Your Law Firm is a Business. Take it to the Next Level

Join us as we celebrate the journey of our podcast and express our heartfelt thanks to all our listeners for their unwavering support and for spreading the word about our show. As we usher in the New Year, it's the perfect moment to reflect on the milestones we've achieved together in the past year.  In this episode, we're reflecting on some of the most impactful episodes that have not only educated but also inspired our community.  We also share our 10 favorite episodes from the past year! Thank you so much to everyone who has listened to and shared this podcast, we really appreciate it! Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal   More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Don't forget to share our podcast with your colleagues Click the share button in your podcast app and send it to a colleague or on your social media feed Feel free to tag us too @NextLevel_Legal on X (formerly known as Twitter) or @nextlevel.legal on Instagram & Facebook.  And leave us a review on your podcast platform of choice If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.     -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.   *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.  

Have you ever felt like you're drowning in work, yearning for a vacation, yet dreading the thought of the chaos that might ensue in your absence? This episode is here to show you how to plan for time away from the office effectively. We'll walk you through the importance of proactive planning for your leave and how to leverage your calendar. Don't forget to share these secrets with your team; after all, a well-rested team is a productive one! We'll discuss how to choose a designated person to handle the urgent matters that may pop up. With our tips, you can have a stress-free vacation, knowing that everything is under control back at the office. From going over open cases to creating a comprehensive plan for handling them, you'll be equipped with everything you need for peace of mind during your vacation. We also introduce the concept of creating a "vacation hot sheet" to ease the burden on your team while you're away.  So sit back, relax, and let us show you how to enjoy your well-deserved vacation without compromising your law firm's operations. Show Highlights: The importance of proactive planning for time away from the office and how it benefits business owners and their teams. Effective preparation for handling emergencies and making early decisions regarding notifications and communications during vacations. The need to review open cases before leaving the office for vacation and creating a plan for handling them. The concept of a "vacation hot sheet" to alleviate the burden on the rest of the team during vacations. The importance of setting boundaries, delegating tasks, and using technology to achieve a better work-life balance. The role of clear and proactive communication with clients and team members before taking time off. The importance of taking time off for mental health and productivity, and the benefits of outsourcing services to streamline tasks. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal For information about all our episodes and to sign up for our email newsletter: http://nextlevel.legal  More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY. Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: MELANIE: Action Steps Put it on the calendar NOW Add a time block to your calendar NOW to review all open cases before you go Make your decisions about emergencies, notifications, and communications now. Some will be specific to the time out, but many can be determined now and used with regularity. If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.     -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.   *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Want to dial up your law firm's profitability? Let's explore how time tracking can make a significant impact on your bottom line. We unpack the importance of investing in automatic time tracking software and strategies to effectively implement it in your firm, regardless of whether you bill hourly or work on a flat fee basis. We help you see the big picture of how time tracking can streamline operations and boost profitability. We also share personal experiences and demonstrate how critical time tracking is for managing a growing business. By combining a blend of software, calendars, and task lists, we exhibit how you can create a holistic overview of your daily activities. We also introduce you to the concept of task templates and how they can minimize redundancies. Hear a real-life story of a business owner who saw a whopping 20% increase in revenue by simply upgrading their time tracking system. We emphasize the importance of designating a team member to be accountable for tracking time and explain how this can be a game-changer for your firm. Listen up as we share ways to effectively communicate with colleagues and clients for accuracy in tracking and billing. We guarantee this episode will provide valuable insights into making your law firm highly productive and profitable. Show Highlights: The importance of time tracking in law firms. Strategies for effective time tracking, including investing in automatic time tracking software and assigning a dedicated person for this task. Utilizing a multi-pronged approach for time tracking and task management using software, calendars, and task lists. The role of task templates in reducing redundancies and increasing productivity. The significant impact of technology in time tracking. The necessity of clear communication with colleagues and clients for accurate time tracking and billing. The possibility of hiring a remote team member to assist with time tracking as a cost-effective solution. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Melanie: Buy the software: this is a problem with a $5/day solution. And if you're really feeling starved for cash, skip Starbucks, buy the software, and your billing will increase, and your income will increase to a point where you won't have the same stresses that were causing you to need that coffee in the first place. Designate your Time Tracker - ask them to listen to this episode and put a time on the calendar to sit down with your time tracker after they've listened and make sure that you both are on the same page about how they are creating your time entries. If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.     -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.   *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Have you ever wondered how artificial intelligence can revolutionize your law firm's growth? Get ready to have your mind expanded as we have a discussion with our resident AI guru, Michael Green. As GNGF's project manager and AI lead, Michael takes us through the innovative ways he's deployed real-time marketing strategies and AI to yield impressive results for our law firm clients. This isn't just theory; this is a tangible, real-world application of AI that's actively being used by our team.  We're not keeping these secrets to ourselves. Join us as we pull back the curtain and explore how you, too, can harness these cutting-edge strategies within your own law firm. We're also thrilled to share our conversation on the strategies for growing your firm while maintaining your health and happiness. For those craving more, we revisit the subject of generative AI from episodes 95 and 99.  Show Highlights: AI technology's role in revolutionizing law firms' operations and growth. How AI technology can help law firm owners in implementing innovative strategies to drive their firm's growth. The use of AI in content planning, generating ideas, and creating efficient newsletters for clients. How the ChatGPT model can help in creating unique digital art and content for marketing. The benefits of AI implementation in law firms. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  https://streamlined.legal/videos Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal Michael Green - https://gngf.com/team-members/michael-green/  https://4.gngf.com/nextlevel118 Link to a presentation of examples: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1eO3a-HQ1FCya8JWjC9TEJxE69AF3OG3Bxwh7tEWwnZY/  For information about all our episodes and to sign up for our email newsletter: http://nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: MARK: Try building your persona and brand voice using ChatGPT and use some of the prompts to generate some creative email newsletters to send to your email list.  If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.   -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Prepare yourself to venture into the fascinating domain of Google's Search-Generated Experience (SGE) and grasp the profound effect it could have on your law firm's digital marketing approach. We touch on the remarkable AI-powered search model, empowering you to leverage it to your advantage. Get ready to gain fresh perspectives on the shift towards longer and more specific queries, the changing user behavior, and the necessity of a robust search advertising strategy to stay ahead. Our deep dive into Google's SGE uncovers how the tech giant is harnessing AI and machine learning to revolutionize the user search experience. We'll unravel how this could impact your law firm's website traffic and guide you through the implications for your digital marketing efforts. Furthermore, we explore the transformation in Google's advertising strategy and how it's fueling revenue growth. We underline how you can wield your expertise, authority, and trust to gain a competitive edge in Google Search.  This episode is brimming with invaluable insights whether you're a tech aficionado eager to understand the latest advancements or a law firm owner striving to navigate the digital marketing landscape. We'll discuss how Google's SGE could alter user interactions with search results and the potential shift from search-generated revenue to banner ads, video ads, and other advertising formats.  Buckle up for an enlightening conversation aimed at keeping you one step ahead in the ever-evolving digital world. Show Highlights: Understanding Google's Search-Generated Experience (SGE) and its potential impact on law firm's digital marketing strategy. Google's shift towards AI and machine learning to enhance user search experience. Google's evolving advertising strategy and how law firms can leverage their expertise, authority, and trust for competitive advantage. The impact of Google's SGE on user interactions with search results. The potential decrease in website traffic due to zero-click search results and the need for a robust search advertising strategy. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  https://streamlined.legal/videos  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal For information about all our episodes and to sign up for our email newsletter: http://nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: MARK:  Action Steps Don't change what you are doing from a content and SEO perspective if you follow the approaches we have talked about – which is to create content with the user in mind and create content in a way that provides expertise, authority, and trust signals to Google. If you aren't doing Google paid ads for search ads, you may want to look into starting.  Talk to your agency or find one, as running Google ads on your own can be costly if you make mistakes.  Of course, if you haven't done so already: Subscribe and follow our podcast so you will be notified when our next episode goes live.  If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review, as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.    -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.   *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Imagine a world where a 32-hour workweek was the norm for law firms. Intriguing, isn't it? Well, that's one of the things we're discussing with Corine from Streamlined Legal on our listener questions episode. We dissect the complexities and cultural shifts needed for this dream to become a reality. From tackling inefficiencies such as attorneys doing paralegal work to under-utilized administrative staff, we pull apart the existing work model and put forward a compelling case for a shorter work week. We also plunge into the realm of digital marketing, exploring how law firms can navigate this landscape and reap the rewards through website updates and other strategies. There will be challenges – dips in traffic, trusting a vendor, and planning for major changes. Yet, trust us, it's worth it. Additionally, we tap into the often-overlooked power of podcasting as a tool to elevate your law firm. From broadening your reach to impacting your firm's culture, podcasts can be a game changer. So, join us as we challenge the status quo, embrace innovative strategies, and push the boundaries of what it means to run a modern law firm. And remember, it all begins from the top. Show Highlights: The possibility of implementing a 32-hour work week in law firms, with the potential benefits for both attorneys and administrative staff. Common inefficiencies within law firms, such as attorneys doing paralegal work and under-utilizing administrative staff. Exploration of digital marketing strategies for law firms, including the importance of investing in website updates and online outreach. Advice on handling potential dips in traffic when making significant changes to digital marketing strategies. How to lead a team and navigate uncertainties, with emphasis on adopting a learning mindset rather than needing to have all the answers. The impact of podcasting on a law firm's reach and culture, and how it can help take a firm to the next level. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  https://streamlined.legal/videos Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn102// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn109// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn110// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn111// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn112// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn113// For information about all our episodes and to sign up for our email newsletter: http://nextlevel.legal   More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS:  Melanie's Action Steps Yes! — we always want to leave our listeners with some ACTION STEPS.  And today it's easy!  When you're done listening today, hop back into your podcast app, grab that episode that we mentioned today that caught your attention and give it a listen to take your firm to the Next Level.   If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.     -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Ever wondered why DIY videos have caught fire in marketing strategies? Imagine harnessing the power of such tools to elevate your brand's visibility! In this episode, we decipher the wonder behind DIY videos, and we'll guide you on how to craft your own DIY videos and where to showcase them for optimal exposure.  We also show how DIY videos can help position you as an industry expert. We'll paint a picture of the rewards of creating these videos, from forging a robust relationship with potential clients to setting yourself apart from competitors. You'll get practical advice on crafting short, engaging videos that keep your audience hooked and the ideal platforms to amplify their reach. We'll share insights on creating videos that resonate with your audience, from the crafting process to leveraging different expression methods. Moreover, we delve into how to create captivating content for your social media posts, even without an original video. Show Highlights: The importance and benefits of DIY video marketing for businesses. The power of DIY videos for establishing oneself as an industry expert and building rapport with potential clients.  How DIY videos can serve as an effective marketing tool. The importance of maintaining high-quality video content and the evolving standards of quality.  The importance of having a running list of topics for DIY videos, leveraging client questions and interactions as a source of content ideas. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal For information about all our episodes and to sign up for our email newsletter: http://nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Melanie's Action Steps Come up with one thought you want to share with potential clients or referral sources. Sit in your parked car with your smartphone, go to the camera app, hit record, identify yourself, and share your one thought, speaking to the camera as if it were that potential client or referral source. Get over yourself and post that video on social media (or better yet, send it to someone to post it for you). Block the time on your calendar now to rinse and repeat at a regular cadence you are comfortable with.   If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review, as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.    -- Until next time, don't forget…..   Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we started off at ClioCon 2023 with our special guest, Melissa Shanahan, founder of Velocity Work. We take you through the top highlights so far. We were captivated by Del Friday's enlightening talk on mental health and the power of micro steps, a vital tool for navigating through the stressors of our industry. The connections and camaraderie we've experienced with colleagues and vendors have been equally enriching, offering us an expanded perspective on the legal field. Imagine using FBI negotiating strategies in your legal firm. Sounds intriguing, right? Well, we're bringing you just that in the second half of our show. We discuss the insights of former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and how these strategies can be transposed into the legal world. We also shine a light on the phenomenal work of the Clio Client Support team, an essential pillar of the ClioCon experience. Finally, we share how Melissa's Law Firm Owner Podcast is empowering law firm owners to level up their businesses. Remember to hit that subscribe button and share this episode with your colleagues. Packed with invaluable insights, this is an episode you don't want to miss! Show Highlights: The highlights from ClioCon 2023. Del Friday's talk on mental health and the power of micro steps in combating overwhelm in the legal industry. Legal negotiation tactics inspired by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss. The role of the Clio Client Support team in enhancing the ClioCon conference experience. The importance of attending conferences for personal growth, networking, and understanding industry innovations. How to extract maximum value from conferences, be it through attending sessions, networking, or utilizing resources like the Clio Client Support team. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://who.is More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY. Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. —-------------------------------- Information on our guest host: Melissa Shanahan – Velocity Work: https://www.velocitywork.com/  Melissa Shanahan founded Velocity Work after several years at a consulting firm focused on the growth of private practices all across the U.S. After coaching over 350 doctors, dentists, and lawyers – she chose to narrow her services to law firms only and started Velocity Work. The host of The Law Firm Owner Podcast and an extremely effective coach for attorneys running their own firms, Melissa brings her A-game to everything she does. Her energy is infectious and the material she is teaching will forever change how you think. From mindset to vision, to productivity and tracking firm data, Velocity Work has helped hundreds of attorneys grow their firm on their terms. ACTION STEPS: Melanie's Action Steps If you haven't bought your ticket for the Clio Conference next year. If you're a Clio user, in my mind, it's a no-brainer. If you're not a Clio user, check out the agenda once it gets released. It may very well be a great opportunity for you as well, especially given the tracks they have that don't have anything to do with the software. We're talking about marketing, and we're talking about financial awareness. I want you to listen to the Law Firm Owner podcast hosted by Melissa Shanahan. If you haven't done so already:  Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen And once you have subscribed - please leave us a 5-star rating and review as that will help this podcast get discovered by other law firm owners.     Until next time, don't forget…..Your Law Firm is a business -- take it to the next level.   *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Join us as we continue to tackle the topic of ownership in the legal marketing landscape. We share our experiences in assisting clients to understand and take action on key marketing assets, and we dissect how to ensure your law firm retains secure ownership of vital assets such as websites, social and directory platforms, content, analytics and data platforms, and chat and call services. Moreover, we also cover the crucial steps to guarantee tracking numbers remain yours, even after parting ways with an agency. We give you a comprehensive guide on how to maintain the reins of your website's domain and the necessary measures to protect it. Unveiling potential issues that may arise when a website vendor tries to levy outrageous fees for domain ownership, we offer advice on how to effectively navigate such scenarios. Plus, we emphasize the significance of controlling social media accounts to maximize potential client interaction. Previously, photographers owned the rights to the photos, and customers purchased them at a high price. However, we caution on the importance of reading contracts carefully to ascertain who owns the content. Additionally, we explore the intricacies of managing licenses, duplicate content, and the implications of using stock photos on multiple sites. Don't miss out! Show Highlights: The importance of maintaining control over law firm marketing assets. The significance of website domain control and strategies to retain ownership. The risks of high charges for domain ownership by website vendors and how to navigate such situations. The changing dynamics of photo shoots and photo rights. The importance of seeking a second opinion on content and agency contracts and when to negotiate or create new original content. The issues related to managing licenses, duplicate content, and implications of using stock photos on multiple sites. Strategies for ensuring ownership and control of key marketing assets when switching between different agencies. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY. Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Mark's Action Steps Check your contracts with your agency.  Take the action step for each item we mentioned in this episode where you are not in full control of these key online assets.  Of course, if you haven't done so already:  Subscribe and follow our podcast so you will be notified when our next episode goes live. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we bring to light the important role of ownership and control in law firm marketing. As we navigate the transition to a new agency, we uncover the significant marketing assets every law firm should consider, including websites, social and directory platforms, content, analytics, and data platforms, as well as chat and call services. We offer an in-depth look at each of these assets, exploring why it's vital to retain control and ownership and the steps to take if you don't currently possess it. Listen in as we examine the unique challenges law firms face when switching marketing agencies, focusing on website control and lease agreements. We highlight the importance of understanding contractual terms related to website ownership and the potential benefits and drawbacks of proprietary platforms. We also shed light on the implications of agencies creating their proprietary dashboards, with an emphasis on Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Facebook Ads accounts. Be prepared to gain a wealth of knowledge that will leave you questioning the level of control you currently have over your firm's key marketing assets. Show Highlights: Understanding the role of ownership in law firm marketing. The challenges law firms face when transitioning to a new marketing agency. The pros and cons of proprietary platforms for websites and how to understand the contractual terms related to website ownership. Importance of control over domain, social media accounts, and directory platforms for establishing a law firm's online presence. The significance of having access to historical ad campaign data and potential pitfalls associated with data-overriding scripts. Guidance on how to verify ad expenditure accuracy and avoid hidden pitfalls in law firm marketing strategies. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Mark's Action Steps Check your contracts with your agency.  See if you own or control the logins to a lot of the platforms we mentioned.  Of course, if you haven't done so already:  Subscribe and follow our podcast so you will be notified when Part 2 of this topic goes live next week so you can learn more about what to do about these items we discussed. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Join us as we tackle the vital subject of leadership in the second part of our two-part series. This episode aims to help listeners navigate the intricacies of effective leadership by sharing our experiences and techniques developed over the years of running our businesses. We begin with the concept of engaging in honest and open communication, which sounds simple but is often a challenging feat in a professional setting. We discuss how open dialogue can help build trust within teams and share our experiences and lessons on being more comfortable with transparent communication. We continue to unpack leadership by discussing clear expectations and effective communication. We discuss how setting standards and communicating effectively with teams can foster a productive environment. We then shift our focus to maintaining positivity in leadership, where we share techniques to reframe problems and foster a positive environment.  Listen in as we unpack these insights and share our personal experiences to help you improve your leadership skills. Show Highlights: The importance of open and honest communication in leadership and its role in building trust within a team.  Setting clear expectations for team members and how it contributes to a more productive work environment. The significance of maintaining a positive attitude in leadership and methods to do so. Techniques for reframing problems as challenges or puzzles to encourage solution-oriented thinking. The impact of celebrating small and big victories in fostering a positive and engaged workforce. Strategies for improving leadership skills and overcoming struggles associated with leadership. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal Books Mentioned in This Episode: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success: https://www.amazon.com/15-Commitments-Conscious-Leadership-Sustainable/dp/0990976904 The Measure of a Leader: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Leader-Leadership-Methodology-Effectiveness/dp/1475967950  More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY. Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS:  MELANIE: Action Steps - I'd like to tackle all 3 of these at once! First I want you to come up with a current challenge that you're having in your business, maybe it's a cashflow rollercoaster like my client, maybe it's too many internal emails like I've suffered from in the past….. And I want you to ask yourself 3 questions: Am I communicating honestly, and openly with my team about this challenge? Do we as a team have clear expectations around this challenge? What are 3 positives about this challenge? (It's not always easy to see but they are there!) *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Unlock the truth behind the struggle of leading in a dynamic business environment in this episode. We shed light on the underlying causes and provide practical solutions to address this issue, underscoring the importance of recognizing leadership issues and how an external viewpoint can be instrumental in identifying areas requiring attention. We also share some insights into how honing leadership skills can facilitate growth and change. Reigniting the spark in leadership roles is easier said than done. But don't fret, we've got you covered. We share some proven strategies for fanning the flames of passion before burnout sets in. We also focus on the importance of accountability, both personally and as a team leader. We delve into how failing to trust our team and their expertise can lead to burnout and why it's vital to create an environment that embraces innovation.  Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation! Remember, your law firm is a business. Let's take it to the next level. Show Highlights: The challenges of leading in a dynamic business environment and recognizing leadership issues. Importance of an external viewpoint to identify areas of attention for improving leadership skills. Strategies to reignite passion in leadership roles and prevent burnout. The impact of a leader's passion on the team and how internal changes can fuel it. The importance of accountability in a team and trust among team members. Exploring causes for struggles in leadership. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal:https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Melanie Review: can you relate to any of these identifiers? Schedule time to listen to Part 2 of this series so that you can develop some more action steps to help combat the struggle to lead. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Listen in as we welcome Thomas Schaffer, partner at Schaffer & Associates, a successful three-attorney law firm based in Toledo, Ohio. Tom shares his journey of establishing the firm, surviving the initial years, and the growth they've achieved with a dedicated team and effective internet marketing. He also discusses the unique operating principles of Schaffer & Associates that set it apart from other law firms - implementing a four-day work week! Tune in as Tom gives a detailed account of how they made the four-day work week possible without compromising client service and coverage. He shares the firm's strategies for staff rotation and automation and talks about the positive impact on productivity, morale, and work-life balance. If you're a law firm considering this approach, you won't want to miss Tom's valuable insights and advice on making the most of a shortened work week! Show Highlights: Schaffer & Associates successful implementation of a four-day work week without compromising client service. Benefits of a shortened work week, including improved team morale, productivity, and work-life balance. The process of adjusting work schedules and employing strategic hiring to ensure client service coverage during the work week. The positive financial impact and continued growth of the firm despite the change in work schedule. Insights on maintaining team culture and client satisfaction while implementing new operational strategies. Challenges and lessons learned in implementing a four-day work week in a law firm setting. Tom's advice for other law firms considering adopting a shortened work week. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/22/business/four-day-work-week-uk.html   https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/4-day-work-week-trial-yields-overwhelming-success-in-u-k-researchers-say  https://www.schafferlawyers.com/ https://www.schafferlawyers.com/team/thomas-schaffer/  More Information About Our Hosts: Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Mark: We will reference some of the studies Tom referenced in the show notes.  Think about what Schaffer & Associates has experienced with this change, and maybe think about how you can work to provide a better quality of life and mental health for your team. And don't forget the productivity increases that Tom mentioned.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Does your workspace feel like a chaotic mess that drains your energy and productivity? You're not alone! Today, we're getting real about the relationship between workspace, productivity, and overall life satisfaction. You'll hear about the stress-inducing impact of disorder and practical strategies to manage your work environment, whether it's a corner in your living room or a dedicated home office. We'll underline why a physical space that separates work from non-work is essential and give you the lowdown on how to optimize it to your advantage.  Believe it or not, your digital world needs spring cleaning, too. We'll guide you on a journey to digital zen, offering tips on finding your files quickly and effortlessly. We'll discuss working with organization enthusiasts and how this could bring you surprising joy. We'll also talk about how sunlight increases serotonin levels, leading to improved sleep, stronger immunity, lower blood pressure, and even weight loss. Join us today to transform your workspace into a haven of productivity and well-being. Show Highlights: Exploring the transformative power of an organized workspace on productivity and overall well-being. The significance of digital organization and its impact on ease of access and collaboration. Introduction to Biophilic design and its profound impact on integrating nature into workspace. Understanding the benefits of natural sunlight on health, productivity, and its role in serotonin production. The negative impacts of artificial lighting and lack of sunlight exposure. Emphasizing the necessity of regular movement in the workspace for better health and productivity. More Information About Our Hosts:  Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: https://www.greenroofs.com/2019/03/27/the-global-impact-of-biophilic-design-in-the-workplace/  https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-natural-light-is-the-best-medicine-for-the-office-300590905.html   https://healthcare.utah.edu/press-releases/2015/04/walking-extra-two-minutes-each-hour-may-offset-hazards-of-sitting-too-long   Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://streamlined.legal/   https://streamlined.legal/videos  https://gngf.com/consultation  https://gngf.com/  ACTION STEPS: Melanie Sit in your space and look around (you may need to do this a couple of times as you're making changes to your space) Find the disorganization Find the nature Find the light And think about how much you move daily while working Go to your nearest IKEA or hop online and buy a fake plant (or real) Is there a way to incorporate more natural light into your space, can you move your desk to the other side of the room, or simply change the way that it faces? If you're limited by the building you're in, are there ways that you can work outside with some regularity or take calls while you walk around? Lastly, if you have a smartwatch, set the reminders or alarms so that you are reminded to step outside at least once during the work day, twice would be even better. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Join us for an engaging chat as we unlock financial tech and process hacks to optimize both your business and personal life. In the world of business, we're putting a spotlight on corporate card platforms, like Ramp, which provide a seamless interface for managing company credit cards and virtual cards. We also discuss integrations with Quickbooks and Xero, receipt requirements, expense management, and connecting to Outlook and Gmail. Learn how tools like Airbase, Brex, and Mech can transform your financial processes, save time and money, and significantly streamline your operations. Switching gears to personal finance, we introduce you to some stellar apps and tools that can revolutionize your money management. Listen in as we share how leveraging the right financial tools can help you save money and stay on top of your financial commitments. Learn how to harness the power of social media and word-of-mouth to grow your audience.  Whether you're running a business, managing personal finances, or producing a podcast, this episode is packed with insights to help you thrive. Show Highlights: Personal finance management apps, including the Rocket Money app for tracking and managing subscriptions and Card Pointers for maximizing credit card benefits. Promoting podcasts and growing audience reach using advanced tech tools. The importance of leveraging technology to simplify business processes, such as accepting credit card payments and utilizing online banking services for small businesses. The significance of documenting financial procedures in business processes. Personal finance management and budgeting, emphasizing the importance of keeping track of subscriptions and regular expenses. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: https://ramp.com/ https://www.lawpay.com/ https://gravity-legal.com/ https://www.novo.co/ https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn007/ https://www.rocketmoney.com/ https://cardpointers.com/ https://mint.intuit.com/ Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://streamlined.legal/  https://streamlined.legal/videos https://gngf.com/consultation  https://gngf.com/ More Information About Our Hosts:  Melanie Leonard: streamlined.legal —-------------------------------- For help automating key processes in your law firm and implementing legal tech (especially around Clio & Lawmatics), check out the free videos and resources at https://streamlined.legal/videos to streamline your law firm TODAY.   Mark Homer: Get Noticed Get Found —-------------------------------------------------- Every day, the Get Noticed Get Found team (GNGF) helps ambitious law firms push through their growth plateaus. If your marketing budget is $80,000 or more a year and you are interested in learning how the GNGF team can help take your law firm's marketing to the next level, schedule a conversation with our team at https://gngf.com/consultation  or give us a call at 513-444-2016.   If you are just getting started but want some hand-holding and guidance as you spend more time and money in marketing, check out GNGF's sister company https://lexcelerate.legal, which provides marketing help through group coaching, training videos, and downloadable guides for solo and small law firms. ACTION STEPS: Think about one of these hacks that you want to add to your business or personal life Create a reminder for tomorrow to set up the app or process We also want to hear from you - send us your favorite smartphone or any tech hack to hello@nextlevel.legal, and we might feature it in our next Tech Hacks episode *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.  

