Think Law

Recently I blogged about guides I created and how they helped me get business. There is a big debate going on about Chris Anderson’s new book, “Free: The Future of a Radical Price.” I haven’t read the book yet, but I found his book “The Long Tail” interesting and I blogged about one of his main points.

After Anderson wrote “Free,” Malcolm Gladwell wrote a review in the New Yorker criticizing the book. Then, Seth Godin blogged: “Malcolm is Wrong.” Godin suggests that "free" is a way to get attention in a crowded market at the beginning and that in a digital economy with many players and low barriers of entry, cost will go down. Godin also distinguishes between commodities and what people are willing to pay for. “People will pay for content if it is so unique they can’t get it anywhere else, so fast they benefit from getting it before anyone else, or so related to their tribe that paying for it brings them closer to other people. We’ll always be willing to pay for souvenirs of news, as well, things to go on a shelf or badges of honor to share.”

What does all this mean for lawyers? As I pointed out in my Blog post, even before the digital economy, I got new clients by identifying their problems, offering a solution and giving it away. I did a monthly column for a trade publication, I spoke at industry meetings and I created guides and gave them away. My approach was to give things away to demonstrate I was the "go to" lawyer for my narrow market of transportation construction contractors. It worked for me and I believe it still works for lawyers.

Another blogger noted that two major law firms had put forms on their website that could be downloaded by clients or anyone else for free. So law firns are catching on.  

I hope you take the opportunity to read Malcolm Gladwell’s book review and Seth Godin’s reply. After reading the debate over free, think about if and how the concept of free applies to your own practice.

Is any of the legal work you are doing commodity work that any lawyer can do, or a client can do with a form from Legal Zoom? If so, you will continually face increased hourly rate pressure. On the other hand, you can give away solutions to problems to demonstrate your knowledge is unique and your clients benefit from your knowledge before their competitors.