How to Become an Expert Witness - Part 3: How to Promote your Expert Witness Practice
Now that you’ve read our career advice in Part 2 of this series, you are ready to promote your new expert witness practice.
Start with a strong Internet marketing campaign. As I always say, “you must be present to win” on the Internet.
HGExperts.com is the perfect place to hang your shingle. While you can get a free basic listing, we recommend making the very small investment in upgrading to a “premium” listing. You will be able to post your photo and full contact information, supplemented with extensive information about your education, work experience, credentials, publications, and more.
Make the investment in a professional web site. Select the URL you intend to use; in fact, you should register the URL as soon as possible before someone else does.
Consider Google AdWords for online ad campaigns. “Pay-per-click” advertising on the Internet can be very cost-effective. This is an auction system, where you bid on keywords that are important to your business. Your ad is displayed when someone is searching for your services, but you are only charged if they click on your ad to visit your web site.
Publish articles in your field. Writing informative articles is a good way to demonstrate your subject matter expertise. These articles can be published in journals, industry publications, bar association newsletters, or on relevant websites. Remember to take advantage of the article publication feature on HGExperts.com also.
Write a book. While not for everyone, those who are able to write a book can definitely set themself apart from the competition. Working with a recognized publisher is ideal, but you can also consider self-publishing.
Participate in industry standards-setting activities. As referenced earlier in career planning, your involvement in setting new or updated standards for your industry group will definitely help you in your role as an expert. Having the inside knowledge of how standards were developed,
Speak. Addressing an audience of prospective clients is one of the best possible ways to demonstrate your subject matter expertise. You will be able to lay the foundation for a trusted relationship by providing valuable information that will help attendees.
Referral networks. Who you know can be as important as what you now. Prepare a written outline of attorneys, accountants, and other experts who provide you with leads. Prioritize these referral sources (A/B/C) to indicate how often you want to communicate with each source. For example, plan to meet with your best “A” referral sources every 30-45 days; “B” resources may warrant a 60-90 day schedule; while “C” referrals may just get periodic direct mail or phone calls. Reciprocity is also critical; you must also send business to those who send leads to you.
Market to your current clients. If you already have an established client base, this will be your best source of new revenue opportunities. It is much easier to get more business from your existing accounts than it is to establish a new account.
By Legal Expert Connections, Inc.
Legal Marketing, Expert Marketing, Attorney Marketing, Lawyer Marketing
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Margaret GrisdelaLegal Marketing, Expert Marketing, Attorney Marketing, Lawyer Marketing
Margaret Grisdela is President of Legal Expert Connections, Inc., a national marketing agency specializing in business development for legal and litigation support experts. She is the author “Courting Your Clients: The Essential Guide to Legal Marketing.”
Copyright Legal Expert Connections, Inc.
Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer.For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.