Get ready to unlock the secrets of transforming your law firm's online presence! Our special guest, Ashleigh Achor from GNGF, walks us through a captivating real-life success story of a Utah-based criminal defense firm's journey from obscurity online to the spotlight. With her expert guidance, this firm leveraged the power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to improve visibility, and Ashleigh is here to spill all the details. In our discussion, Ashleigh breaks down the strategies that worked wonders for this law firm - think optimized content, meta descriptions, keyword targeting, and cross-linking. She also shares the essence of being patient, setting realistic expectations, and the importance of monitoring progress with analytics tools for long-term success. All these strategies helped the law firm not just improve its online visibility but also fuel its overall growth. Law firm marketing strategy has never been this exciting or accessible, so tune in, take notes, and let us take your firm to the next level. Show Highlights: Importance of optimized content, meta descriptions, keyword targeting, cross-linking, patience, setting realistic expectations, and progress monitoring with analytics tools for SEO success.  Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like traffic, visibility, impressions, clicks, and conversions are used to measure the firm's online success.  The firm's continuous SEO efforts led to a significant increase in clients from organic search, contributing to overall business growth.  The importance of tracking and data analysis in fine-tuning digital marketing strategies and recommendations for law firms aiming to replicate this success. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Watch Videos: https://streamlined.legal/videos Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn006/ https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn010// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn039// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn040// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn041// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn042// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn043// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn044// https://nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn053/ ACTION STEPS: Mark: If you want to have some of the success of this real-world law firm example - go back, listen, and take the action steps in the following episodes: Episode 6 - Should I Invest in SEO vs. PPC? Episode 10 - What Are the Best Online Marketing Tactics? Episode 39-44 - SEO Series   Episode 53 - Branding for Your Law Firm *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Elevate your law firm's success by mastering the art of KPIs in flat fee firms. We guarantee you'll walk away with valuable insights on how to select and track the right KPI that will truly drive your firm's growth. Not only that, but we'll also share our expertise on how to overcome the common challenges of tracking KPIs and how to ensure their accuracy. We'll guide you through the advantages of providing cost certainty to your clients and the importance of offering an estimated timeline for each matter. Discover how to use data to provide your clients with more accurate information about the length of time a matter may take and how setting expectations during the client consultation process can greatly enhance client satisfaction and trust. Remember, having a handle on accurate data doesn't just make you sound smart, it empowers you to make better, more strategic decisions that will take your firm to the next level. Join us and let's take your firm to the next level! Show Highlights: The importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for flat fee law firms and how they can be used to drive growth and profitability. How to select and track the right KPIs for your firm, including overcoming common challenges and ensuring accuracy. Insights on how to use data to make decisions, such as adjusting marketing efforts, automating services, and eliminating unprofitable services. The advantages of providing cost certainty to clients and offering estimated timelines for each matter. How to use data to provide clients with accurate information about the length of time a matter may take. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Watch Videos: https://streamlined.legal/videos  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: MELANIE: Start tracking your time (and your team's time)!  Even for your flat fee cases, this information will help us make a lot of decisions. Start tracking data now! It doesn't have to be perfect, but the sooner you start collecting it, the sooner you can use it. Make a custom field in your software or, better yet, ask a team member to do it for you.   Ask your team to calculate the days from open to closed or the value of the time spent when closing a file. Put a time block on your calendar to look at the data you've started collecting in two weeks just so you can make sure they are collecting the way you've asked. And then block time two weeks later to see what you've got. Do the same thing once a month, and you'll start seeing trends in the numbers that will tell you if your gut was right.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Listen in as we unlock the secrets to effective nurture campaigns for your law firm. With a focus on continual connection and introducing your firm to prospects and leads, we share examples and practical advice to build a strong and beneficial campaign. Learn why leading with optimism is vital and how a well-structured nurture campaign can provide your clients with hope and a path to a better solution. Don't miss our offer of a PDF download filled with real-life examples and tips to aid in your campaign creation. Navigate the world of email copywriting with strategies that grab attention and engage different types of audiences. We also unveil tools and strategies for building a successful campaign, including an exploration of CRM features, the use of MailChimp, and even the legal implications of postcard-sending companies. Get ready to take action and build your nurture campaign today! Show Highlights: The importance of developing nurture campaigns for law firms, and how to structure them. Strategies for keeping law firms at the top of prospects' minds after they've downloaded a lead magnet. The concept of 'top of mind awareness' and the importance of consistent contact with past and potential clients. Techniques for engaging email copywriting, including using different types of subject lines and media. An overview of various tools and strategies for creating successful nurture campaigns. The role of CRM features, the use of platforms like MailChimp, and the legal implications of using postcard-sending companies. How to personalize nurture campaigns to build a relationship and provide hope and better solutions for clients. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  https://streamlined.legal/videos  PDF: https://4.gngf.com/nextlevel-email Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: Mark If you don't have your lead magnet to be able to get the email address of your prospective clients who just aren't ready to call, go back to Episode 23. Once you have your lead magnet, build out a five-email sequence following the flow we discussed earlier. Then put the emails into a drip/nurture campaign workflow in your Legal CRM tool or just use MailChimp for now. Enjoy the few additional clients you will gain from your leads. And of course…please share our podcast with your colleagues, which you can do right from your podcast app.   If you are listening and haven't subscribed yet - please Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen so you will be notified when our next podcast episode is released.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Join us as we dissect the differences between advances and retainers, flat fees and fixed fees, and how the American Bar Association (ABA) defines these types of fees. We stress the importance of checking with your state and jurisdiction for any differences in their rules regarding fees and billing. Listen closely as we dig into the challenges and helpful aspects of the ABA's Formal Opinion 505, a significant development that emerged in May this year. We examine the ABA's opinion on flat fees, fixed fees and how these fee structures influence the language used in engagement letters. Listen as we talk about the importance of using language such as non-refundable and earned upon receipt and why regular reviews of these fee structures are critical. Plus, we shed light on the importance of setting funds in the correct trust or operating account as per your jurisdiction. Show Highlights: Exploration of American Bar Association's (ABA) definitions and interpretations of legal fees such as advances, retainers, flat fees, and fixed fees. Discussion on the ABA's Formal Opinion 505 and its implications on legal fee structures. Examination of terms like non-refundable and earned upon receipt in client engagement letters and their significance. Insight into the ABA's viewpoint that all fees are refundable unless they're a specific retainer, dating back to 1908. Analysis of the ABA's take on flat fees, fixed fees, and their impact on the language used in engagement letters. Importance of setting funds in the right trust or operating account as per jurisdiction rules. Encouragement for regular review and adjustment of fee structures in line with ABA guidelines and jurisdictional rules. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: MELANIE: Check with your state or other jurisdiction!  Review your engagement letter Make sure that what you're telling the clients and how you're actually billing them matches with the letter. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Ever feel like you're trudging through the weeds of daily tasks without having time to strategize for the big picture? We're here to tell you it's time to pause, look up, and take that much-needed skyward glance. This episode is a deep dive into the importance of strategic meetings where the collective wisdom of the team comes into play. We're giving you a roadmap to sort, prioritize and take action on the plethora of ideas that usually crop up during these sessions. Trends can guide our growth strategy, and we explore how to leverage them. We also emphasize that it's not a one-person job, the wisdom of the team is paramount. From sorting to prioritizing, we explain how to sift through ideas that come up and take action without feeling overwhelmed. We offer practical tips to identify ideas that can propel your business forward and share an interesting 'keep, kill, combine' exercise for brainstorming sessions. This episode is a must-listen if you're seeking to grow your business or firm, so join us as we break it all down for you. Let's look at the sky together and chart your path to success! Show Highlights: Importance of strategic meetings and trend analysis in propelling business growth.  Utilizing collective team wisdom to turn ideas into actionable plans. Prioritizing ideas based on ease of implementation and value through a comparison grid. Harnessing the power of strategic meetings to avoid getting lost in the day-to-day operations. The significance of identifying business and industry trends for continued growth. Utilizing team members' expertise and experience to understand trends and create meaningful strategies. Strategies for focusing and prioritizing ideas, including a 'keep, kill, combine' exercise for brainstorming sessions. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: Get your calendar and pick 4-8 hours you can set aside to work to get out of the weeds and look up at the sky.   During that time, if you have a team, ask them to join and come prepared with some issues and trends they are seeing. If there is no team, look at your own data and maybe grab a colleague or coach to help out. Identify ideas that can help work toward solving or leveraging that trend. Prioritize and pick one or two things that you will work an extra hour or two a week on for the next few weeks to implement into your firm. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Join us on a captivating journey as we dissect the ABA Opinion 506 on non-lawyers in the sales and intake process. Listen in as we break down the implications of this opinion in a way that's easy to understand and practical to apply. We'll explore the importance of understanding and adopting best practices to ensure your firm's growth while maintaining ethical standards. We also discuss the ethical obligations of lawyers when it comes to non-lawyer assistance and we unpack the intricate details of rule 5.3 and its impact on your legal practice. Additionally, we look at the role of non-attorney salespeople, examining their tasks and responsibilities in light of the ABA Opinion 506. We emphasize the importance of clear guidelines and boundaries to ensure they do not stray into unauthorized practice of law. Tune in and equip yourself with the knowledge to navigate this complex aspect of legal practice. Show Highlights: Understanding the implications of the ABA Opinion 506, which addresses non-lawyers in the sales and intake process of a law firm. The ethical obligations of lawyers when working with non-lawyer assistants, including providing appropriate guidance and supervision. Distinguishing between delegation and abdication in a legal practice and exploring the responsibilities of lawyers in managing non-lawyer roles. The importance of reviewing engagement letters and service agreements to ensure ethical engagement with clients. The need for law firms to have policies and procedures in place to manage the involvement of non-lawyers in the sales and intake process. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: Review your intake policies & procedure Or make some Review your engagement letter or other service agreement with your clients to make sure that they are offered an opportunity to discuss the fee agreement and scope of representation with the lawyer *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

