Some people always know exactly what to say. When words fail the rest of us, these people deliver the smooth segue, the clever comeback, the perfect parting shot. How do they do it so effortlessly? Maybe they've taken a page from Patrick Alain's "The Manager's Phrase Book."

When it comes to choosing a website or blog domain name for a law practice, context is everything. Recently I had a conversation with a local commercial real estate agent after he went shopping for a website domain name. I literally LOL'ed and almost spit coffee when he told me having the word "escort" in the .com of his chosen URL was "a great find." (He was so happy—he was thinking police escort.) I hated having to let him know his investment in that domain was for naught. ... READ MORE

In an interview earlier this year, Laurel Bellows, managing partner of her Chicago business and employment law firm and current president of the American Bar Association, was asked, “How do you do it? How do you do work-life balance and is it really achievable?” Her response, particularly once it was reported in the ABA Journal, garnered some highly opinionated […]

In the midst of a recent conversation about how to leverage Evernote to become more productive, I was asked a simple yet thought-provoking question: "Daniel, how do you define productivity?" My definition may be a bit nonconformist, but here it is: Being productive means getting things done so that you can spend more time with those you care about, and less time in the office. Period.

Years ago, in a remarkably successful marketing move, a designer specializing in logos, letterheads and the like came up with the concept of "corporate image." A brilliant concept, but more mirage than image. Now one of the most successful marketing operations, his company has managed to persuade clients that corporate image (or law firm image) is the key to success. ... READ MORE

With the Third Annual Super Marketing Conference in Boston mere weeks away, LOMAP's Jared Correia has lawyer marketing on the brain. The day-long conference is live at Suffolk University School of Law—and via webcast—May 16, but today the musically-minded practice advisor is sharing a preview of his marketing tips playlist—inspired by famous Jacksons. So, what do five famous Jacksons have to say about your law firm marketing? Glad you asked ... READ MORE

Last year I went to a reunion of sorts with a couple dozen former colleagues from my college newspaper. Itinerant profession that it is, journalism had scattered us across the country into a broad range of media industry jobs. Over the years I kept in touch with a few of my closer friends, and followed others’ bylines, but had lost touch with most of my former peers. A funny thing happened as these familiar faces gathered at our old post-deadline watering hole: I immediately struck up long conversations with a couple of reporters that I didn’t know particularly well. There were many closer friends and acquaintances in the room, but I found myself strangely at ease with these guys I hadn’t seen since I pulled up stakes for Chicago and my first legal magazine job in 1996. Then it struck me why that was: The power of video. ...READ MORE

Everybody knows more consumers are going online when searching for legal services. It follows that a good way to reach new clients is by showing up in their online searches—and it's particularly important to be in the top on the search engine results page, or SERP, on the likes of Google, Yahoo and Bing. A child custody attorney in Oxford, Ohio? Then you want your law firm to show up—right on top—when somebody types "child custody oxford ohio." Your strategy needs to include both paid search and organic results, so consumers can easily find you. Here are some ideas for how to make that happen. READ MORE

Future of lawyers: Five big ideas from Suffolk Law Institute. With Professor Andrew Perlman at the helm, Suffolk University Law School in Boston recently created the Institute on Law Practice Technology & Innovation. Its purpose: To “study how technology is revolutionizing the practice of law.” Professor Perlman plans to accomplish this by offering programs to the community and […]

Other people talk about the classic maxim that people should "know, like and trust" you—or something like that—and that gets you business. I’ve heard it attributed to Dale Carnegie and it must appear in some business book somewhere. I’ll be honest, though: I have no idea where it comes from. I don’t think I’ve ever read an entire business book in my life—unless you count as being "about" the business and science of whaling. That’s probably exactly how it works, though: People have to get to know you before they like you; and they’ve got to like you before they can grow to trust you. But this is true of any of the relationships you’ll have, business or otherwise. Now, as a lawyer, your most important business relationships are those you maintain with your clients. But do you really maintain those? Do your clients know, like and trust you?