Law firm marketing is comprised of many different elements. The analysis of your firm in law practice management can be complex, however, lets begin with a key success variable – your current client base. Managing your client base is the most important aspect of your law firm marketing efforts. I suggest you begin with grading your clients.

The ABCD Solution

In looking at your client base for law firm marketing purposes, you can use a time-tested method of analysis. This is the key concept of “ABCD clients”. Service professionals of many types use this method to accurately rate and organize their client base. And for effective marketing for law firms, this method is priceless. By the way it is not just about marketing. It is also about serving your clients better than ever.

As you certainly know in schools we use the letter grading system to rank the students in order of how well they perform on papers, tests, quizzes, etc. Similarly we will “grade” our clients. So think of your client grading system for law firm marketing as summing up all the aspects of a good client.

A client who gets an “A” would be one who has reasonable expectations, follows your instructions, is grateful for the work you do as well as courteous and professional in their demeanor with both you and in particular your staff. In fact if you are ever wondering if someone is an “A” client or a “D” client just ask your staff. The “A” client sends you referrals that turn into “A” clients as well. The “A” client is never concerned with the fees you charge since they know your services are worth the cost. They pay their bills on time all the time. And finally, their cases are interesting and substantial matters. Now isn’t this the kind of client you are aiming for in your law firm marketing in the first place? Additionally, have you ever heard the old saying “birds of a feather flock together”? This means your “A” clients know a lot of other “A” clients who they can refer to you if you play your cards right.

Of course a client with a “B” grade would have many of the same qualities of the “A” client, but not all. A client with a “C” grade would be closer to a “D” client. A client with a “D” grade is the complete opposite of all the characteristics of an “A” client. They don’t have reasonable expectations, they pay their bills late (some not at all), try to negotiate lower fees or retainers, don’t follow your instructions (may even think they know better than you do), are rude or unprofessional, they do not send referrals (or if they do they are also “C or D” clients), their matters are not substantial and interesting, and they often complain about normal fees. Not a pretty picture these “D” clients. Let your competitors have them!

In targeting your law firm marketing, “C & D” clients are not the kind of client you want to attract. Most firms find that “C & D” clients take up between sixty to eighty percent of their time and efforts, while only bringing in twenty to forty percent of the firm’s revenue. Does it make sense to cultivate this type “C & D” business? Of course not. You need to stop taking “C & D” business and “fire” (ethically of course) any “C & D” business that you can. Even if you only begin with the “Ds” it is a beginning. Quite liberating as well my clients report to fire these folks.

Effective marketing for law firms includes a realistic look at what will bring the best benefit for the best clients. Ridding yourself of clients who are graded a “C or D” is one of the best things you can do for your “A & B” clients. Without spending all your time on the “C & D” problems and concerns, you can pour your attention into your “A & B” clients (moving their matters to conclusion faster thus you can do more of them). Thus the “A & B” clients will be even more satisfied, resulting in more referrals and more business from them. Clearly a “win/win” for all.

Another big, big advantage of spending less or no time on your “C & D” business is you can focus more time on developing your “A & B” referral network. Your increased marketing time and more focused law firm marketing will result in more quality “A & B” business.

What I have found working individually with over 500 attorneys is most of you will need to limit your practice areas to one, two or maybe (and I do mean maybe) three practice areas in order to drop your “C & D” cases. Too many attorneys are practicing “threshold law” that is defined as taking anything that comes across the threshold of your office. In selecting your practice areas try to incorporate cross-salable areas, such as wills and trusts, real estate, and/or estate planning for example. Select the most lucrative practice areas you have and then pour your law firm marketing efforts into those targeted practice areas while focusing on “A & B” clients and referral sources. This may be a bit frightening at first and in the long run you will be extremely glad you did.

Learning how to consolidate credit card debt is one of the best things cardholders can do. Consolidation is perfect for those who are looking to better their credit for the future. There are many advantages for cardholders that take advantage of credit card debt consolidation. If you are thinking about consolidation, then there are a few things you should consider before doing so. Use these tips as a guide while you consolidate your debt.

Why Consolidate?

There are several great reasons to consolidate credit card debt. One of the best reasons is to get better rates. If you can get a better rate on a consolidation than you currently have, then there is no reason not to consolidate. Consolidating credit card debt can add up to substantial savings.

Look up all of your interest rates from each card and write them on a list. Then note the new rate you would be given. If the new rate is lower than the average of the old rate, then to consolidating your credit card debts would make financial sense for you. If there are cards that have a lower rate, then you don’t have to include them in your consolidation.

