Is Pay-Per-Click Advertising Worth It?
Editor’s Note: This guest post was written and sponsored by Sequoia Legal Marketing.
Nearly 80% of the top 100 most expensive keywords using Google AdWords are legal related; all of which are over $43 PER CLICK. Using industry averages for bounce rate (they visit your homepage, but go no further before leaving) and conversion rates, we can calculate an average cost per lead (phone call or email submission).
Using one example from a divorce attorney, we can extract the following:
Mr. Divorce paid just over $80k to AdWords directly in 2008. The cost to manage this campaign through a larger legal marketing firm was $80k. Total investment: $160,000.
Using Google Analytics, we can see that this campaign provided 550 legitimate individuals [1] to his website, for an average cost, including managing the campaign, of $290 per click. Also by using Google Analytics, we can determine “bounce rate.” This particular attorney had a bounce rate of over 70% (a low bounce rate is 20%; average is 50 – 60%). That means 70% of those 550 clicks actually clicked through, but immediately left. This reduces our potential leads to 165 (or $969 per lead).
Now we can take a look at the tracking devices we have in place; our call tracking phone number and our contact form. This particular client received only 10 contact form submissions in 2008 from his PPC campaign (also trackable through Google Analytics). We cannot track ALL leads through his phone because while he did have a toll free tracking number in place, the total calls in were unreliable since he also had his local phone number on his website. We can however, apply a standard rate of 5 calls to every one contact form submission (industry average), to get a general idea of how many calls our attorney may have anticipated. With ten contact form submissions, I expect he received approximately fifty calls, or sixty total contacts from his $160,000 investment (approx $2,666 per actual lead).
With a high ball estimate of 50% conversion rate (one of every two calls from a PPC campaign becomes a client), that client just cost you over $5,000 to obtain.
This particular client was unable to track his actual conversion rate of calls to clients retained; however, it’s fair to say this may NOT be the most efficient campaign for Mr. Divorce.
On a last note, Mr. Divorce also ran an SEO (search engine optimization) campaign on his website. Using Google Analytics, we are also able to track these leads. On average, his SEO leads cost only $49/ea (actual contacts through phone or email), and he received 2.5 times as many leads from SEO than he did with AdWords.
In two weeks, we will follow up with this conversation by showing you how to track your own leads, even if someone else is managing your campaign.
[1] What happens when someone clicks on my site twice, or even repeatedly? Answer: You are changed for these clicks. If you have Google Analytics installed, Google can track how many of these click-throughs are from a single IP address, and only counts it once. So, if our PPC account shows 1,000 clicks which we are charged for in a given period of time, and Google Analytics shows only 550, we know 450 are fraudulent. You can contact Google for a refund for the fraudulent clicks; however, I’m willing to bet your current marketing firm probably isn’t doing this for you.
Editor’s Note: This guest post was written and sponsored by Sequoia Legal Marketing.
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A Perfect Offline Activity – Thank You Notes
Do you ever have some time to kill when you don’t have a computer with you? I’ve found the perfect activity!
Write your thank you notes!
I spend a lot of time at courthouses, waiting for my clients’ cases. I can bring my laptop to some courthouses and work on it while I’m waiting. But that’s not always possible. Besides, it’s bulky, and I wouldn’t have internet access.
Then I realized that I usually have something else I can do. I hand write several thank you notes every week. Everyone who refers a client to meet gets a personal thank you note, and I send them for many other reasons as well.
This task is beautiful in its simplicity. You just need a thank you note and a pen. I already have a pen when I’m at court. And a couple thank you notes don’t add any noticeable weight or bulk to my papers. I can even carry a few stamps, seal up the notes, and drop them at a mail box on my way back from court.
Do you have any offline activities you do to stay productive when you’re waiting somewhere?
Photo by J. Star
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Tax Deductions – The Home Office Deduction
It’s important to take all your legal tax deductions to get the biggest possible tax refund. If you are self-employed, this is even more critical. Here is a quick primer on an elusive area of tax preparation: the home office deduction.
There are a variety of factors you must meet to claim a deduction for your home office. But I’ll explain each one individually.
