Building a Law Firm

Here are all the new places you need to go... Like the new Facebook page to get access to the daily recordings - https://www.facebook.com/thechristophersmall/ Follow me on instagram to get a live peek into my life PLUS other super fun content (i.e. this is likely the place I'll do my rants...) - https://instagram.com/thechristophersmall The podcast - subscribe and review to be entered to win my top 10 influential books of all time - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unconventional-attorney/id1465832495 The website! This is where access to the training, contact info, etc. is... https://theunconventionalattorney.com

Got a real treat here for you all today. Steven Perchikov the LinkedIn master comes onto the show to talk about how law firm owners can use LinkedIn to get new clients. And, if you want to go farther, faster, click the link below to check out a cool masterclass he put together: https://buildingalawfirm.com/linkedin Enjoy! -------------------------------------------------- The perfect law firm has four elements: 1. consistent quality leads 2. proven replicable sales process 3. processes and systems 4. owner scarcity or expansion If you can master those four pillars you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want more, there is more. THE BACKROOM is for those of you interested in do-it-yourself. You can join for free for 7 days and try it out here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/go THE SYNDICATE is for those of you that want one-on-one help, accountability, and to go FAST. You can apply to be a Syndicate member here: https://callwithsmall.com And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION.

Today's episode is a special one because the advice in here is IMMEDIATELY actionable. I know this to be the case because Heather implemented the advice and on the same day saw results! To find out exactly what I'm talking about, listen to the show! The perfect law firm has four elements: 1. consistent quality leads 2. proven replicable sales process 3. processes and systems 4. owner scarcity or expansion If you can master those four pillars you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want more, there is more. THE BACKROOM is for those of you interested in do-it-yourself. You can join for free for 7 days and try it out here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/go THE SYNDICATE is for those of you that want one-on-one help, accountability, and to go FAST. You can apply to be a Syndicate member here: https://callwithsmall.com And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION.

I have been doing a bunch of law firm marketing recently in the form of video marketing. I love it for many reasons, one of which is law firm SEO, and another of which is that it just gets us a ton of business. And I see you all out there trying to do the same thing, However, I see a couple of the same mistakes happening over and over and over again, and I wanted to point them out to you today to save you the trouble. First, making your law firm marketing videos on your personal Facebook page. Big no no. Second, making your law firm marketing videos in bulk. What usually happens is they never all get edited and put up. Just do them one at a time, all the way through. The third law firm marketing video strategy mistake I see is getting just a little fancy with what you're doing. Don't make the headlines too weird or interesting - you want the people to know what they are hearing about right off the bat. To get all the insights, listen to the full episode! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Building a Law Firm works on four core concepts: 1. Increasing leads 2. Making more sales 3. Incorporating systems 4. Leveraging your business for scale or scarcity. If you can master those four concepts you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want to go faster, if you want my DIRECT HELP, there is more out there. And it all starts with a conversation. If you're interested go to: https://callwithsmall.com 30 minutes jamming on your business and you'll have a clear understanding of where you need to go next (and have an opportunity to have me come along for the ride if it's a good fit). And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION.

Want more after listening to this? Go to http://q2workshop.com for information on joining me LIVE and in person to work through this process. Ever wonder EXACTLY how I use content to get new clients to my law firm? Well, today is your lucky day. I break it all down here. ------------------------------------------------- Building a Law Firm works on three pillars: 1. consistent content 2. paid advertising 3. Mindset If you can master those three pillars you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want more, there is more. THE BACKROOM is for those of you interested in do-it-yourself. You can join for free for 7 days and try it out here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/go THE SYNDICATE is for those of you that want one-on-one help, accountability, and to go FAST. You can apply to be a Syndicate member here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/syndicateregistration Last, but not least, I host a LIVE EVENT every quarter (January, April, July, and October) to help you get more clients, build a better firm, and win at life. If you're interested in that, please go to the home page - https://buildingalawfirm.com And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION. If you want to know more... go to http://q2workshop.com> to find out how you can join me LIVE and get this entire framework handed to you on a silver platter. Cheers, Chris

