Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 47 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:
This issue also contains links to every article in the May 2009 issue of Law Practice Today. Don't miss this issue or future issues.
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TechnoScore: 1.0
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score
Over the last few months I've noticed more attorneys creating frequent videos. Yet I've also noticed a recurring theme. Many lawyers (or agencies that produce the videos) feel they still need to talk about themselves to let the world know that they're available. Wrong. Don't talk about yourself. Talk about your client's fears and how you can help solve their problems.
In this week's YouLaw column, I focus on Pennsylvania attorney Edgar J. Snyder of Edgar J. Snyder & Associates, and his YouTube commercial, which offers little to nothing that would make an injured victim call this lawyer.
To begin with, it's a 15 second commercial.
Then, it screams at you.
It shows a photo of a crashed motorcycle.
It has fast-paced sound of a motorcycle racing by.
The lawyer is a forceful, fast talker.
The lawyer shows he has a Web site.
The lawyer has a slogan. "One click, that's it." What does that mean? I have no idea.
The lawyer has an 800 number.
The lawyer tells you to call him.
Here's what this lawyer's 15 second video fails to do:
Tell you why he's different than every other accident lawyer in the United States.
Explain why exactly you should call him instead of any other lawyer in the United States. All he says is "If you're an injured biker, trust Edgar J. Snyder.com." The big problem is that he doesn't tell you why you should trust him. Should I trust him because he has a slick commercial? Should I trust him because he's a lawyer? Should I trust him because he has a Web site? Should I put my faith in him because he says I should trust him? I don't understand why lawyers create these commercials.
Provide you with any useful information.
Tell you what state he practices in or even where he practices.
Tell you how he has helped other motorcycle riders.
Explain how a lawsuit for an injured motorcycle victim works.
From a video production standpoint, the lighting is good, the graphics are well done, the images are sharp and the sound is good. Attorney Snyder has multiple 15 second commercials about every type of accident claim possible on his YouTube channel. Each clip has the same basic template; he's fast, he shows you he has a Web site, he uses dramatic photos, and he uses his slogan. But he doesn't explain why they should trust him, or call him.
I don't understand how having a Web site sets this lawyer apart. Don't we all have Web sites now? How does his slogan help distinguish him from other lawyers. "One click, that quick" simply doesn't cut it. Does that mean that if you visit his Web site he will somehow magically solve your physical and financial problems?
Tip #1: Skip the Commercial
When watching a ball game or a TV show what happens during a commercial break? You channel surf, get a snack, or go to the bathroom. You would love it if there were no commercials to interrupt your viewing pleasure.
Just look at daytime TV. One lawyer commercial after another. One guy standing in front of a legal bookcase, another standing in a fancy office, another in front of an accident scene. It's all the same nonsense. "Call me because I just spent $10,000 creating a 30 second commercial which I'm going to run 5 days a week after Judge Judy and before the People's Court, for an entire month." Each commercial says the same thing. "Have You Been Injured? Then Call Me Because I Have a Commercial."
If you're creating video for YouTube, use this unique medium to its fullest extent. How? By creating a longer message that provides useful information. Don't limit yourself to 15, 30, or even 60 seconds. "Oh, but people have a limited attention span." True, but when someone searches for a lawyer online do you think they really want to watch a commercial? They want information, not a sales pitch.
Tip #2: Provide Some Information
Don't you want to tell the world how you've helped other people? Don't you want to show your viewers that you really are an attorney and not some actor playing a lawyer on TV? If so, then show them how your expertise will help solve their general legal problems.
Okay, you don't want to give away the store without a potential client walking into your office and signing a retainer agreement. That's understandable. Guess what? If you don't give a viewer some information, I guarantee they'll look elsewhere to get it.
Tip #3: Skip the Gory Photos
If you're inclined to follow the yellow pages design group that loves to insert photos of crashed cars, people falling from scaffolds, or a helicopter taking an injured victim away, ask yourself these critical questions:
How does the photo help convey your message?
Will a viewer get a warm and fuzzy feeling by viewing my gory photos?
Is the photo so unique that it will make a viewer want to immediately pick up the phone and call?