Another reason people love to consolidate credit card debt is to make their lives simple. By paying one bill, they can cut out a lot of stress and bill paying time. You should probably not consolidate your debt for this reason alone however. You don’t want to pay more in the long run just to cut out a few pieces of mail monthly. Consolidation also gives those in a credit card mess a chance to get out of it. By consolidating, they may be making lower monthly payments than they would be if they did nothing. By closing out the other accounts, their credit may also be improved.

Who To Turn To?

When considering credit card debt consolidation, you should turn to professionals for a consultation. There are many credit card companies and banks that would like to help you with your request. Make sure you do your research so that when you consolidate credit card debt, you are certain you are making a decision that is profitable to you. Make sure there are no hidden fees that come with different consolidation plans. Doing your research can help you save money for the future.

Making The Choice

If you want to consolidate credit card debt, you should first look at all of your debt in detail. Once you know what you have, it will be easier to contact professionals to help you with your consolidation. Don’t be afraid to tell them you are shopping for the best deal. You should do yourself the honor of getting the best deal out there to making your consolidation as worthwhile as possible.

One thing that many people do that is stupid in the credit world is to trash credit card offers. The reason is that this is a way to raising the credit limit of the person in general and can also give a credit rating an improvement. This can also tempt more preferred credit companies and also as a result raise the overall limit of the person as much. So, this way people are improving their finance with best credit repair services.

The main reason that many people discard credit card offers is that they are afraid that they will put themselves into an even bigger hole than they are in or possibly may fall into. The answer with this is to get the cards and to put them in a safe place. This will ensure that there is no possibility in the eyes of the person and that the limit persists.

Some have used the cards for small purchases as this shows that they are ready to use best credit repair services, and will only use amounts they know they can pay within thirty days. This way they can use the card and also pay off the amount before it becomes an issue. Others have used the cards for smaller amounts and just paid the minimum to show that they can have a balance and are able to pay it off. Both are good ways of ensuring good credit as long as the payments are made on time. Ideally, if there is any question if the amount can be paid, then the person should hold off on buying with the card. Along the way, they can enjoy best credit repair services.

Credit is a essential standard that influences most areas of people’s lives and as such should be treated accordingly. The ceiling of the overall credit amount is a good way of improving one’s credit, but be sure that you know exactly what you are involving yourself with. Also, make sure to store all the records for each one in an organized fashion so that you know what you have and where you are with each card that you may have. It is a setback to get many cards with high limits if you can’t afford payments or are not taking the commitment seriously. This is where self restraint can play a bigger role in raising the credit limit roof and also your credit background.

Most people are well aware of the old credit card game of exploiting 0% balance transfer deals to avoid paying interest on their debt, shifting the balance from card to card, always moving the debt along before the end of the introductory period to avoid interest charges almost indefinitely.

While this still works well enough, the introduction of balance transfer fees has somewhat cooled many people’s enthusiasm for this activity. Although you can still save money by doing this, it is no longer completely free, and in any case the tightening of the credit market means that it can be more difficult to get a credit card these days, especially if you have debts or a less than perfect credit rating. It is fast approaching the time for a lot of people that serious thought needs to be put into finally trying to clear those debts rather than moving them onto yet another card.

There is a more subtle approach to making 0% deals work in your favour though, and as it only applies to people with no debts and good credit ratings, the introduction of the balance transfer fee, although still unwelcome, has not had as profound an impact. We are talking about the activity informally known as ‘stoozing’.

This practice requires a balance transfer credit card that allows the facility to be used to pay off bank account overdrafts, as well as debts held on other cards. Not all cards will allow this, so check the small print before applying.

The basic technique is to acquire a suitable credit card with a high credit limit (hence the need for a good credit rating) and use it to pay off an ‘overdraft’ in your current account. In reality, this overdraft doesn’t exist, but your credit card issuer is not to know this so long as you don’t choose a card issued by your own bank!

If you transfer your entire credit limit into your current account, you can then transfer the funds into a high interest savings account where it can sit for the length of the introductory period, steadily earning you money in interest payments, before transferring it back on to the credit card to clear the debt before interest begins to be charged. But how effective can this really be? Let’s look at some figures.

For a simple example, suppose a credit limit of $10,000 was transferred for a period of 12 months. This would earn you $600 over the year if you put it into one of the best buy accounts earning 6% or more in interest. Of course, these days a balance transfer fee will probably apply, which at a rate of 3% would cost you $300, leaving you $300 in profit.