Proper work status
To qualify for the home office deduction, your work status must meet one of two tests:
1. You are self-employed. If you run your own business, you’re all set. Jump to the next main factor.
2. You are an employee who works at home for your employer’s convenience. What the heck does that mean? Basically, it means that you doing work from home must be for the benefit of your employer, not yourself. If you don’t have a work space at the office, that would qualify. But if you just work from home to save gas, that won’t count.
After your work status meets the rules, we have to look at the nature of your home office use. These requirements can be even more technical, but they’re doable.
Regular use
The home office deduction requires that you use your space for business on a “regular” basis. This is evaluated based on all the facts and circumstances of your use.
If you have a desk that you use for work a couple times during the year, it probably won’t count as regular use. But if you work from home once a week, that probably counts.
Exclusive use
This factor is where some people get hung up. Your home office space must be used “exclusively” for business. Again, this is evaluated based on the specific facts of your case.
The IRS gives an easy example of a use that wouldn’t qualify for the home office deduction: using a den for work and for family recreation. Since the den isn’t used exclusively for business, you can’t take the deduction.
But the rules don’t require you to have an entirely separate room for your home office. You just need a separately identifiable space that is exclusively for business. Thus, if the desk area in your den is only used for business, you can deduct that portion of the room.
Principal business place
Once you’ve met all the other factors, your home office still must be your “principal place of business.” This doesn’t mean it’s your primary business place. You just have to meet one of these tests:
1. You do most of your administrative / managerial tasks there. You don’t have to do all your admin work in your home office, but it must be the only fixed location where you do this type of work.
2. You meet clients or patients there. This use cannot just be sporadic. It has to be “substantial and integral” to your business.
3. It’s a separate structure. If you have a shed or barn that is regularly and exclusively used for your home office, you’re golden.
I have deliberately re-organized these requirements in a different way from the IRS regulations. You may seem them written out differently somewhere else, but I think my explanation makes it easier to understand.
More information
The IRS has some great information available about the home office deduction. Check out its primary page on deducting your home office. Also, Publication 587 (PDF) covers the Business Use of Your Home.
Of course there is no better way to get information on tax deductions than consulting an accountant.
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Maximize Your Tax Refund in 6 Steps
It’s now 2009, so another tax season is upon us. This doesn’t have to be a sad time of the year. Follow these easy steps to maximize your refund!
File early
We’ll start off with an easy tip that isn’t really about the size of your refund. It’s all about speed.
File your tax return as early as you possibly can. The quicker you file, the sooner your tax refund will be in your hands. It makes sense, right?
How many people do you know who file their tax return in January? Not many. If you do it early, there is a tiny processing queue, so your refund will be sent out quickly. But if you wait until April 15, 2009 at midnight, your tax return will be in the endless pile with most of America. File early for a speedy refund.
Deduct everything
Tax deductions are yours to take. So take them!
There is nothing wrong or un-American with claiming every deduction available to you. Don’t lie or falsify information on your return. But maximize your income tax refund by leaving no legal deduction on the table.
Track contributions
One easy thing you can do during the year in preparation for a big tax refund is to track your charitable contributions.
This is one thing that people neglect to properly track and document. Do you keep a list of every check you put in the collection plate at church? What about those household items you donate to Goodwill periodically?
You can’t claim deductions that you aren’t aware of, so proper tracking is essential. If you don’t know how much you’ve donated to charities, you can’t get the tax refund that you have coming to you. I’m a fan of tracking deductions with It’s Deductible.
Double check everything
Getting audited is not the way to get a big tax refund check. You don’t want to make mistakes on your tax return forms. And you certainly don’t want to claim improper credits or deductions.
The best thing to do is to prepare all your forms and then double check them. Make sure it’s all correct.
Use software
When I had simple taxes, I printed the IRS forms and filled them out by hand. But this certainly isn’t the best way to get a big tax refund. When you have possible deductions, credits, and other calculations, you need something more than a pencil and a calculator.
For my tax preparation needs, I love Turbo Tax
Hire an expert
Let’s face it: sometimes we need to bring in the big guns. I never do my own auto repair; I hire a mechanic. If you’re not confident that you can properly prepare your taxes, hire an expert to do it for you.
