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Marketing One of the Most Needed Legal Services

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Time For ChangeFor those going through a divorce, it can be one of the most unnerving times in their lives.

For those dealing in a divorce that involves children, property, animosity and more, the situation can be 10 times worse.

So, what role do divorce attorneys play in trying to keep both sides from going at each other?

As many divorce lawyers and attorneys will tell you, doing the most for their clients and keeping the peace are oftentimes the two biggest goals.

Finding such clients has become easier and easier for many in the legal profession over the last decade or two do much in part to better marketing efforts.

Whether it is legal websites, blog postings, content marketing, social media, the list goes on and on.

So, is your law firm doing its best to market your family law services?

Myriad of Ways to Get One’s Message Out There

For many lawyers and attorneys, the key to landing more clients is in fact through sound marketing principles, principles that involve a well-rounded approach.

Among the ways divorce lawyers and attorneys should be courting potential clients:

  • Content marketing – Whether it is through content marketing pieces on their own blogs, guest posting on other blogs of interest, press releases, white papers, the list is literally endless. By having a stellar content marketing plan in place, attorneys and lawyers have the potential to reach countless individuals (families for that matter too) in need. Once some of those individuals and/or families see the final results they can obtain, they might be noting that was the attorney who did a great job with my divorce. As a legal pro in the area of family law, make it a point to direct a sizable portion of your promotional efforts towards content marketing. While you never want to come across as trying to make a sale if you will, it is important that you make it clear in your marketing efforts as to why your firm stands above the rest;
  • Client testimonials – Some of your best marketing and advertising efforts can come right from the mouths of those you have helped. Client testimonials are about as good as it gets for a law firm in terms of telling potential clients why one divorce court expert is better than the others. In putting together client testimonials, you obviously want permission from any participant you consider to go in front of the camera or provide a quote for a publication. Anything that may come across as possibly being coerced etc. will not only look bad, it could damage your reputation in the legal field;
  • Video promotions – Along with the above-mentioned client testimonials, more law firms are coming to realize that video promotions can be another winning form of marketing. Allowing potential clients the opportunity to get to know you and your staff better certainly can’t hurt. The video doesn’t have to be long (in fact it should not be long and drawn out). Simply tell a story as to why your law firm is the best choice for those in need of legal services when it comes to divorce proceedings. Finally, be sure to include pertinent members of your firm in the video, allowing potential clients to put a face with a name or voice they speak with on the phone etc.

Family law can of course be both exciting and contentious at times.

That said lawyers and attorneys in this line of practice know that there are plenty of people in need of such services, not to mention plenty of legal pros nationwide looking to score their business.

Always remember as a divorce attorney to focus on demonstrating through myriad of marketing and advertising means why your law firm is a notch above the competition.

Sure, you certainly are not going to land every consumer out there in need of family law services, but you will attain your fair share when you stick to good marketing principles and of course stellar customer service initiatives.

Simply put, you are one of the most needed legal services out there.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing services on the web.

 

More Lawyers Becoming Adept at the Internet

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bigstock--125544251Would you be surprised to learn that more and more legal professionals are using the Internet to their advantage?

While that statement may surprise some, many others are not in the least bit surprised to hear such a thing.

As businesses continue to see all the Internet can do for their brands, law offices are certainly not standing on the sidelines. In fact, many lawyers are using their websites and social media on a daily basis, hoping to attract more clients in their time of need.

That said how can would-be clients reach out to lawyers, hoping to find those best suited to handle their respective cases?

Web and Social Media Getting Thumbs up Verdict

As more lawyers head over to the web and social networking venues to state their cases as to why individuals (and families for that matter) should choose them in their time of need, the former should keep these items in mind to present their best case:

  • Where to go? – The first question that someone in the legal arena will likely have when venturing over to the Internet is where should they start? While a formidable website is of course important for one’s brand, it is also quite beneficial to have a regular presence on social media. To start with the website, make sure if you’re not capable of putting it together and/or running it, you find someone who is. Even though having a website is great, one that is put together in sloppy fashion, along with not really serving a purpose to the public, is quite frankly a waste of your time and that of the public. You may choose to outsource such I.T. needs and find an individual or company specializing in website construction and website marketing. Just make sure you have a website that is not only productive for the public, but that is also secure. In today’s world of identity theft and other online issues, you need to make sure your site is as secure as it can possibly be;
  • Social networking is a bonus – As important as having a solid website in the legal field is, whether you are Scheiner Law in Houston or one of the many other law firms out there, it is also a good idea to put social media to work for you. Your social media efforts can also be done by outside sources if you neither have the time or expertise for such efforts. Don’ try and be too many things for too many people right off the bat. For example, if you specialize in DWI cases, there is not a specific social site obviously catering to that problem that will bring you instant business. On the other hand, having a Twitter and/or Facebook profile, you can tweet and share posts with hashtags such as #legal, #DWI, #DrinkingandDriving, #findalawyer and more. When you do that, each of your posts where you added those hashtags will end up in the respective category. Lastly, make sure you do not forget how important LinkedIn is to your law firm. The most popular of sites on social media for professionals, LinkedIn, can be great for bringing more awareness to your firm. Be sure you periodically update your LinkedIn profile, giving the public the latest information about your firm, cases you have been involved in, any new hires to the firm etc. As you can see there is a treasure-trove of opportunities waiting for you when you put social media to work for your firm.