We're celebrating our 100th episode and two-year anniversary of Your Law Firm is a Business. Take it to the Next Level, and we're incredibly grateful for the support from all of our listeners! To show our appreciation, we're joined by Corine Rogers, the problem solver extraordinaire at Streamlined Legal, to answer some great listener questions that have come in. Listen in as we discuss the challenges and rewards of growing a law firm and how to navigate the new obstacles that come with it. Growth presents new challenges, but that's a sign of progress. We discuss how some aspects of running a business may get easier with repetition, but new levels of growth often bring new difficulties. Just as with parenting, we find that in business, it's not necessarily that it gets easier, but rather a different type of hardship. We also explore the importance of having team members who are motivated to challenge themselves and grow with the business and the need for holding people accountable with objective measures and metrics. Finally, we touch on the importance of understanding and utilizing the software at our disposal and how it can help us manage our growing firms more efficiently. We discuss the challenges of outgrowing software and how to approach making changes to your processes and systems to avoid having to switch to a new platform. So, tune in and gain valuable insights as we share our experiences and advice on taking your law firm to the next level! Show Highlights: Celebrating growth and overcoming challenges in a law firm business.  Surrounding yourself with motivated team members to challenge themselves and grow with the business.  Holding people accountable through objective measures and metrics.  Utilizing software to manage growth efficiently in a law firm.  Testing business processes by going on vacation to see how the firm runs without you. Building checklists and processes for when things break and learning from the experience. Achieving a mindset shift to understand that not every outcome will be perfect, but aiming for a majority of satisfied clients and employees. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: Yes! — we always want to leave our listeners with some ACTION STEPS. And today it's easy!  When you're done listening today, hop back into your podcast app and grab that episode that we mentioned today that caught your attention, and give it a listen to take your firm to the Next Level. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

