guerrilla - Blogs - Black Business Women Online

What next after the AD is placed?

Posted by Lisa Henry on March 12, 2009 at 5:17pm

Greetings everyone!After you have placed your AD in publications or it is running on the radio or TV, this is when the real work begins. Placing your AD and then sitting back to see what happens is a waste of your time and money. Think of your AD as a store. Would you open the store, leave the doors open with no-one assisting customers or assisting customers at check out time?Placing the AD with no interactive support from you, will not yield you the best results from your AD campaign. Your local store drives customers to their establishment. Use the same concept about your ADs. Be proactive driving potential customers to the ADs you are running. You have paid to be the center of attention, so if the spot light is on you, it is your duty to give them a show. Nobody pays to see the spot light. They pay to see the person or business occupying the spot light. Remember, you are paying to be there.Schedule mini-marketing campaigns around your ADs. You will have better AD success rate when you do. Don't open your store and leave it unattended!! Pimp your AD!Always a blessing to Share, Dream a World!

Heart of a Criminal Defense Legal Marketer

Posted by Lisa Henry on February 18, 2009 at 2:43pm

Greetings everyone!The first time I heard this parable, I was working in the marketing department for the Mississippi Credit Union System. I had the pleasure to meet one of the top motivational speakers, Mr. Willie Jolley. As part of the marketing team, my job was to ensure he got from point A to point B through parts of a 3 day convention. There were several things he said in route and also in the lobby of the convention, however this parable from him set the core for how we operate."Everyday in Africa a gazelle wakes up knowing he has to out run the fastest lion or get eaten. Everyday in Africa a lion wakes up knowing he has to out run the fastest gazelle or starve to death. So it doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you'd better be running"I know many of you have heard this. My first time was then. Marketing controls a large portion of the financial success of any law firm or any business for that matter. Marketing managers are accountable to everyone who receive a paycheck from that business. When marketing has personal problems, has the blues, or wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, the firm or business feels it in their bottom line. It is more than a job. It is the key to everyone's quality of life. Whatever the personal circumstances of the marketing personnel the motto is, When the sun comes up you'd better be running. There is nothing more humbling than seeing a picture of a receptionists or paralegals family on their desk.Marketing does not keep the same hours as the rest of the firm. Operations is structured from 9 to 5. Direct marketing is different from other forms of marketing. Direct marketing requires (Call to action) one-on-one real-time with potential clients and that requires a great deal of the marketers time. (On call 24/7) and ready to change strategies at a moments notice. Heart characteristics are commitment, dedication, and discipline.The drive or heart of marketing must be willing to go that extra mile. The attitude of your marketing team and how they operate affects others. Time, energy, and imagination are vital to marketing success. Everything has to be done in time and well executed. Direct marketing is filled with planning a-lot of mini events. Off timing or bad execution halts momentum of incoming revenue. There will be a drought until the machine is oiled again. Some businesses do not have the luxury or financially stable to re-prime the pump. The heart of a legal marketer must understand what is at stake and treat this as more than just a job. Legal marketers get up running everyday to protect a way of life.If your marketing manager does not identify with this next story, a new marketing manager is needed:There was this Young Creative Inventor who built a wind machine with no motor. He showed it to his Wise Uncle. His Wise Uncle praised him for this one-of-a-kind wind machine. An Investor contacted the Young Creative Inventor and told him he was interested in mass producing his wind machine and said he had only a window of tomorrow at 5:30 to test drive the unique wind machine with no motor.The Young Creative Inventor and his Wise Uncle were excited and then realized there had been no wind in 2 days. They were both nervous at the thought of no wind. They waited to see what the morning would bring. At sun up there was no wind. At 10:00am there was no wind and at 1:30pm the wind report said there would be no wind at 5:30. The Young Creative Inventor became hysterical. Then Wise Uncle told him to calm down and that there would be wind by 5:30. The Young Creative Inventor was stunned. He asked, "Wise Uncle how!?" Wise Uncle walked to the phone, dialed a number. The Young Creative Inventor asked, "Who are you calling?" Wise Uncle said, "SHHHH! I'm on an important call." (Yes, this is Wise Uncle. How are you? Well, I need your help. God, I need to talk to you about your wind.)It is always a Blessing to share. Dream your world!Almost forgot the most important attribute of the heart of a legal marketer. PASSION.

How I caught the Business Bug . . .

