How to choose a topic for your attorney book | Book And White Paper Writing Services For Lawyers And podiatrists

These days, most of your online audience is likely to have a hard drive that is clogged with all kinds of free e-books and downloads from different sites. And, as unfair as it might sound, your online audience expects more than ever from your online marketing freebies.  

We are not saying you shouldn’t write a book and offer it on your website for free—quite the opposite actually. We’re just saying your book needs to meet the needs of your potential clients and the needs of your law firm, and it all starts with the topic you choose.

Your Topic Should Be Relevant to Your Potential Clients

You are writing a book to attract more of the kinds of cases and “perfect clients” you want. That means your topic planning for your book needs to start with what is most relevant to that audience.

Think about who you want to reach and what you can share with them that will be valuable and relevant to their lives. If your free book isn’t relevant to most of the clients you hope to attract, then they probably won’t download it, even for free. Why would they?

Instead, you need to focus on why they are visiting your website or searching for your law firm and what matters to them:

Choose a topic that helps your readers handle a crisis.

For example, a personal injury lawyer might write about what to do at the scene of an accident. A criminal defense lawyer might write about what you should do after your loved one is arrested, or an estate planner might address what to do after a loved one’s death. Aim to provide the information your perfect clients need at the point of crisis, and they will remember that you had the answers they needed in a difficult time.

Choose a topic that makes the legal process easier.

Walk your readers through a common legal process in your practice area. For example, you might give a timeline and more information about how a personal injury case proceeds in your state or talk about the steps in bankruptcy and loan modification. The idea is to break down complex legal topics into digestible—and truly useful—information that addresses what your potential clients face.

Choose a topic that focuses on a specific segment of your audience.

If you have more than one practice area, it’s hard to come up with a topic that will be truly relevant to everyone. If you have a broad practice area or highly varied client base, it’s hard to speak to everyone’s needs. By choosing a topic that focuses on one niche, practice area, or portion of your audience, you deliver the most relevant information to exactly the right people. Think “A Woman’s Guide to Divorce” or “What You Need to Know After a DUI.”

Your Topic Should Be Interesting to Your Potential Clients

When was the last time you enjoyed a boring book? Relevance is crucial, but you don’t want to make your potential clients wade through a bunch of dry information or boring definitions to get the information they need. A boring book is not an effective conversion tool!

You’ll attract more readers and make people happier if you can present relevant information in an intriguing, exciting, or interesting way:  

Choose a topic that expands upon current news and events.

Is there a big story or trend that relates to your area of law? Have there been recent changes to the law that people need to know about? Has a case related to one of your practice areas had a lot of media coverage? People are probably already curious about these kinds of topics, so a book that explains or expands upon popular subjects in accessible language can be a huge draw. For example, you can use your book to explain why a prescription drug was recalled, how a change in tax laws affects your estate planning clients, or the lessons your potential clients can take from a trending story.  

Choose a topic that offers “insider” knowledge.

Some of the most irresistible book topics give readers a unique peek into a particular process or industry. That kind of “insider” information not only establishes you as an authority on the subject, but it also helps your readers orient to the topic and avoid making “rookie mistakes.” For example, you might write about “5 Secrets of the Hail Insurance Industry Revealed” or “Why Injured Patients Don’t File Medical Malpractice Claims.”

Choose a topic that highlights what you do best.

Every law firm is unique, so focus on what makes you stand out. Are you the go-to person for a certain kind of case? Do you have expertise in an unusual area or with a highly specific client base? Do you have a unique point of view you can share with your potential clients? Choose a topic that shows you as the authority you are and offers a glimpse into why your law firm is different. This is a great place to use stories of past clients and cases to bring your book to life and illustrate important points for your readers.

Your Topic Should Be Robust Enough to Warrant a Book

When looking for topics that are both relevant and interesting, it’s easy to end up with ideas that are a little too narrow to warrant a whole book on the subject. If your free “book” is very short or seems to mostly just be a pitch for your services, your potential clients are likely to be more disappointed than delighted.

Don’t be tempted to just “pad” thin information with useless information for the sake of the word count. If you can’t write enough useful, unique information on your original topic to come up with a 30-page book, you might consider combining several related topics or publishing the shorter document as a “guide” or “report” instead.

If you’re having trouble coming up with enough for a substantial and valuable book offer or guide, you might also think about other kinds of free offers that are relevant to your potential clients and can reinforce your core message. Would a first aid kit, mobile app, checklist, or other offer be relevant and helpful? Don’t be afraid to get creative!

Partner With a Marketing Team That Understands Free Offers and Book Writing for Attorneys

If you’re having trouble coming up with a topic for your book, our book writing services team loves brainstorming ideas from scratch and talking through clients’ ideas. We can even partner with you to create a book that will be a great resource for your potential clients and make you look like the professional you are. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you come to us!

Are You Considering Publishing A Book In Order To Help Your Law Firm Or Medical Practice Get More Leads? You Should Be!

If you are searching for a trusted, authoriative partner to help you write and publish a book to help grow your practice Foster Web Marketing is here to help. Contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free consultation. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.
 

 

Tom Foster
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Founder|Owner, Speaker, Creator of DSS, World of Marketing Podcast Host, EOS Implementor