If your name appears in a newspaper article, sending a clipping to your mailing list may help spread your message. Then again, it may not. Before sending a clipping that describes you as a big shot, think what impression your sending the clipping will convey. Lawyers respect self-confidence but take a dim view of self-congratulation. Clippings that contain some useful substance might get a better reception. So if an article quotes you as saying something that others would appreciate knowing, the clipping might look less boastful and more informative. Maybe.
Mailings closely tailored to specific recipients rank among the most effective, even if sent to only a small number of prospects. When you have something that will interest a segment of the people on your mailing list, mail to one person or a group of people—whoever might find your item useful. For example, if you are a tax specialist, a new development in divorce taxation would interest the family lawyers on your mailing list. A summary of a new case on international copyright issues might draw the attention of specialists in international trade, whose clients will benefit from the information.
When sending to an individual or a selected group, add a personal note: “Jane, this reminded me of our discussion last year about the Sukarnoputri case. The Supreme Court overruled it yesterday.” If you send something to several people who know each other, make each note different so they don’t compare notes and find you sent the same intimate message verbatim to everyone.
Rather than leave your published articles to dry up and crumble in obscurity on library shelves, turn them into effective mailings. If the publication owns the copyright, buy reprints. You can even send a technical article to lawyers in other fields, since one of your goals is to show off your expertise. They will at least give it a glance on its way to the recycle bin. But they will remember you better if you send them an article with information they can use, such as
- “Five Things That California Business Lawyers Must Know about Anti-trust”
- “Ten Tax-Saving Tips for Your Clients Faced with Divorce”
How Often?
How often should you send something to the people on your mailing list? Often enough that your prospects have you in mind during those unpredictable moments when they have a good case to refer but not so often as to provoke the reaction, “Not him again!”
For more tips, check out our article “A Mailing List to Market Your Practice.”