Posted by Lisa Henry on February 17, 2009 at 1:38am

Greetings everyone!In 1995, I was an executive assistant for the marketing department of the Mississippi Credit Union System. The company hosted an annual convention for board members and employees of various credit unions in Mississippi. That year the premiere guest speaker was Willie Jolley, phenomenal speaker and member of Les Brown's dream team. The marketing department was responsible for arranging, transporting and adhering to the schedule of the speakers. The guest speakers each presented or held seminars through out the convention and a strict schedule had to be maintained.The speaker I was responsible to primary assist was Willie Jolley. The convention was held in Biloxi, MS at the most beautiful time of year for the Mississippi gulf coast. I had no idea what I was in for. I assumed it would be the same as other speakers I had assisted where they were demanding and distant. That was not true of Mr. Jolley. He personally got to know everyone who assisted him and said thank you to everyone who kept his schedule tight and together.I remember when I first met him he asked, "What is your position in the company?" I told him and his reply, "Lisa, I can show you how to be the CEO of this company or have your own buisness. It's up to you."He talked every minute to any assistant around about exploring your possibilities. The last day of the convention we had people asking us about buying more of Mr. Jolley's books and tapes. We were responsible for his display set-up and also manging the sales of his merchandise as he signed his books for believers and fans. I told them we had sold out of his book, however we could take their orders and Mr. Jolley's home office would mail them their signed copy. There were six of us who assisted Mr. Jolley altogether. Just as Mr. Jolley was heading for the airport, he thanked us and pulled out every book he had ever written and tape he had produced and each was personally signed by Willie Jolley. We were all stunned. The books were hard back and exactly what the cash paying convention members were asking for.Today, four out of six assistants have their own businesses. The most powerful sentence I heard from him through the entire convention was, "All things are possible, all things are possible when you believe."It is always a blessing to Share, Dream a World!

Power, Time, and Information: Why important?! part 1

Posted by Lisa Henry on February 17, 2009 at 12:14am

Greetings everyone!Power, time and information are variables that provide intuition to planning your marketing. Before you do anything you gotta have a plan to follow and a successful plan begins with being in tune with these variables.The variable addressed in Part 1 is the Power variable. Power is a way of getting from one place to another. Power is something we just don't say out loud that we need or want. We all can easily say we need or want money, but rarely hear someone say they need power. Power should never be "the" goal, but it is a variable that should be payed close attention to when developing your marketing plan, events, etc. . . for your business.First, let me ask, "Does money come before power?" If someone had asked me that question several years ago my answer would have been yes. I learned from assisting marketing rainmakers that when you have the ability or power to plan, to create, to organize, to rally willing help from others and to successfully implement a plan, everyone will receive financial benefits. We need food to sustain our bodies, and gas for our vehicles to get from point A to point B. Food and gas are objects of power just as money.When developing your marketing, list your power resources. Friends, place to organize, money, attitude, persistence, and any resource that can be used to produce your plan. Now access the power resources of your competition. Are they steadfast, have persistent attitudes, and are they on top of the their game? Can your competition beat you to the punch because of better power resources? This is important. If you believe this to be true then it is time to explore, gather or capture other power resources and implement new plans and strategies.Everyone has power! If you think you can, you are right and if you think you can't, you are also right. Using your power to move objects like money, food, gas, and business ideas are within our grasp. Tap into your power resources such as:Power of AttitudePower of PersistencePower of ExpertisePower of CommitmentPower of Risk-TakingPower of CompetitionPower of LegitimacyPower of InvestmentPower of IdentificationPower of Rewarding or PunishingPower of FaithAlways a Blessing to Share, Dream a World!

How I got the Business Bug . . . .

Posted by Lisa Henry on February 4, 2009 at 4:32am

What are we selling?

Posted by Lisa Henry on January 23, 2009 at 10:07pm

Greetings everyone!

My introduction and understanding of legal marketing came from a criminal defense attorney who took a risk hiring someone with no legal marketing background.

The first question he asked me on my first day was, “What are we selling?” I had not a clue. I told him legal services and then he said. “Hell, I went to school seven plus years for people to already understand that.”

The mood in his office was serious, he was not laughing. Then calmly he stood up, motioned me with his right arm and said, “Come walk with me.” We ventured just outside the office door and then he asked me to tell him the exact number of solo lawyers on this block alone. Didn’t know what to say, I saw six, but he made me feel like it was a trick question. His demeanor was stern and all I could see was his eyebrows extending towards me as if there was static in his brows. I just wanted to take a dryer sheet to his brows. I finally told him six. There are six firms on this block alone. He explained, “We each have a law degree and are members of the Bar association and are qualified to practice law. What sets each of us apart is our ability to generate confidence from the community and the public in general. Some of us are able to and others are not, just as any business. What we are selling is confidence."

