The Fight Against Spam, the Best Offense is a Good Defense

Featured Client: Rhonda Nielsen

Directories Everywhere: Evaluation Tips

Law Web Audits

Email Potential: Are you Using Email Effectively?

Dale Tincher in the News

Live Links: Recently Launched Sites

Meet Jennifer Hartman, our new full service copywriter

Note: See our 1st Quarter 2004 Newsletter
 

Tired of downloading and deleting spam messages? The amount of spam distributed continues to increase exponentially, as does user frustration. Did you know:

• 14.5 billion spam related e-mails are sent DAILY? (Radicati Group)
• In 2002, 30% of all e-mail was unsolicited. This figure is expected to exceed 50% by July 2003. (MessageLabs)
• When bandwidth usage, productivity loss, and technical support time are considered, spam costs businesses approx. $10/user per month. In 2002, spam cost businesses $9 billion. (CyberAtlas)
• 74% of users feel spamming should be resolved through legal measures. (The Harris Poll)

Consultwebs.com receives thousands of spam mails per day due to our prominence on the Web. For years, we have been active participants in anti-spam campaigns, utilizing our more than 75 Web sites, discussion boards and energies to discourage spam practices.

Short of marching with a placard or discontinuing your email service altogether, what are your options? Consider an anti-spam software solution.

Our dream anti-spam software would consist of a program that catches most of the incoming spam and allows easy reporting of other mail that we (the users) identify as spam. It would be reliable in terms of not deleting legitimate e-mail. The software would reside on our PC, ensuring that confidential e-mail is not accessible to outside parties. The software would be compatible with and would complement our current e-mail software.

We tested several programs, both Web server-based and PC-based. After numerous disappointments, our dreams have come true in a program by GiantCompany.com called Spam Inspector.

Spam Inspector works beautifully. After our programming team tested it, we released the program to Dale Tincher, a heavy e-mail user. Dale reported that within four days, the e-mail that reached his inbox dropped from more than 1,400 spam e-mails per day to fewer than 100. The 100 he receives are easily tagged as spam and are reported to the spammer’s (true) Internet Service Provider (ISP), rarely to reach his inbox again.

Spam Inspector works in conjunction with Outlook, Outlook Express, or AOL. Spam Inspector is offered with a 30-day free trial. The program normally sells for $29.95, but is on sale for $19.99 until the end of June.

We like these features of Spam Inspector:

1. It processes on your PC, preventing additional outside eyes from viewing your e-mail.

2. It “learns” your friends, enemies, etc., and automatically develops “rules” that are used by your e-mail software to filter your mail

3. The Outlook version allows you to click on an icon labeled “Is Spam” to identify a sender as a spammer and automatically report him to his ISP. This version also allows you to highlight up to 20 spam e-mails at one time and mark them all as “Is Spam.” This feature makes it almost fun to receive spam, knowing that the sender may have to do some squirming and explaining to save his e-mail account!

4. Spam Inspector allows you to click on an “Add to Friends” or “Add to Enemies” icon to teach the system how to treat future e-mails from a particular e-mail address.

We are such a strong believer in the Spam Inspector product that we have decided to represent it and provide support for it. Please click here to order your 30 day trial and start canning the Spam!  We invite you to view our updated Spam Tips article if you would like to learn more about spam.
 

Starting Over, Establishing My Own Law Firm
By Rhonda Nielson, Esq.

In May 2002, I was faced with several difficult changes in my life, both personal and business. I was no longer with my prior Southern California law firm and was faced with the daunting task of launching a new law firm from scratch. After some research, I became convinced that I could get my name out far more quickly and affordably through the Internet than through traditional marketing and networking methods. My goals were ambitious. I wanted a dominant Web presence within six months.

I scoured the search engines and researched several Web consulting companies. I noticed that Consultwebs.com consistently ranked at the top for most of my searches. I liked their designs and legal specialization. I was intrigued with the approach and designs on the Consultwebs.com Law Web Success site (http://www.lawwebsuccess.com.)

After contacting Consultwebs.com and talking with Dale Tincher, I became convinced that Consultwebs.com and I could have great synergy and that Consultwebs.com could guide me through the Internet maze.

Dale and his team worked with me to develop a Web marketing campaign. They explained that it would be difficult to achieve my goals for the individual areas of practice without creating individual sites for those areas of practice. Dale and I agreed that, in order to save money, I would write most of the text content for the sites while Dale’s team concentrated on the design, functionality, search engine optimization and other details of website development.

We prioritized my areas of practice and began developing Web sites. First came a Workers’ Compensation site (http://www.california-workers-compensation-lawyer.com) and quickly followed up with a Social Security Disability site (http://www.social-security-disability-lawyers.com). I was delighted when the sites ranked number one in Google for Southern California within sixty days, and later in the top 10 in the world for U.S. searches.

Next, we started working on our personal injury practice. We developed general sites, such as Orange County Personal Injury Lawyers (http://www.orange-county-personal-injury-lawyers.com) and specialty sites such as Spinal Cord Lawyers (http://www.spinal-cord-injury-lawyers.com/) and Orange County Car Accident Lawyers (http://www.car-accident-lawyer-orange-county.com.)  We also developed a site for Spanish-speaking citizens, (http://www.abogado-accidentes.com.)