While just about every lawyer will tell you that their top priority is making sure their clients get a fair trial (and hopefully the case goes their way), more in the legal field are learning how much of a role the Internet plays in bringing business their way.

When lawyers apply the time and effort to promoting their services with both a sound website and solid social media promotions, the possibilities for landing new business are endless.

If you are a lawyer looking for more of a presence on the Internet, start today to see how adept you can become at working the worldwide web to your advantage.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

Make Your Case of Being Innocent

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Take Action direction sign with sky backgroundHaving an allegation levied against you can mean a number of different things.

For the business owner, he or she can see their business dealings take a significant hit when someone has accused them of a serious crime.

One such crime is sexual assault.

Even when the allegations prove false, a man (sometimes the same charge could be tied to a woman) and his business can take years or maybe never to recover from the suspicions.

Was he really guilty and just got away with it? Could he be brought up on a similar charge down the road?

If you’ve been charged with such a serious crime, how will you go about making your case that you are truly innocent?

Stating the Facts to Clear Your Name

When a charge as serious as sexual assault is thrown at an individual, he must do all possible to fight it, especially if he runs a business and risks losing a solid business reputation in the process.

For starters, trying to clear your name begins with providing as much evidence as possible to what the prosecution is alleging.

If you can prove without a shadow of a doubt you were not where the alleged victim claims you were, use any and all evidence (witness statements, video surveillance, receipts from a business etc.).

The goal as in any case of this magnitude is to plant seeds of doubt on the story the prosecution is putting forth. If you can do that, there may not be enough evidence for your case to even go to trial.

The Business of Staying in Business

While your personal reputation is undoubtedly on the line, business owners charged with such crimes must also think about their brands, along with how the public relations fallout from such charges could hurt their companies.

The first thing you want to do is be as sure as possible that your brand remains viable and does not suffer in the public eye.

While competitors should always take the high ground in such cases, you might find one or more that will try and exploit your situation, seeking to take some sales away from you.

For those business owners who do not have a public relations firm either representing them or an in-house team or person dedicated to the company’s PR, it is imperative that the business be presented in the best possible light.

Secondly, assure customers that the business will continue functioning normally, even if you are away from running things for the time being. Nervous customers are never a good matter for a business, so do your best to promise them that things will be alright, with the brand continuing to operate as it has before.

Another area of concern is how your employees will take the news of such charges.

Given how serious allegations of sexual assault are, you may have some workers with questions, concerns etc. Those concerns and questions can be about you personally, but also how this matter may or may not impact their jobs with your business.

Whether you do it in-person or have your second in command speak to them, do your best to assure all of the staff that this matter will be resolved, along with the fact that no one is being let go at this time. While that could change down the road depending on whether or not there is a guilty plea or verdict, your staff wants to know now how the case could have a positive or negative impact on their professional lives.

Lastly, never paint the alleged victim in a bad light.

Even if you are 100 percent innocent (hopefully this is the case), sexual assault in and of itself is a serious charge to throw at someone.

It is important that the victim or victims are not shamed or verbally abused by you or anyone representing you, including your employees.

Take the high road as much as possible, all the while still vigorously defending yourself and proclaiming your innocence.

Avoiding a sexual assault charge can be done, especially when you demonstrate that you are innocent and have nothing to hide.

When all is said and done, will you make your case of being innocent?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Plagiarism: How to Cope with Every Writer’s Worst Nightmare

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By Tiffany Matthews

Do you remember the first story you wrote? Throughout high school and college, I have often written short stories and poems for friends just for fun. Although these tales and poetry have accumulated over years, they remain as they are–scribblings in notebooks that have now gathered dust at the bottom of my drawer. Some of my friends think that it’s a waste, arguing that these stories should be shared with the world. In fact, they have suggested that I try my luck writing for sites like fictionpress.com. Many writers have gotten their lucky break from this site, signing authorship deals that have made their publishing dream a reality.

