I was talking to a lawyer who wanted to send out an email newsletter to all of his firm’s existing contacts, but he wasn’t sure whether or not he should give them the opportunity to first opt into the emails before he sent the newsletter. In other words, he wanted to send his list an email asking permission to email them. He was leaning toward taking this extra step, but I discouraged it.
Here was my thought process: Your contact list is full of connections you’ve already made. By giving you their email addresses and/or phone numbers, these people have agreed to a blanket opt-in. You can reach out to them without asking first because they’ve in effect already given you permission. All you need to do is provide a clear way for people to unsubscribe. There’s no need for a double opt-in.
BuT wHaT aBoUt ThE cAn–SpAm Act?
YEAH – that’s kind of the point of CAN–SPAM. If you provide a clear and easy way for people to unsubscribe, you’re in the clear.
Your contact list is one of your firm’s biggest assets. Buried in it are all kinds of hidden gems like repeat business, referrals, strategic relationships, and future introductions to important clients and partners. By tapping into the goldmine of your contact list, you can make your firm a lot of money; but all too often, law firm owners let this opportunity pass them by.
Another thing I hear from lawyers is that they aren’t leveraging their list because they don’t have one. This also isn’t true! If you have an email address, a CRM system, or even a drawer full of business cards, you have a contact list. Heck, if you have friends and family, then you have a contact list! Just start where you’re at.
Most CRMs and email platforms like Outlook and Gmail have the option to export your contact list, and often they can even sync with email marketing services like Mailchimp. With just a few clicks, BAM — you have a contact list ready for mass emails!
If you collect all of these names and addresses but never reach out to them, you might as well be throwing the business cards from your networking events directly into the trash can. Believe us, your contact list is a bigger asset than you realize. That doesn’t mean you should treat your friends, family, clients, and referral partners as dollar signs, but you should definitely keep them in the loop of what’s happening in your firm and take advantage of their interest and support.
One of the best ways to stay in touch with your list is by sending a weekly or monthly email newsletter. You can pack this email with firm updates; links to new blog posts, podcasts, and video content; and other reminders of what you do. This will keep your firm top of mind, and ensure that when the time comes where your skills would be handy, your contacts will think of you first.
If you’re not already sending out a monthly email newsletter, right now is the perfect time to start. The holidays are just around the corner, so reach out to your contacts to check in and wish them well. From there, you can build a monthly ritual and watch your income climb.