There’s way too much information out there for lawyers interested in upping their marketing game. You can read blogs, e-books, newsletters, websites, books, Facebook and LinkedIn groups, listserves, and on and on. There’s no shortage of advice.

The question I get constantly is, “Where do I start?” Lawyers just want to get going, but they’ve got so many possible projects and action plans that it’s overwhelming.

Without specific guidance and instruction, it’s easy to get caught in decision paralysis.

Instead of taking action, we let our more pressing responsibilities take control. At least with court and client deadlines, we know what needs to be done right now.

With marketing decisions, it’s up to us. We have to decide, and it’s a quick step from “I’m not sure” to “I’ll get to it later.”

The next thing you know, 36 months have passed, and you’ve got a website that says “Under Construction” next to a graphic of a cute little man in a yellow hardhat.

Where to Begin

What should you do first?

Of course, I could spend hours doing the “on the one hand, on the other hand,” but that’s not helpful.

You need an answer.

Where do you start? What should you do first? What is the thing to do right now?

Here’s the answer:

1. Build your network.

Start now with scheduling a lunch. I’ve laid out a plan in Networking 101 if you want details. However, it’s not rocket science. I’ve helped thousands of lawyers with networking and they get it. They call, they go to lunch, and they become friends. Suddenly, they get referrals. It works.

Where do you start with networking? You pick someone good (usually a lawyer) and take that person to lunch. Eat lunch. Call, go, chew, listen, and talk. That’s it. That’s where you start.

2. Create a website.

Late at night, when other people are sleeping and you can’t call to invite them to lunch, you can work on your website. I built Divorce Discourse on the Rainmaker Platform, and it literally took minutes. The time-consuming part is creating the content, not building the site itself. Rainmaker has all kinds of cool themes you can use as a template.

Where do you start with the site? Get a barebones framework up. Use it to write about the problem your client experiences. Focus on the problem. Describe it, talk about what it’s like to have the problem, and walk through all the issues it spawns. Spend all kinds of space on your site describing the problem and what people have said as they worked through it. Create more content about the problem than the solution. The solution content is for later. For now, focus on the problem.

That’s it. Start with building your network during hours when you can call/lunch/coffee. Work on the website when you can’t call/lunch/coffee.

You wanted to know where to start. Now you know.

So, what are you waiting for? Start!