This solo estate planner wanted to shorten the time between marketing effort and client signup, and to keep his marketing spend low. Here is what he did.
When you’re a solo firm, there’s always the challenge of marketing your practice without spending a lot of money. And there’s the uncertainty of whether a campaign will actually bring in clients.
This was the challenge facing Elder Law and Estate Planning attorney Ramsey Bahrawy. He decided to focus his efforts on building the “know, like and trust” factor. Since doing so, he has obtained a steady stream of referrals for his practice.
This case study details how Bahrawy was able to gain trust with potential clients and bring in new business.
The Challenge
As a solo practitioner, Ramsey Bahrawy was facing a big challenge: the costs of marketing his business were high while there was a lot of uncertainty around whether or not a campaign would bring in new clients.
Not only that, but the time required before seeing any results was too long. Then there was also that whole trust factor.
“People are wary of marketing,” he says.
He knew that if he wanted to bring in referrals and new business on a consistent basis, he’d need to focus his time and efforts on building the ‘know, like and trust’ factor with the people he wanted to work with: elderly people and their families.
In order to succeed, he needed to:
- Find a way to spend time where his target clients were
- Build the trust between himself and potential clients
- Make himself as visible as possible so people would think of him when they needed legal guidance
- Keep the marketing costs as low as possible
The Actions
1. Spend Time With Your Target Audience
Bahrawy decided to start volunteering at senior citizen centers in his area.
“Volunteering at the senior center allows me to interact with the demographic I seek to represent,” he says. “After several interactions, invariably these seniors seek me out for legal advice or service.”
Brainstorm a list of places where your target audience spends a lot of their time, and then find ways to be in those places whenever you can.
2. Broadcast Your Expertise
Bahrawy knew that if he could get himself in front of his target audience in as many ways as possible he could build trust in him as an expert and as someone who could handle his audience’s legal needs. So he looked into getting a show on TV.
“I learned how to host and produce my own program,” he says. “Today I have a program that discusses aging issues, whether legal, medical, financial, or lifestyle. The same program appears on the internet on various platforms.”
He films the show locally, and then distributes it other places from there.
“I use public access for TV,” he says. “Then I take a copy of my show home for editing. Once edited, I post the program, now a different version, onto YouTube.”
If you’re interested in producing your own show on public access, Bahrawy recommends the following:
“The process involves joining a local cable studio in your community,” he says. “Ask to produce a show, [then]build a team or crew. [Next] develop a logo, music, visuals and talking points. And finally, recruit guests.”
If you decide to upload your TV show episodes on YouTube or other video-based platforms, Bahrawy says to first protect what’s yours.
“There is a lot of thievery out there,” he says. “Get your work trademarked and copyrighted. Also, beware that some internet platforms will ask you to turn your copyright over to them for the privilege of posting your work. Read these blog contracts carefully. Don’t ever give up your copyright. If the website insists, walk away!”
3. Use Your Voice
Bahrawy also began appearing on several talk radio shows and shared his expertise in elder issues. These appearances also allow him to market his practice and his TV show.
To get these radio appearances, he simply does some research and then reaches out.
“I either email or call up radio personalities and ask to be on their show,” he says. “The worst they can say is no. Mostly the answer is yes. Then I am asked to come back.”
If you want to use radio appearances as a way to market yourself and your practice, Bahrawy suggests looking local and online.
“There are many opportunities in internet radio,” he says. “I also find opportunities on smaller radio stations that are in my geographic area. It really is all about taking baby steps.”
The other thing to keep in mind is that you need to be prepared for these radio, and TV, appearances.
“Do your research,” he says. “Practice, practice, practice before you record a TV program or radio program. TV and radio are entertainment. Learn to be entertaining. Knowing your topic is NOT enough!”
4. Say It In Writing
One final way that Bahrawy is marketing his practice through showing his expertise is by writing a book.
“My book is called Living for Today, Planning for Tomorrow,” he says. “It is about the various aging issues people encounter. I discuss legal, financial, elder care and lifestyle issues.”
If you’re interested in writing a book to showcase your expertise, he recommends keeping that as a project you work on yourself.
“Don’t use a ghost writer,” he warns. “To maintain both your credibility and the quality of information in your book, write the book yourself.”
The Results
1. 5,530 Views on YouTube
Bahrawy’s YouTube account now has 73 videos on it. Having a variety of content has helped him increase his video views.
“The TV program and the online videos have given me significant exposure,” he says.
2. Solidified the ‘Know, Like and Trust’ Factor, Bringing Him Significant Referrals
Bahrawy’s use of a variety of low-cost marketing strategies has helped him bring in consistent referrals for his practice.
“In addition, these marketing strategies [helped me to]overcome the trust issue,” he says. “People could see my performance on TV, and get to know and trust me at the senior center. They could hear or read what I had to say. They could sense my passion for elder law. Invariably they came to the conclusion that I was an expert in the field of elder law and estate planning.As such, I became a valuable referral resource.”
Bahrawy says his TV—and internet—show, along with his radio appearances are his most successful marketing techniques used to date.
“These programs have allowed me to exhibit my expertise without using any hard selling techniques,” he says.
Most importantly, Bahrawy says the best way to bring in new clients is to focus on the basics.
“Do an exceptionally good job and clients will refer work your way,” he says.
