If you have looked at my Social Security disability YouTube channel, you will see that I have posted over 300 videos offering my insight about how I approach specific types of cases, tips on winning a case early, the forms I use to obtain support from treating physicians and many other videos containing practical advice about how to win a case.
Frequently when colleagues and attorneys looking for advice about video marketing ask me if I am concerned that I might be giving too much away. After all, if I am revealing specifics about how I win cases, what would stop a potential client from using my information to represent himself at a hearing, and am I not educating my competitors?
While I understand these concerns, I believe that the benefit of offering detailed and actionable information far outweighs the downside of possibly losing cases to pro se claimants or even competitors. Here’s why:
First, I will never worry about pro se claimants who use my videos and other resources on the Internet to represent themselves. Those folks are generally so focused on avoiding legal fees that they were never going to hire a lawyer. Further, if they did hire you, they would never be convinced of the value you provide and would either challenge an approval of your fee or try to negotiate a lower rate after the fact.
I occasionally see comments posted on my video channel from individuals who proudly state that they won their case without hiring a lawyer. Assuming that the comment is respectful (I delete the snarky ones), I congratulate the pro se claimant. A gracious response demonstrates to my community that I truly have their best interests at heart – which I do – and that I do not fit the narrative of a money focused lawyer.
Additionally, the detailed information I provide sends a subliminal message to the vast majority of viewers who are not likely to take the pro se route. They now know that there are so many factors to consider when preparing, presenting and reacting to events at a hearing that they would be foolish to dabble in this arena.
In the Social Security disability world, the average claimant has to wait eighteen to thirty months just to get the opportunity to spend 45 minutes in front of a busy and distracted administrative law judge. Why would someone risk dealing with all of the unknowns in favor of relying on a lawyer who knows the judge, knows the process and has tried thousands of cases.
When I do hear from pro se claimants who have been successful, they are almost always grateful for the knowledge they have gained. I’ll ask those folks to post an online testimonial, which they almost always agree to do. These testimonials also send a message potential clients that I have a sincere interest in empowering the community I serve and that money is not my primary motivator.
Second, I also do not worry about revealing too much to potential competitors. Since law practice is primarily a local endeavor, I have little concern about offering guidance to colleagues in different jurisdictions. To this end, I serve on the faculty of Solo Practice University, which is an online practice education portal for new attorneys and solos who want to learn about the practical nature of law practice.
Similarly I don’t worry about giving too much away to local colleagues. I teach CLE classes locally and I am always willing to share my knowledge with local and out of state lawyers who have questions about my areas of expertise.
I am a big believer in positive karma – what you give out will come back again and again. I have become friends (electronically) with colleagues from all over the country. One lawyer from Phoenix who I had never interacted with at all sent me a delicious gift basket this past December with a note thanking me for helping him get up to speed.
I called him up to express my thanks and now he calls me periodically with questions. I was even able to refer him a potential client and I have no doubt that he would reciprocate.
I regularly reach out to colleagues locally and nationally to appear on my podcast or to exchange guest posts. I have received many referrals from my national network. Again, the value I get from these relationships far exceeds the loss of revenue from a case or two.
On rare occasion I get a call or email from someone who asks for guidance beyond what I feel to be reasonable. This has never been from a colleague – only from non-lawyers. In those situations I politely explain that I cannot offer specific advice to a non-client, or I direct them to a page on my site where they can purchase a 30 or 60 minute block of my time.
Ultimately I think that your marketing should be built on a foundation of generosity. Consumers are inherently suspicious and they can sense insincerity. They can especially sense it in a video. This is why, by the way, that “we get you big settlement” TV commercials don’t work online. The message these commericials send is that “we need each other to get as much money as we can from the insurance company” and thereafter we both move on.
Educational video marketing is about forging and nurturing a community and sharing your useful and actionable information by video is a great way to achieve this goal.
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