If the answers to those questions are "Yes," then by all means, leave those tragedy-induced crash scenes in your video. Otherwise, run away from them. Your injured viewer does not want to be reminded of the accident scene. They do not want to re-live the worst day of their life. They don't want to see a rescue helicopter at the scene, or flashing lights and sirens. Do you think that overturned tractor-trailer sitting on top of a crushed car will encourage a victim to relate to you?
Most injured victims who come into my office have a difficult time simply re-telling their story without stirring up unpleasant emotions. Skip the accident scene and B-roll crash photos and give your video some substance. Talk to your viewer and explain how you can help them.
Conclusion
Please, no more commercials. Improve your legal image by providing useful information. Stop screaming at your viewers and skip the gimmicky slogans.
"But my viewers remember me with my slogan and my face — I'm a celebrity!" If it really works for you and is cost effective, keep it up. However, with today's savvy Internet audience I don't think the traditional in-your-face attorney commercial works anymore. Skip the hype and give your viewer some real substance. Become the go-to guy or girl for your specialty.
Till next time, see you on video!
The Back Bench
Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "One click, that quick." Very clever — but are you calling a law firm, or a service that will then farm you to a bunch of lawyers? While I am impressed it's 15 seconds, the commercial lacked crucial information. If I didn't have access to the Internet at that time, I probably wouldn't remember the Web site and visit it later."
Lawyer, journalist, and legal media consultant Robert Ambrogi says: "One click, that quick," is the catch phrase this motorcycle-injury lawyer uses to refer viewers to his Web site. At 15 seconds, his video is true to that phrase. It goes by so rapidly, it seems like a subliminal message. Even so, he need not say anything more. We get the message. Quickly."
TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "Brevity may be the soul of wit, but it can also suggest you have little of substance to offer. A video like this one may work for a new soft drink, but not legal services."
About YouLaw
YouTube offers law firms a free advertising platform with tens of millions of potential clients. But a poor video can hurt more than help. In this column, lawyer and online video expert Gerry Oginski reviews and rates the latest law firm videos. A panel of fellow experts (The Back Bench) add to Gerry's reviews with pithy remarks. We link to each new YouLaw column and all other noteworthy law firm marketing articles in our weekly BlawgWorld newsletter, which is free. Please subscribe now.
About Gerry Oginski
New York trial lawyer Gerry Oginski has created more than 150 informational online videos for his medical malpractice and personal injury practice. Realizing that most video producers don't have a deep understanding of the practice of law and what potential clients look for, Gerry launched The Lawyers' Video Studio, which provides free tutorials and video production services. If you need help producing a video, please contact Gerry now.
Coming today to Fat Friday: Bob Walsh explains the importance of filing email by case plus he reviews FileCenter and MozyPro, Elaine Dowling describes her backup routine and how it has improved her practice, former large firm lawyer Robert Brouillette offers advice to other "large firm refugees" going out on their own, Edward Zohn reviews Western Digital enterprise-grade hard drives, and Tom Trottier shares his take on the world's first laptop. Don't miss this issue.
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Coming today to Answers to Questions: Erin Baldwin reviews Stamps.com, Richard Keyt calls for an end to the Word/WordPerfect debate and suggests more productive topics of discussion, Paul Purdue explains discusses Tabs3 for time-billing, Stephen Seldin reviews CrossEyes for revealing formatting code in Word, and Perry Bulwer reviews the Samsung SyncMaster 226BW 22' monitor and WinTV. Don't miss this issue.
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Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 53 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:
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Coming today to TechnoFeature: Lawyers who practice in buses. Law firms that offer free biscotti with your flat fee divorce. A lawyer for thugs. Has the legal profession become its own worst enemy or do these and other marketing tactics really work? In this amusing and insightful TechnoFeature, Connecticut lawyer Adrian Baron takes you on a tour of marketing absurdities as lawyers struggle to stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
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TechnoScore: 3.0
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score
Attorney Blake A. Payne of the Law Office of Blake A. Payne in Jasper, Alabama, is a sincere appearing, straightforward and down-to-earth human being. He appears natural and I can understand why someone would want to call him for their legal problem. The video has typical B-roll footage of diplomas, scenes of people walking through a law office, and nice piano music playing in the background. The sidebar describes this attorney handling everything from criminal to civil litigation.
