You may be horrified to read that.

You don’t want to reveal to anyone that you have any weaknesses.

You? The strong, bold, knowledgeable lawyer? You’re a bastion of legal intellect. There’s no way you have any weaknesses. Impossible!

Outrageous. Preposterous. NEVER!

“I couldn’t.”

“I shouldn’t.”

“I will lose clients if I tell them about my weaknesses.”

My competitors are victorious, take-no-prisoner types. They would never admit or show their weaknesses. I will never do it either.

Ok. So stop complaining and don’t.

I will.

I will gladly tell a new potential client if I don’t have the experience needed to solve their legal problem. In fact, there is an ethical requirement for lawyers in New York to admit that fact and refer the client elsewhere.

I will admit that I have lost a trial or two during my 23 year legal career. There’s no shame in that. I will admit my strengths and will just as easily admit my weaknesses.

****WHY WOULD I DO THAT?****

Credibility. Believability. Honesty. Being forthright. Transparent. I eagerly let my client make the decision about whether they should come to me as their attorney by disclosing all info they need to make an intelligent decision about me as an attorney.

You will be very surprised to learn that your potential clients find this approach refreshing. Encouraging. Enlightening. They feel a bond. They know nobody is perfect.

Of course they want to hear about your great strengths and how your experience can solve their legal problem. Make sure you tell them all that. But at the same time don’t be afraid to tell them your weaknesses. It makes you more believable.

Try it and let me know what happens. Do it. I dare you to try. You’ll feel awkward at first and then you’ll feel really good that you did.

****FINAL COMMENT****

By the way, in case you were wondering…

I don’t have any weaknesses

Pool in St. Maarten overlooking the ocean

I have the privilege of speaking to many lawyers across the country each week. I always ask them this question.

“What EXACTLY Would You Like Your Income To Be?”

99% of them can’t give me a coherent answer. Instead, they give me excuses. The most common is the economy. They give me excuses about why they are not achieving their lofty goals.

When I steer them back to the question about what exactly they want their income to be, they simply have no idea. The majority of attorneys have not given this any thought. It is not sufficient, from a marketing standpoint, to simply say “I want to make a lot of money.” Instead, you have to have a specific exact number in mind that you write down on paper.

Some lawyers feel that this is simply an exercise in fantasy. Others exclaim “This is stupid.” However, I disagree.

Instead, visualizing exactly where you want to be at the end of this year is crucial in order for you to make strides in your businesses that will get you there. If you have a vague and nonspecific goal of “Making a large sum of money,” then your ability to get to that ideal goal will get lost and, most likely, never reached.

To be honest, it makes no difference what you believe or desire your income to be. Whether it’s $10,000 more than you are currently earning or $1 million more. The fact is that you must identify exactly how much you want your income to be. You must then measure where you have come from in order to properly measure your success.

If you don’t know what you would like your income to be, how will you ever know whether you have achieved that level of success that you desire? Without setting a realistic goal you are shortchanging yourself, your law firm and your family from ever realizing that possibility.

Once you have written down exactly what you want your income to be, you must identify exactly how you intend to get there. If you do not formulate a written plan, you again risk the real possibility of never reaching your ideals.

So go grab a pen and paper right now and put down exactly what you would like your income to be.

Framing Your Video Shot, Negev Desert, Israel

I am creating an introductory program to help you, guide you and teach you everything I do to create educational video to market your law firm. My new intro program is a step-by-step guide showing you exactly what I do. Hey, if I can do it as a solo NY Medical Malpractice attorney, so can you.

I walk you through exactly what I do from how I develop ideas for my videos to actually setting up my equipment and what equipment I use. I teach you different ideas about how to  create compelling content. Remember, it’s not the equipment that matters. It’s your content.

This program will be have different video modules including the pre-production phase, which is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of any video. That’s where I develop all of my ideas.  After that, you will learn all about the production phase, which is the actual video shoot. In this module I take you through the details of what I do, how many videos I shoot in one sitting and why.

The next video module jumps right into post production which is also known as the editing phase. I walk you through exactly what I do and how I edit my videos. You’ll follow me as I edit a video and show you the myriad of steps needed to complete one video. Once you’ve edited your video, you then enter the publishing phase which includes optimizing, creating keywords tags and uploading to various video sharing sites.

WHY

I created this brand-new introductory program because lawyers wanted to learn how to do this themselves. There are some very eager do-it-yourself attorneys who did not want to invest in a trusted video marketing program to have someone do it all for them. This program is for the do-it-yourself attorney who wants to learn how to do all this on their own.

This video training course literally shows you what I do so that you can model your efforts on what I do to create new video.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

If you are an attorney who takes action and implements what you learn, and you want to learn how to do this yourself, then this video training program is perfect for you. If however you tend not to implement and simply absorb and learn, then my best recommendation is that this program is not for you.

