arm's blog

5 Free Browser Extensions That Simplify Attorneys’ Lives

arm — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 14:56:30 +0000

5 Free Browser Extensions That Simplify Attorneys’ Lives

Let’s face it; attorneys lead busy and stressful lives. Fortunately, technology can simplify your daily tasks. Here are five free browser extensions that can save you time, improve your professionalism, and even save you money.

1. Boomerang (for Gmail)

Do you often find yourself up at 3 a.m. drafting emails to clients? Then this browser extension is for you. Boomerang allows you to schedule emails to be sent at a later time - like during working hours – so you appear more professional and organized. Their basic version is free, but you can send unlimited messages for just $4.99/month.

Boomerang also recently added a new feature called “Respondable,” which will tell you how likely you are to receive a response to your email. This is great because you can increase those chances by editing your email accordingly. Some of the metrics it uses to evaluate your email include word count, number of questions you’re asking and the reading level of your email. Install this and see a boost in your email response rate!

Get Boomerang here

2. Last Pass

Do you feel like you have to remember a million passwords? As an attorney, you might have more passwords than the average person. Maybe you have a password for the bar associations you are a part of, your web-based case management software, Internet services for the office, and more on top of your personal passwords. Last Pass is great because you only have to remember one password! This extension instantly and securely saves your passwords on all of your devices.

Get Last Pass here

3. Grammarly

Even grammar gurus can use a little help sometimes! This extension will let you know anytime you type a grammar mistake online. Whether you are typing an email in your web browser, tweeting, posting articles to Linkedin or answering legal questions on AVVO, Grammarly has your back.

You can also receive weekly reports informing you of common mistakes so you can continue to improve your writing and grammar skills. This is a great, passive way to reduce errors in your online writing and appear to have strong writing skills, which is an important trait for attorneys to have.

Get Grammarly here

4. Honey

If you ever order office supplies – or anything - online, Honey can save you some money this year. This extension will automatically search for and apply coupons and promotion codes while you’re at the checkout. This is great for business and also personal use because you can save on stores like Staples, Office Depot, Amazon, Vistaprint and many, many more.

Additionally, Honey will give you a surprise cash bonus for your online purchases that can be redeemed at thousands of stores. Be warned however, you might do a lot more online shopping this year.

Get Honey here

5. Pocket

Pocket is perfect for saving legal articles that you would like to read later. Wherever you are on the Internet, you can simply click a button to “pocket” the article and save it to your account that can be accessed on your desktop, tablet or phone. This is great if you ever come across interesting articles or blog posts that you do not have time to read at the office.

It’s also a great way to cut down on the number of browser tabs you have open, which can slow down your computer. Best of all, you can view your saved pages while offline and get some great recommendations for other articles related to your interests.

Get Pocket here

After installing these useful extensions, you’ll notice that your browser bar is more colorful, your life a bit simpler, and your writing looks more professional than ever.

If you’re looking for other ways to save time this year, don’t forget about the complimentary client management software that comes with any purchase of legal leads!

arm Thu, 01/12/2017 - 09:56

Find New Clients by Emailing These 3 Contact Lists

arm — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 14:04:14 +0000

Find New Clients by Emailing These 3 Contact Lists

Like any business, law firms are always searching for more clients. However, some well-known techniques for increasing your caseload, such as purchasing TV, radio, or print ads, can be time-consuming and costly to create. When used to its fullest potential, email can be an inexpensive and quick way to find new clients within your current network.

Here are three contact lists your firm should be emailing to easily identify new potential clients. If you use a software or database of some sort, you should be able to quickly group your contacts into three clearly defined segments like the ones listed below.

1. Previously rejected Cases

Instead of tossing out the names of people who don’t have a great case when you initially speak with them, keep their contact information with a reason for why you rejected them. This way, you can segment your contact list based on the rejection reason and can email them after some time has passed to see if there was a change that results in a better potential case for you.

This is especially useful for identifying potential SSD cases. For example, you may reject a case because the claimant wasn’t being treated by a doctor or didn’t expect to be out of work for twelve months. Sending a quick mass email template to these contacts after a few months have passed is an efficient way to identify any claimants who left work or started seeing a doctor after speaking with you and still want help applying for Social Security disability benefits.

2. Previous clients with a different case type

Some of your clients might actually have more than one potential case. For example, a claimant who filed a personal injury or workers’ comp claim may want to apply for Social Security disability benefits later down the road.

Likewise, someone who applied for SSD may be taking a drug that has been recalled – a potential product liability case. Case management software like eLuminate makes it easy for you to create a list of all of the previous clients who at some point took a specific drug or who applied for disability due to a sudden injury. Sending a simple mass email to this list may uncover a great personal injury case that even your previous client didn’t know was an option.