You ever experience a slow down with your law firm? I have - many times. And I will again. Here are some of the things I do to keep from going crazy AND break out of those slumps as fast as possible... -------------------------------------------- Building a Law Firm works on three pillars: 1. consistent content 2. paid advertising 3. Mindset If you can master those three pillars you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want more, there is more. THE BACKROOM is for those of you interested in do-it-yourself. You can join for free for 7 days and try it out here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/go THE SYNDICATE is for those of you that want one-on-one help, accountability, and to go FAST. You can apply to be a Syndicate member here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/syndicate Last, but not least, I host a LIVE EVENT every quarter (January, April, July, and October) to help you get more clients, build a better firm, and win at life. If you're interested in that, please go to the home page - https://buildingalawfirm.com And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION. When business slows down (and it will slow down from time to time) the thing you DON'T want to do is panic. The thing you do want to do is keep doing the things that you've been doing. Learn about that and more, on this weeks episode. Cheers. Christopher Small PS - want more? Go to q2workshop.com and see what we've got going on!

Common "tomorrow problems" 1. “I need to work on my business and not in my business.” 2. I need to hire an attorney right now when you don’t have consistent revenue or client acquisition systems. 3. I need a new CRM/etc. when I don’t even have clients. Today’s typical problems… 1. I need more potential clients at my door. 2. I need to sign up more of the potential clients that come through my door. 3. I need to be organized enough so that shit doesn’t fall through the cracks. 4. I need to work on recognizing the activities that will move my business forward as opposed to making me feel good… --------------------------------------------------------- Building a Law Firm works on three pillars: 1. consistent content 2. paid advertising 3. Mindset If you can master those three pillars you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want more, there is more. THE BACKROOM is for those of you interested in do-it-yourself. You can join for free for 7 days and try it out here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/go THE SYNDICATE is for those of you that want one-on-one help, accountability, and to go FAST. You can apply to be a Syndicate member here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/syndicateregistration Last, but not least, I host a LIVE EVENT every quarter (January, April, July, and October) to help you get more clients, build a better firm, and win at life. If you're interested in that, please go to the home page - https://buildingalawfirm.com And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION.

I listened to a podcast the other day that talked about the difference between winners and losers, and I decided to come up with my own list... 1. Winners do the thing when they don’t feel like it. Losers do the thing when it conveniences them. 2. Winners play the long game. Losers quit early. 3. Winners embrace failure. Losers run away from it. 4. Winners invest in themselves. Losers go it alone. 5. Winners don’t make excuses. Losers blame everyone and everything else. 6. Winners hang out with winners. Losers hang out with people that confirm their fears and excuses. 7. Winners delay gratification. Losers count their chickens before they are hatched. 8. Winners embrace the process. Losers look for shortcuts. 9. Winners take calculated risks. Losers play it unbelievably safe. 10. Winners get woo woo. Losers think it’s all a joke. 11. Winners take action. Losers plan. If you're a law firm owner or starting a law firm, don't be a loser... ----------------------------------------------------- Building a Law Firm works on three pillars: 1. consistent content 2. paid advertising 3. Mindset If you can master those three pillars you can start a law firm and build a law firm that will give you EVERYTHING you want in life. These videos will get you there. BUT, if you want more, there is more. THE BACKROOM is for those of you interested in do-it-yourself. You can join for free for 7 days and try it out here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/go THE SYNDICATE is for those of you that want one-on-one help, accountability, and to go FAST. You can apply to be a Syndicate member here: https://buildingalawfirm.com/syndicateregistration Last, but not least, I host a LIVE EVENT every quarter (January, April, July, and October) to help you get more clients, build a better firm, and win at life. If you're interested in that, please go to the home page - https://buildingalawfirm.com And, if you just want to get this amazing free content, that's okay too. The key to success, no matter what, is TAKING ACTION.

