The day has finally come: Conrad and Gyi are live from ABA Techshow! F.O.P’s Allison Johs and Rukayatu “Ruky” Tijani share the importance of investing in marketing and authentic branding and purpose.

(1:46) You may be surprised at how few small firms and solo practices have a true budget, never mind a specific marketing budget. So how do these firms know how much money they have and how to use resources effectively? In our first segment Allison Johs of Legal Ease Consulting gets right into the results from the latest ABA Tech survey with tips on how to deploy your resources to grow your business.

(12:38) Being intentional and goal oriented starts with knowing yourself, your clients, and your goals. Consider Rukayatu “Ruky” Tijani, a shining example of how lawyers can build their brand and create meaningful connections with real people. Hear how Tijani sets goals, creates routines, and thrives as her authentic self.

Resources from This Episode:

ABA Techshow

Check out Alison Joh’s book, “How to Do More in Less Time: The Complete Guide to Increasing Your Productivity and Improving Your Bottom Line, Second Edition”

Canva

Groove app

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

A rundown of what Conrad and Gyi will be talking about at the March ABA Techshow. Plus, Google Ads are so dang expensive, amiright?

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Oh, boy! ABA Techshow is really, really soon, and the guys can’t contain their excitement. On the pod, Gyi and Conrad give you a preview of their sessions and what you can expect; including branding and positioning, a data-driven section on the future of legal marketing, and using LinkedIn for brand acceleration.

I mean, you ARE going to Techshow aren’t you? Ha, of course you are. Be sure to bring all of your homemade #LHLM gear, hunt down the guys, and share your undying love for all things Lunch Hour Legal Marketing.

Then, Conrad tries to make Gyi’s head explode with the question, “Are Google Ads too expensive?” So, are they? Maybe, just maybe, you’re asking the wrong question. If the only thing you are measuring is cost-per-click, you might be a little bit off-base. Learn from the best on how to analyze the true cost and benefit of your digital ad spend.

The News: 

Are Gyi and Conrad even real anymore? The “guys” discuss the most effective and efficient use of your marketing dollar. Then, it’s into the listener mailbag to commiserate over the ubiquity of unbearable (but SEO-optimized!) legal content.

We’re not sure who carries eggs in baskets anymore, but we’re all familiar with the classic idiom. And, it applies to your marketing mix as well. Gyi and Conrad evaluate each of the major marketing channels, weighing cost and time-to-success to help you think through how to build a own well-rounded (egg-shaped?) and effective marketing portfolio. 

Then the guys respond to a listener question: Has compelling, useful content died in Legal? Lawyers are supposed to be good writers, right? So, how come so much of their marketing content is just plain awful? It seems that we all stopped creating content that an actual person would find useful in favor of serving our SEO god, Google. Remember, the client journey doesn’t end when they click your link. You still have to convince them to actually hire you. Hold fast, don’t give up; you can still create good content and win the SEO wars. 

The News:

Yes, it’s more of that pre-sentient AI everybody loves, ChatGPT! But first, we take a look at CallRail’s 2023 Marketing Outlook for Law Firms.

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As a devotee of Lunch Hour Legal Marketing, CallRail’s 2023 Marketing Outlook for Law Firms offers you the chance to see how well you’ve been following along. But, regardless of whether the report surprises you, the takeaways are crucial. Gyi and Conrad break down some of the most significant findings and give you the context you need to understand how they should impact your practice.

And, you know we couldn’t leave it alone. Everyone’s favorite subject—ChatGPT—is still top of mind. With Google flip flopping on whether AI content will help or hurt your site, should you be using it? Avoiding it? The guys break down the pros, cons, and today’s best practices, so you’re ready for tomorrow.

The News:

Mentioned in This Episode:

CallRail 2023 marketing outlook for lawyers

DoNotPay/Supreme Court on Twitter

ChatGPT Marketing Explained on YouTube

Google’s AI can see through your eyes what doctors can’t

ABA Techshow

ABA Techshow Startup Alley

Register for Techshow

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

The New Year! A look back, a look ahead. Plus, resolutions you can start today that can make you even more prosperous in 2023.

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It’s that time of year again; Conrad and Gyi put away the snow-globes and bring back the crystal ball—what can we say, orbs really tie the room together—and make their predictions for 2023. But, what good are prognostications without accountability? First, the gents look back at what they got right, and what they got wrong in 2022. And with a success rate about as good as Nostradamus, without all the weird murkiness, they give it another go, gazing deep into the future to tell you what you can expect for 2023.

And then, let’s talk about the one thing everyone loves committing to: New Year’s Resolutions. The guys share their personal resolutions for 2023, and then, out of the kindness of their hearts, tell you yours too. Be inspired and equipped to make your practice thrive in 2023.

The News:

Mentioned in This Episode:

“Top 4 legal technology news stories of 2022,” Nicole Black, ABA Journal

“2023 Marketing Outlook for Law Firms,” CallRail

“My First ABA Techshow,” by Gyi Tsakalakis

“Bankruptcy Statistics,” American Bankruptcy Institute

Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert

 ABA Techshow

ABA Techshow Startup Alley

Register for Techshow

Clio Legal Trends Report

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok

In a holiday special, Conrad and Gyi share a festive song – about legal marketing. A great recap of 2022’s biggest lessons.

