Private Practice Pointers Inaugural Edition

During the great resignation in 2022, one-third of lawyers left their corporate jobs to start their businesses.

During the course of a professional's career, 55% will become entrepreneurs.

Perhaps you are one of them.

They discovered that earning a professional degree did little to prepare them for operating a successful business.?

They needed to know business planning, operations, marketing, and sales.

This newsletter provides useful information and practical advice on establishing a viable and lucrative practice.

Its focus is holistic because you desire to create a lifestyle business, one that allows you to enjoy a good living and make a good life.

It features articles from experts in diverse fields.

Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter. Make it yours.

We welcome your feedback. and contributions.

To your business success,

Nancy Zare, Ph.D. Editor and Publisher

The Hidden Power of Keywords: Mastering SEO for Law Firms

“Where is the best place to hide a dead body? On page 2 of a Google search!”

The best humor has a grain of truth in it, right?

Studies show that the top three results in Google take up more than half of the traffic and clicks a term receives.?

Generous estimates state that the second page of Google receives only 25% of the traffic for that search term.

When I was thinking about that joke, it occurred to me how easy it is to never be seen by the clients and cases you want without the right keywords. And that means including more than just targeted keywords like “how to hide a dead body” in your copy.

Studies show that Google pays attention to semantic keywords as well as your target keywords. These semantic keywords are conceptually, but not directly, tied to the search term, adding relevance to the page.

Let’s say you’re trying to rank a car accident law firm practice area website page, while you may be trying to rank the keywords “car accident lawyer,” other related words can help, like:

• Insurance coverage
• Drivers
• Roads

That’s because Google cares about more than the target keywords.

Google wants to see that your page is relevant, clear, and contains information with depth and purpose.?

With semantic keywords throughout your copy, you’re telling Google, “This is what my page is about, and this is the topic I want to rank for.”

By adding semantic keywords to your copy, you might find your copy sounding more like how you speak.

Here’s another example, staying with our jokes theme. For a law firm’s wrongful death website page, including the phrase “wrongful death” so many times does not tell Google much about what your firm does.?

Terms like “surviving spouse” and “executor of the estate” paint a broader picture.

Ending on a lighter note, this isn’t just about avoiding Google’s page two—it’s about ensuring your next client finds you where people look, on page one.?

So, give your website copy a quick once-over. A dash of semantic keywords might be all it takes to leap from hidden to highlighted.

Marc Apple Forward Push – Marketing &? Advertising law.forwardpush.com

Marc's journey from drumming alongside a teacher who once instructed Bruce Springsteen's drummer to becoming a marketing mastermind?underscores his unique blend of creativity and strategy. Specializing in legal marketing and advertising, Marc's approach secures more phone calls and larger cases. In search of transformative growth? Marc is the conductor behind the scenes, turning ambitions into achievements.

Building Authentic Relationships on LinkedIn Using DMs

LinkedIn, known as the “professional social networking platform” has 1 billion members.?

It is prime real estate for you and your business to cultivate genuine relationships that can lead to collaborations, opportunities, and partnerships.

The key is to move beyond the initial connection request by creating authentic, personalized, and nurturing engagement.

Personalized Messaging is Key

First impressions matter! Avoid the temptation of sending generic templated messages or automated messages. I must use the old adage here, “Quality is better than quantity.”

As a Lead Generation Specialist, I am often told, “But your clients need to increase their number of contacts, otherwise they are speaking to an empty room.”?

Or “It’s a numbers game. You have to connect to as many people as you can so they can get leads.”?

In my years of experience, I can say, this is absolutely not true.?

Personalized, non-templated messages have a much higher success rate of building engaging connections.

You have 3 seconds to create that new relationship.

Make your first DM about them.?

People want to know “what’s in it for them”.

With 60 million businesses on LinkedIn, many people are suspicious you are going to pounce on them, to sell your product or service, and think that may be why you are connecting with them on LinkedIn.

It is so important to make your first engagement with them meaningful, about them and engaging.

Engaging Meaningfully

Take the time to get to “know” your connection. Have a conversation about their interests that are similar to yours.

Or use this opportunity to learn something new. Ask questions.

This is a great opportunity to determine if you are going to “like” each other. The more conversations you have the more likely they will begin to “trust” you.

Check out their posts, comment on them, and read what they have on their features section. Be relevant and engaging.

By following their post, you may find out if you “need” them or if they “need” you. Or maybe you know someone who can be of assistance to them.

There are so many opportunities as you are nurturing this relationship.

Keep Your Communication Authentic, Concise and Professional

Keep your messages short but approach each interaction with a genuine curiosity to learn more about your new connection and their experiences.

Write your DM as if you are talking to the person in person. Avoid scripted or robotic language.

Follow up with your new connection and take time to build rapport.

Having said that, if they haven’t responded immediately to your messages, don’t bombard them with multiple DMs or follow up excessively. Be respectful of their boundaries and be patient in waiting for their responses.

Keep in mind, that the goal isn’t to just collect connections. DMs are your stepping stone to create curiosity, establish rapport, and cultivate a network of valuable relationships.

How Artificial Intelligence is Impacting Professional Service Firms

Harnessing AI in Your Legal Practice: A World of Possibilities

In the wise words of Archimedes, "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

Today, in our quest to revolutionize the solo legal practice, that lever is artificial intelligence (AI), and the fulcrum? ChatGPT.

Imagine being able to delegate your most time-consuming tasks to a trusted assistant, one that never tires, works 24/7, and constantly evolves to serve you better.

This is not the stuff of science fiction; it's the reality AI, especially ChatGPT, offers to the legal profession.

Now, I know what you are thinking. With all the talk about AI, there is that lingering joke in the back of our minds:

Everyone is worried AI will either end the world or enslave humanity.

“But here I am, just hoping it can help me draft documents without typos!"

Indeed, the discussions around AI often veer to the extremes, but the practical reality is much more mundane and incredibly useful.

ChatGPT is here not to take over but to take on the load—helping you manage emails, draft documents, schedule appointments, and even assist in research, giving you the much-needed lever to lift your practice to new heights.

By integrating AI tools like ChatGPT into your professional practice, you are not just keeping up with the times; you are propelling yourself ahead.

You are making a statement that your practice is innovative, efficient, and, above all, client-focused.

This digital assistant doesn't replace the personal touch you bring to your practice

Instead, it amplifies your ability to deliver that personalization on a scale previously unimaginable.

In the spirit of Archimedes, let's leverage the power of AI to not just move the world, but to reshape our corner of it.

With ChatGPT as our fulcrum, the possibilities are endless. The world of professional practices is ripe for transformation, and the time to embrace that change is now.

BarKey In Motion

Crafting “BarKey Motion” was a delight, using repetition and subtle shifts to breathe new life into each piece. It’s intriguing to see the varied interpretations—like a baseball player mid-swing, a woman draped in a robe, or two figures locked in an argument. These diverse views remind us of the power of perspective in our daily lives. What do you see in the artwork? What does it evoke for you? Isn’t it fascinating how art mirrors life?

I’m Hunter Mestman, the artist behind Generation Drop. I thrive on creativity, transforming vibrant emotions and thoughts onto aluminum canvases. The real reward for me? The smiles and joy each artwork brings to those who experience it. Join me and let’s spread positivity through every colorful piece!