I went to the dentist today. No cavities, but I learned a little about my business. Here are the 5 law firm owner lessons from my visit to the dentist. Cheers, Christopher Small

Transcript Below... Hey, everybody, and welcome to another episode of the Building a Law Firm Podcast. I'm your host, Christopher Small, and this is the Internet's most passionate show about the business of law firms. What is up everybody? Hopefully, you're having a great day, a great week, a great month, a great year. The year is almost over. And, I've been doing some big things to get ready for next year and I'm going share some of those today. But, before we get to that, I wanted to let you know that this episode of the Building a Law Firm Podcast is brought to you by The Back Room. Now, you are probably wondering what exactly is The Back Room? The Back Room is a place I created for unlimited, uncensored law firm intelligence, a marketing device created by law firm owners for law firm owners. The Back Room is a place where secrets are revealed and successful law firm owners are made. But, it's more than just a group of successful law firm owners. Back Room members also receive access to The Vault, a comprehensive compilation of step by step courses that will show you exactly how I do what I do behind the scenes. Information included in The Vault includes my networking secrets, my Google ad strategy, my content creation and distribution plan, and much, much more. It's basically a law firm in a box. And, with the information I provide, law firm owners have been able to add thousands of dollars of revenue to their bottom line year after year after year. And so have I. These are the same things I use in my firm every single day. But that's not all. I also hold a weekly live training and Q&A in our private Facebook group where I break down exactly what's working for me right now and answer your most pressing questions. In these trainings, I've critiqued websites, gone through my processes and procedures, and helped people work through their most pressing challenges. And, because I love my members so much, I also distribute a monthly e-newsletter called The Winners Review that summarizes my big lessons from the previous month and deep dives on one of my favorite business books. It's basically a state of the firm every month. Finally, and this is something new, it's going be something new for 2019, I'm including a free office day for any new member every 90 days. All you do is you basically come into town, you sit down, and we'll tear apart your business and build it back up. I only let you do this every 90 days because I guarantee you'll leave the office day with an action plan to crush your next 90 days. Becoming a member is super easy. Just go to

If you own a law firm and take client meetings of any sort, you know the pain and frustration of actually getting a meeting set up and having it actually happen. There tends to be a lot of back and forth, particularly when someone enters their information on your website on a fillable form. In fact, I'm certain that most of the people that contact you that way you never even hear from again. You reach out to them with the information they provided but all you get in return is crickets. Today I wanted to share with you my strategy for never having to do the back and forth potential client or client dance again. The secret is using technology to eliminate barriers to entry and let people book directly to your calendar. To hear more about it, listen to the show! Acuity Scheduling Link Cheers, Christopher Small If this isn't enough for you, if you want MORE, then come and check out The Backroom, a place I created to divulge what's working for me now (and what isn't), to give you motivation and support, and to provide you a safe place to talk about your business. Membership is only $27/month (but that price won't last forever) and with that you get access to The Backroom facebook group, The Vault, a content hub where I show you how everything in my firm works, step-by-step, and The Winner's Review, a monthly newsletter I write to break down the prior month and deep dive on a book that's made a difference in my business and life. If you want to take your law firm to the next level, click the link below and come and join us (first week is free!). https://buildingalawfirm.com/go

When you are starting a law firm there is no more important asset than your law firm website. It creates credibility. It creates trust. It establishes expertise. And, if done right, it can generate a TON of clients. Here are five elements every successful website has. And if your law firm website does not have these things, you are going to lose in the end. 1. Home page/landing page. 2. Blog. 3. Projects. 4. Testimonials. 5. Contact. Cheers. Christopher Small If this isn't enough for you, if you want MORE, then come and check out The Backroom, a place I created to divulge what's working for me now (and what isn't), to give you motivation and support, and to provide you a safe place to talk about your business. Membership is only $27/month (but that price won't last forever) and with that you get access to The Backroom facebook group, The Vault, a content hub where I show you how everything in my firm works, step-by-step, and The Winner's Review, a monthly newsletter I write to break down the prior month and deep dive on a book that's made a difference in my business and life. If you want to take your law firm to the next level, click the link below and come and join us (first week is free!). https://buildingalawfirm.com/go