3. Medical Providers

If you have the email addresses for local medical providers you previously worked with, you could email them and remind them that their patients may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits, or, workers’ compensation if they were hurt at work, or even personal injury winnings if hurt at the fault of others.

Emailing these contacts is just a small part of building and maintaining a relationship. You may want to consider offering a referral bonus as an incentive for them to direct clients to your office.

Lastly, emails are a great way to nurture client relationships and encourage personal referrals from your previous clients. Word-of-mouth marketing is completely free, so be sure to keep in touch with clients who were happy with your legal services.

The best part of using mass emails and segmented lists is that even if they don’t spark immediate responses, you may be referred a client months later, or will be the first attorney someone contacts when they believe they have a case.

If you would like to connect with claimants at a faster rate, consider purchasing online leads. Legal lead generation can be a great way to stay within your marketing budget and maintain a steady inflow of new potential clients.

arm Fri, 12/02/2016 - 09:04

Coping With the Stress of Being a Lawyer

arm — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 21:01:03 +0000

Coping With the Stress of Being a Lawyer

It is well known that stress and anxiety can have debilitating effects on the mind and body that can lead to depression. Lawyers in particular are no strangers to the effects of stress.

According to a Johns Hopkins University study of over 100 occupations, researchers found that lawyers reported the highest rate of depression in the country - a rate of 3.6 times that of the other professions examined. Practicing law can often be demanding, stressful, and overwhelming. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to help alleviate your stress and maintain an enjoyable practice.

Write It Down

As an attorney, you have a lot on your plate. You may feel overwhelmed with the pile of paperwork waiting for you at your desk, all of the hearings you need to attend this month, and the various tasks related to managing a law office or legal practice in general.

The first step to tackling your daily workload is to write down all of the tasks you need to accomplish so you see everything listed rather than letting your mind constantly struggle to keep track of your tasks and commitments. Writing it all out on paper is a great way to clear your mind so you can focus on one task at a time.

Prioritize & Delegate When Possible

After you’ve listed the work you need to accomplish for the day, you can decide what is most urgent and important, such as preparing for an upcoming hearing. Whichever tasks bring you and your clients the most value and have a fast-approaching deadline should be given higher priority.

For example, you may feel overwhelmed by tasks that can be easily delegated, such as sending Medical Evidence Requests to hospitals on behalf of clients. Once you pinpoint a task that can be performed by someone who’s not an attorney, you can have a paralegal or secretary lighten your load, giving you time to focus on more important matters.

If you have a small firm and can’t afford to hire more employees, consider hiring a legal intern for a few months. You will benefit from part-time assistance, as well as determine whether a paralegal or intake assistant could help you in the long run.

Use Technology

There are several timesaving tools available to lawyers to help them manage their time, cases, and clients. Case management software can help you manage and keep track of your cases and tasks. If you’re not sure how you spend your day outside of hearings, time-tracking software can show you what you spend most of your time on so you can try to streamline those tasks. If your office spends a large amount of time sending faxes to medical providers and other contacts, consider using an e-fax service that allows you to email documents rather than scanning and faxing each sheet.

Identify where you could be more organized and productive and research your options for tools that can help save you time, manage your tasks, and ease your mind.

Get Help

If you are suffering from excessive anxiety and stress, you are not alone. The legal profession is one of the most stressful occupations today. Check with your peers and local Bar Associations for tips on how to cope with stress. Many Bar Associations provide various programs to not only help you excel in your legal career but also to manage your stress, anxiety, and depression.

Overall, take a breath, prioritize your tasks, and focus on the task at hand to reduce stress, increase productivity and improve the quality of your work.

Try out eLuminate, our case management software, to simplify your daily tasks reduce stress.

Resources

Eaton, W.W. (1990). Occupations and the prevalence of major depressive disorder. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 32 (11), 1079-1087.

arm Tue, 08/30/2016 - 17:01

Make the Most of Legal Conferences

arm — Tue, 24 May 2016 17:59:44 +0000

Make the Most of Legal Conferences

Some attorneys and legal professionals dread attending legal conferences and only go to meet their mandatory CLE requirements. However, attending legal conferences can be personally and professionally beneficial. There are many ways you can make the most of the next conference you attend.

Network and Socialize

There is no better place to meet like-minded professionals who face similar obstacles in their practice than at legal conferences. Taking the time to talk with other attorneys is a great way to learn more about the current state of the legal industry, share your own ideas for being successful in the market, acquire valuable business tips, and expand your network.

You may meet a fellow legal professional who knows how to avoid frustrating setbacks that you regularly face. Even better, you might meet someone who can refer clients to you because they don’t practice an area of law that you do.