Tax preparers and accountants do this work a lot. They know the common mistakes that individuals make, and they know ways to find extra deductions or credits that we might miss on our own. I’ll bet a good tax preparer can easily obtain a larger tax refund for you, so the extra money can pay his fee.
Any more ideas?
Do you have any tax refund tips to share with us? Add them below in the comments.
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Referral Marketing Books Reviewed and Rated
As a business owner, I’ve been trying to build my base of incoming referrals. I get very few clients from referrals, and I want to change that!
Referral marketing is a basic way of building business that’s all about word of mouth. But true referral marketing uses a system to consistently obtain referrals. It’s not just a clumsily relying on people to occasionally drop your name.
To beef up my referral marketing, I checked out three books from the local library. I want to share my thoughts on these books with you.
The books are:
- The Referral of a Lifetime: The Networking System That Produces Bottom-Line Results Every Day
by Tim Templeton
- Endless Referrals
by Bob Burg
- Get More Referrals Now!
by Bill Cates (with a “C”, not Gates)
The Referral of a Lifetime
My favorite book was The Referral of a Lifetime: The Networking System That Produces Bottom-Line Results Every Day
You get a system. Like I mentioned, The Referral of a Lifetime
It keeps the list manageable. All referral marketing centers on a list of people that you try to get to referrals from. But The Referral of a Lifetime
It’s written like a story. While reading The Referral of a Lifetime
Did I mention that I like this book? I really think it’s a great book and system for developing your referral base. I’ll be returning this copy to the local library, but I might go buy it for my own library.
Endless Referrals
Endless Referrals
It’s too in-your-face. Two of the big tips in Endless Referrals
There’s no system. Endless Referrals
Ask in isolation. One good tip I took from Endless Referrals
Get More Referrals Now!
I wasn’t very impressed by Get More Referrals Now!
The one thing I really like about Get More Referrals Now!
Go get some referrals
Why are you still reading this post? Go read one of these books and start building your referral marketing plan. That’s what I’m going to do!
Photo by crysb
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Christmas Gifts for Men – Or, Andrew’s Wish List
I’m a man. And I’m hard to shop for. My dad was hard to shop for as well. I think it’s something many of us men have in common.
Here are my ideas of Christmas gifts for men, otherwise known as “Andrew’s wish list.”
Indy!
Show me a man who isn’t a fan of Indiana Jones. I’ll show you a pansy.
I wanted to be like Indy when I grew up. And now I’m a lawyer. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Get a copy of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Slick TV
Indiana Jones is even cooler, if he’s on a slick flat screen HD TV. A cool TV makes everything cooler.
This Samsung model isn’t as big as some men would like, but it certainly isn’t tiny. And it’s a pretty good deal at this price.
Buy your man a Samsung LN32A450 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Better directions
Men are stubborn. We don’t like to admit when we’re wrong, and that certainly includes directions while driving.
I’ve been wanting a GPS for years. This Magellan unit is incredible! It’s got everything a person could ever want in a GPS, and it’s on an incredible sale right now.
Get your Magellan Maestro 4250 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Back it up
Technology is awesome, but losing your data sucks. Men should always follow the Scout motto: Be Prepared.
At a low price like this, the Seagate external hard drive is a steal. And I don’t think many men will outgrow a whole terabyte of space!
Buy a Seagate Freeagent Pro 1 TB
What do you want?
That’s my quick view of some Christmas gifts for men. But what about you? Do you have some gifts in mind that would be great for men?
Yes, I know Christmas is not about gifts and materialism.
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Too Many Faces on Your Website
I’m a fan of personalizing websites with images of the author. And images of people generally help us to connect better. We’re drawn to people like us, and there’s no way to do that quite like photographs.
But it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. Too many faces on your website is overload. Here’s an example:
A fellow attorney has created a website about the business of law. She’s doing lots of high-profile marketing and probably making some good money with her various projects.
But nobody wants to see three pictures of her above the fold on a single web page.
click to enlarge
In my humble opinion, it’s face overload. And it’s certainly over-use of those two almost-identical pictures.
Maybe her product is great, but I can’t get over this excessive use of her pictures.
What do you think?
Can a person use too many pictures on their web page? Has this example gone overboard?