Interestingly, the video was shot looking up toward the attorney, which I typically frown upon. However, in this video, the camera angle is not so severe as to make you feel inferior when Payne starts to talk. He describes his firm with three words "Justice, honor, and integrity." You might think this was a typical play on your emotions or your sense of justice, but as you continue to listen to the video you realize that he really is sincere.
The lighting is a little unusual, and there appears to be almost a spotlight directly on his face with much of the office background appearing dark. The video even shows him walking into his office, and with his grayish hair, easy smile and a quick wave of his hand to his office staff, you get the sense that this guy is friendly, approachable and an "aw shucks" kind of person.
This video doesn't spend any time explaining how he can help you solve your legal problem. Rather, with his smooth and affable manner he imparts a sense of trust that you could never get with a simple photograph. The video runs one minute and 18 seconds, including eight seconds showing the video equivalent of a business card — not what I would recommend to persuade a viewer to call you now.
I will say that this particular video happens to be one of the better videos that YellowPages.com has created. They typically hire a video crew to come in and take B-roll footage of your office and you, and throw those scenes into your video on a regular basis. If you look at their YouTube channel, they boast over 13,000 different videos. A quick glance at these videos reveal every business under the sun that can be included in the yellow pages directory. Unfortunately, for most lawyers who choose to use YellowPages.com to create their videos, they almost always use the same type of template for each video. That's bad when you want to stand out from the crowd. You are limited to two options: (1) a video in which you appear and discuss your firm, or (2) photos and scenes of you in your office with a narrator talking about you and your firm.
One major problem with using YellowPages.com is that they brand the video, not with your own Web site information, but rather with their own logo. That is totally annoying. To make matters even worse, your own Web site is never listed. Rather, you are taken to generic directory site. That's bad.
The inherent problem with creating videos with a directory site is that your video is indistinguishable from thousands of other firms and competitors in your area. Although the sidebar gives a brief description of the lawyer and his firm, clicking on the available link only takes you to the Yellow Pages directory. You then have to click on a separate link for the lawyer's Web site. Clicking on Payne's directory listing takes me to a basic Web site designed by — yes, you guessed it — the same folks who presumably create the yellow pages ads. The sidebar doesn't even have a direct phone number for the lawyer.
Just as with yellow pages advertising in which the marketing rep basically hands you off to some generic design team to create your yellow pages ad, the same holds true for these video productions. Unless your demeanor and presentation is so distinct, as here with Mr. Payne, you need to have your own individual video to set you apart from all of your competitors. I would strongly advise staying away from the videos that are narrated which are nothing more than slideshows or extended commercials.
In most all YellowPages.com attorney videos, the attorneys are left to talk about themselves throughout the entire video. None of the videos that I have seen through this company provide a viewer with information about how you can help them solve their problems. These are not educational videos. Rather, these videos appear to be nothing more than an extension of traditional advertising by saying "Call me because I created this video." Not exactly a compelling reason to pick up the phone and call you.
Also, I have yet to see this production company create series of videos for each of their clients and customers so that someone interested in a particular lawyer can gain a better understanding of how their experiences can help you as a potential client. A one minute video talking about yourself simply provides a Web site viewer with no information with which to make an intelligent decision about whether to pick up the phone and call you. Alabama lawyer Payne appears to rise above this restrictive format.
Tip #1: To Be Different, Be Yourself
Stay away from generic formulas. Many times the key to persuading a viewer to call you is precisely because you don't fit into the typical mold. Remember, you want to stand out from the crowd. If you want to use YellowPages.com because they're simple, easy to use, and your single one minute video is included with your listing fee in a useless directory, feel free to use them at your peril. Just don't be upset if you don't get many calls.
Tip #2: Enough About "Me, Me, Me!"
Stop talking about yourself! Instead talk about the topics that people care about. Stop talking about things you want to tell people. Most companies like YellowPages.com fail to recognize this distinction. These marketing reps are not lawyers who work in the trenches each day. They don't have an insider's view of what a potential client looks for in an attorney. Rather, this way of thinking is the traditional yellow pages mindset that has forced thousands and thousands of lawyers to part with millions of their hard earned dollars and see very little result.