This equates to a 3% return on the deposit of $10,000 which isn’t perhaps that impressive – until you remember that the original investment wasn’t made from your own money, but from the credit card issuer’s funds, so it really is money for nothing.

Of course, the amount you can make with this technique will vary according to the various rates and charges of the individual credit cards and savings accounts you use, and in most cases tax will also be due, but the maths is simple to see if you will come out ahead. And, even if the actual profit involved isn’t huge now that balance transfer fees are here to stay, there’s at least a little satisfaction to be gained from profiting at the expense of huge financial corporations!

(1888PressRelease) The tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan not only resulted in a terrible toll to people, but also to pets. Acclaimed pet potrait artist Brandis Sarich of Maui, Hawaii was so touched by the tragegdy that she painted a portrait of America’s First Dog, Bo Obama.The potrait adorns the cover of limited edition greeting cards, with all money from sales donated to the Japan relief effort of World Vets

KIHEI, HAWAII – Acclaimed Hawaii Animal Artist Creates Portrait Of America’s “first Dog” To Support Pets Impacted By The Destruction In Japan.

All Money from Sale of Bo Obama Greeting Cards to be Donated by Artist Brandis Sarich to World Vets for Four-legged Relief Efforts in Japan.

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan resulted in unimaginable destruction. Thousands of people were killed or injured, and tens of thousands of others saw their homes damaged or simply swept away. In addition to the impact to people, it’s believed that hundreds of dogs and cats were killed, injured or left homeless by the natural disaster, with a shortage of veterinary care currently available to aid animals in need.

Maui, Hawaii artist Brandis Sarich, known for her paintings of dogs and other animals, was so deeply touched by the plight of the Japanese people and their pets, that she has created a special portrait of Bo Obama, America’s First Dog. Bo’s portrait now adorns packs of greetings cards — available for a limited period of time – with the entire sale price donated to World Vets’ Japan relief efforts.

“I wanted to find a way to use my art to send some aloha to the people and the animals of Japan who continue to suffer in the aftermath of the disaster,” says Sarich. “Volunteer vets who are part of World Vets are on the ground there now doing their part in relief efforts. They seemed like the perfect organization to support with the money collected from the sale of the Bo cards.”

Sarich has been commissioned to paint portraits of dogs from many parts of the world, including Japan.

“The response from the communities aware of World Vets’ mission has been overwhelming and we are very thankful to those who have already contributed to our efforts. More help is needed,” says Dr. Cathy King, CEO of World Vets.

A lei, which recognizes President Obama’s Hawaiian roots and is a symbol of love, honor and respect, has been added as part of Bo’s colorful portrait (approved for use in this effort by the White House), which is the cover of the four, high quality glossy cards that are part of each pack. The full sale price (the minimum donation) will be donated to World Vets. Shipping charges of .50 for addresses in the US are added to each order to cover the cost of postage and packing envelopes. One card in each pack will be signed by the artist.

Individuals interested in purchasing the Bo Obama cards and supporting the World Vets efforts in Japan can order via Sarich’s website www.astropup.com, or they may contact her via email at brandis ( @ ) astropup dot com, or by phone at (808) 344-0255 dot

About Brandis Sarich Acclaimed animal portrait artist Brandis Sarich is an architect and artist who was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and raised in San Francisco, California. In 2005, Brandis and her husband Kevin changed their lives in order to pursue her career in art. Dividing their time between painting studios on the beautiful island of Maui and in the mountains near Sun Valley, Idaho, Brandis explores the human-animal bond through her art. She creates joyful paintings of relationships and love. “My art is big, happy images of animals on colorful backgrounds. These pieces celebrate life using cheerful colors and express unencumbered emotions as read on animals’ faces.” Brandis’ work adorns the homes of politicians, professional athletes, celebrities and numerous individuals who simply love pets.

About World Vets
World Vets is a non-government organization (NGO) providing veterinary aid around the globe in collaboration with animal advocacy groups, foreign governments, US and foreign military groups and veterinary professionals abroad. Our work spans 25 countries and 6 continents and addresses not only veterinary issues, but also human health issues impacted by zoonotic diseases in developing countries. World Vets is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

For more information:
News Media: (*Note to media: hi-res artwork is available upon request*)
Alan Elias (for Brandis Sarich)
(925) 785-2650
elias2000 ( @ ) sbcglobal dot net

World Vets
(877) 688-8387

Consumers: Brandis Sarich
(808) 344-0255
brandis ( @ ) astropup dot com

Source:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/japan-relief/brandis-sarich/portrait-of-america-s-first-dog-adorns-greeting-cards-to-s-pr-291206.html