Interviewer: Is your newsletter sent out in print as well?

Richard: Yes, it’s recently gone hard copy. I was doing email but I study marketing all the time. I was advised, by people I learn from, to do hard copy now. From what I can see, it has at least tripled the readership. I don’t make a big fat thing to send out. It’s very simple, but a lot more people are reading it.

Again, if you are reading a piece of paper that you’re interested in, there’s no beeping or clicking. There’s no email coming. There’s nothing. It’s just you and this piece of paper. It cuts down a lot of distraction.

Online everything is a click away. I’m sure you probably get very distracted just like I do. There is stuff constantly going on. Sometimes I click through three different websites, and I don’t even know what I’m doing. I forget. It’s very distracting.

Also, there are things to consider like eye strain and age. I’m not saying they’re old but people age 55, compared to people ages 25 to 35, value reading something in print rather than online.

Interviewer: How effective is the newsletter?

Richard: A DUI lawyer may ask, “Why would my clients contact me again if I sent them a newsletter?” First of all, the newsletter is not about the law. It’s not about things people are afraid to hear about, or don’t want to hear about. It is generic Reader’s Digest type material with a crossword puzzle and an article about a celebrity. It contains fun stuff that applies to everybody.

So, what’s the point of it? The point is to keep your name in front of your old clients. Are they going to get a DUI again? The answer is maybe or maybe not. However, their uncle might be making a will or their aunt may get arrested for some kind of crime.

Perhaps their son had a car accident and they need personal injury. Their cousin may have been in a fight, and arrested for assault. It’s anything you can think of. So you tend to get referrals because you’re on these people’s minds. They remember you.

The referral may come in your specific area or it may not. However, again, they’ll remember you because you’re sending them something kind of interesting once a month. You’re not bothering them about bad things, like the law. That is the point. It works really well.

Interviewer: With a newsletter to former clients, are you maintaining name recognition that may otherwise slip away?

Richard: Yes, you’re marketing only to the people that have emailed you. You have already helped them. They already like you. You know they don’t want to have criminal trouble again, but you’re not talking to them about that. You’re talking to them about just fun, everyday stuff.

Again, any problem can occur. Then, the recipient will say, “Oh, yes, Joe Shmoe sends me that newsletter. Call him. Here’s his number.” Again, that is the point. Then he gets a lot of referrals from people over time. It really works well.

Interviewer: How do you utilize direct mail as a marketing tool?

Richard: You can get leads online. There are companies that sell leads to people. It’s what I used to do a lot. You can also get home mailing addresses of people that have filed bankruptcy; or have a judgment or a foreclosure and will file bankruptcy,

Direct mail also goes to people arrested. Sometimes it is called jailer mailer, but it’s essentially direct mail. Each state bar has rules that do allow this but they want certain things in your mail piece. They want it to say “attorney advertisement” and look a certain way, but you can direct mail people.

That works really well. Again, you would be very surprised but plenty of attorneys do it. They get a lot of results from direct mail because it is a channel everyone has abandoned. It’s pretty uncluttered. Direct mail is another thing that’s very effective and I highly recommend attorneys do it.

Interviewer: Are there different lists for recipients of direct mail, such as people who’ve had issues with bankruptcy, foreclosure?

Richard: Yes, it depends what you do. So if you’re a criminal defense lawyer, all you care about is the jailer mailer list. You want to know all the people arrested yesterday, today and tomorrow and what crime it was for.

You mail them all. You may get a call from someone that has a domestic violence problem. Then you’ll get a call from a DUI. You’ll get a call from, maybe, a murderer or someone charged with dealing drugs. It’s whatever crimes out there that people need help with. Your letter comes and they call you.