In this engaging episode, we explore how AI can help law firm marketers become more efficient and effective. We discuss different ways to incorporate AI into law firm marketing, covering the caveats and warnings of using AI, use cases of using AI safely for marketing, and specific examples of how to speed up content research and content outlines. We also touch on how Google is making fast tweaks to the way they handle AI and what they consider quality content, as well as the adjustments they have made to their Quality Radar Guidelines. Finally, we take a look at specific examples of how AI can be used to generate posts for Google business profiles as well as other social media posts. We talk about AI tools that can help repurpose and repackage content, as well as use AI to learn when your audience is most active and what hashtags they use. Additionally, we cover tools such as chat GPT and Publr which can help create social media posts and suggest images. Listen in as we discuss the difference between Google indexing and email marketing and how AI can help with creating emails and split testing. Show Highlights: Integrating AI into law firm marketing for improved efficiency and effectiveness. Using AI to expedite content research and outline creation for web pages and social media posts. Utilizing AI tools, such as chat GPT and Publr, to generate Google business profile posts and other social media content. Harnessing AI for email marketing, including creating headlines, messages, and split testing. Leveraging AI for content creation strategy, generating topics and keywords for web pages, and analyzing existing content for improvement. Navigating the potential pitfalls and precautions when using AI in law firm marketing. Examples of AI usage in advertising copy, printed materials, and landing pages. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal Large Language Model AI Tools: ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com  Jasper: https://jasper.ai Copy.ai: https://www.copy.ai/ Writesonic: https://writesonic.com Brevo (formerly sendinblue): https://www.brevo.com/ FeedHive: https://www.feedhive.com/features/ai  Buffer: https://buffer.com/ai-assistant Publr: https://publer.io/features/ai-assist  MailChimp: https://mailchimp.com/announcing-email-content-generator/  Constant Contact: https://www.constantcontact.com/features/ai-marketing  LawMatics - LM[AI]: https://www.lawmatics.com/lmai/ ACTION STEPS: Get a ChatGPT account and leverage the show notes to start some prompts to do some content research  And of course, don't forget a very important step today… be one of the listeners that help us get to our goal of adding 200 more listeners before our 100th episode by sharing our podcast with your colleagues or on your social media feed:  @NextLevel_Legal on Twitter or @nextlevel.legal on Instagram & Facebook.   EXAMPLE PROMPTS DISCUSSED ON THE PODCAST: To draft Content with Suggested Links/Citations, make sure the prompt contains these 4 parts: Assign a Role / PoV Directive Voice Outcome Example: “You are a writer for my law firm's website, in charge of marketing our services via educational content. Please describe the impact of a sexual harassment claim on the victim's lifetime earnings. Please maintain professionalism, and cite your legal sources, but express empathy for the victim and their circumstances. The aim of the content should be for other victims to contact our firm.” Please verify all sources! CREATE CONTENT OUTLINES FOR LONG TOPICAL PAGES (SEO Friendly) Start With: What are the most popular sub-topics related (your keyword or practice area) You will get a list of detailed topics to choose from for an outline for your page.  Then for each sub-topic, you want to include on your page: Follow with: “What are the most popular sub-topics related to (sub-topic)?” Follow with: “List Without Description The Top 5 Most Popular Keywords For The Topic Of (sub-topic)” Follow with: “List Without Description The Top 5 Most Popular Long-Tail Keywords For The Topic Of (sub-topic)” Now use your knowledge and your own words to flesh out each outline, and be sure to include some of the keywords and long-tail phrases in your copy. You could record a video talking through it and send it to a copywriter too.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we tackle the vital topic of protecting your law firm's website from being stolen. Listen in as we break down the concept of an internet domain, the importance of domain name servers (DNS), and website hosting. It's essential for business owners to understand these basic internet concepts to prevent website loss and ensure smooth operation. Plus, we celebrate approaching our 100th episode and ask for your help spreading the word! We also explore the process of determining who owns a law firm's website and the necessary steps for transferring domain ownership. Learn about the importance of knowing where a domain is registered and how to use the “Who Is” tool to find out. We discuss potential complications that can arise when dealing with an agency that won't let go of the domain and the need to be mindful when creating a new domain to avoid SEO issues. Discover why it's crucial to separate domain ownership and hosting. Finally, we emphasize the importance of separating your domain name server from your website host for added security and faster loading times. Discover how using Cloudflare for hosting DNS can cache images for quicker loading times and increase your website's security. Don't miss this essential episode for ensuring the safety and success of your law firm's online presence. And as always, thank you for your continued support and for helping us reach our goal of 200 more listeners before our 100th episode! Show Highlights: Domain names, DNS, website hosting, and internet concepts to protect law firm websites What the “Who Is” tool is and how it can benefit you. How separating DNS services provides increased security and faster loading times. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal https://www.namecheap.com/support/knowledgebase/article.aspx/9175/83/how-to-transfer-a-domain/  https://who.is/  ACTION STEPS: Try the WHO.IS tool. Know where your domain and DNS are located, and make sure you own those accounts. If you do not, figure out who does and get that transferred to you as soon as possible. It is a pain to do this, but you only do it once – check out the article in the Supporting Resources above. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Is managing your law firm's email inbox taking up too much of your time? Are you constantly juggling court filings, client communications, and incoming leads from website forms or answering services? In this episode, we tackle these challenges head-on and provide practical solutions to streamline your email management process. We kick off by discussing how to use email filters and rules to ensure the right person receives the right information at the right time. By automating these processes, you'll no longer be overwhelmed by unread emails and can focus on more important tasks. We also explore the world of Zapier – a powerful tool that can help you gather information from website forms and answering services directly into your intake software without lifting a finger. Lastly, we emphasize the importance of delegating tasks such as setting up filters and rules to a trusted team member, freeing up even more of your time to focus on growing your practice. Don't miss out on these valuable insights designed to help you conquer email management once and for all. And don't forget to subscribe and leave a review to help us continue spreading our message to more law firm owners like you. Show Highlights: Streamlining your law firm's email management Managing email communication for legal practice Automating email management for law firms Automating intake with Zapier Outsourcing email filters Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: Pick one of these If you don't have any of these issues, you‘re off the hook this week! Write it out, starting with step 1. If the email comes into your inbox, then what is step 2? What do you want to happen next? Then create the rule or filter or zap! This is probably not the highest and best use of your time so find someone on your team to do it for you, outsource it, or grab a drink and find a youtube video that you can follow along to. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

Are you ready to hit the road or take to the skies but not sure how to make the most of your journey? Fear not, fellow travelers! We have got you covered with our top travel tips and tech hacks to make your trips efficient, enjoyable, and stress-free. We start by discussing the importance of lightweight laptops and tablets, such as the Apple MacBook Air and iPad Air, for staying productive on the go. Then, we share our favorite travel accessories, like noise-canceling headphones and tech pouches, to keep you organized and in control. And that's just the beginning! Discover how using digital boarding passes, Apple CarPlay, and rideshare apps can make your travel experience as smooth as possible. Learn how to maximize your travel efficiency and convenience with personal and business profiles for Uber and Lyft, offline Google Maps, and even investing in high-level credit cards for access to airport lounges and other perks. Trust us, you won't want to miss these essential tips and hacks for your next adventure.  Buckle up, and join us on this informative and entertaining journey! Show Highlights: Preparing for a business trip and starting with the basics Essential tech for work trips and how a smartwatch can help streamline tasks discussed Travel accessories that make traveling more convenient Tips to make traveling easier Tools to maximize travel efficiency Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Schedule a Consultation: https://gngf.com/consultation  Visit the Website: https://gngf.com/  Visit streamlined.legal: https://streamlined.legal/  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal  Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal ACTION STEPS: Plan a trip! Business or fun or both! There is something healthy about changing up your environment, not just for work but for life in general. It gives you a new perspective and changes the dynamics of your interactions with those people that you're traveling with, whether it's colleagues or family members. Doesn't have to be long, but I'd recommend at least 48 hours. Fly or drive, stay in a hotel or at a friend's house… Just GO! Once you have that trip planned, then you can take another listen to this episode and determine what you need for that particular trip. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

No matter the industry, AI has been the topic of many conversations lately. We aren't sure what it is, how to use it, if it's beneficial, or if it's a threat. We held out on talking about it on the podcast because we like to be able to provide action steps to take law firms to the next level. We have now tested the use of AI at GNGF and finally feel confident to share what we have learned and what AI features we are leveraging across our agency to help our clients. We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: Free or low-cost AI tools we trust The importance of the prompt Using AI for Google Business Profile posts Creating a year of social media posts in under two hours Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: https://gngf.com/consultation  https://gngf.com/ https://streamlined.legal/  ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com Jasper - https://jasper.ai Copy.ai - https://www.copy.ai/ Writesonic - https://writesonic.com/ PromptVibes - https://www.promptvibes.com/  OneUp Social Posting: https://www.oneupapp.io/  HootSuite.com: https://www.hootsuite.com/  Stock Photos: https://istockphoto.com or https://stock.adobe.com  Twitter: @NextLevel_Legal Instagram or Facebook: @nextlevel.legal Social Media AI Prompt [FIRM NAME] is a law firm practicing [TOP LEVEL PRACTICE AREAS] in [CLIENT LOCATION/AREAS OF SERVICE]. Act as their digital marketing expert. Write [NUMBER OF POSTS] different [NUMBER OF WORDS] captions about the practice [PRACTICE AREA SUBJECT FROM AM] for my social media posts. Include a call to action to contact the firm at the end of the caption. ACTION STEPS: Get a ChatGPT account and leverage the show notes to start some prompts for social media posting. At a minimum, start with creating posts for your Google Business Profile. Double-check the post text against the ethics rules in your state (ask ChatGPT). Create 52 posts across the various practice area topics you want to focus on so you have one post per week. Setup up a social posting tool like the ones we recommended. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

