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Find Out How to Grow Your Business in the New Year

250 Practical Ways to Move Your Firm Forward

As Rod Serling would sometimes say, this episode calls for a different kind of introduction. And so does this newsletter.

Below are 250 things you can do to move your firm forward next year.

You can do all of them, though that is probably not ideal. You can do some of them. You can carve out five to fifteen minutes each weekday and work your way down the list.

The options are endless.
Or there are only 250 options, depending on your perspective.

And yes, I originally promised 365 ideas. Two things happened:

  1. That was harder than I thought, even after breaking it down like this.
  2. I do not want you working every single day, so this list covers every weekday for fifty weeks.

Let’s get to it.

Vision, Planning, and Goals

  1. Create your firm vision.
  2. Schedule weekly time to accomplish the quarterly rocks in your VTO and actually do them.
  3. Block off time each quarter to review results.
  4. Block off time each quarter to plan the next quarter.
  5. Review and adjust your time management quarterly.
  6. Create three to five personal goals.
  7. Work backward to identify habits needed to reach those goals and schedule them.
  8. Schedule weekly time to work on those habits.
  9. Review your 2022 financials by revenue per case type.
  10. Identify recurring expenses that are out of line and fix them.

Core Values and Team Alignment

  1. Create core values for your firm.
  2. Confirm your current staff aligns with those values.
  3. Schedule quarterly discussions on core value expectations.
  4. Add core values to your hiring process.
  5. Review core values annually.
  6. Create social media posts about your core values.
  7. Tie those posts to client reviews and testimonials.

Ideal Client and Positioning

  1. Identify the pain points of your ideal client.
  2. Clarify the real problem your firm solves.
  3. List why you are the best fit for your ideal client.
  4. Identify other problems your ideal client knows they have.
  5. Decide how to solve those problems through services, hiring, or co counsel.
  6. Identify problems they do not know they have.
  7. Decide how to educate them about those problems.
  8. Determine how to solve those issues as well.
  9. Refresh your ideal client avatar.
  10. Review what percentage of your current clients match your ideal client.

Financials, Referrals, and Data

  1. Review referral sources versus expected lead volume.
  2. Update referral goals for the year.
  3. Refresh your referral source list.
  4. Schedule time to connect with referral sources.
  5. Ask top referral sources for feedback.
  6. Ask peers what works best for referrals.
  7. Identify who stays top of mind for referrals and why.
  8. Identify referral gaps and opportunities.
  9. Review CRM data for better decision making.
  10. Track expectations versus results quarterly.
  11. Review your annual budget.
  12. Schedule time to update your budget.

Online Presence and Profiles

  1. Review competitor Google Business profiles.
  2. Update your Google Business profile.
  3. Review competitor Facebook pages.
  4. Update your firm Facebook page.
  5. Update your personal Facebook page.
  6. Review competitor LinkedIn profiles.
  7. Update your firm LinkedIn page.
  8. Update your personal LinkedIn page.
  9. Review competitor Yelp profiles.
  10. Update your Yelp page.
  11. Review competitor YouTube channels.
  12. Update your YouTube channel.
  13. Review competitor Twitter profiles.
  14. Update your Twitter profiles.
  15. Review competitor Instagram accounts.
  16. Update your firm Instagram.
  17. Update your personal Instagram.
  18. Review competitor TikTok accounts.
  19. Update your TikTok page.
  20. Create a content calendar.
  21. Update your brand guidelines.

Legal Directories and Search Visibility

  1. Update Avvo.
  2. Update FindLaw.
  3. Update Justia.
  4. Update Lawyer.com.
  5. Update Lawyers.com.
  6. Update HG.org.
  7. Google your firm name and update additional listings.
  8. Google your name and update listings.
  9. Google your practice area and identify opportunities.

Content, SEO, and Education

  1. Identify your best content format.
  2. Find three to five reliable learning sources.
  3. Schedule time to consume that content.
  4. Schedule time to implement ideas.
  5. Review top ranking attorney websites.
  6. Use Ahrefs or Semrush.
  7. Use AnswerThePublic.
  8. Write blog posts for common questions.
  9. Create videos for those topics.
  10. Interview experts on those topics.
  11. Schedule content across platforms.
  12. Schedule time to continue the process.

Networking and Referrals

  1. Review staff social media alignment.
  2. Confirm case tracking accuracy.
  3. Identify local client organizations.
  4. Reach out to speak or join.
  5. Identify referral source organizations.
  6. Reach out to them.
  7. Call a referral source.
  8. Text a referral source.
  9. Schedule lunch.
  10. Schedule coffee.
  11. Schedule happy hour.
  12. Attend a sporting event together.
  13. Play golf together.
  14. Attend a class together.
  15. Double date with referral sources.
  16. Go for a walk together.
  17. Join a referral source hobby.
  18. Send a thoughtful card.
  19. Share a relevant article.

