One of the most underappreciated parts of our 13-month road trip has been seeing how places compare to my expectations.
Considering I am terrible with geography, this usually boils down to something like, “I didn’t think this place would look like this.”
For example, the La Brea Tar Pits turned out to be more of a scientific research site than a Jurassic Park replica.
But the most recent surprise was North Dakota.
What do you think of when I say North Dakota? I was expecting flat, expansive land with mostly nothing.
Instead, I got this.
It was funny because while we were hiking in the South Unit of Teddy Roosevelt National Park, a guy was filming content. I am not sure who it was for, but I kept hearing him say something like, “This is North Dakota!” while standing on the edge of a cliff with an incredible backdrop.
And let’s be honest, the competition for “This is North Dakota” is a lot less intense than “PI lawyer in a completely saturated market, with competitors spending 10,000 times more than you, fewer claims every year, more technology, and lower insurance coverage.”
That is why I want to share my content creation system with you. We finalized it last week, so do not worry, you are not behind.
I posted the full version inside our Solutions For Lawyers, By Lawyers Facebook group. Click here to access it.
The Content Creation System
Step 1: Choose Your Topic
Pull your topic from your marketing plan, content calendar, Ahrefs, AnswerThePublic, or anywhere else you track ideas.
Step 2: Run It Through These Lenses
a) Story
- Pain or attention: Start with a personal story or problem
- Agitate: Show how things got worse
- Intrigue: Introduce a new perspective
- Positive future: Show the upside
- Solution: Explain how to get there
b) List
What does this topic connect to? How does it break down into a list?
c) The Rule of Law
If it involves a statute or rule, what is the plain-language version?
d) Exceptions
Are there exceptions to the rule?
e) My Take
Your expert opinion and best practices.
f) Has It Changed Over Time?
If so, how and why?
g) Different Take or Observation
Do you see something others miss?
h) FAQs
Common questions people ask about this topic.
i) Other Resources
Books, articles, posts, or outside perspectives.
j) Repeat as Needed
Once you flesh out a topic using these angles, you can decide what content formats make sense.
Step 3: Content Formats
- Long-form writing
- Short posts or tweets
- Carousels or slide decks
- Long videos and short clips
- Presentations
- Interviews
- Collaborations
Example: Personal Injury Content
To make this concrete, I went to AnswerThePublic and typed in “personal injury.”
One example stood out:
Can a personal injury lawyer drop your case?
Turning That Into Content
Story
- Pain or attention: I almost had to drop a client’s case
- Agitate: The client stopped responding and nearly missed discovery deadlines
- Intrigue: We explained discovery obligations and why honesty protects the case
- Positive future: Prior discovery wins and higher settlement offers
- Solution: The client came into the office to finalize responses
List
Reasons to drop a case, like no contact, dishonesty, ethical issues, or conflicts.
Ethical considerations, including statutes of limitations, liens, file transfers, and referrals.
Rule of Law
Have a staff member research the relevant statute or ethics rule.
Exceptions
There may be black-letter rules that carve out exceptions worth explaining.
My Take
I hate dropping cases unless there is unethical behavior. It bothers me because I know we are often the best fit during a client’s biggest moment of need.
Has It Changed Over Time
Possibly not, but legal research might reveal evolving standards.
Different Take
I do not want clients to answer questions with “whatever helps my case.” I want the truth. Most lawyers hate dropping viable cases for this reason.
FAQs
What rights do clients have if their case is dropped?
Can a lawyer reconsider?
Can another lawyer take the case?
Other Resources
Florida Bar articles and legal ethics commentary, along with relevant social media discussions.
Creating the Content
Long Writing
Firm policies, real-world stories, in-depth explanations, and parables.
Short Writing
Ethics opinions, quick insights, and creative metaphors.
Carousel or Slide Deck
Reasons cases are dropped, ethics guidance, client next steps, and intake criteria.
Video Content
Stories, behind-the-scenes discussions, short clips, or even a parody video.
Presentations
How to be a great client and maximize recovery.
Interviews
Other lawyers, clients, or professionals discussing real experiences.
Collaborations
Guest blogs, ethics attorneys, intake specialists, or trusted referral partners.
I put this together in about five to seven minutes. For real-world use, I would spend 15 to 30 minutes per topic, ideally with a group.
Every piece stays closely related to the main topic without being repetitive. That is the sweet spot.
Conservatively, this single idea produced 15 pieces of content. If each goes to three platforms, that is 45 posts with under 10 minutes of planning.
I am also a big fan of asking your audience what questions they have. That alone becomes content and leads to even more ideas.
What’s the Catch?
Execution takes time.
Writing is usually the easiest for lawyers.
Video may need an editor.
Carousels need design support or strong Canva templates.
Captions benefit from a copywriter.
Timing and engagement require strategy.
That is where social media gets hard and sometimes expensive. But starting with strong ideas and a different perspective is the best place to begin.
Next week, I will share more about my upcoming book, Love Your Law Firm. I will talk about the why, the how, and hopefully the when. Fingers crossed.
Until then, have an amazing week. And may you not need to learn karate, bribe referees, or take over a dojo to solve your problems. I still do not fully understand the point of Cobra Kai, even after five seasons.
Until Next Friday!