LAWYERS ARE PROFESSIONAL WRITERS.
The average lawyer will produce more words than any journalist, copywriter or novelist. But while other professional writers have learned the techniques to communicate effectively, lawyers have not been schooled in this. In many cases, their writing does not clearly convey their arguments.
This is where I as a copywriter, a skilled journalist and author, can help them.
First, the reader will not be interested in the article unless it relates to their situation. This is why when I edit the lawyer’s copy, or ghost write it for them, I ditch case names and legal technicalities (unless we really need them).
Where a technical area of the law needs explaining, I make sure it’s explained simply.
I make sure the copy has proper names and pronouns that normal people use. That means the lawyer should not use terms like “appellant” or “respondent”. They should use the word “vendor” when “seller” says the same thing but in simpler terms. For that, I recommend the lawyer uses a Thesaurus.
I also make sure the copy is in plain English.
I always make sure we remember the words of David Ogilvy, regarded as the father of modern advertising.
“If you’re trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language they use every day, the language in which they think. We try to write in the vernacular.”
Finally, I need to make sure the lawyer’s website has a landing page for the article. That’s where where a visitor “lands” after they click on a link in an email. Unlike web pages, which typically have many goals and encourage exploration, landing pages are designed with a single focus or goal. They have a call to action (or CTA) to bring in more clients.
This will ensure the article will be more effective than solicitors’ referral pages.
If you as a lawyer need a copywriter, contact me on 0411 7451 93 or at leon@leongettler.com.
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