What is the main message of Women Rainmakers’ Best Marketing Tips?
“You can do it—and here’s how.” This book is your cheerleader and shows lots of ways to get from where you are to where you want to be.
Who is your book written for/ Who would get the most out of reading your book?
The book is a compendium of tips from women lawyers, not exclusively for women lawyers, though there are some gender-specific tips. There are tips for lawyers in firms, solos, and even a section for in-house counsel.
What inspired you to write this book?
We can all succeed when we share our stories. The 4th edition has evolved from the first meetings of the Women Rainmakers committee starting in 1990. I started collecting tips from the attendees, and some of those tips still resonate today. This edition was massively revised to reflect the latest technology environment. For example, it is the first edition to devote a separate chapter to social media.
What experience, knowledge or special training helped you to write this book?
I have worked in a variety of practice settings, each with its own unique marketing challenges. One quickly learns to be productive to remain in business or to hold on to that job. I brought that experience to participation in Law Practice Management organizations for a long time including serving on the ABA Law Practice Management council and induction as a fellow to the College of Law Practice Management.
What problem faced by lawyers does Women Rainmakers’ Best Marketing Tips solve/address?
Most lawyers today realize the importance of marketing their individual practice. Women Rainmakers’ Best Marketing Tips provides recipes for attracting new clients, developing new business and referrals from existing clients and other professionals, as well as intra-firm marketing.
How is this book different than other books written on this topic and/or what is new or different in this edition of the book?
There are two major differences between Women Rainmakers Best Marketing Tips and other lawyer marketing books. The first is format. This is a collection of short tips. It’s easy for the reader to start and stop reading or to jump around among the chapters.
The second is viewpoint. Even when the tips discuss working with a marketing professional, the advice assumes that the reader is hands-on involved. The tone is conversational. For example, one tip starts, “OMG. I have seen the most dreadful profile photos on LinkedIn.” Then there are examples of what the tipster is talking about and tips on how to solve the problem.
What was your biggest challenge in writing this book?
We’re at an awkward junction in marketing right now. Many lawyers revel in digital marketing while others are buying adbench and billboard space. Choosing the right approach largely depends on who you are targeting, but many practices need to embrace the panoply of outreach methods. The way different generations use technology drives this schism. The book addresses the range of marketing tools.
What do you think will surprise readers most about your book?
Some of the tips are contradictory. An example is a section about Google Ads. A recurring theme is that the lawyer must feel comfortable with the chosen marketing outreach. Not everyone does everything the same way. That’s a strength, not a weakness.
What is the most important takeaway readers will get from Women Rainmakers’ Best Marketing Tips?
You should have a plan. Readers will want to return to this book again and again as they create, pursue, and revise their marketing plans.
What advice would you give to others who want to write a book for the Law Practice Division?
A would-be author should be an expert in the subject matter and an excellent writer. Writing a cookbook for law practice success is different from writing a brief. Before submitting a book proposal, the author should have demonstrated an ability to write material legal professionals will want to read. This can be through articles published in legal periodicals and on the legal professional’s blog.
The subject should be compelling. Just because the writer is fascinated by a topic doesn’t mean there is enough interest to justify publication of a book. Women Rainmakers Best Marketing Tips includes sections about market research and writing content for your own and others’ outlets.
I provide this answer as someone who has published five books with the Law Practice Division and had two proposals shot down. Keep trying.
