Digg it UP - You Are The Tea: The Crucial Role Of Image In Law Firm Marketing

I’m fairly certain no one has ever asked you to do so before, but bear with me.

You are a pile of tea. Not a big pile. A few ounces.

And, truth be told, you aren’t much different than any other pile of tea. You might be a slightly different flavor. You might be decaffeinated. And, while tea connoisseurs might disagree, to almost everyone else, let’s face it, tea is tea.

Now, here’s your choice: You can put yourself in a generic box with the local supermarket chain’s logo on it and sell on aisle 14 for $1.99, or you can pack yourself into a fancy white box decorated with Japanese higura characters with delicate cranes and bonsai trees, call yourself Tazo, and sell at Starbucks for $4.99.

It’s up to you.

As a law firm marketer, you’re in a worse position than the tea in this analogy. At least tea has a tangible physical reality. What you are selling — a service — is invisible.

As best-selling author and marketing expert Harry Beckwith emphasizes in his book, The Invisible Touch: “Products are made; services are delivered. Products are used; services are experienced. Products possess physical characteristics that we can evaluate before we buy; services do not even exist before we buy them. We request them, often paying in advance. Then we receive them.”

That’s why image marketing — packaging — is important for products, and even more important for services. This is a truth that can be difficult to accept, but one you ignore at your peril. The buying process is an emotional process.

In marketing, packaging is more important than quality. Perhaps this is not such a difficult concept to comprehend, and yet attorneys often balk at the idea. It’s easy to understand why. They work hard to develop expertise in their given field. They’ve gone to expensive schools to garner prestigious credentials. They are experts.

Attorneys often operate under the mistaken assumption that potential clients will see or hear about the attorney’s wonderful process and methods, great experience and tremendous education. They expect potential clients to rationally evaluate all this and choose the correct attorney to be the steward of their fortune.

Often the selection of an attorney comes down to something more simple: whether or not the prospect likes your tie.

I’m not saying that the quality of work or service is unimportant. I’m not suggesting that style is more important than substance. I’m not asking anyone to be fake, or insincere, or flashy.

What I am saying is that people are attracted to (and buy on the basis of) surfaces. Common sense will tell you this is true. There are all kinds of studies to show that the number one factor in used car sales is the cosmetic appearance of the car, not the mechanical condition. People who want to sell their homes create “curb appeal” by landscaping attractively, or spending extra money on doors and driveways. People who really, really want to sell their homes light candles inside, play wonderful music, buy some fragrant potpourri and have plenty of fresh cut flowers on display.

We live through our senses. We make initial judgments based on surface impressions. We have no choice. We are not blessed with X-ray vision. As with most facts of reality, those who choose to battle this phenomenon will lose. Those who use it to their advantage will win.

Again, I’m not advocating that firms or attorneys be deceitful. I’m not advocating that you present yourself as something you are not. I urge you, in Beckwith’s words, to “look as great as you are.”

Remember, we’re speaking here of the buying process only — not fulfillment, not client retention.

Most of us believe that our success ultimately will be determined by old-fashioned virtues: How hard we work; how effective our process; how great our knowledge; how special our service; and how inviolate our integrity. And when it comes to keeping clients, these qualities are crucial.

As a law firm marketer, you’re in a worse position than the tea in this analogy. At least tea has a tangible physical reality. What you are selling — a service — is invisible.

As best-selling author and marketing expert Harry Beckwith emphasizes in his book, The Invisible Touch: “Products are made; services are delivered. Products are used; services are experienced. Products possess physical characteristics that we can evaluate before we buy; services do not even exist before we buy them. We request them, often paying in advance. Then we receive them.”

That’s why image marketing — packaging — is important for products, and even more important for services. This is a truth that can be difficult to accept, but one you ignore at your peril. The buying process is an emotional process.

In marketing, packaging is more important than quality. Perhaps this is not such a difficult concept to comprehend, and yet attorneys often balk at the idea. It’s easy to understand why. They work hard to develop expertise in their given field. They’ve gone to expensive schools to garner prestigious credentials. They are experts.

Attorneys often operate under the mistaken assumption that potential clients will see or hear about the attorney’s wonderful process and methods, great experience and tremendous education. They expect potential clients to rationally evaluate all this and choose the correct attorney to be the steward of their fortune.

Often the selection of an attorney comes down to something more simple: whether or not the prospect likes your tie.

I’m not saying that the quality of work or service is unimportant. I’m not suggesting that style is more important than substance. I’m not asking anyone to be fake, or insincere, or flashy.

What I am saying is that people are attracted to (and buy on the basis of) surfaces. Common sense will tell you this is true. There are all kinds of studies to show that the number one factor in used car sales is the cosmetic appearance of the car, not the mechanical condition. People who want to sell their homes create “curb appeal” by landscaping attractively, or spending extra money on doors and driveways. People who really, really want to sell their homes light candles inside, play wonderful music, buy some fragrant potpourri and have plenty of fresh cut flowers on display.

We live through our senses. We make initial judgments based on surface impressions. We have no choice. We are not blessed with X-ray vision. As with most facts of reality, those who choose to battle this phenomenon will lose. Those who use it to their advantage will win.

