My goal here is to create a resources page that you can always turn to for all of you legal marketing and law firm practice building needs. As I learn more or find new products I find helpful, I’ll make adjustments to this page as necessary. I recommend bookmarking this page for your reference and convenience.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Please understand that I have experience with all of these companies, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.
My Most Recommended Tools
If you disregard everything else on this page, that’s ok, so long as you check out these resources. I find myself recommending these resources over and over again, both on podcasts and in my blog posts. I use them because they make my life easier by leveraging my time, and they make my law firm more money, plain and simple.
MyCase Case Management: I’ve experimented with all the case management programs out there, both in the cloud and otherwise. At the end of the day, MyCase is the best, most intuitive and easiest to use case management system out there. If you want to know why I think this, please feel free to read this blog post I wrote comparing different case management programs.
Infusionsoft (Sales and Marketing Automation): I don’t even know where to start with Infusionsoft. It’s an absolutely amazing product. Infusionsoft is a relationship manager, auto-responder, task manager and calendar all in one. It keeps track of all my prospective clients, automatically emails them highly targeted information on demand, and has helped me to convert more visitors to my law firm website to paying clients.
Box for Document Storage: If you are looking to build either a paperless law office or a virtual law office, Box.com is the only choice for document management and storage. Box.com allows me to quickly and easily organize and share my client files, manage documents remotely with my iPhone or iPad, and quickly share documents securely with clients or other attorneys. I can manage who can access certain files, what they can or can’t do with those files, and set up secure client portals for clients to upload documents directly to their client file. It’s pretty awesome.
Call Ruby: I honestly don’t know where I would be without Call Ruby. They have been a lifesaver for me on so many occasions. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Call Ruby. Not only do they have amazing receptionists who always answer my phones with a smile, but they also keep stats on who called, when, and how long you were on the phone with them. When I’m busy and my paralegal can’t answer the phone, Call Ruby comes to the rescue. Use this link to enjoy a 14 day free trial, and get free set-up of your phone system (a $95 value).
Opt-In Skin: I just discovered this little nugget recently. It’s one of the newest additions to this resources page. Frankly, I’m kicking myself for not installing it on the site sooner. It’s a premium plugin that allows you to customize your opt-in forms and split-test your forms to see which convert the best. And that’s just the tip of the ice-burg. It’s not only extremely powerful, but it is also easy to use. From now on, all the opt-in forms on my site will be generated by the Opt-In Skin plug-in.
Website Hosting and Resources
Bluehost: I’m in the process of moving all of my websites to Bluehost. Why? Because it’s incredibly easy to use with 1-click automatic WordPress installation and excellent customer service – both via phone and via chat. If you are just starting a law firm and need to get a website and blog set up quickly, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND using Bluehost as your hosting provider. You can use the same hosting account for multiple domains if you plan on creating more websites. Click this link to get a discount off the regular price!
WordPress: WordPress is the one and only blogging and website development platform for you to consider. It’s free and easily customizable to just about anything you want. All of my websites and blogs use WordPress.
The Genesis Framework: This is the WordPress theme and framework that the Legal Marketing Made Easy blog runs on. Genesis provides out-of-box search engine optimization, faster page load times, maximum readability to engage and hold reader’s attention, and point-and-click design and font controls.
GoDaddy.com – I use GoDaddy.com to purchase all of my domains.
Email and Marketing
Infusionsoft: As I mentioned above, Infusionsoft is THE sales and marketing software that you should be using for your law firm. Click this link to see a success story from an estate planning law firm.
Aweber: If you are not ready for a robust program like Infusionsoft, that’s ok, but you still need an auto-responder to get emails to prospects who opt in on your website. Aweber is a good, solid alternative to Infusionsoft.
Google Adwords: When you are just getting started, you need to build some traffic to your law firm website. Adwords is a great way to do it.
Web Analytics and Tools
Google Analytics: This is Google’s free website analytics tool. It is a must have for anyone that is marketing on the web, including lawyers.
Clicky: Just like Google Analytics except that it is easier to use and you can view how many people are on your website and what they are doing in real-time! Your first site is free.
Office Software
ScreenFlow (for Mac) and Camtasia (for PC) are two pieces of software that can be used to capture videos of your screen to assist in creating tutorials and other helpful guides for both your law firm employees and your clients.
Stamps.com: We stopped going to the post office long ago. Print postage directly from your computer. They even send you a scale.
Vistaprint: If you need some business cards or other stationary, Vistaprint will do the job.
Quickbooks Online: As I am taking more of my practice into the cloud, going online with my accounting software was a no-brainer. Quickbooks Online is the only option in this arena (that I have found).
Speakwrite: I love this software. It’s an iPhone app. When I need a lengthy letter dictated, I just turn on the dictation feature, dictate what I need, and send it off. In less than an hour, I get an email back with a Word file. It’s pay as you go – there are no minimums or monthly fees.
Lastpass: The last password you will ever need to remember. Simply download a plugin to your web browser and Lastpass will automatically generate a new password for all your online accounts. This is a great piece of software that will help keep you safe in an online world. It’s free for desktop use, pay a little more and get access to a mobile app.
Books and Education
Audible: All successful entrepreneurs and business owners are in a constant state of learning. Audible allows me to download and listen to business audiobooks on the go.
The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs (and any other book by Dan Kennedy)
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Podcasts
Podcruncher: The app I use to download and listen to all my podcasts on the go.
Online Storage
Box.com: All of our firm documents are stored on Box.com. As I mentioned above, it is a robust tool that gives you a lot of control over your documents, allows you to collaborate with your clients or support staff, and allows edits directly into certain programs on your desktop (word, excel, etc.). It has great apps for the iPhone and iPad.
Dropbox: I use Dropbox for my personal documents. It is free up to 2 GB, and works seamlessly with my computer. I use it everyday and don’t even know it.
Search Engine Optimization
Copyblogger: Run by Brian Clark, Copyblogger was made to help you produce better content for your website. Better headlines, better copy, etc. The purpose is to get your articles and blog posts read by the public (and hopefully shared). They offer many free resources, and have a paid membership site as well.
SEO by Yoast plugin: In the day and age of constant Google search algorithm updates, superior content is the best way to get noticed by the search engines. I use this free plugin on my WordPress blog to make sure I’m not doing anything really dumb when I post new articles.