This is the Jaffe's Marketing Tips RSS http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/rss.php With economic questions and worries monopolizing the talk by the water cooler and on the Web, there is a need for experts of all stripes to help explain, predict, navigate and connect people to each other to help them solve their problems.  Thought leaders come from all backgrounds – from the solo practitioner just getting started, to the practice head at a mid-sized firm, to the associate in a global firm. Consider the opinions you can add to the discussion.  Your insight could be helpful to reporters at print outlets, to conference organizers, and to editors looking for bylined articles.  Think about the advice you are currently giving your clients, or the new matters that you have – can you share your expertise on these issues?  Of course you can.   Get started by jotting them down.  Then find the outlets that reach your target audience of purchasers as well as referral sources.  Start making contacts, and build up your reputation as an advisor during these volatile economic times. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=439 December 17, 2008 The arrest and indictment of Illinois Governor and former prosecutor Rod Blagojevich prompts an important question: when an attorney within your firm is on the wrong side of the law, what should you do to help mitigate the damage? It is an important question and, unfortunately, an increasingly common dilemma.     First and foremost in any crisis situation, make obtaining the facts your number one priority. Speaking out of turn or caving to pressure from media to provide information you don’t have will not only be a disservice to your firm, but can ruin your own credibility with the media. Our own crisis advisors know the importance of preparing messages and statements as needed, and being entirely prepared for any question or event.  Communicate fully with the key inner circle of decision-makers at your firm and quickly decide who you want to speak on behalf on the firm. Once a unified message is agreed upon and a statement is drafted, be sure the message is disseminated from a single spokesperson, and that the firm’s internal media policy makes this selection clear.  These classic 2.0 tools are critical for managing the crisis.    http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=438 December 12, 2008 Taglines offer insight to your firm’s philosophy and services, and help educate and reinforce the potential client about the firm.  We all remember, “Coke – It’s the Real Thing” and “Just do it” from the corporate world.  Lawyers may remember Howrey’s tagline of “In Court Everyday” which created buzz for that firm.   Printed and online information use taglines to create a relationship, and the memorable taglines wind up in buyers’ daily vocabulary. So, as you consider a tagline, think about how it can communicate information about your firm; then tie it into the firm’s logo by reviewing the font, color, placement, and styling. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=437 December 10, 2008 While no one denies the reliance on email for communication, the telephone will always be used, and so it makes sense to pay attention to your voice mail message and to anything a caller might hear when put on hold.  Call your direct line and listen to your message.  If a client or prospect was calling, would your outgoing message provide sufficient information about your availability?  Do you give the firm's name?  Have you stated an alternate point of contact if you’re unavailable for a period of time?  Is your tone friendly and professional?  Is your voice clear and precise?  Your message is  an important point of contact for your clients, so give it some thought!  Likewise, pay attention to what a caller hears when put on hold at your firm.  If you aren't comfortable with what you hear, most likely your prospects and clients won't like it much either.  These are all easy changes to make, and they all impact your overall marketing and branding efforts. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=436 December 2, 2008 It is important to remember that first impressions are everything, even in written communications.  When writing a marketing letter, the over-arching goal is to make a lasting impression.  The reader will immediately react to the visual and physical presentation of your letter. Make sure what you send stands out and is appropriate for your audience.  Be professional and get to the point right away. Now, exactly what should you say? Check back next week, when we'll offer some hints on composing your marketing letter. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=435 December 1, 2008 While TV shows and movies make us think that conversations with reporters can be confidential, the reality is there is no such thing as an 'off the record' conversation with a reporter. Further, 'on background' and 'for information only' have different meanings to different reporters. Before any interview, make sure you are well-prepared with the appropriate messages so you don't have to worry whether or not you are quoted. Once you establish a relationship with a reporter, you may find that 'on background' or 'off the record' interviews are possible, but only after a mutual level of trust is developed. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=434 November 24, 2008 The number one complaint we hear from the lawyers we work with about marketing is "I just don't have the time". We understand and sympathize, but there are solutions--there are ways to add a 25th, 26th, and 27th hour to the day and reduce the cost of your marketing efforts. As with most "too good to be true" ideas, this one requires some initial planning, coordination, and creativity, but the pay off is significant. To motivate you to take this first step, answer the following questions: What is your hourly rate? How many hours a year do you spend researching prospects? Responding to proposals? Developing presentations? Writing articles? Searching for marketing collateral and brochure material on your firm? When you add it all up, working with non-lawyer professionals to facilitate marketing efforts is an obvious solution. Task your in-house support staff with developing a centralized marketing database and ask for an index. Go ahead and set a two month deadline, hire consultants and temporaries--in relative terms, the overtime "expense" will save you money. Utilize internal and external non-lawyer professionals to write articles for you, to draft presentations, and to draft RFP responses. A small investment of time on your part to retain and brief an individual with the type and level of expertise required by the project will pay off ten-fold. Remain aware of any opportunity to leverage marketing tasks. After all, you really do not have the time not to. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=433 November 17, 2008 The quickest and easiest way to gain favor with a reporter is to return their call promptly. Reporters from daily and online publications need to reach you within minutes or hours, not days, and they usually include whatever source is made available first. Before you speak with them, prepare your key "message points" - the one to five points you want to convey. If you go beyond your key message points, you lose control of the interview and the reporter will not know which messages you want to get across. Even if you don't want to speak with the reporter, you should still return their call. Cordially explain why you can’t discuss the matter, and avoid the "no comment” response, which makes you appear uncooperative and seldom positions you in a flattering way. There are many ways of minimizing the information you provide without jeopardizing your position. Always remember, if you are not giving your side of the story, the opposition will give theirs and it will become their story. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=432 November 10, 2008 When the local legal trade is on the phone demanding a comment regarding a recent round of firm layoffs, you’re pretty much beyond the point where a media policy would have been helpful.  You must put a policy in place before trouble happens.  This is not only helpful in times of crisis, but for those routine media calls that come into the firm and may or may not get passed through to the right person.  An effective media policy should clearly spell out the individuals responsible for taking calls from the media, how to secure proper clearances before doing interviews, and general procedures for dealing with the press. At a minimum, media requests– both positive and negative – should immediately be brought to the attention of the firm’s internal communications people, as well as any outside PR counsel the firm may use.  Having a policy in place will go a long way to avoiding surprises when you open the morning paper. For more information contact Kevin Aschenbrenner at aschenbrennerk@jaffeassociates.com or (250) 294-8431. http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=431 September 22, 2008 Being misquoted by the media can and does happen, but there are steps you can take to prevent it. Before doing an interview, be sure of the key messages you want to deliver to the reporter, and keep your comments focused primarily on those messages. During the interview, focus on the language you are using and how you are saying things. Remember that a reporter can quote any part of what you say, so be sure to stay "on message." Be wary of making casual comments either before or after what you think is the "official" interview. There is no such thing as "off-the-record" so whatever you tell the reporter is fair game. If it's important that a quote be written a certain way, emphasize the wording with the reporter. Finally, it is permissible to ask the reporter to read back to you what he or she thinks will be used as your quote, or ask to see the quotes that the reporter will use in context. Some reporters may refuse, but many will do it if you ask. For more information contact Jason Milch at milchj@jaffeassociates.com or (312) 846-9647.  http://jaffeassociates.com/pages/tips/view.php?tip_id=430 September 15, 2008