶ Author, The Lawyer
Marketing Book (2017)
MattStarosciak ScottSchulten

2. MISTAKE
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Ignoring Your
Online Resume
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

3. #1Ignoring Your Online Resume
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Includes:
▶ Bios on websites you control (firm
website)
▶ Bios on websites you don’t control
(Avvo)
▶ Photos
▶ Attorney endorsements
▶ Reviews written about you
▶ Reviews written by you
▶ Media coverage
▶ Criminal records
▶ Social media
▶ Property and tax records
Online Resume
Defined:
Whatapersonsees
when theyGoogle
your name.
Why is it
important?
Perspective and existing clients
and employers will make
judgments based on what they
see.

4. #1Ignoring Your Online Resume
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them

5. Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
How does the first
sentence of your website
bio read?
Example:
“Jamie graduated from Georgia State University Law
School in 2016 where she was the Law Review Notes
Editor. She earned her undergraduate degree from
Reinhardt University and was a member of the Beta
Beta Beta Honor Society.”
OR...
“Jamie represents clients in complex family law
matters, including divorce and child custody disputes
as well as support modifications. Prior to joining the
firm, she worked for a nationally recognized CPA firm
based in Atlanta. Jamie’s clients are often small
business owners or those who have accumulated
sizable retirement investments.”
Make certain
that you…
▶ Take control over as much
information as you can
▶ Populate the first page of Google
with positive information
▷ Create an ad?
▶ Write press releases on anything
positive (need not be terribly
newsworthy)
▶ Don’t make yourself sound like a
newbie by focusing on the past!
▶ Be careful of social media posting
#1Ignoring Your Online Resume
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

6. Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them #1Ignoring Your Online Resume
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

7. MISTAKE
Assuming Good
Work is Enough/Not
Thinking Long-term
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

8. It’s difficult to think long-term after completing the process
for earning your law license. Associate work tends to
compound the issue further.
Force yourselftostart
thinkinglong-term
shortly intoyourfirst
job.
Recognizeearlyonthat
doinghighquality work
alone will notproduce
the future you want.
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
&
#2Not Thinking Long-term
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

9. Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
MISTAKE
Not Attending
Meetings Involving
the Firm’s Marketing
and Client
Development
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

10. Missing Marketing & Client
Development Meetings
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Whether you are a partner in your first firm or
your goal is to open your own business, you will
need these skills.
Ask to take part in both the marketing portion of partner
meetings and any meetings with marketing sales reps.
1.Shows initiative and is an incredibly easy way to increase your value to the
firm
2.Most partners don’t like this part of the job
Meetings with marketing sales reps have HUGE benefits.
▶ Learn about products, pricing, and
ROI
▶ Make good industry contacts
▶ Learn what not to do
▶ Master negotiation
skills
#3
In 10 years
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

11. MISTAKE
Networking with
the Wrong People
at the Wrong Places
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

12. Always remember that
pre-event planning
and post-event follow
up are almost as
important as what
happens during the
function.
▶ Who is your best audience
▶ How much time are you
willing to spend
▶ What is your
expectation,
especially with
respect to referral
timing
Beforeyouspend a
minute networking,
determine 3 things:
Networking with the Wrong People
at the Wrong Places
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them #4
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

13. MISTAKE
Talking Too Much
“Law” to Prospects
and Existing Clients
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Matt
Starosciak
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

14. Example:
“Doctrine of Unclean Hands”
Remember:
1. Clients, and especially
prospective clients, want
peace of mind over
everything else.
2. Lawyers who win
unwinnable cases still
end up with unsatisfied
clients. Why?
3. Clients will refer you
many more clients if
they have a personal
connection with you.
4. They won’t understand
the law either way.
Talking Too Much “Law” to
Prospects & Clients
Marketing Mistakes
New Attorneys Make…
And How to Avoid Them
Oneof the most
challenging aspects of
beinganewlawyer
because:
#5
▶ Everyone wants to
prove their knowledge
▶ Very little training on
how to handle a client
meeting
Matt Starosciak Scott Schulten

15. TheLawyerMarketingBook.com
TheLawyerMarketingBookis themost
current andcomprehensiveresource on
attorneybusiness developmentavailable
today.
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