He asked did I have any questions, passed me a book on guerrilla marketing and told me to read the first three chapters and tomorrow we would discuss them. Out of everything he taught me over four years, that day was the most important. When you are asked what are you selling? Whether you sell a product or service remember you are really selling confidence.

It is always a blessing to share, Dream your World!

What is your competitive edge?

Posted by Lisa Henry on January 31, 2009 at 11:30pm

Greetings everyone!Developing your competitive edge is a must. I am a true guerrilla marketer just the same as most, however what has made me unique or stand out marketing for the legal community is my ability to adapt using media software creatively. I have spent years developing my edge to survive in the industry. There are numerous docket runners and legal marketers in my area in the same business who are creative when it comes to guerrilla marketing, but it is that edge of creating something our competitors cannot offer keeps us going. My competition are other legal marketers.My use of software and informational content are my edge in the industry. Keep in mind people do not buy features as much as they buy benefits. Marketing benefits is the key to gaining paying clients.If you fall and scratch your knee, it may benefit you to get a product that helps heal the wound on your knee. People seek out benefits, then browse or shop for the features. One product may feature an antibiotic creme, another may offer the feature in an easy no mess tube. Benefits usually come before features. When I market using how a service can truly benefit the desired target audience in a format unique from others I have created marketing a product or service with a competitive edge. For example, you have likely seen attorney TV commercials, newsletters, brochures, direct mailers or billboards. Now, how many of those commercials have you seen or heard the statement, "We will work for you" or " If you are hurt on your job, call the law office of ________"? Where is the edge, the uniqueness.?I learned quickly to market quality, not quantity which is another competitive edge rule that when followed, generates paying clients. A lot of "prospects" do not equal paying clients. It may seem as though you are not making progress when you market quality in the beginning, but your bottom line and what you receive in return will prove fruitful in the future. Quality is about planting seeds and preparing for the harvest. Quality marketing is marketing where your products and services benefit.What is your edge? What makes your product or service different from other products and services just like yours? I developed skills, along the way, that I can confidently add to my resume because of adapting and developing my competitive edge. See some examples below of how keeping up with technology has helped me expand into other areas.These are examples of wedding vendor sites: Mir-A-Co Designs and Elegant EventsWhen I created my Ning social network I wanted a unique banner so I designed from scratch this interactive banner: SweeThorn flash bannerYour edge will create business longevity. Create your edge today.It is always a Blessing to Share, Dream a World

Low Cost Mini Media Marketing

Posted by Lisa Henry on January 6, 2009 at 7:30pm

Greetings!When working with low or no marketing budgets, I find it highly effective to take full advantage of mini-media marketing. It goes hand in hand with my belief to market where the fish are plentiful and the fisherman scarce.Sometimes you can’t get around what things are. It is what it is! Marketing for the legal community using mini-media marketing carries the image of a check advance cash business where the bricks are painted neon yellow and red. So please understand, mini-media marketing may not be for all businesses, depends on your target audience and professional image you created for your business. My clients are just starting in their professional careers or launching their private practice. Most will become standard marketers after about a year. It is good to explore most forms of marketing to know what works best for you.Mini-media marketing is canvassing, writing personal letters, posting signs on bulletin boards, passing out or distributing flyers/circulars, on-hold marketing and marketing by phone. Standard marketers rarely or never use mini-media marketing and conventionally fish where the fisherman are plentiful and the fish are scarce. Mini-media marketing requires attention to detail and a rigid marketing schedule. Production costs are low, however management of your mini-media projects are time intensive. Marketing on a low budget and low production costs do have a price and that price is time.Start today, develop your mini-media marketing campaign. Write down exactly if you will distribute flyers, post signs, or community market. Now that you know which mini-media strategies you will use, design the collateral, flyers and signs according to your target audience. For your campaigns to be effective schedule all projects. Make a note on your project calendar who, what, where, when and why about your mini-media marketing event. Everyone should understand the purpose and intent of the event and it should be timely. This is a guerrilla marketing strategy and at least two strategies should be implemented daily. Make yourself visible! Repetition is the Mother of invention. In this case start building share of mind with your target audience.Our mini-media marketing project to promote our social network begins today. Follow our tight schedule on twitter.Always a Blessing to Share, Dream your World!