It has been quite some time since I last posted a podcast show here, and I wanted to end the drought and tell you a little bit about what I've been doing. It all boils down to four main things. First, the law firm got REALLY busy. So busy, in fact, that my manpower and systems were being pushed to the limit. So... I had to do change something. Second, I hired a new full time paralegal, expanded the office, and got her up and running. Then, the personal life started kicking in. Third, I had a kid start kindergarten and we tore down our house and started building a new one! (as if starting a law firm and doing all of that wasn't enough) Fourth, and finally, as part of my systems and processes update, I decided to update how I create this content. It's made for some bumps along the way, and slowed down the process while it was being put together. If you want all the details you have to listen to the show! Cheers. Christopher Small If this isn't enough for you, if you want MORE, then come and check out The Backroom, a place I created to divulge what's working for me now (and what isn't), to give you motivation and support, and to provide you a safe place to talk about your business. Membership is only $27/month (but that price won't last forever) and with that you get access to The Vault, a content hub where I show you how everything in my firm works, step-by-step. Productivity, email marketing, Facebook marketing, google ads, mindset, it's all in there. So what are you waiting for? Click the link below and come and join us. https://buildingalawfirm.com/go

Don't Let August Slip Through the Cracks August is a month when most people take a vacation. Not much work gets done. It's REAL easy to write August off and tell yourself "in September I'll get back in the game." It's REAL easy to say "my potential clients are taking August off so why even try?" I'm here to tell you that that's fine. Go ahead and do that. But know there are people like me who, although they are taking time off in August, still have their head down and are busting their butt to make things happen. Vacations are great, but if you want to get to where you want to go, you've got to put the work in. Cheers. Christopher Small P.S. - For a limited time you can join me and a ton of other successful law firm owners in The Backroom for a FREE 7 day trial (and it's only $27/month after that) - so... if you've ever wished there was a place where everyone was sharing what was ACTUALLY working for their law firm AND doing it in real time, you need The Backroom - https://buildingalawfirm.com/go.

 Three Law Firm Marketing Video Tips for Even Better Results My two video shows, Estate Planning TV (see it at http://cmslawfirm.com) and WA Probate TV (see it at http://pain-free-probate.com) account for a tremendous amount of my business. There are brand building advantages. There are law firm SEO advantages. There are no like trust advantages. And I'm always trying to get law firm owners to create a show for their law firm so they can get new clients on the regular. Most of the time I tell people "just turn the camera on and get started." And that advice works, for the most part. Once you get over the fear of talking to the camera (which is who that initial advice is geared toward) there are some things you can do to make your videos that much more persuasive and impactful. Today we're going to talk about three law firm marketing video tips. 1. Your Law Firm Marketing Video Background Matters I know, I know, I told you to just turn the camera on and go. But we're better than that now, so it's time to up your game. Now, you don't need a green screen. You don't need some dramatic background. All you need is to have THOUGHT about your background. What is not acceptable is the boring off-white office wall with your diploma on it. Take 30 seconds, think about where you're at, and make the background good. I just made it easy and built some cool book shelves that I use as a background every time. Whatever you do, make sure you think about it. And, to go along with that, make sure you are shooting your videos at least at eye height. Don't just set it on your desk and start talking. Looks DO matter, a little. So, if you're making a bunch of these videos, try to make each one look a little bit better than the last. 2. Chop The Front and Back of Your Law Firm Marketing Videos I often see straight up raw videos posted on people's law firm pages. You can see them reaching up to turn the camera on. You can see them reaching up to turn the camera off. You can see them getting ready to talk. Don't do that! There is free editing software out there (I think you can even do it on YouTube) that let's you chop off the front and the back. Take 5 minutes and do that. 3. Be Yourself in Your Law Firm Marketing Videos This is the biggest problem I see in law firm marketing videos. They get on camera and obviously know what they are talking about, but they are BORING. Listen, if you aren't offending half of the people that watch your video and making fans out of the other half, you aren't doing it right. Know that out there in the world are a certain set of people that are going to love you and a certain set that aren't. The ones that aren't ARE NOT YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS. You will have more fun, make more money, and have happier clients when you start acting like yourself on the daily. Now get out there and make some videos! Cheers. Christopher Small P.S. - For a limited time you can join me and a ton of other successful law firm owners in The Backroom for a FREE 7 day trial (and it's only $27/month after that) - so... if you've ever wished there was a place where everyone was sharing what was ACTUALLY working for their law firm AND doing it in real time, you need The Backroom - https://buildingalawfirm.com/go.