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Alternative Office Space in Fredericksburg – Coworking at Business Playce
Comments Off on Alternative Office Space in Fredericksburg – Coworking at Business Playce My law firm operates out of my home office. But I needed a professional place to meet clients, and sometimes home gets old. And boring.
No longer!
Fredericksburg, Virginia now has a coworking facility. It’s called Business Playce.
Coworking provides an informal office space where you can work, meet clients, and chat with other professionals. Coworking is a level of space in between a coffee shop and a “virtual office.” You don’t get your own office, but you also don’t have to shout over the espresso machine’s noise. You can just work in a comfy chair, at a desk, or in the conference room (if no one’s using it for a meeting). And there are other humans to talk to!
If you need some flexible office space in the Fredericksburg area, I highly recommend Business Playce. You can find out more about it in this great Free Lance-Star article.
I’ll be there, as well as some other professionals who already hang their hat at 12000 Kennedy Lane, Suite 106. Come join us!
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Contract for Legal Services vs. Client Plan
I think it scares my clients when I ask them to sign a contract with me. Especially when they’re coming to me because they were just burned in a contract with someone else.
It’s partly my fault.
My previous contract was proudly titled: Contract for Legal Services. I was trying to be a good lawyer, explaining exactly what the document is about. It made sense to my rational brain.
But then I started thinking that maybe the title is daunting. I decided the title itself might be scaring clients.
I read a great article on alternative billing by Jim Calloway and Mark Robertson that talks about the idea of having a “Case Plan.” I love the idea! It present the contract as a roadmap for the work, instead of a scary legal agreement.
Since only some of my clients have actual litigation cases, I decided to call my document a “Client Plan.” That has the double-bonus of putting the focus on the client. My practice really is about serving the clients.
Yeah, this is a small detail. But small things add up. And little details can be huge improvements.
Photo by Sakurako Kitsa
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Print Postage Online – In Your Pajamas!
Don’t you hate going to the post office? The lines are long, the building is dingy, and there’s never enough parking.
I’m now a proud endicia user! I can print whatever postage I need, right from my desk. It’s already saving me time and money. I’ll bet it will work for you too!
As an attorney, I mail lots of things. We have to send documents to court, our clients, and other attorneys. Without endicia, I had to keep a supply of stamps on hand. I inevitably ran out of stamps when I had deadlines to meet. And I never had the precise postage amount handy.
endicia saves me money and makes me more productive!
Now when I need to mail something, I can quickly print the exact postage needed. I don’t have to visit the post office, and I don’t have to keep stamps on hand. It really is amazing.
You can easily print postage online with endicia. To do so, just start up endicia’s handy postage program: DAZzle. Then follow a few easy steps:
- Select the layout you want to print (envelope, label, etc)
- Add the delivery address (or select from your Outlook address book!)
- Choose your mail type (first class, parcel post, media mail, certified mail, etc)
- Print!
When you print postage online, you should be cautious about misprints. DAZzle always lets you do as many test prints as you need before you print actual postage. This enables you to make sure everything is perfect and you don’t waste any money. If you do make a mistake, you can reprint from within DAZzle. Cool, right?
endicia lets me print postage in tons of formats!
As mentioned above, DAZzle lets you pick a variety of layouts for printing your postage. Today I printed on regular #10 business envelopes and shipping labels. endicia easily transitions from one medium to another, letting you print whatever you need!
Perhaps the coolest part is that endicia can print regular postage stamps. You can do this with “InstaPostage”. It’s a separate program for printing postage that comes with your endicia account. Use endicia’s special InstaPostage labels, and you can print your own stamps. I made one today to put on a self-addressed stamped envelope. It was cool!
Get a 30-day free trial
I was a bit skeptical about endicia. It seems too good to be true. But I signed up for the 30-day free trial, and I haven’t been disappointed.
Why don’t you give it a try? If you’re looking for a way to print postage online, endicia is the ticket.
With a 30-day free trial, you really have nothing to lose. Sign up for free, buy a little postage, and give it a whirl. If it doesn’t fit your needs, you’re out nothing.
Do you have a solution for printing postage online?
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About Andrew Flusche
Lawyer, bicyclist, husband.
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