Public Speaking as Advertising for Law Firms

Public Speaking used as advertising for law firms is a unique and effective way to attract new clients. It will help build your practice and increase profits.

Any time an attorney speaks at a seminar or presentation, it is a guaranteed audience draw. If the attorney is the keynote speaker, it will bring even more people and increase the chance of success.

Why Public Speaking Advertising for Law Firms Works

Law firm marketing has changed.

People are not as influenced by traditional advertising as they have been in past decades. People want substance, connection and to know that they have the right attorney.

This is the same promotional model that all great website start-ups use to become ensconced in their market sector. They give away their service or product initially. Once people become loyal consumers, they then start charging fees for even better services.

Your public speaking is much more than a lost leader. It shows who you are and what you can do for me.

Consider what the Harris Poll looks at with regard to how people think about companies.

The Harris Poll: A Survey of the U.S. General Public Using the Reputation Quotient® provides insights into how people think.

Called drivers, the qualities that companies excelled in changed from previous years.

In 2011, desirable qualities like...

• Admiration and respect
• Trustworthiness
• Ethical
• Outperforms competition
• Provided Good value

In the 2013 Harris Poll the most wanted qualities changed...

• Outperforms competition
• Admiration and respect
• Trustworthiness
• Provides a valuable social role
• Is a good company to work for
• People feel good about the company

The last 5 of the qualities looked for in the poll are difficult to create with a traditional advertising budget. With public speaking, it is possible to develop an understanding of all of these qualities in the mind of your audience.

The poll questioned why some companies are widely trusted, and others are not. It identified five ways trust can be developed with any company.

• Personal Experience
• Organizational Knowledge
• Deference (the trust people have in general)
• Reference (what is learned from others)
• Glitz (advertising, packaging and pricing)

When you are public speaking, connecting with the audience, a personal experience happens with all in attendance.

The majority of those in attendance will not need an attorney today, tomorrow or in the near future. However, when anyone does need an attorney, the attorney who is public speaking and connecting with the audience will be the first lawyer to come to mind.

There are a few steps to make sure that your public speaking gets you billable hours.

Since we live in the information age, give information. Not the dull, same old stuff everyone is spouting. Rather, wrap it in a story and provide a 'what’s in it for me' moment for your audience. If it is your personal story, all the better.

An Example of Attorney Public Speaking

Consider a law firm that specializes in creditors rights, restructuring, bankruptcy,and business law.

In a public speech to an audience of businessmen, providing information on managing credit and collecting past due bills would allow you to build on 4 of the six qualities people look for.

Next weave the information into a story. One that will be compiling and interesting. Of course, you the speaker can be the hero of the story.

But, you may be thinking, if I give my advice away for free, who will come to me? No matter how much info you provide, there will always be a need for an attorney.

The quality of the information that can be put to use and of instant benefit to the audience will create a personal experience with your law firm. This experience will indelibly imprint you into their mind.

If you start using public speaking as advertising for law firms, you will attract new clients to your law firm.

So, if your getting into law firm public speaking or becoming a public speaking attorney, speak well and prosper.

Go to Professional Speaker Home Page for guidance on becoming a professional speaker.

Speechmastery.com: The Advertising for Law Firms Resource

Lets Connect