This video training is designed for the attorney who is willing to go out and implement what you will learn from my training. The only other way to learn this information is if you were to follow me around and sit by my side from start to finish. Since that is not going to happen, this is the perfect opportunity for me to show you exactly what I do.

When you choose to invest in my brand-new introductory program, you have an obligation. You owe it to yourself, your family and your law firm to take action. If you are going to invest the time, resources and energy to learn how to create video on your own, like I do, then your obligation is to immediately begin to implement and model what you have learned in your own practice.

If you fail to take action, then you are doing yourself a disservice. This program is only for people who are willing to take action and put those ideas into motion. So counselor, are you a little closer to the attorney who is eager and willing to take action or are you a little closer to the attorney who looks for a solution, finds the answer and then takes no action?

WHEN WILL IT BE AVAILABLE?

Look here in the the Lawyers Video Studio for pre-release announcements.

I have over 600 videos on YouTube. Good videos with educational content.

Last night, I couldn’t access the website at all. Nothing. Nada. It’s as if it wasn’t even online.

Scary thought.

I tried my iPhone, same result. Tried another computer. Same result. Tried Google. That website was working without a problem. Tried accessing YouTube videos from Facebook. That worked.

When I tried clicking through from Facebook directly to YouTube…nothing worked.

DANGER

Imagine what would happen if your great educational videos were all on YouTube. You then took the embed codes from YouTube and scattered them all over your website. Viewers loved your videos on your website.

Imagine that you only put your videos on YouTube and that’s where they were all hosted.

Then imagine that YouTube suddenly went down. No explanation, no rhyme or reason. You just couldn’t access the website. You had no info about why there was no access or service. Your website has blank rectangles where your wonderful videos once resided.

What do you do?

To be quite honest…you’d be screwed.

That’s exactly why you need to host your videos privately when you post them to your website.

I love YouTube. It’s a great website. However, it’s a free video sharing site.

I cannot explain why I cannot access YouTube tonight. I have no idea how long this will continue. Regardless, I have no real worries since the videos on my website are hosted privately. Make sure your videos are too.

Fostex AR-4i iPhone 4 Audio adapter

2012 Review of Fostex AR-4i for iPhone 4S

I use professional video equipment to shoot educational video for attorneys. I recently bought an iPhone 4S and intended to use it for quick video interviews and on-the-run educational video.

Overall review: Recommended

The AR-4i is an iPhone audio microphone adapter. It’s a piece of audio equipment that converts the built-in microphone on the iPhone into a true audio capture device to allow improved audio for your video.

If you shoot video using your built in microphone, you will get acceptable audio. Not great audio, just acceptable. The problem using your built in microphone is that you will also pick up all ambient sound. That’s why you never want to use your built-in mic when shooting video.

The Fostex iPhone audio adapter solves that problem by converting your iPhone into a true video camera. Instead of relying on the built-in mic, the adapter, which is powered by two AAA batteries (included) allows you to use two mini omni-directional microphones that provide stereo sound.

The closer you are to the camera the better quality and strength of your audio. The inherent problem with standing too close to the camera is that you begin to get a fish-eye effect with the micro lens on the iPhone. That’s the problem with using micro-optics.

Using these two microphone buds provides improved audio over the built-in microphone. Yet there’s an even better audio solution to get crystal clear audio using this really cool device.

The adapter has three microphone inputs. It only allows you to use two out of the three during video shooting. The adapter allows you to ergonomically hold the phone in a comfortable way and stabilizes the shoot by adding weight to the camera and adapter.
The adapter can be used in horizontal mode or vertical mode.

The best way to use this audio adapter is with a wireless microphone. Plug in the receiver into the microphone output and you will get ideal, crystal-clear audio.

Attach the adapter to a tripod and you’ve got a stable video platform where you can attach two wireless microphones for sit-down interviews.

One drawback to using this audio adapter is that every time I use it, I have to remove my iPhone case. Since I use a holster for my iPhone, it’s like removing a vise grip and very challenging.

Dismantling the device takes seconds.
Two other drawbacks:

You cannot play the video back and listen to the audio while the iPhone is in the adapter cradle. No big deal. Just slide the phone out of the cradle and press play to watch your masterpiece.

Prior to buying this audio device there were reviews online about audio playback issues using the iPhone 4S. In fact, the manufacturer specifically intended this device to be used for the iPhone 4. There is nothing on the manufacturer’s website about it being compatible with the iPhone 4S.

According to a few reviews, the playback issue on the 4S involved significant audio problems that made the video unusable. However, I watched a YouTube video review about this adapter and the reviewer used a 4S without a problem.