The Velvet Rope Theory: Screen your clients?

Posted by Lisa Henry on January 5, 2009 at 7:24pm

Greetings!Imagine you are invited to an exclusive party. You arrive and stop at a beautiful velvet rope between two brass poles. A young lady asks you for your name, you give it and one end of the velvet rope opens for you to enter. You passed the screening. The exclusive party clearly is something the host knows you would benefit from and enjoy.It is absolutely divine to work with clients you enjoy. It makes the work you produce better and promotes superb mental and emotional health for you personally. Having great relationships with clients creates a quality of life that extends to all areas of your life. When you work with clients who are not ideal for you, at some point you’re going to create a conflict, whether intentionally or not, because you’re going to be frustrated with those clients, and those clients will think you’re not providing them with good service and they’ll be right. I’ve made that mistake many times. I’ve worked with over thirty criminal defense attorneys over the years and personally found only two that I bend over backward for.I did not screen any client in the beginning. I should have asked the right questions. All business relationships must be equally yoked and all parties must be of like mind. This is especially true for the nature of the business and venue I provide services to. We are virtual assistants and have contact with our clients on a daily basis. There is a wise saying, “All money ain’t good money” a true saying I personally learned the hard way.There was a time I worked with five attorneys or law offices simultaneously and not one of the firms were a fit. It is awful when you hate going to work for yourself. It should have felt rewarding to have clients. It should have been a blessing especially then. Never have I had so many headaches as I did at that time. What was causing this stress? It was not the work. I enjoyed marketing. It was who I chose to do business with. It is draining and exhausting working with challenging client-relationships.We are dedicated screening our clients now. It is not elaborate; we simply take the time to talk with potential clients over coffee or lunch. Character, willingness to fight for clients, and humble egos is what we look for.This approach may not be best for your business, but if you have more challenging client-relationships than enjoyable client-relationships, it may be time to introduce the velvet rope theory.Always a Blessing to Share, Dream your World!

What is GUERRILLA marketing? Re-Post

Posted by Lisa Henry on December 6, 2008 at 8:07pm

Greetings!Marketing concepts change very fast, however the heart and soul of guerrilla marketing remains unchanged. The first rule of this strategy is to have the ability to adapt. Guerrilla marketing uses creativity, imagination, and not traditional marketing in the least. Ones who market traditionally usually are very well funded and have fat budgets and resources. My legal marketing clients usually are just out of law school or have no resources at all. I learned these tactics the old fashioned way through on the job trial and error.The first thing I learned quickly is to build an informational database on all prospective clients. A prospect is someone who maybe in need of your products or services. Grocery stores do it on a regular basis. Here in the south most everyone has a Kroger Card from Kroger Grocery store. You give the check out clerk the card to swipe to receive rewards and a percentage off your purchase. It is great!! Now with your consent the grocery store is compiling information about your purchases. If you buy Cherrios, then they may send you Wheaties or another grain/oat cereal coupon in the mail. Wheaties may be paying the grocery store a little more for shelf space.Database marketing is an effective guerrilla marketing tool. It is gathering information and using it creatively and legally to promote your products and services on a very low budget. Start your database today. It is a revenue generator for any business. I have used dBase, excel, and access. The most effective platform I have used for staff convenience is on www.WebExOne.com, an online web office service. I can move to any office or location and have realtime benefit.Any questions about guerrilla marketing, message me or join today!Sincerely,Lisa Henry