When your firm receives a call, how is it handled? Does it go to an automatic receiver, or does a receptionist answer it? What is the conversation like? Do you think your firm makes a good first impression, or do you lose more potential clients than you gain? In this episode, we have a conversation with Maddy Martin, the Senior Vice President of growth at Smith AI. Smith AI is a 24/7 customer engagement platform best known for virtual reception and outreach. Maddie is a nationwide speaker that's been recognized over the last six years for providing CLE on law firm communication and growth. Listen in as we discuss the top mistakes to avoid when outsourcing your first impression. Show Highlights: The problem with firms holding tasks too close to their chest and not delegating them The benefits of auditing your firm's call handling Why you need to answer every inbound call How to handle potential clients that are agitated or pushing back The importance of providing a pronunciation guide to your virtual receptionist Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Book A Consultation at GNGF: gngf.com/consultation  https://assets.website-files.com/5b15ca3d02dd414c89ecc3ed/63b49ffc463bd54609cb9a51_Smith-SMB-white-paper-12302022-Fortifying-Your-Frontlines.pdf ACTION STEPS: Call, text, or message your firm and see what kind of response you get. Did they follow your instructions? Did you get the first impression that you're trying to give?  Schedule to do it regularly… *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we have Marissa Portuondo from streamlined.legal to discuss one particular firm's journey to improving its intake process. The case studies involve real, small to mid-sized law firms that were struggling with their growth, intake, employee management, and more. With streamlined.legal's help, these firms have been able to take beneficial action toward success, and we are now able to learn by hearing about their progress. We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: Challenges streamlined.legal saw when they began working with them How they turned the ship around How they created a system for the new admin The importance of using forms during consultations How the admin knows what to do to move potential clients toward engagement How the new processes affected the firm partners Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy streamlined.legal  youtube.com/@GetNoticedGetFound youtube.com/@streamlined-legal ACTION STEPS: MARISA: Make it EASY to get hired Remove yourself and other attorneys from the screening process Get the info you need on the first call If paid consult, do not schedule until payment is received Automate your ELs so you can discuss with PNC at consult and don't lose the sale Actually get hired before you convert matter into Manage Gives staff a clear signal that matter is ready to be worked on - avoid work being done before you are formally hired Avoid issues with the Bar in the event of a dispute with the client *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.  

In this episode, Mark talks about one of the most mission-critical systems for any law firm - email. Email is a system that doesn't get the respect it deserves and is often overlooked. However, there are some things to consider before diving into using email in your law firm. Mark shares all the important information you need to know before setting your business up in an email system to ensure it works for you. We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: The standard email options Mark sees The benefits of Cloud email The risks of other email options A quick dive into the ideal law firm internet setup (this gets a little technical!) Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  streamlined.legal  youtube.com/@GetNoticedGetFound youtube.com/@streamlined-legal ACTION STEPS: If you are not using enterprise cloud storage, do some research and think about the benefits and potential cost savings I outlined here. If you are using an enterprise cloud storage provider like Google Workspace or Office 365 - do a little research on some of the admin steps for selecting the geography, looking into HIPAA if that applies to you, or some of the other legal-specific features like vault and retention policies. Don't forget a very important step today…be one of the listeners that help us get to our goal of adding 200 more listeners before our 100th episode by sharing our podcast with your colleagues or on your social media feed:  @NextLevel_Legal on Twitter or @nextlevel.legal on Instagram & Facebook.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we are breaking down flat fees! Flat fees serve as a great opportunity to provide more certainty and benefit to your client. They are also beneficial to you if you understand how much time, effort, and expenses go into every case. It will take a little work to know how much you put into every case, but the more you know, the better off you will be! We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: What value billing means What it costs to provide a flat fee service Where we can get in trouble Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: 5 Ways Flat Fee Attorneys Earn More by Clio Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy streamlined.legal youtube.com/@GetNoticedGetFound youtube.com/@streamlined-legal  ACTION STEPS: If you are already offering a flat fee service, take some time to see if you have the data you need to determine how much that service is costing you to provide. If you have the data, then compare it to how much you charged so that you can see how profitable you were. And if you don't have the data, figure out how you can start collecting that data for the future, and yes, for some of you, that will mean tracking your time. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we discuss the book, “The Checklist Manifesto,” by Atul Gawande. Gawande is a doctor, so the majority of his examples are from a doctor's perspective. However, many concepts are transferable between industries, including the legal field. Listen in as we go into where checklists came from, how they are beneficial, and their legal application. We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: Why have a checklist, and how the checklist came to be The problems a checklist is designed to fix The legal application The difference between a checklist and a workflow Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.  Supporting Resources: streamlined.legal  The Checklist Manifesto  Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy ACTION STEPS: Go back to your office and either look into your file or talk to your team and ask, “Do we have any file we consider a checklist?” I want you to take that checklist once you find them. Take a look at it and identify if it is a checklist or a workflow. If it is a checklist, then use it to build out some workflows in more detail. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

Can you believe we are already celebrating the second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business? We certainly can't! In this episode, we spend some time reminiscing on the past two years of episodes and going over a few of our favorite moments. We will wrap up by discussing what we anticipate for the next two years. We couldn't have made it this far without our listeners – thank you for supporting us, and we are eager for another two years with all of you! We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: A couple of our favorite episodes and key things we taught each other What we have learned about hosting a podcast What we want the next two years to look like Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: All Podcast Episodes  Episode 15  Episode 54  Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy ACTION STEPS: The first action step is to go back and listen to some of the episodes we mentioned on this podcast. The second step is to help us with our goal of getting just 200 more listeners before our 100th episode by sharing our podcast with your colleagues or on your social media feed:  @NextLevel_Legal on Twitter or @nextlevel.legal on Instagram & Facebook. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

We had some fun at the 2023 ABA Tech Show! We went to many sessions, discovered many new and interesting vendors, and, of course, learned about a lot of new technology. From the keynote to the lunch and learn, every session was informational. There was also a notable thread throughout the sessions surrounding AI and what its impact has been and will be in the legal field. Listen in for a quick recap of the sessions we experienced. We hope to see you there next year! We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: The keynote with Jack Newton “Process Mapping Made Easy” with Jen Lee Law and Danielle Hall “Better Client Communication Through Automation” How to become an anti-fragile law firm ChatGPT for lawyers Flat fee billing with Ashley Pepitone and Regina Edwards Humanizing your client experience with technology Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy ACTION STEPS: Go to your calendar now, mark off the days of the next ABA Techshow… Check that out online and see that exact dates. Put them on the calendar now so you've got that time blocked and go ahead and start looking at the reservations, start looking at different products that we are they're gonna represent again here next year and all the major practice management software, in here if you're using of those there are such a large variety of technology that they represented and go ahead and make a plan to come next year, you have a whole time to prepare for this. Go ahead make your plans now and see you next year at tech show. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Danny Ozment from Emerald City Productions. We discussed many aspects of getting started in podcasting as a lawyer, including how a podcast can turn into actual prospective clients for a law firm. A podcast helps to gain listeners' trust, build relationships and eventually generate leads and referrals. If you are ready to settle in for the long run, a podcast can help you uplevel your business in ways you never expected. If you haven't heard part one yet, we recommend going back to it so you can hear all of Danny's tips for starting a podcast as a lawyer! We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: How to think of the target listeners when recording How a podcast can turn into actual prospective clients for a law firm What you should think about once you start a podcast What technology to use Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy emeraldcitypro.com ACTION STEPS: Don't overthink it Start ugly Contact Emerald City Pro and schedule a call *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

This episode is a bit meta because it's a podcast about podcasts! We have a conversation with trusted expert Danny Ozment about how law firms can leverage podcasts to grow their business. The conversation was so good that we had to split it into two episodes. Danny is the founder of Emerald City Productions, which in full transparency, is the company we use to produce our podcast, and since we know him and his team so well, we knew he would add a lot of value to our listeners on this topic. Danny has a background as a musician and conductor but took the leap nine years ago into helping creators with podcasts. Enjoy, and don't forget to tune in next week for part two of the conversation! We are coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Show Highlights: Why lawyers should consider podcasting Different approaches for podcast topics for a law firm How to get started And many tips along the way! Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy emeraldcitypro.com ACTION STEPS: Don't overthink Start ugly Contact Emerald City Pro and schedule a call Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

In today's episode, we have a special guest – Corine Rogers, the Problem Solver Extraordinaire at streamlined.legal! She is on the show to help us with one of our favorite segments, answering your questions. As a reminder, if you ever have questions for Mark and Melanie, you can email us at hello@nextlegal.legal or tweet us at nextlevel_legal. We are also coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Thank you, and we hope you feel better informed after listening to this episode! Show Highlights: What the heck is a non-attorney salesperson? How can they handle scheduling consults for me? Got any tips for dealing with change that is causing friction with my Office Manager? How do I hunt for things to “zap” on Zapier? Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy Episode 79 Episode 58 Episode 56 ACTION STEPS: When you're done listening today, hop back into your podcast app and grab that episode that we mentioned today! Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

