I'm writing this a week or so after we've been to the Law London 2008 exhibition at Olympia. We had an exhibition stand for the first time, as well as our usual couple of speaking slots. This year we spoke on two new topics, and the links below will allow you to download a copy of the presentation (no registration required) :-

• Effective Email Marketing For Law Firms
• Optimisation - Websites For Law firms

You might also want to have a look at our funky new website with our new shiny, orange brand!! All feedback gratefully received.

I hope you enjoy this issue's selection of articles. If there are any topics you would like to see more of, please do let me know.

Regs….David.
0117 325 0200

In this issue:

• Marketing Mistakes
• FREE Legal Marketing Magazine
• Great Video from the US Legal Marketing Association
• The Importance of Fresh Content on your Website
• Internet Newsletter for Lawyers
• People & Bios on Websites
• Conscious on The Road
• The Funky Office to End all Funky Offices
• The Fun Bit at the End - Musicovery?

Marketing Mistakes!

Ever made one? We did, last week and I just have to 'fess up to it. When I say "we" that's the "royal we", not me personally!!! We sent out a batch of marketing letters advertising our tips booklets to around 40 firms. Stupidly, they got dropped in the post box without any stamps on them!!! Doh! We've had two letters of complaint so far, one really funny bearing in mind the title of the letter we sent. Have a look here (name of the firm removed deliberately). Our title was "34 Common Mistakes Law Firms Make With Their Website"…..you HAVE to

FREE Legal Marketing Magazine

I have 50 free copies of the latest issue of Legal Marketing, the magazine from ARK Group (full subscription price is £425 p.a.). This issue has a range of articles on marketing to prospects, pitching, surviving the economic downturn amongst others.

You can view the online version of the magazine at http://www.legalmarketingmag.com

The first 50 emails I get will be sent one of the free copies."

Great Video from the US Legal Marketing Association

And it's for all you legal marketing people out there. View it here

I know, I usually save things like funny videos for the "Funny Bit at the End" of this newsletter, but this one is sooooo good, I want everyone to watch it. It was made by the US Legal Marketing Association

The Importance of Fresh Content on your Website

I've made this comment before but it's worth repeating again. It's vital that information on your website is kept up to date. There's nothing worse than landing on someone's home page where the "Latest News" block is telling you about something that happened in 2007!

A month or so ago when there was that flurry of news regarding data loss by HMRC and others, we provided clients with "tips booklet PDF" with 80 tips for their clients to use to protect themselves from identity theft. Now, whilst not a massive revenue generator, when combined with a news story on the subject, yet again proved to their website visitors that as a firm, they are bang up to date with what's going on.

Also, at 10pm on Wednesday evening we updated all our clients' sites with a budget update.

Internet Newsletter for Lawyers

http://www.infolaw.co.uk
Their continued production of the "Internet Newsletter for Lawyers & Law 2.0" is a great publication that I think everyone should read. Also, it's only £60 per year!

It's not very often I just give a shameless plug to something, but today I am. Recently Delia Venables joined forces with Nick Holmes of InfoLaw

People & Bios on Websites

I'm actually writing this article on the stand at Law London as someone has just come up to me questioning why we make such a big deal about putting staff photos and bios on a firm's website. The person in question just told me that someone else in one of the CPD seminars said "That's not what people want to read about on a law firm's website." My answer was very Gilroyesque i.e. blunt and to the point and can't be repeated here in case it gets filtered out!!

But here's the real reason. Of the 100+ websites we run for law firms, the "people" pages are the most highly visited pages after the home page. So forgive me for being direct, but the other person is just plain wrong!!! Legal services is a "people business" and as such people want to read about people i.e. the person who is going to be delivering the service to them. It's as simple as that.

Conscious on The Road

We're out and about a fair bit over the next couple of months. You'll find us at the following :-

• 31-Mar - Norfolk and Norwich Law Society - CPD Session on Email Newsletters
• 9-Apr - Manchester Law Society - CPD Session on Email Newsletters
• 15-Apr - Bristol Sole Practitioners Group - Websites for Sole Practitioners
• 16-Apr - Internet World 2008 - Earl's Court, London

Feel free to come and see us, or if you'd like a speaker for an event at your firm or local law society, please do let me know.

The Funky Office to End all Funky Offices

Have you seen what it's like in the Google office in Geneva. Just take a look and imagine this in your law firm!!

The Fun Bit at the End - Musicovery?

If you like discovering new music, you will love this. http://www.musicovery.com In my opinion, this is one of the best ever uses of the internet!