Tip #3: Do the Opposite of What Everyone Else Does
If you want to learn how to stand out from the crowd, stop doing what everybody else is doing! Take a look at the videos online for the specific keywords in your geographic area by going to YouTube and searching for attorneys in your specific area of law in your State. Watch those videos. See if you can pick up a common theme in the good videos. Look critically at how the video was made, and also at the content. Then, when you have identified a few attorneys whose videos you really like, pick up the phone to call them and ask them what video company they used to create their videos.
Don't be surprised to learn that some of these lawyers don't use any video company at all. Instead, like me, they have learned how to create video on their own and provide an educational message to help prospective viewers get to know them and begin to trust them before they ever walk into their office.
Tip #4: Beware of Marketing Vultures
Don't let the video marketing vultures steal your hard-earned dollars by promising the moon and taking your $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 or more to create four or five short video clips. There are better ways to get this done while still continuing to maintain quality, integrity, and your ethics. If you find an attorney whose videos you like, you might suggest asking the attorney to videotape you on a monthly basis — for a fee of course.
Conclusion
Attorney Payne rises above the typical format used because of who he is and how he presents himself. Most attorneys cannot do this and will fall into the bottomless pit of Internet ether. Set yourself apart by creating a unique, individual video that answers questions. Don't talk about yourself, as so many lawyers try to do.
Finally, tell your yellow pages marketing rep to get their logo and name off your video. Do you really want to provide them with free advertising? The goal of your video is to show who you are, and to educate. Putting your marketing company boldly in your video, on your video, and in the sidebar does nothing to help you market yourself.
Till next time, see you on video!
The Back Bench
Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "I give Blake a B- on the video. Although it wasn't terribly done, the video didn't do well to promote him. He admits to being a "general" practice lawyer, which means the video doesn't target anyone. In addition, there is a glaringly annoying YellowPages.com logo at the bottom the entire time, which is somewhat synomomous with "cheesy marketing"."
Lawyer, journalist, and legal media consultant Robert Ambrogi says: "This video projects Blake Payne as the Mister Rogers of the legal profession — soft-spoken and sincere. This video is quite effective in portraying Payne as someone you can trust in a time of need. When he says he is guided by principles of "justice, honor and integrity," you can't help but believe him. The visuals and transitions are all nicely done. My one gripe would be the YellowPages.com text that stays on the screen throughout the video — it cheapens an otherwise solid effort."
TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "Nice job Blake. You're a YouTube natural. But next time pay a little more so that you can eliminate the YellowPages.com logo from your video. Also, it's 2009 — your Web site should reside at your own domain name."
About YouLaw
YouTube offers law firms a free advertising platform with tens of millions of potential clients. But a poor video can hurt more than help. In this column, lawyer and online video expert Gerry Oginski reviews and rates the latest law firm videos. A panel of fellow experts (The Back Bench) add to Gerry's reviews with pithy remarks. We link to each new YouLaw column and all other noteworthy law firm marketing articles in our weekly BlawgWorld newsletter, which is free. Please subscribe now.
About Gerry Oginski
New York trial lawyer Gerry Oginski has created more than 150 informational online videos for his medical malpractice and personal injury practice. Realizing that most video producers don't have a deep understanding of the practice of law and what potential clients look for, Gerry launched The Lawyers' Video Studio, which provides free tutorials and video production services. If you need help producing a video, please contact Gerry now.
Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 53 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:
This issue also contains links to every article in the May 2009 issue of Law Technology News. Don't miss this issue or future issues.
How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. To stay on top of all the noteworthy articles published in blogs and other online publications you could either hire a research assistant or simply subscribe to BlawgWorld. The BlawgWorld newsletter has received rave reviews and is free. Please subscribe now.
Coming today to Fat Friday: Philip Franckel shares his backup routine and explains how to backup using batch files, Mazyar Hedayat responds to criticism of his recent Perils of Solo Practice SmallLaw column, Andrew Weltcheck reviews LogMeIn Pro's file sharing feature, Steven Basche reviews Drop.io for online file sharing, and Christopher Mitchell shares how his firm created a successful Web site without spending any money. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Fat Friday
Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 48 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:
This issue also contains links to every article in the April 2009 issue of Law Practice. Don't miss this issue or future issues.
How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. To stay on top of all the noteworthy articles published in blogs and other online publications you could either hire a research assistant or simply subscribe to BlawgWorld. The BlawgWorld newsletter has received rave reviews and is free. Please subscribe now.
