“Does it work?” she asked.

She’s hesitating to do it.

She happened to be asking about Twitter, but it could have been anything.

I’ve been asked the same question about radio and TV advertising, networking, public speaking, lawyer directories, and on and on.

So, does it work?

Yeah. It all works. Some approaches work better than others.

Everything works. That’s what I choose to tell lawyers who ask the question.

How well it’ll work is unknown until you try it.

Sadly, lots of lawyers want a guarantee. They won’t start until someone promises that IT (whatever “it” may be) will work.

There are no guarantees.

Twitter is a good example. In the right hands, it’ll bring you business. In the hands of many, nothing will happen. In the hands of some socially inept lawyers with anger disorders, it’ll turn possible referrals into lost business.

Think about it. It’s not whether television advertising works. That’s not the question. The questions to ask are about whether the law firm offers the right service in the right way to the right people.

• Does the message strike the right tone?
• Does it reach the right people?
• Does it motivate them to feel and to act?
• Does the investment generate appropriate revenue and profit?

You won’t know whether it works until you try it. You won’t know whether it works until you take a risk.

I like to say “everything works,” but I could easily say “nothing works.” Every approach works when it works and doesn’t when it doesn’t.

Realistically, the only way to find out what works for you and your business is to try it. Sure, you can gather information and make educated guesses, but you still won’t know.

I know a lawyer generating most of her business from Yelp. Yep, Yelp. I can’t even begin to count the number of lawyers I know who’ve experimented with Yelp and lost money. Most everyone I’ve met with a Yelp experience is negative about it, but this one lawyer is doing great with it.

You won’t know until you try. There are no guarantees. You’ve got to take a risk.

Does it work? Yep. Does it work for you? It’s time to find out.