We have another real world example client to break down with you! In this episode, we have a conversation with one of our GNGF account managers, Josh Schuler, who walks us through an example of a full-service marketing client. We go over when the law firm started, where they were struggling with a strategy, the different strategies Josh uses with this firm, and how they began to see success along the way! We are also coming up on our 100th episode and second anniversary of Your Law Firm Is a Business – but we need your help. To celebrate, we want to add another 200 unique new listeners before we reach our 100th episode. You can help by sharing our show on social media and tagging us or leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. If we hit the goal, we will provide fun giveaways, including things from some of our tech tips episodes. Thanks for your support, and enjoy this episode! Show Highlights: The main issue that led the example client to hire GNGF and work with Josh's team. Some of the strategies and tactics they used in the beginning with this client. The three buckets of onboarding for GNGF. What they already established with another company before switching to GNGF. What is a Chico Combined Strategy? How long it took to change the search engines' perception of the law firm and begin creating conversions. How they are helping this client move up the marketing funnel. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: gngf.com/case-studies/cro-implementation-results-in-lead-growth/  nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn006/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn010/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn39/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn040/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn041/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn042/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn043/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn044/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn053/ nextlevel.legal/episode/lfn081/ Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy ACTION STEPS: If you want to have some of the success of this real world law firm example, go back and listen and follow the action steps in the following episodes: Episode 6 - Should I Invest in SEO vs. PPC Episode 10 - What Are the Best Online Marketing Tactics? Episode 39-44 - SEO Series   Episode 53 - Branding For Your Law Firm And we talked about moving up the marketing funnel just a few episodes ago in Episode 81 - 2023 Marketing Trends from Growing Law Firms  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

In episode 69, we covered the first three levels of influence from Robert Cialdini's book “Influence.” The first three are reciprocity, liking, and social proof. Go back and listen to that episode for a further breakdown of those three if you'd like to hear them before diving into the final four. In this episode, we are continuing with a breakdown of the last four levels of influence. Influence has a lot to do with sales, but it goes much further than that. We use the power of persuasion throughout our day-to-day lives, sometimes without even realizing it. The seven levels of influence will overall help you achieve more yeses and help more than just yourself. Listen in for part two of the seven levels of influence. Show Highlights: How influence shows up in your firm every day. Why we use authority as a decision-making shortcut.  What the effects of status symbols are on our clients. How to use scarcity to influence your prospective clients. How to make decisions easier with consistency. When the best time to ask for a referral is. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy Buy Robert Cialdini's Book  ACTION STEPS: Pick one of these Levers of Influence (Reciprocity, Liking, Social Proof)  Where have you seen this acting in your firm?  Where would you like to see this act in your firm? *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

We are back with another episode of tech hacks! These episodes are becoming a fun addition to each quarter, so please continue to send your tech hacks over to us. Each episode is sharing technology tips that will help make life as a lawyer a little easier. In this episode, Melanie and Mark share smartphone hacks for lawyers to improve productivity, time management, and more. From apps to daily practices, this episode is full of tips for getting the most out of your smartphone when your laptop is not available or when you have a few minutes to spare before court.  Listen in for this quarter's episode of tech hacks, and don't forget to share any of your tips with us for future episodes! Show Highlights: Take advantage of a practice management app like Clio. Use apps that are already programmed on your phone. Meditation and health improvement apps we enjoy. Recommended apps for scanning documents. Tips for not letting your phone own your time. The benefits of voice over IP phone apps. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: https://gngf.com/consultation  https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2022/11/08/fast-forward-comparing-1980s-supercomputer-to-modern-smartphone ACTION STEPS: Think about one smartphone tech hack that you want to add to your smartphone or a process you want to start using with your smartphone. Use your voice assistant on your smartphone to set an alarm or reminder to set up the app or process.  We also want to hear from you - send us your favorite smartphone or any tech hack to hello@nextlevel.legal and we might feature it in our next Tech Hacks episode. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

Marketing funnels are a powerful tool for bringing in new business. There are workshops and courses dedicated to teaching business owners how to use them. Because marketing is tied to your business goals, you have to know which tools are the right ones to grow your practice.   Shiny object syndrome can create distractions. While some cutting-edge tools making their way to the market can be beneficial, there are some tried-and-true methods that can help swing your firm into another level of growth. The days of Yellow Pages ads may be gone, but the digital world has created more exposure opportunities.   In this episode, Mark and Melanie are talking about marketing funnels. Many law firms begin to move up the marketing funnel once they've built a foundation, leveraging CRMs to save money and attain huge ROI. There are many commonplace tools that you can implement to better meet your client's expectations.   You'll hear what the AIDA marketing funnel is, what marketing funnels are available to you, and the concept behind CRMs. Other attorneys are leveraging remote work tools in their practices to reach clients, and they're probably things you're already familiar with.   Show Highlights: Why many law firms are beginning to move up the marketing funnel once their foundation is built How CRMs can be leveraged Why commonplace tools are being implemented to better meet the diverse ways clients expect to learn and communicate with law firms What the AIDA marketing funnel is and how it works Awareness Interest Desire Action The different types of marketing funnels and their effectiveness The concept behind a CRM, how they can create a full-circle customer relationship management, and some examples of CRMs How you can save money and attain huge ROI by using a CRM How to use commonplace digital tools to meet the diverse ways clients expect to learn and communicate with you Why you should want to communicate with clients using different methods and the services you can use to implement these options How attorneys are leveraging remote work tools in their practices to reach clients Why you should take advantage of client portals Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy https://gngf.com/consultation    ACTION STEPS: Think about where you are with your law firm business and your marketing strategy. Would one of these strategies help you take your firm to the next level? For many firms, the easiest place to start will be incorporating more digital tools for client communication or implementing some tracking for their intake process that they can then incorporate into a CRM later on.  Write down the strategy you want to add to your firm in 2023 and start to do some research.  If you want some help, of course, feel free to reach out to my team.  *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

How much time could you save if you could automate some of the tasks in your practice? What would you do with those extra minutes or hours? It could change your ability to continue to grow your firm. Software automation is getting easier to use. You no longer need an API to connect your apps. Instead, you can use one app to manage several tasks at once. In this episode, we're introducing you to Zapier and how it can make you happier. Zapier is an app that will let you connect different apps or software. What makes Zapier so valuable is that you don't have to enter information twice or use multiple systems to do the same things with different files. We'll explain what “zaps” are, how they work, and why you need them in your life. Simplify processes like follow-up emails, scheduling consultations, and moving files into your designated DropBox folders. Don't miss how adding Zapier to your firm's operations can help take it to the next level. Show Highlights: What Zapier is and what it does How Zapier automates digital processes, which can decrease time spent in other areas of your practice Using automated time entries and expenses in Zapier Letting Zapier help organize your files and folders in DropBox or OneDrive Allowing Zapier to send client emails for updates on their cases How you can use Zapier as a marketing tool Setting up zaps that schedule consultations after payment is completed Using Zapier to send a welcome gift to new clients How you can take your firm to the next level using Zapier Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy https://streamlined.legal/videos    https://zapier.com/   ACTION STEPS: First Step: Go back and listen to Episode 5: Where Do I Start with Automation, especially if you're not sure where to start even thinking of automations that would be helpful for you and your team Second Step: Brainstorm one automation that will be helpful to you or your team; it can be small, there are no awards for the best law firm automation, and everyone has to start somewhere Third Step: Make a plan for setting up that automation Do you have someone in-house that can do it, or will you outsource it? Keep in mind that this may not be the highest and best use of your time However, depending on where you are in your practice's growth, you may have more time than money and want to figure it out yourself; in that case, YouTube is your friend *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know I sent you.

Melanie has a busy schedule, so finding time to listen to an audiobook can be difficult. Surprisingly, though, when a popular memoir was recently released, she found the time to listen to several chapters. Our priorities shift according to what's important to us, and sales in your law firm business are no different. If you are not prioritizing your sales and sales goals, it could be time to consider delegating those tasks to someone else. In this episode, Mark and Melanie share seven signs that you should fire yourself from sales at your law firm. If you don't have time to handle these tasks, you're probably ready to bring in some help. Show Highlights: Why you should fire yourself from sales and put someone else in charge of it The reason you should still act as the sales manager, meaning you're delegating sales to your employee--not abdicating from them 24 hours is too long to respond to a lead Why you should hand over lead follow-ups to someone else if you aren't following up Giving potential clients an out means you need to fire yourself from sales Fire yourself from sales if you're dreading consults and unsure when you'll complete the work Service quality is suffering because you're wearing too many hats You're quoting different prices to different clients for the same service You have a consistent marketing message and cadence that brings qualified prospects to your firm The action steps you need to take your firm to the next level Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy ACTION STEPS: First Step: Count up how many of these signs you've noticed within your own firm so you'll know how urgent the situation is 1 or 2: You may want to start thinking about the situation 3 or 4: I'd prioritize making a plan 5 or more: Find someone today! Second Step: Think about who will wear the hat next: Do you have someone already on your team that has the time to do it and that you could train on how you want it done? Don't just assign it to someone else that doesn't have the time; this is a critical function of the firm's success so we want someone that can give it the time and attention that it deserves Taking it off of your plate because you are overwhelmed just to put it on someone else's full plate is not a good solution Is this an opportunity to hire someone that will be able to pay for themselves with the amount of sales they are able to make? Remember that this doesn't have to be a full time position and the salary can be based on their sales performance *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

We hear it all the time: Writing down goals makes them more achievable. Before you write down the goals, you have to identify what they are. What if your goal this year was to make this your best law firm year ever? Creating more revenue or profit isn't necessarily the goal that will motivate you. Instead, as you're planning out your year, you should also consider the other changes you could make in your business to make your law firm even better. In this episode, Mark and Melanie share how to identify the goals you want to achieve for your law firm. They outline the specific action steps you need to take and break it down even further into quarterly, monthly, and even weekly objectives. Show Highlights: How to identify when you made the most revenue, took home the most profit from your business, and you were in control of your time Why focus is the secret to creating your best law firm year ever and how to choose the key measure that will create your best year Why writing down a goal and the “why” behind it will help you keep going The one thing that separates last year from this year is change How to rank your goals to make the most impact on your year and overcome  the overwhelm Break the year into quarters and months, and create measurable monthly milestones Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF The Legal Marketing Academy ACTION STEPS: Go back and answer the initial questions about what were the things that mattered if you look back at your best law firm year yet?   Spend some time thinking about your NUMBER ONE goal for this year and WHY that goal matters? Spend a little more time on the WHY than the goal number Sketch out the things you need to be doing different by the end of the year to hit that number? Rank them in order of largest impact and also fastest to accomplish. Remember, you may want to work on quickest items with biggest impact first Put the no more than three things you are going to move forward each quarter. And then break it down into months. DO NOT COMPROMISE ON YOUR MONTHLY GOAL - Think about having an accountability partner or even an outside coach if you have the resources. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