 Stop Listening to Law Firm Marketing Advice from Your Mother I was playing golf with a guy last week that was not good. He wasn't terrible, but you could definitely tell he was a beginner. As we made our way around the course one of the other guys that was with us, who was also not a good golfer, started giving him tips for changing his swing around. After a few holes of listening to this I leaned over and said to the guy... "If you actually want to get good go get a lesson from a pro. But whatever you do don't pay any attention to what your fellow weekend duffer tells you about how to fix your swing." At the same time that this was happening (okay, not EXACTLY the same time) I was involved in a coaching call where someone was challenging some proposed strategies because of some feedback they'd received... ...from their mother (or spouse, or whatever blank you want to fill in). What was interesting about these two stories was the ability of people with no expertise and experience in a given area to provide feedback and criticism of another's action. I understand and believe that both parties were trying to help. But they weren't. And the same thing goes for you in your law firm. Stop looking to your mother or your spouse for starting a law firm or law firm marketing advice and start looking to people who are in the trenches and SUCCEEDING at it. The sooner you invest in some coaching and some help for your business, the sooner you'll get it where you want it to be. Cheers. Christopher Small P.S. - I have created just such a place for law firm owners who are looking for more. It is called The Backroom. And you are invited to join us for free for a week (and only $27/month after that). To check it out click the link - https://buildingalawfirm.com/go.

3 Reasons You Won't Advertise Your Law Firm When I started my law firm I was 100% against law firm advertising. I thought it was unnecessary. I thought it was worthless. I thought I would never do it. And then I realized I was an idiot. As more and more time has gone by and I've talked to more and more law firm owners, I've realized most of us have some demons to exorcise when it comes to law firm advertising. The best way to do that is to call out those hidden mental roadblocks holding you back. 1. SCARCITY MINDSET - you'd rather keep a stranglehold on a little money than make a lot (with what seems like risky behavior). Most law firm owners begin their approach to advertising like it is a cost. That would be wrong. Thing about advertising like investing. When you put $100 dollars into the stock market, do you expect to lose it? Of course not. You expect it to give you back $110. Advertising works the same way, only on a much bigger scale. Instead of getting a 10/100 return you can get a 300/100 return, or even higher. So what makes that so difficult? We're afraid of losing what we've got. Maybe business is slow. Maybe it's really slow. And you figure having a couple bucks in the bank is better than no bucks in the bank. The solution here is two fold: First, work on creating an abundance mindset (I've got some great help for that in The Backroom!). Second, start spending a little money advertising your law firm so you can see it's not that bad. 2. EGO We've all heard in law school and out in the real world from the old folks that "lawyers don't advertise" and "you don't want to be seen as an ambulance chaser" and how you should "just work hard and the clients will come." All of this is complete bullshit, and the sooner you get over yourself and get over worrying about what other people think of you, the sooner you'll be crushing it in your market. The truth here is this: if you don't advertise, NO ONE will know you exist. The solution? First, get over yourself. Second, stop worrying about what everyone thinks and create an internal sense of self-worth. Third, decide if you'd rather be successful or have people think you're cool. 3. YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN YOUR SERVICE This is probably the most painful and the most prevalent of the hidden truths I see. When you advertise you have to tell people you are good at what you do. You have to PICK something to focus on. This creates two huge problems. First, you aren't sure WHAT it is exactly that you do. You take just about everything that comes in the door so having to commit to something seems scary (remember that scarcity mindset stuff from earlier?). Second, you aren't sure if you are good at what you do so there's no certainty there. There's no confidence. The solution here is simple. Pick something and create great systems and processes so you can deliver great service. Then give the people what they want. Hope this helps you pull the trigger on some ads. You can thank me for it later! Want an inside look at how I'm building all of these systems and website tools, including step-by-step help and LIVE weekly training and Q&A? The Backroom is here for you, and you can try it out for FREE for one week (and only pay $27/month after that). To check it out click the link - https://buildingalawfirm.com/go. Cheers. Christopher Small