In the beginning, you might feel content enough to keep your writings private. But as time passes, you will feel this need to share these tales with others, hoping that they will touch others the way they have touched you. I, too, have felt this need for sharing stories but one worry has always held me back from posting them online–plagiarism.

Everyone is Vulnerable…

All writers are vulnerable to plagiarism. Although self-published authors may be more vulnerable, still, it doesn’t mean that those who publish with reputable publishers are safe from this. In fact, just recently, author Lorelei James’ work was plagiarized. Apparently, someone took All Jacked Up, a title from James’ Rough Riders series, and posted that book chapter per chapter on a free stories website. Everything was exactly the same save for the hero and heroine’s names.

So how can we protect ourselves from this?

Precautionary Measures

Plagiarism has been going on for a long time and this problem is not going to disappear overnight. For any writer who becomes a victim of this, it is one of the worst things that can ever happen to you. Those who love their craft know just how devastating it is for someone to steal their work and pass it off as his or her own. It is almost akin to losing a child. To protect the work of our hands and heart, it is necessary that we implement precautionary measures.

Copyright and Google

Since we know that plagiarism can happen at any given time, one of the things we can do is to register for a copyright. It will not stop a person from plagiarizing your works, but at least you will have sufficient ground for legal action. Copyright registration may vary from country to country so do some research before you do. If circumstances lead you to file to a lawsuit, you don’t need to worry about expensive lawyer fees. You can use prepaid legal plans, which can have budget friendly monthly subscriptions.

Once you have your copyright, you can then set up Google alerts regarding your work. Customize your alert to include your book title, quotes, book passages, your name and more so that you will be aware of news about your book. This will also make it easier to track if someone has been posting your stories elsewhere and claiming to own them.

Connections are Important

Fellow authors make great critics and friends especially if you can trust them. If you are able to form a solid network of writer friends, they will be your support when the issue of plagiarism crops up. They may even be influential in recognizing your work which is being passed off as another’s. You can seek their advice on how to proceed with filing a plagiarism case.

Be Assertive and Take Action

When your work is stolen, you feel violated because you were the one who birthed that literary masterpiece. If this does happen to you, don’t try to repress your emotions. Rant if you must but don’t do anything that would hurt your own reputation. Instead, you should buck up and take legal action. Don’t let this event keep you from writing again. Instead, learn from it and you’ll gain an even deeper appreciation for your work and other writers’ works.

Do you take any proactive steps to prevent plagiarism of your work?

Author’s Bio: Based in San Diego California, Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of writing experience. She also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.

Cool Tool Review: LegalZoom

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Todd Hoskins Reviews Tools for Business

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Todd Hoskins chooses and uses tools and products that could belong in an entrepreneurial business toolkit. He’ll be checking out how useful they are to folks who would be their customers in a form that’s consistent and relevant.

Cool Tool Review: LegalZoom
A Review by Todd Hoskins

If you are in business management, there will come a time that you either have to interact with or hire an attorney. The time I’ve spent discussing contractual minutiae with lawyers now could be measured in weeks rather than hours.

Fortunately, of the four guys I grew up with, one is an attorney. The other three are an investment banker, a doctor, and a plastics engineer. Quite lucky, especially considering the engineer is also a car enthusiast who tells me what’s wrong with my aging automobiles. Money, body, car, and the law – I’m covered.

But I’m limited in how often I can get free advice from my buddies. Good thing that not all legal issues require the services of an attorney, and that’s why I love LegalZoom. For entrepreneurs, LegalZoom not only gives you a library of standard forms, it files them for you with the appropriate entities.

For example, if you are looking to incorporate, LegalZoom will ask you all the necessary questions to complete the paperwork (think TurboTax). LegalZoom will not only file the paperwork with your state, it will also give you the option of applying for a business license and allow you to submit the required annual report. Bylaws, resolutions, and agreements – if it’s standard legal fare, LegalZoom likely will allow you to get it done more quickly and more cheaply.

Think you may have some intellectual property or an invention worth protecting? LegalZoom will allow you file a provisional application for a patent, or do a patent search and apply for a utility patent.

I have used LegalZoom twice in the past four years, and found it both affordable and easy.

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Summing Up – Is it worth it?

Enterprise Value: 1/5 – If you can afford to employ a corporate attorney, you probably don’t need LegalZoom

Entrepreneur Value: 4/5 – Doesn’t do everything, but for a startup saves time and money

Personal Value: 4/5 – Wills, divorces, power of attorney, real estate leases, even bankruptcies