Again, I’m not advocating that firms or attorneys be deceitful. I’m not advocating that you present yourself as something you are not. I urge you, in Beckwith’s words, to “look as great as you are.”

Remember, we’re speaking here of the buying process only — not fulfillment, not client retention.

Most of us believe that our success ultimately will be determined by old-fashioned virtues: How hard we work; how effective our process; how great our knowledge; how special our service; and how inviolate our integrity. And when it comes to keeping clients, these qualities are crucial. Legal Secretary
According to a recent article at a top web site for employment searches in reference to legal secretary work, job growth for legal secretaries will grow at an average rate and many positions will be available as many experienced workers either retire or transfer to other occupations. This is of course is good news to you if you are interested in becoming a legal secretary.If you are new to this field and you want to be successful without wasting a lot of money as with anything you should do your research and find out as much information as you can before spending a lot of money or going to a school. Just because you go to a school this does not mean that yo>

In marketing, packaging is more important than quality. Perhaps this is not such a difficult concept to comprehend, and yet attorneys often balk at the idea. It’s easy to understand why. They work hard to develop expertise in their given field. They’ve gone to expensive schools to garner prestigious credentials. They are experts.

Attorneys often operate under the mistaken assumption that potential clients will see or hear about the attorney’s wonderful process and methods, great experience and tremendous education. They expect potential clients to rationally evaluate all this and choose the correct attorney to be the steward of their fortune.

Often the selection of an attorney comes down to something more simple: whether or not the prospect likes your tie.

I’m not saying that the quality of work or service is unimportant. I’m not suggesting that style is more important than substance. I’m not asking anyone to be fake, or insincere, or flashy.

What I am saying is that people are attracted to (and buy on the basis of) surfaces. Common sense will tell you this is true. There are all kinds of studies to show that the number one factor in used car sales is the cosmetic appearance of the car, not the mechanical condition. People who want to sell their homes create “curb appeal” by landscaping attractively, or spending extra money on doors and driveways. People who really, really want to sell their homes light candles inside, play wonderful music, buy some fragrant potpourri and have plenty of fresh cut flowers on display.

We live through our senses. We make initial judgments based on surface impressions. We have no choice. We are not blessed with X-ray vision. As with most facts of reality, those who choose to battle this phenomenon will lose. Those who use it to their advantage will win.

Again, I’m not advocating that firms or attorneys be deceitful. I’m not advocating that you present yourself as something you are not. I urge you, in Beckwith’s words, to “look as great as you are.”

Remember, we’re speaking here of the buying process only — not fulfillment, not client retention.

Most of us believe that our success ultimately will be determined by old-fashioned virtues: How hard we work; how effective our process; how great our knowledge; how special our service; and how inviolate our integrity. And when it comes to keeping clients, these qualities are crucial. Thomas Edison And Invention Process
IntroductionVery often people are curious as to whether there is a certain methodology that successful inventors are following that can be adopted by others. In my opinion, one should look no further then Thomas Edison, one of the greatest minds of the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries; inventor who gave the world a long-lasting light bulb and phonograph – just a few inventions that revolutionized and modernized our world. In fact, Edison patented 1,093 Inventions in US alone, not counting numerous patents obtained in European countries like Germany, France and England.Edison And His MethodologySo, what methodology did Thomas Edison follow whity of work or service is unimportant. I’m not suggesting that style is more important than substance. I’m not asking anyone to be fake, or insincere, or flashy.

What I am saying is that people are attracted to (and buy on the basis of) surfaces. Common sense will tell you this is true. There are all kinds of studies to show that the number one factor in used car sales is the cosmetic appearance of the car, not the mechanical condition. People who want to sell their homes create “curb appeal” by landscaping attractively, or spending extra money on doors and driveways. People who really, really want to sell their homes light candles inside, play wonderful music, buy some fragrant potpourri and have plenty of fresh cut flowers on display.

We live through our senses. We make initial judgments based on surface impressions. We have no choice. We are not blessed with X-ray vision. As with most facts of reality, those who choose to battle this phenomenon will lose. Those who use it to their advantage will win.

Again, I’m not advocating that firms or attorneys be deceitful. I’m not advocating that you present yourself as something you are not. I urge you, in Beckwith’s words, to “look as great as you are.”

Remember, we’re speaking here of the buying process only — not fulfillment, not client retention.

Most of us believe that our success ultimately will be determined by old-fashioned virtues: How hard we work; how effective our process; how great our knowledge; how special our service; and how inviolate our integrity. And when it comes to keeping clients, these qualities are crucial. You're Killing Your Own Business
There is one thing that will absolutely kill the growth of most businesses at one point or another. Although it is intended to make sure that you are properly prepared for the journey ahead, it often stunts the growth of your business.The funny thing about this is that every business class I've ever taken during my coursework absolutely glorifies the importance of this one factor. The factor that I am speaking of is "planning". Although, a theoretically sound plan is helpful in attaining your business goals, it's frequently a stumbling block for growth. Why? You ask....

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