Client Experience and Sales

  1. Mail a helpful book.
  2. Create collaborative content.
  3. Guest blog for each other.
  4. Create joint videos.
  5. Interview each other.
  6. Repurpose transcripts.
  7. Connect referral sources.
  8. Share free resources.
  9. Volunteer locally.
  10. Connect with out of state attorneys.
  11. Post in professional groups.
  12. Attend networking events.
  13. Visit a BNI.
  14. Attend chamber meetings.
  15. Find a mentor.
  16. Ask for advice.
  17. Share struggles and learn.
  18. Follow up with recent contacts.
  19. Ask clients what they liked.
  20. Ask what could be better.
  21. Ask what was missing.
  22. Implement repeated feedback.

Intake, Automation, and Growth

  1. Expand services thoughtfully.
  2. Cut unprofitable services.
  3. Ask referral sources for introductions.
  4. Make introductions for others.
  5. Host small group events.
  6. Host a dinner party.
  7. Meet highly connected people.
  8. Attend local events.
  9. Create new outreach methods.
  10. Send thank you cards.
  11. Try new restaurants with contacts.
  12. Recognize clients.
  13. Host client appreciation events.
  14. Record a virtual office tour.
  15. Send client surveys.
  16. Follow up with old leads.
  17. Schedule client check ins.
  18. Review intake processes.

Marketing, Tracking, and Operations

  1. Add email touchpoints for PNCs.
  2. Educate on why to hire a lawyer.
  3. Explain why you are the best fit.
  4. Answer common questions.
  5. Share video testimonials.
  6. Stress urgency appropriately.
  7. Share success stories.
  8. Re engage stalled prospects.
  9. Segment your audience.
  10. Build long term nurture campaigns.
  11. Create client newsletters.
  12. Create referral newsletters.
  13. Create scalable follow up.
  14. Learn from top referral sources.
  15. Share best practices.
  16. Review outbound referrals.
  17. Improve referral feedback loops.
  18. Call your own office.
  19. Mystery shop intake.
  20. Review voicemail tone.

Analytics, Ads, and Tools

  1. Review after hours handling.
  2. Ask top clients for feedback.
  3. Automate lost lead feedback.
  4. Review contracts.
  5. Review text messaging.
  6. Train staff on sales.
  7. Share best sales tactics.
  8. Watch sales training.
  9. Hire a sales trainer.
  10. Role play intake.
  11. Hire a secret shopper.
  12. Improve onboarding packages.
  13. Ask for onboarding feedback.
  14. Ask peers for feedback.
  15. Crowdsource ideas.
  16. Review onboarding.
  17. Automate document collection.
  18. Improve client communication.
  19. Introduce teams properly.
  20. Reduce client repetition.

Final Systems and Celebration

  1. Install Google Tag Manager.
  2. Add Google Analytics.
  3. Set goals in Analytics.
  4. Verify Search Console.
  5. Set up Bing tools.
  6. Update Bing Locations.
  7. Add Facebook Pixel.
  8. Add LinkedIn Pixel.
  9. Create Google Ads account.
  10. Connect Analytics and Ads.
  11. Prepare newsletter templates.
  12. Track UTM codes.
  13. Set up Canva brand kit.
  14. Use CallRail.
  15. Identify publications.
  16. Draft PR outreach.
  17. Send pitches.
  18. Follow up.
  19. Identify accounts to follow.
  20. Engage strategically.
  21. Engage referral sources.
  22. Follow aspirational accounts.
  23. Engage current referral sources.
  24. Join referral groups.
  25. Join client groups.
  26. Repeat on Instagram.
  27. Repeat on LinkedIn.
  28. Repeat on TikTok.
  29. Repeat on Twitter.
  30. Repeat elsewhere.

Content Creation and Growth

  1. Create common engagement replies.
  2. Schedule weekly engagement.
  3. Learn trends weekly.
  4. Write a post.
  5. Make a video.
  6. Interview someone.
  7. Repurpose content.
  8. Transcribe interviews.
  9. Publish transcripts.
  10. Write blog posts.
  11. Repurpose them.
  12. Review engagement data.
  13. Review topic performance.
  14. Start a podcast.
  15. Start a live show.
  16. Clip the content.
  17. Transcribe episodes.
  18. Publish show notes.
  19. Ask why clients refer.
  20. Repeat what works.

Big Moves and Wrap Up

  1. Open another office.
  2. Book a team retreat.
  3. Hire a facilitator.
  4. Get an MBA.
  5. Take a course.
  6. Attend a conference.
  7. Create presentations.
  8. Speak locally.
  9. Speak statewide.
  10. Train staff.
  11. Get certified.
  12. Share team expertise.
  13. Document marketing plans.
  14. Run a review challenge.
  15. Automate reviews.
  16. Personalize requests.
  17. Create review systems.
  18. Send client cards.
  19. Decide what not to do.
  20. Take a break. You earned it.

And there you go. You made it to the end.

Until next time, may you successfully raid the Empire’s payroll vault on behalf of the rebellion.

Have a great week. Next week, I will share what I do at the end of the year to make sure the next one is even better.

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