During my preliminary tests with my 4S I did not encounter any audio problems. It wasn’t until my 7th video test that I did hear a problem with the audio. I deleted it and started over. I heard the problem again on the 10th video test, but have not heard it since.

The manufacturer has a note on their website stating simply “We are aware of the audio problem associated with using our device with the 4S and are working on solving this problem.”

If you are looking for a different and unique way to create clean and crystal clear audio for your iPhone you will appreciate this audio device.

Cost: $119 at B&H Photo

Lawyers Video Studio

This is the concluding blog post in this series…

5. Video has marginal benefit and does not justify the cost

He’s right. For someone who does not understand how to use video; both tactically and strategically, I will agree with that video has marginal benefit.

On the other hand, let me give you a quick example of some of the benefits I have personally seen from using video to market my solo practice in the most competitive market in the country.

• $5.1 million settlement, brain-damaged baby case
• $1 million settlement failure to diagnose
• $495,000 settlement wrongful death from foot surgery
• $300,000 fall from bed resulting in trauma and death

This is just a tiny sampling of cases I have obtained from people who have come to me with valid cases because they watched my videos. My videos were the driving force that compelled them to pick up the phone and call me instead of my competitors.

For those lawyers and marketing experts who believe that video marketing doesn’t work, I’m going to tell them that they are right. It doesn’t work. It will not work for you or your law firm.

Instead, those lawyers and marketing experts should keep focusing on other methods to generate clients and traffic and leave the video marketing to people who understand how to use it effectively with proven results.

If you have your own video marketing myths that you’ve heard, leave them below. I’d love to see them!

Lawyers Video Studio

This is a continuing series addressing video marketing myths…

3. Video is not cost-effective for a small firm

It was clear to me that this expert did not understand the production costs involved with creating a video marketing campaign. He did not understand the value associated with creating 50 or 100 videos. He did not recognize that once videos are online, there is virtually zero cost associated with having them online and using it to drive traffic to your website.

It sounded as if this marketing guru was using TV-based production to determine the cost benefit analysis. That type of corporate mentality inhibits big law firms from using effective and proven techniques to generate traffic.

As a solo practitioner, video marketing has created the best return on investment for me. I did allude to some of the cases I have obtained because of my video marketing. In response, he justified the fact that my website was well optimized, that my videos were well optimized and that my particular niche is better suited for business to consumer video than his corporate attorneys.

Once again, I felt like it was talking to a brick wall. Despite pointing out that video marketing works for every niche category in law, this marketer was resolute and firmly believed that the return on investment for a small firm would not justify the expense.

After a while, I stopped participating in the discussion. I recognized instead that this was an opportunity for me. The opportunity is that they are many legal marketers with a corporate mentality who actually believe this stuff. That means that there is plenty of room within the video marketing community to help other lawyers who truly “get it” and use it to their advantage.

4. Viewers to our website do not watch these videos

This marketing guy actually cited statistics showing that people who came to his lawyers’ website were not watching the videos. I am proud that he was tracking his statistics. However, in my opinion he does not understand the purpose of creating video to market a law firm online.

The purpose of creating educational video is not to get viewers to watch the video on your website. Instead, the purpose is to get people to see you, hear you and begin to trust you before they ever pick up the phone to come into your office. By educating them through video, on video sharing sites, your goal is to then drive them into your website so they can become even more familiar with you.

The bottom line goal of creating these educational messages is to build trust and to convert an online viewer into a caller. Using video messages happens to be the best way to do that.

This discussion thread clearly suggested that the majority of people going online already know your name and your law firm and are going onto your website to learn more about you.

I didn’t want to tell him that he was wrong. Nor did I want to remind him that online viewers who are searching for an attorney online simply do not care about you or your law firm. The only thing they care about is themselves and their legal problem.

If you can get rid of the egocentric mindset that is so prevalent among lawyers and legal marketers and instead focus on how you can help potential client, you are much more likely to attract viewers and visitors.

Join me in my next blog post as I conclude this series of video marketing myths.

1.  

   

   Lawyers Video Studio

   Video marketing for lawyers does not work in the business-to-business category

    

2. Our clients don’t go onto YouTube to search for a lawyer

3. Video is not cost-effective for small firm

4. Viewers coming to our attorney websites simply do not watch the videos

5. Video has marginal benefit and does not justify the cost

The content for this series of articles came directly from a conversation I was having online among legal marketers. A question was posed about whether video is useful to market an attorney online. The thread was mostly positive. However, one legal marketer believed each of the following myths listed above. Despite my best efforts to educate him, he still believed that he was right and I was wrong.

It got to the point where I felt like I was arguing with a religious fundamentalist. Although this legal marketer had some good points, his observations made absolutely no sense from a legal marketing standpoint.