It's Not Supposed to Be Easy... Systems and processes are necessary for efficiency, a consistent experience and work product, and effectiveness. But make no mistake about it, you are still going to have to will yourself to success every day. You are still going to have to push yourself to perform. You will never truly be "comfortable." So, when you find yourself struggling through the day, don't be disappointed. Rejoice in the fact that you have the guts to push through. Okay, that's it. Time to get to work. Want an inside look at how I'm building all of these systems and website tools, including step-by-step help? Lifestyle Law Firm Accelerator is here for you, and you can try it out for FREE for one week (and only pay $27/month after that). To check it out click the link - https://buildingalawfirm.com/lifestyle. Cheers. Christopher Small

5 Reasons Your Law Firm Website Sucks I have seen a lot of law firm websites in my day... And most of them suck. I thought I'd run down five reasons your law firm website sucks, and how to fix the problems, so you can get more clients, make more money, and have a better life. Here we go. 1. Your Law Firm Website Is All About You No one cares that you are aggressive or compassionate or dedicated, or that you have an LLM, graduated from Harvard, or are a member of the Rotary. Humans are selfish. People want to know what's in it for them. The sooner you stop talking about yourself and start talking about the transformation people are going to experience after they've hired you the sooner your law firm website will start crushing it for you. 2. You Hired the Wrong People to Build Your Site If you hired some law firm website company to build your site for you because they have "SEO" and any other buzzword you want to throw in there, you're not doing it right. Those companies make all of their sites look the same. They don't have a lot of functionality. They are CRAZY expensive. And you can't customize them the way you need to be able to. The solution? Pick a wordpress theme off the internet, hire someone on upwork to build your site, and crush it. 3. Your Law Firm Website Contact Page Sucks Let me guess, your contact page has some form field contact form that sends you an email with their information. Then YOU have to call them back and try to set an appointment. And no one ever responds... Why not just cut out those middle steps and let someone schedule a meeting right from your website? I use acuity scheduling, and they are amazing. People book without calling. They show up in record numbers (there are automated follow up emails and people can reschedule with the click of a button). And they sign up. Here's a link to check them out - https://buildingalawfirm.com/acuity 4. Your Law Firm Website is Stale If you want to be relevant, if you want people to like you, if you want people to like you, if you want people to sign up and pay your fees, you've got to have fresh content. Oh, and if you want that coveted "Law Firm SEO" then you'll want this too. I've talked enough about this that I don't need to go into crazy detail here, but if you're not creating content on the regular then you're just missing out on tremendous opportunity. 5. You Aren't Giving the People What They Want Think about the kind of law you practice. What is THE ONE THING that people most want to know when they come to your website? What is the BURNING QUESTION they are looking to get answered? Is your website answering that, front and center? Are you giving people an opportunity to go in depth on that question for their name and email address? If not, they you are missing out on a golden opportunity. Okay, that's it. Time to get to work. Want an inside look at how I'm building all of these systems and website tools, including step-by-step help? Lifestyle Law Firm Accelerator is here for you, and you can try it out for FREE for one week (and only pay $27/month after that). To check it out click the link - https://buildingalawfirm.com/lifestyle. Cheers. Christopher Small