On the other hand, if you regularly turn away potential clients because you don’t handle a particular case type--like personal injury--you could talk with other attendees to see if anyone is looking to take on more PI cases in your area. This allows you to meet an attorney or advocate who is not only looking for cases but pays a referral fee to get them. In this case, you can create a new revenue stream for your law firm by referring cases rather than simply turning these claimants away.

You never know when you could meet your next business partner, professional connection, employer, or referral source. Keep an open mind and take advantage of legal conference by representing your company and building your reputation within the legal community.

Attend the Social Events

Networking between sessions has its benefits, but the best time to expand your network is at the extra social events offered at conferences. Most legal conferences will host lunches, cocktail parties, or other events that are perfect for socializing with peers while discussing topics related to your practice. No matter how many blogs you read or forums you contribute to, nothing beats talking in-person with successful professionals in your field. Attend these events for the best networking opportunities at legal conferences.

Plan Ahead

Some conferences will schedule overlapping sessions or very short breaks in between. Before you get to the conference, decide which sessions will be most relevant to your practice. This way, you can make sure you don’t show up to a session late or miss out on a topic that could have been beneficial for you.

Learn About Legal Products

Many conferences have an exhibit area where several companies have set up a booth to display their law-related products and services. Your instinct may be to avoid this area at all costs, but there are numerous reasons you should visit exhibitors’ booths and learn about the services being offered.

These companies support the organization you are a part of and offer a product which can truly help your business. Not to mention that talking with a booth representative is a quicker way to learn about the product or service compared to a demo over the phone.
They give out free stuff. Chocolates, bottle openers, raffle prizes and more. Why not give them a few minutes of your time for the chance to walk away with a free ipad?
Exhibitors may also be offering exclusive savings or discounts to conference attendees. This is a great opportunity to learn about useful products and potentially save more than you would anywhere else.

Overall, legal conferences can be a great place to network with other attorneys and like-minded professionals, have fun, and discover products and services that could improve your practice.

We hope to see you at the NOSSCR conference in Miami next week! If you’ll be in attendance, don’t forget to stop by one of eGeneration’s booths to take advantage of our exclusive discounts or grab a ticket to one of the two free events we are hosting at the Loews’ Miami Beach Hotel. Contact us at 617.800.0089 for more information.

arm Tue, 05/24/2016 - 13:59

Update your Email Signature to Retain More Clients

arm — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 21:48:33 +0000

Update your Email Signature to Retain More Clients

Lawyers communicate with prospects, clients, colleagues and other contacts via email on a daily basis. You may realize that writing friendly and effective emails can help you retain more clients, but have you ever considered the importance of your email signature?

An often-overlooked detail, email signatures have a larger impact on your reputation than you may think. A great email signature provides recipients with an easy way to contact you, leaves a positive impression, and markets your firm.

The Basics

Including vital contact information in an email signature is important. Imagine you are a claimant seeking representation and two attorneys email you about wanting to retain your case. One email was signed simply “Joe” and the other was signed “Joe Smith, Attorney at Law” with a phone number listed. Who would you hire?

That’s not to say that an email signature will make or break your chances of retaining a case, but a subtle change like including your phone number and official title could encourage a claimant to choose your over your competition.

A great signature should include:

Full name
Title or esq. after your name
Firm name
Phone number
Office Address
Firm website URL

Logos in Your Signature

Adding a logo to your email signature can make your emails look more professional and help build your firm’s brand. It is important to remember, however, that images do not always load for everyone and can occasionally show up as an attachment if they are too large. For this reason, avoid embedding important contact information in the image and make sure you size the image appropriately.

Choose .gif or .jpeg formats for images over .PNG as these are more widely supported across different web browsers. It is also a good practice to send yourself a test email to see what the email signature looks like to recipients and make sure the image loads properly.

Legal Disclaimer

Lawyers in particular need to be cautious when sending emails. Since you may be sending confidential information regarding a client or case, it’s important to protect yourself in case an unrelated third party receives the email by accident. Adding a simple legal disclaimer at the bottom of your email signature can show that you took precautions against disclosing confidential information.

Overall, the enforceability of email legal disclaimers is a topic of debate, so consider it an optional addition to your email signature. Some argue that legal disclaimers are enforceable but are more effective when placed in the beginning of the email rather than in the signature. Check with your State Bar Association to see what they recommend.

Marketing

Lastly, within your email signature lies a great opportunity to drive new business to your law firm. Some attorneys include a link to their social media sites to promote their Facebook or Twitter profiles. Another option is to add a link to your latest blog post, big case win, or a news article in which you were featured. Change your link every now and then to keep your signature interesting.

Adding something small to your email signature can be free advertising for you so it is worth taking advantage of. Just be careful not to list too many links in your signature. This can overwhelm readers and obscure your most important contact information.

Making simple updates to your email signature like those listed above can improve your firm’s reputation and encourage clients to choose you to represent them.