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The holidays: a time when everybody (hopefully) takes a little time off for themselves and their families; a time to turn off the email, to sit and relax and suffer the endless stream of Christmas music. Speaking of which…

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing™️ proudly presents: “The 12 Days of Legal Marketing.” The guys use this once in a lifetime opportunity to share their impressive singing skills, along with a fun reminder of some legal marketing tips we’ve shared over the past year. And be sure to stick around for a special fireside retelling of the tale of Zippy the Chicken.

From dark social to pay-per-clicks a-clicking, here’s a look at some of the biggest topics Conrad and Gyi covered in 2022. Thank you for joining us at Lunch Hour Legal Marketing! Happy New Year, and may your 2023 be filled with fat stacks.

The News:

Welcome, A.I. overlords! ChatGTP, the rise of artificial intelligence content creation, and why your law firm needs to make more cat videos.

The guys have a new best friend: ChatGPT. Well, maybe not best friend, but it’s pretty damn cool and maybe, fills us with just a wee bit of existential dread. Recent, high profile advances in AI-driven content generation have painted us (literally?) a vision of the future. However, legal content is highly nuanced and localized. Is that even what people want? What is good content anyway and does it matter who—or what—wrote it?

Then, are you still just running a law firm, or are you a media company too? If you’re still avoiding content development, social media, video, etc., there may be an expiration date on your practice. You don’t have to hire a TikTok dance choreographer to build brand affinity and start renting space in potential clients’ minds. Get your name out there and make yourself the go-to firm for anyone thinking “law.”

The News: 

How setting boundaries when working from home can make you happier, plus knowing the difference between building brand recognition and building brand affinity.

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Like it or not, the pandemic opened Pandora's box of WFH, but does it feel like you’re working from home or living at work? The lines have certainly blurred. However, that doesn’t mean you have to be on call 24/7 waiting by the phone to meet a client’s every beck and call. Gyi and Conrad are here to help you find the right balance of flexibility, technology, and boundaries to meet your client’s needs and still keep your sanity. You’ll just need to find some other time to listen to podcasts since you fired your commute. *wink*

There are three parts to branding: Know, Like, and Trust. Sure, you can put up a billboard easily enough, but how do you get people to actually LIKE you? That, dear friends, is the difference between brand awareness and brand affinity. The guys tell you why you’ve woefully bungled your Veteran’s Day messaging, spank you on the bottom, and implore you to get out there and do better. 

Maybe the best segment Conrad and Gyi have ever done? You be the judge. 

The News:    

References mentioned: 

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube 

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok 

LawSites, “Small Firm Lawyers Are Awash With Optimism About Their Practices, Thomson Reuters Survey Finds,” 

Martindale-Avvo, “Understanding the Legal Consumer 2022” 

Lawmatics Integrates With MyCase 

A Glitch in the Google Local System? 

Morris Lilienthal YouTube

Levinson & Stefani YouTube

Derrick Law Office on YouTube

Chris Walker, Refine Labs 

Clio Legal Trends Report

Gyi and Conrad talk about gorgeous data dashboards and the gorgeous-er data behind them. Then, the guys dig into how your clients really feel about fees and billing. Plus, book club!

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Straight from the YouTubes: Gyi and Conrad answer a listener question regarding metrics dashboards. Plot twist, it’s less about the tools you use to display your data, and more about the integrity of the data you put into it. Get your data, keep it clean, and make it actionable for your law firm. Throwing money at a pretty dashboard may make you feel more on top of things, but getting down and dirty with the raw numbers will put you more in touch with your business.

Next, you’ve heard this a million times: your clients want alternative billing methods. And yet, according to the Clio Legal Trends Report, only 37% of law firms offer flat fee pricing. We know change is hard, but seriously, why aren’t you listening to what clients say about fees and billing?

And then, back to the business bookshelf for David C. Baker’s “The Business of Expertise.” Selling expertise is exactly what attorneys do, even if you aren’t allowed to say you're an expert. “Five Stars” - Gyi Tsakalakis.

The News:

Conrad and Gyi take an early look at Clio’s foray into website design and the connection between lawyers and ramen noodles. Plus, some quick takeaways from the brand new 2022 Clio Legal Trends Report.

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Continuing its effort to be your law firm’s one-stop shop, Clio is now entering the website design and hosting arena. Is Clio’s new offering, which specializes in sites for lawyers and seamlessly integrates with the Clio universe, going to be the answer to getting your firm out there on the web? Will all its bells and whistles get you noticed, get you to the top of SEO rankings, and bring in clients? The guys share their appreciations and hesitations on Clio’s new service, and how it compares to website builders in general.

And then, it’s time to get Econ nerdy. We all see what’s going on with the markets these days, and all feel the rising costs. Maybe you haven’t quite yet started swapping out your nice flank steak for a can of Spam and your linguine alle vongole for a bowl of ramen, but you’re feeling that grocery bill just a bit more. The guys get into how lawyers should be thinking about their pricing as buying power goes down and the demand for legal services, counterintuitively, goes up.

Plus, important insights from the new, 2022, Clio Legal Trends Report. What are the most important things to a potential client? Survey says: you’ll have to listen to find out!

The News: