How Your Passion Fuels Your Marketing Success

I was in Chicago earlier this week, visiting the unusual and entrepreneurial elder law practice of Rick Law.  (And yes, his last name really IS "Law" so perhaps this was a calling for him from the start.)

One of my clients and I went to check out his office because he is doing something few law practices (of any size) do.  He runs a real, honest-to-goodness, client-benefit focused marketing system. 

Here are just a few things we saw and you can see in what ways you can incorporate this for yourself.

1. Have a passion.  All this working with your passion and what you want to do for your ideal customer, should have uncovered a "mantra" or a "credo"; something that you believe in.  Something that’s easy to remember, easy to say, that a child could understand.  For Rick this was the phrase "When you’re out of money, then you’re out of options." One thing Rick and his staff are committed to is NEVER leaving their clients out of money and out of options. Rick’s passion is helping older folks and their families understand and take advantage of all the options available to them.  A well articulated passion is the most powerful marketing potion.
2. Script your story.    Rick started his adventure in Elder Law as a "do-good" effort.  He had already built and sold an extremely successful mortgage and title company and was ready to retire.  He thought he was going to work with immigration until some elderly friends asked for help with applying for and collecting VA benefits.  In the process of helping his friends, Rick came to see a huge opportunity which he decided to look at as a "calling."   (You can already feel yourself trusting him more than the traditional lawyer, right?  Not greedy, already has whatever he needs and wants, just looking to help people.)  When you have a real and authentic story that explains your passion – it engages your customer and connects you as people and not as customer/provider.   
3. Create a system.  With his passion clearly defined, he dove into the minds of his ideal clients; the elderly and their families.  He knew that they didn’t like or trust lawyers, but he also knew that the "lawyer-speak" that these people were exposed to only confused, intimidated and literally kept them from the information they needed to make good decisions about how they wanted to live, to die and manage the savings they’d worked so hard for. Rick’s system is rooted in analogies used to explain the complicated machinations of legal instruments.  He developed a "concept speech" that he uses to get everyone on the same page.  Then he takes his prospects through a "vision meeting" which is a session where they talk about their goals and what they want for themselves and their families.  Rick’s associates explain what options are avialable and what the tradeoffs are for each option, which has easy to understand names. 4 out of 5 clients eagerly hire the firm to help them.  The presentation, the options and the explanations are so client-goal focused, so simple to understand and so obvious, you simply can’t say no.
4. Be Consistent. It’s not enough to say that you care.  You have to show people that you are who you say or appear to be.  Every touchpoint that a potential client has with Rick’s firm looks and feels and generates that peaceful state of mind.  The web site is easy to read and understand.  I see people like me in the pictures.  The text speaks to me in my language.  I can see and meet the people at the firm and read a little about them.  When I get to the office, no one is a stranger.  The office is warm and looks like someone’s living room.  There are candies and scented candles that calm and soothe you.  When you walk in, you are greeted with a sign that says "Welcome Ivana!" and Angela hops around the desk to say hello and to seat and serve you.  I like being there and am not as scared and anxious as I could be. 
5. Develop a team that believes in and supports the passion and the story.  People are, by far, the most critical element of this client attraction system.  Rick has hired people he knows, that he loves, that love him back.  These are people who share his passion and can consistently and easily live the marketing position his firm has taken on.  It’s easy for them, because they clearly understand the mission and vision of the practice.  All of the procedures are intuitive and easy to remember.  They understnad that they are there to help each other.  They are complementary personalities that help support each other’s weak spots. 
6. Accessorize and make it fun.  A good marketing system and infrastructure makes it easy to accessorize and think of new ways to delight the client and improve their  experience.  Rick’s firm uses a 3-dimensional stuffed teddy bear that they give to clients as they are leaving their appointment.

These are just six points I pulled out of my client visit.  There are many, many more genious marketing ideas to tell.  But the big lesson for me was that great marketing strategy is not reserved for manufacturers or retailers or any other more traditional business.

All businesses can make a unique position for themselves and attract clients and customers they love that love them back.  And the most amazing secret behind this strategy – is that the engine that drives its success is YOU.