Being a marketing student of Dan Kennedy, there is an inside joke among members of Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle that goes like this. “This tip, tactic or strategy couldn’t work for me because I’m in the XYZ business.”

The old “My business is different” excuse simply has no place in marketing. In fact, you can adapt pretty much any marketing tip to apply to your business since we are all doing the same exact thing; we are marketing our business or service. It doesn’t matter what your business or service is.

Let’s get right into and demystify the myths above.
MYTH #1

Video marketing for lawyers does not work in B2B

For someone to say that video marketing does not work in a particular category because it is a business-to-business category is 100% incorrect. Video marketing works in every single category, in every single niche.

That comment suggests the same type of closed-minded thinking mentioned above. It also tells me that this marketing guy did not know how to use video effectively for the B2B market.

When somebody claims a particular tactic or strategy does not work, they are often not using it properly. In the discussion, I explained there could be many reasons why a video may not work.

Some common examples include:

• A poorly worded title
• The video may not have been search engine optimized
• The attorney who was in the video may be boring
• The video quality may be poor
• There may be distractions within the video that turn off a viewer
• The content, though important may not be compelling
• There may be no call to action

All of these things can impact whether a video is found, watched and ultimately converts a viewer into a caller.

If you do not understand these basic concepts you will continue to scratch your head and claim that video marketing simply does not work.

MYTH #2

Our clients do not go on to YouTube to search for an attorney

To be fair, this person stated correctly that the best type of clients are ones who come from direct referrals. I agree with that 100%. It appears that most of his attorney clients are corporate and they get many of their clients from general counsel and other attorneys. His point was that those people are not going on to YouTube to search for a lawyer.

In some instances, that statement may be correct. However, YouTube is the second biggest search engine in the world directly behind Google. People of all walks of life use YouTube to search for information. They do so because they don’t want to read text. They want to see, hear and listen.

This expert assumed that YouTube would only be used by consumers and a younger demographic and there was no way YouTube could be useful for his attorneys. That type of thinking is closed minded and simply untrue. GC’s looking to investigate a new attorney will definitely explore the law firm’s website. They will do a general search and a specific search.

Videos show up in the general search results and if an attorney targets the content that GC’s are looking for, they stand a better chance of being found than their competitors who have static websites.

Join me for my next blog post, where I debunk even more video marketing myths.

JVC-GY-HM150U

Last year I created a blog post for my holiday wish list, hoping that my wife saw it, read it and surprised me. She didn’t read it, she didn’t surprise me, and I’m no worse for the wear because of it.

That Wish list was for a JVC professional video camera that allowed you to simply drag and drop QuickTime movie files right into Final Cut.

Had I bought it, I’m sure it would’ve been a wonderful addition to the cameras I use both professionally and personally. Over the last few weeks I have been shooting a lot of professional video and have spent a good deal of time figuring out whether I need to upgrade my equipment.

My conclusion is that I still want a $3000 video camera. This year, technology has improved greatly, the size of the camera has decreased significantly and instead of the JVC professional camera from last year, my sights are lined on a professional Canon video camera.

Canon XF105

So here again is my wish list for my wife to read and hopefully, to surprise me. In all reality, she will never read this blog post, and despite pining for this incredible new camera, I will be no worse for the wear, using great video equipment already in my  backpack.

I have always said that it is not the size of your [video] equipment that matters (notice the tongue in cheek reference), rather it’s how you use that equipment. In addition, it is often not the camera that creates a great  video. Rather, as my good friend Dave Kaminski likes to say, it is what you do with the video footage and the recipe that you use to cook your videos that allows you to get great crystal-clear video onto the web.

Lawyers Video Studio

I’m proud to say that every single week this year I have posted 3 blog posts: Monday, Wednesday and Friday for a total of 156 blog posts in one year. That’s just awesome. Great content for a great audience.

You, my audience, have rewarded me with great comments and personal interactions that have taught me much and shared with me your concerns and video marketing problems.

Throughout the year I have provided useful content and information to help you become a better video marketer and a marketing student in order to take your business to the next level.

Here’s a list of my 10 best blog posts for the year 2011.

Enjoy your reading and may you and your families have a wonderful and prosperous new year!

1. Attorney Video: How To Choose a Video Producer
2. Should You Use Your iPhone To Shoot Attorney Video
3. Lawyer Video Marketing: Being Different Makes All the Difference
4. Why I Shoot Video on Vacation
5. Our Video Program Is Right for You, But Are You Right For Us?
6. Burn Victim Comes Into Office Saying “I Feel Like I Already Know You
7. Lawyer Marketing: TV Ads v. Online Video- Part 5
8. Bob Parsons® 16 Rules for Success in Business and Life in General
9. 3 FAQ’S About the Lawyers Video Studio That Will Blow You Away
10. The Power of Being Small; An Observation From Israel