What are the results? First, I must commend the team at Consultwebs.com. They are committed, responsive and they know the Internet. I can see why Dale Tincher is a nationally recognized Web speaker. Consultwebs.com truly works with me as a partner. Very importantly, Consultwebs.com is ethical. When my local competitors asked Consultwebs.com to work with them, they declined.

I am pleased to report that we took in 25 new Workers’ Compensation cases in May 2003.  That is approximately our average now. Our lowest month was during the Iraq crisis.  We only took in 15. We had one killer month before that where we took in 40!

Today is June 11th and we have already taken in 8 new cases this month!

That's only on the Workers Compensation cases.  We also get personal injury cases, but only about 11 per month that are actually good enough to sign up.  The competition for personal injury cases is much stiffer.

We probably send out 20 good Social Security cases and a half-dozen immigration cases.

These results thrill me since I have friends who report that they have never received a case from the Web. It feels good when an investment and hard work produce dividends – and ours has.

Rhonda J. Nielsen is a senior partner of Nielsen & Associates, a Southern California law firm. The firm’s Web sites include http://www.orange-county-personal-injury-lawyers.com.
 

While most attorneys are familiar with the traditional legal directories, the trend in consumer behavior queries has shifted to search engines and directories that offer a more focused approach. Potential clients are narrowing their search criteria to locate specific services rather than filtering through the large amount of data found on general directories.

Effective directories not only have a focused approach to listings, they also typically rank higher in the search engines. Typically, when a user finds candidate law firm or business within the Top 10 search engine results, they will not continue to search. A successful directory will gain the attention of users due to its high ranking in the search engines.

Listing your organization in high-quality Web directories provides your site(s) with "popularity links", a factor search engines consider when determining rankings. Popularity links are defined as external (site) links to your site.  Many of our clients have had more success participating in several specific directories than investing in a single, more expensive, general index.

While some directories permit a firm name and hyperlink, others provide you options for adding a brief summary, multiple hyperlinks, a thumbnail of your homepage and/or photographs. Directories that allow flexibility in how your listing is structured, offer you the opportunity to present more information to the user.

In summary, the Web directories that offer you successful results are typically those that:

• Are structured around a focused topic.
• Rank high in the search engines.
• Offer reasonable pricing, allowing you to participate in multiple directories.
• Provide flexibility in listing structure.

To learn more about successful directory marketing, visit Law Web Marketing or Promote Webs.

To read about the Web directories developed by Consultwebs.com, click here.

A survey by The Pew Internet and American Life Project reported that 60% of those surveyed used the Web regularly. Two-thirds of those had been online for three or more years. At least 79% of Internet users said they expected to find a business with a Web site that will give them information about a product or service they are considering buying. If your site is functional and well marketed, you will attract potential cases and clients - and much more affordably than when using alternative promotion methods.

A Web site audit will tell you how well your site is communicating with your target audience, whether you are achieving your Web potential, whether you are receiving traffic and which search engines and directories are referring visitors to you.

Consultwebs.com has created a Web auditing service to help law firms measure and improve their Web sites. A Consultwebs audit will provide detailed recommendations as to how to improve your Web site and achieve your marketing goals.

To learn more about the Law Web Audits process, structure, pricing and our qualifications, please visit: http://www.lawwebaudits.com

E-mail technology should be an important component of your marketing strategy. It can help you maintain strong relationships with current clients as well as generating new clients. E-newsletters, personalized e-mail stationery and properly managed contact lists are three effective techniques to maximize your e-mail potential.

E-Newsletters are increasing in popularity. As you probably realize, this document is an E-newsletter.

Keeping your clients informed about relevant news, trends, company updates and changes  will stimulate readership, enhance your credibility, and encourage client loyalty. Effectively structured e-newsletters provide information and link the reader back to the company Web site for details about services and products. Users who are directed to your Web site will become interested in and familiar with your company and are more likely to initiate contact.

How will you keep track of your readers? Maintaining an up-to-date and organized contact list is essential. Arranging e-mail contacts into address book 'Groups' allows you to quickly write to Web site inquirers, newsletter subscribers, current clients or prospective clients groups.

E-mail is the primary means of business communication. An overall marketing campaign should take advantage of Web technology and the effective use of e-mail. Consultwebs.com can assist with the development and release of e-newsletters and personalized e-mail stationery.
 

Dale H. Tincher, the President of Consultwebs.com, continues to be recognized for his contributions to the legal web community. Look for him:

• At the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers’ Annual Meeting, 6/13-17;
• At The North Carolina Bar Association’s Annual Convention, 6/19-21. Dale will be conducting 2 CLE presentations on June 20, 2003;
• In Lawyers Weekly (USA), June 2003, interviewed for a marketing article;
• In North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, a Web design article;
• In the ABA's General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section, Web design/marketing article, July 2003;
• At the North Carolina Bar Association, CLE courses, July – September 2003. 

To speak with Dale Tincher call (919) 272-8052 or email dtincher@consultwebs.com

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