So… when is the last time you updated your email signature?

arm Tue, 03/01/2016 - 16:48

Supplement Your Internet Marketing Efforts

arm — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 13:41:04 +0000

Supplement Your Internet Marketing Efforts

It should come as no surprise that the majority of consumers searching for legal services in their local area turn to the internet first. Gone are the days of flipping through the phone book or calling your aunt for recommendations. The internet and search engines (such as Google) have become a trusted source for fast answers.

More and more attorneys, advocates, and law firms are working to create their own websites to become noticed on the web. However, establishing a strong web presence that consistently and effectively attracts new clients can be more difficult than one would initially expect.

Getting Noticed on the Web

Unfortunately, getting noticed on the web is not only about running pay-per-click advertising, writing blog posts or actively posting on various social media platforms. In 2010, a study by Chitika showed that as far as Google searches go, “Page 1 results garnered 92% of all traffic from the average search, with traffic dropping off by 95% for Page 2.”

That’s a big drop. Competition for a spot on the first page is steep, so if you want potential clients flocking to your site, it is vital to raise your organic visibility (how often your website naturally appears as a result of their search) while also monitoring your SEO Campaign.

But, what if you are new to internet marketing and are launching a new website? What if you lack the time or funds needed to focus on your web presence?

Budget Wisely

Before depending solely on your website traffic to acquire cases, we recommend evaluating your marketing campaigns to identify where you can reallocate some funds to ensure a better return on investment. If the average cost-per-case and overhead costs for your TV Ad campaign exceed the expected return, it is probably worth spending less on TV and investing elsewhere, such as online marketing.

Since it costs time and money to build up a web presence, many firms supplement their web marketing efforts by working with a company that specializes in lead generation. Directly purchasing leads while they work on their own web presence ensures that they will be connected with a set amount of claimants each month.

The experienced web development and marketing team at eGenerationMarketing works to consistently improve our web presence to generate high volumes of high quality leads. In 2009, our company generated more than 15,500 case leads. By 2014, this number jumped to more than 290,000 case leads.

Feel free to submit a contact form or call us directly at 617.800.0089 to discuss how we can help your firm acquire cases at a low cost-per-case as you improve your own web presence.

*Statistic from https://chitika.com/google-positioning-value

arm Wed, 06/17/2015 - 09:41

Should You Handle Initial SSD Claims?

arm — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:53:50 +0000

Should You Handle Initial SSD Claims?

Most Social Security disability (SSD) attorneys and advocates prefer representing SSD claimants once they have been denied. However, many attorneys find success working with the applicant before the application has even been submitted. Here are a few reasons you might want to consider being connected with a potential claimant as early as possible.

More Potential Clients

Most people who have never applied for SSD benefits are unsure of where to begin and turn to the Internet for help. It’s no secret that almost 70%* of initial applications are rejected, so more and more people are seeking representation early on. Since the vast majority of people who are searching for an SSD attorney online are seeking help at the initial application stage, attorneys who only accept cases at the reconsideration or hearing stage may have more difficulty acquiring clients.

Build a Strong Case

When you connect with a potential client before they apply, you have the opportunity to understand the Social Security disability claimant and educate them on the complexity of the Social Security system. Since so many applicants are denied due to lack of preparation, your assistance can greatly improve their chances of being approved.

However, the odds are that they will likely be denied even with your help. Once an applicant is denied, he or she only has 60 days to file an appeal. When you accept cases at the initial application stage, you can have ample time to:

Build medical history
Gather medical records
Ensure all forms are filled out correctly
Prepare claimant for questioning
Develop a strong case

Building a strong case can be a lengthy process. If a claimant comes to you after he or she has already been denied, you may have significantly less time to meet the deadline to appeal and gather the medical evidence needed to win at the hearing level.

You Can Still Get Back Pay

Contrary to popular belief, SSD applicants who are approved at the initial application stage may still be entitled to receive back pay. In the case of Title II benefits, the back pay will have a five-month waiting period from the onset date of the disability, but can extend up to 12 months before the date of filing. Thus, some SSD applicants who wait to file their initial application can still receive past due disability benefits for up to a year before their application date.

Overall, since around two thirds of initial applicants are initially denied and 85%* of those SSD applicants who appeal are denied in the reconsideration stage, many cases make it to the hearing stage. Getting involved at the start of the process allows you to build a strong relationship with the client and have control over the entirety of the case.

If you are interested in being connected with SSD claimants at the initial application stage, contact us at 617.800.0089 or fill out a contact form to discuss the lead packages that we have available.

*Statistics from http://www.socialsecurity.gov/policy/docs/statcomps/di_asr/2013/sect04.html

arm Tue, 04/21/2015 - 09:53