Identifying trends in any industry is vital for forecasting where your law practice may be going and where you want to take it. Clio is a company specializing in legal software, and they also release a yearly report to pinpoint trends in the legal field. This episode of Your Law Firm is a Business. Take It to the Next Level is part two of a deep dive into Clio's Legal Trends Report. We're recognizing and discussing items that stand out and analyzing what they may mean for lawyers in the future. Josh Lenon, Lawyer-in-Residence and Data Protection Officer at Clio, joins Mark and Melanie again for part two of this breakdown. His job is to translate lawyers to technologists and technology to lawyers. He's helping them break down what the statistics mean in Clio's Legal Trends Report. Show Highlights: Why reviews are an output metric and the reason attorneys should understand the influences behind the reviews they receive Why answering the phone is one of the strongest investments you can make and the reason synchronous communication is still preferred How your affordability and billing methods affect the clients you attract in your practice What offering a flat fee service can do to increase your business Why using technology doesn't have to be impersonal Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF  The Legal Marketing Academy Joshua Lenon bio: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/joshualenon  Clio Legal Trends Report: https://4.gngf.com/nextlevel-clio-LTR  Streamlined Legal videos: https://streamlined.legal/videos    Action Steps: When you're done listening today, go download the Legal Trends Report, we'll put the link in the show notes but a quick Google search for Legal Trends Report will get you where you need to go. Review the Table of Contents, jump to the section that interests you the most and read that section.   Then, using what you learned in that section, come up with one Action Step of your own that you can implement in your firm using what you learned.    *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

Identifying trends in any industry is vital for forecasting where your law practice may be going and where you want to take it. Clio is a company specializing in legal software, and they also release a yearly report to pinpoint trends in the legal field. This episode of Your Law Firm is a Business. Take It to the Next Level is diving into legal trends of the past year, including revenue, attrition rates, and cloud-based law practice management. Josh Lenon, Lawyer-in-Residence and Data Protection Officer at Clio, joins Mark and Melanie. His job is to translate lawyers to technologists and technology to lawyers. He's helping them break down what the statistics mean in Clio's Legal Trends Report. Show Highlights: What Josh's role is at Clio, and how he guides the technology based on his experience as a lawyer What information the Clio Legal Trends Report provides, and how it's changed since 2018 How utilization rates may change in the future Why cloud-based practice management is a driver of growth How digital freedom has changed the ability to work on the go Why lawyer dissatisfaction seems high right now Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF The Legal Marketing Academy Joshua Lenon bio: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/joshualenon Clio Legal Trends Report: https://4.gngf.com/nextlevel-clio-LTR Streamlined legal videos: https://streamlined.legal/videos  ACTION STEPS: When you're done listening today, go download the Legal Trends Report, we'll put the link in the show notes but a quick Google search for Legal Trends Report will get you where you need to go.   Review the Table of Contents, jump to the section that interests you the most and read that section.  Then, using what you learned in that section, come up with one Action Step of your own that you can implement in your firm using what you learned.   *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

As a law firm owner, you saw a problem and decided to try and solve it by starting your business. When you did this, you had to work hard. You had to put a lot of effort into professional development just to get your firm up and running. In this way, professional development comes naturally to many entrepreneurs. The problem is, this makes the professional development of your team a challenge. You expect your team to work on it independently but many of them won't. Not everyone wants to start their own business or has the perspective of an entrepreneur. It is your responsibility to make sure they are developing professionally. If this feels overwhelming or confusing, this episode is for you. Tune in to learn why the professional development of your team is so important and practical strategies for promoting it! Show Highlights: The benefits of professional development. How professional development opportunities lead to employee retention. Why professional development should be fostered, not dictated. Practical ways to build professional development into your company culture. Why having one-on-one meetings with your direct reports is crucial. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Harvard Business Review Article: https://hbr.org/2022/04/3-ways-to-boost-retention-through-professional-development Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Book A Consultation at GNGF The Legal Marketing Academy Action Steps: 1. Write down each role at your company. Remember some people may be doing multiple roles right now, depending on the size of your firm. For each role, write down the key responsibilities that define someone being successful in that role. 2. Next, jot down the skills required to handle those key responsibilities. 3. In your next one-on-one meeting with each of your team members, review the document with them and ask them to score themselves on a scale of 1-10 in each of the skills so that you can help them identify areas to get additional training and improvement. 4. Let them know that you encourage them to take one hour a week or a couple of hours every other week for training or an all-day class once a quarter on company time. 5. Bring it up and follow up in future one-on-ones. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

We're back again with another episode of listener questions! Over the past few weeks, we've covered some great topics here on the podcast. We've talked about hiring coaches and consultants, compounding growth, building influence, and more. These are important things to consider and we received a lot of great questions about them. Today, we're going to take some time to answer a few of these questions. Joining us again is Corinne, problem solver extraordinaire over at Streamline Legal. Listen in and get your questions answered! Show Highlights: Things to consider when hiring a coach or consultant. Tips for choosing the best coach possible. How to choose the best task management software. Why you should start simple with task management software. How to practice reciprocity with your team. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Episode 67 Episode 68 Episode 69 streamlined.legal Action Steps: 1. When you're done listening today, hop back into your podcast app, grab one of the episodes we mentioned today that caught your attention, and give it a listen to take your firm to the Next Level. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

Links are extremely important in your SEO efforts. You want to make sure you have enough links and that the ones you have are high quality. That is how you can ensure that your content will attract the right people and get more ideal clients through your doors. We recently went through a situation with one of our clients at GNGF where they did some things they should've have with their links. We were able to help them through the situation and get them back on track but it taught us a good lesson. Today, we want to share more about this situation and explain what our client should have done instead. Take this cautionary tale and apply the things you learn today regarding link building do's and don'ts and you will be well on your way to massive SEO success! Show Highlights: A review of local SEO. What backlinks are. What you need to work on before focusing on link buildling. The big mistake our client made. The right way to do link building. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Book A Consultation with GNGF Local “Without” Link Building Article Episode 39 Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Action Steps: If you are paying for links, please stop. Additionally, delete any enticing emails that promise the world if you buy high DA (domain authority) links. Start with the basics that we covered in the first few SEO episodes we did. Rinse and repeat this and track your metrics. Start to think about how you can garner local-oriented links. Can you get some press on an important case? Can you speak at a local event or bar association and get a link to your website? Even having links for events and local teams you sponsor could help. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.

Data can be a pain. There is so much to track and make sense of. On top of that, we have to worry about taking ownership of it and keeping it safe. For many law firm owners, they are overwhelmed by data in and of itself, so adding the component of migration just scares them even more. That is what we will be discussing in this episode. We're talking about how to move and take your data with you. This is important for any law firm owner who is either switching softwares or moving to a new firm. These can turn into stressful situations when you don't plan for them and move your data correctly. So, tune in and you'll learn when to start planning for data migration, what to take into consideration when you do, and how to create a successful plan that keeps your data organized and safe. Show Highlights: Why you should start thinking about data migration before ever putting data into a software. When you need to create a solid plan for data migration. The best timing for data migration. Things to take into consideration when making a plan to move your data. How workflows can help with this process. How to decide which data you don't need to transfer. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Action Steps: 1. Contact your current PM and CRM software via email, phone, or their help section and find out how easy it is to export your data. For some, it is as easy as clicking a button on the screen and it downloads a .csv file for you. For others, you will have to request that the software provider export it for you. In that case, find out how long it takes and if there is a fee for this service so that you can plan for both. For older software, you may need to hire a specialist that knows how to export the data for you. 2. Document what you learn (with a date and how you got the information) in a Word document somewhere in your firm's digital files so that you can reference it later when you need it. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.

We get questions all the time from law firm owners who are wondering what kind of marketing will work best for them. They want to know what's working right now and what marketing tactics will bring them the most results. The problem is, our answer is always, “It depends.” Of course, we have some general rules of thumb. We share marketing tactics all the time here on the show. The key is, how you apply them largely depends on your firm's revenue and profits. In this episode, we'll cover what your marketing budget should be depending on the size and revenue of your firm, from brand-new to established and growing firms. We'll also give you some marketing strategies to guide you through all of this information. Tune in! Show Highlights: What percentage of your revenue should go towards marketing. How much you should spend on marketing if you're a smaller firm. Marketing tactics you should implement at the beginning stages of your business other than hiring a marketing agency. How much you should spend on marketing as a more established firm. How to track marketing metrics. Subscribe and Review We'd appreciate you subscribing to this podcast and leaving an Apple Podcasts review. Reviews help others discover and learn what Law Firm Next is all about. It only takes a second and helps us out a lot! Supporting Resources: Book a free consultation with GNGF "How Much Should You Spend On Marketing" Forbes Article "How To Get The Most From Your Marketing Budget" SBA Article Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Action Steps: Think about where you are revenue- and profit-wise. Do you want that to grow or stay steady? Set a budget for marketing based on your revenue. If you are under $250,000 in revenue, budget TIME for marketing and maybe create a small financial budget for outsourcing tasks. If you are looking to grow, think about what you need to adjust in your operating expenses and take-home to be able to budget 10%-15% toward marketing and business development. Have a strategy for how you will spend this budget and measure its success. You can refer to a number of our earlier episodes on marketing strategy, marketing KPIs, and business KPIs. *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.  Let them know I sent you.