Posts

Responding to Email

Below are tips for responding to emails from clients, lawyers, and prospects, Prompt replies improve goodwill, relationships, and reputations.  For more guidance, see the articles and books listed below. And for examples, see below for sample responses to website inquiries. Tips Attachments - summarize attachments and include a list at the end of  message. Automating  - automate replies to acknowledge receipt and provide timeline. Courtesy - be empathetic, polite, and positive.  Length - keep messages short (use attachments for long messages). Promptness  - respond within 24 hours. Subject - limit to a few words Articles Accelerating Replies Automating Responses Do's and Don'ts Emailing Professionally Ethics of Email Handling Unsolicited Inquiries Responding to Lawyers Sign-Offs and Signature Blocks Using Forms Books Mastering Email Writing Professional Email Samples Family Law Advocates  (Small Firm, Family Law, Tampa) Thank you for contacting FamilyLawAdvocates.com. We'l

Planning Law Firms

Below are planning tips and resources to help implement them.  Planning can achieve goals and reduce stress. Start planning with an annual assessment and then create goals like improving relationships, managing caseloads, and work/life balancing. Put your goals into action with planning tools like apps, audits, budgets, checklists, and diaries. Work on one goal at a time to avoid overwhelming yourself.  Tips Budgets   – prepare annual budgets and monitor them monthly. Calendars  – try calendaring apps to record appointments, notes, and deadlines. Checkups  – use checklists and to-do lists to create action plans for cases and clients. Plans  –  create plans and periodically review them to identify areas for improvement. Technologies  – use apps and software to perform routine tasks.  Analog Tools Audits –  Firm  and  Individual . Budgets -  Operating ,  Cash Flow , and  Capital Expenditures . Calendars and Diaries  -  Amsterdam ,  At-a-Glance ,  Day-Timer ,  Moleskin , and  Per Annum .

Tracking Tech Trends

Technology helps lawyers to gain a competitive advantage and improve work and life. Following are some statistics from the ABA's Annual Survey of Legal Technology .  And beneath that are links to resources to help you adopt technology for analytics, managing, drafting, litigation, and research.  Trends Automated research - over 50% of lawyer use Westlaw, Lexis, etc. Technology Spending - over 60 of law firms budget for technology  Laptops for computing - over 50% of lawyers user laptops as for work Virtual Lawyering - over 10% work without offices Cloud Computing - over 50% of firms keep their documents in the Cloud Cybersecurity - over 50% of firms have policies to protect security (encryption, etc.) Smart Discovery - over 30% of small firms and more than 70% for large firms use it Articles Cloud  Computing Cybersecurity Litigation Management Marketing Training Books Legal Technology Guide   Cybersecurity Handbook Checklists Apps Red Flags Technologies Webinars Adopting Technology

Monitoring Marketing Trends

Marketing by lawyers is continuing to evolve. Below are current usage rates mentioned in the ABA's 2023  Profile of the Legal Profession . And further below are links to articles with marketing tips and resources. MARKETING METHODS USED BY LAWYERS  Social Media Used LinkedIn - 96% Facebook - 31% Twitter - 20% Martindale - 18% Instagram - 13% Marketing Tools Used Event sponsorships - 44% Email marketing - 40% Blogging - 37% Printed materials - 24% Direct mail - 11% Directory listings - 9% Advertising - 9% MARKETING RESOURCES Activities Blogging Brochures Cards Directories Postcards Pamphlets Publishing Social Media Surveys Testimonials Websites Videos

Attracting Website Visitors

Posting on social media can attract clients, build reputations, and  drive traffic to websites.  Popular providers include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X (Twitter). Below are tips for using social media and linking it to websites. Also included are links to articles, books, checklists, and examples. Tips Analyze  - use analytic tools to monitor visits to firm websites and social media. Delegate - delegate responsibility for posting and monitoring on firm social media accounts. Delete - remove links to social media accounts that have become inactive. Explain  - mention social media accounts on the firm's About Us Page. Focus - focus on a few accounts and post to them regularly. Link - make social media findable by linking to bottom of each page of the firm website. Articles Attracting Visitors with Chatbots and Videos Benefits of Social Media Best Posting Frequency Ethical Considerations Exemplary Use of Social Media Managing Social Media Marketing with Social Media