About the Way I Market

Posted by Lisa Henry on December 9, 2008 at 8:42pm

Greetings everyone!When I first began my business, I was a rogue marketer marketing out of necessity. The law firm, I was the marketing manager for downsized. The attorney had practiced over 25 years and gearing to retire. The entire marketing department, eight employees were laid off or re-organized. I needed to generate income to pay bills. Years later my circumstances have changed, I no longer wear the label of a rogue marketer however I still must generate income to pay bills. In my beginning I chose guerrilla marketing strategies because for me it worked. I read many books about marketing traditionally and know the strategies they talked about are sound and effective. The biggest drawback for me about traditional marketing was the time needed to generate profits and also traditional marketing required money to invest in it. I did not have the time or marketing investment money required for traditional marketing. I was working against a 30 day cycle. Every 30 days you must pay where you stay. As Neo in The Matrix would say, “Time is always against us”Over the years I received serious criticism about marketing on one wing. I was advised from many that you must develop your business before marketing it, and you must park your website before it is fully developed. The advice was correct. Flying on one wing has its limitations and so not the “right way”, but it has advantages also, like being able to pay where you stay.For me it seemed an excuse not to pursue my business because of lack of time and resources. It has not been a crystal stair, but I would not change my walk of faith beginning.An idea or vision is only great unless it is acted on and you must start somewhere. If you don’t act on life, life will act on you. I ask myself daily, what are you willing to do to get what you say you want? I continue to dot my “I’s” and cross my “T’s” always striving to develop into a business that will fly on four wings.If you have created a concept or business, begin thinking of ways to market your business or services creatively. Testing and refining your marketing are important keys. It is a process of commitment to your dream and idea. Review the history about successful businesses and you will find out just how much flying on one wing they did in the beginning. One successful motivational speaker, Les Brown had humble beginnings, Google it.Now think back on your local or community beauticians, insurance agents, auto mechanics, soul food restaurant, lawn care service, etc: remember if they started preparing hot meals from their home, fixing cars in the back yard, or coming to your home to braid or style your hair. All mentioned would not fit into the category of traditional marketing or the “right way” to market and do business.Now that I think about it guerrilla marketing definitely chose me!Always a blessing to share, Dream your World!www.LisaHenry.org or Lisa@LisaHenry.org

Databases build Client-Realtions!

Posted by Lisa Henry on December 9, 2008 at 8:35pm

Greetings everyone!Marketing effectively on low and no budgets requires a humble attitude and knowing and understanding what you are against. No one wants to waste time with people or businesses cash flow poor or seem to be going nowhere. Many minds will be closed to your services or offerings. Notice I said MINDS. (One must have a willing mind to receive and accept.) Your attitude task is to help prospective clients in any way possible, offer your assistance, if they allow you, expecting to receive nothing. A willing mind must accept you and clearly see that your circumstances are temporary, that you are temporarily without cash and start to believe in the services you provide. This is where database marketing is crucial to your business. The most important word in guerrilla marketing is DATABASE.Keeping a record to track clients, prospective clients, and important deadlines is a must. It keeps you in tune with your clients’ needs. A satisfied client normally is great for spreading how wonderful you are.Businesses are different and have different needs and uses for the information collected. You will have to decide how, when, and where this information is structured to benefit your business. I will use my experience only for an example.When I first became marketing manager for a criminal defense law firm many moons ago, I immediately noticed that the information that the firm was paying someone to gather was not being used to its maximum. At that point, I had over ten years of commission sales, sales management, and management experience. I knew that the firm’s bottom line would increase with a few adjustments. Never had I seen a group of people fight change before on any marketing job, especially when profits may increase. After about a year of fighting, I finally did not include the staff, I set-up the database and began using it. One Monday morning, the attorney came to my office closed the door and said, “Show me that thing. We took in five cases this weekend.” The irony of it, the business manager gave everyone a raise that year including her raise, but me. I didn’t complain to the attorney because it was his name on the door, he caught me as I was leaving one day and handed me a bonus. I received a bonus every 90 days after.The information that the firm was paying to receive was now being tracked. I was able to track trends and properly prepare successful campaigns for popular arrest charges that occurred in different areas of the state. We were able to track who was coming to the county jail possibly to pick-up indictment papers or just been arrested. Usually most picking up indictment papers had already retained counsel and if not, the attorney knew then that a payment plan probably was not possible if they called the firm. The database also helped to increase revenue on some cases. Before a prospective client was allowed to speak with an attorney in the firm, their information could be immediately verified while they were currently on the phone. Sometimes a prospective client had separate cases and charges in other jurisdictions and the information was flagged. The attorney was able to ask the client if he needed representation on those cases along with the one he initially called about. The information that our attorneys could share with prospective clients immediately cemented the attorney-client relationship.This is just a little information about the power of database marketing. It is important that you create one for yourself and your business. Your needs will be different. I created a prospective database for every product or service I sold or represented from furniture, prestige cosmetics, and had a database for district managers, whether they were my manager or not. Helped me keep up with the politics of the businesses I worked for, equally important. A humble attitude and a well organized database are solid building blocks.One more thing, gather database information yourself to insure integrity. I know there are great information brokers and lead lists out there, however, how many of your competition purchased the same list? The more competition, the more time and energy you spend on courting prospective clients. Working a watered down list is time management suicide, especially for attorneys.Always a blessing to share, Dream your World!www.LisaHenry.org or lisa@lisahenry.org

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.