Education-based marketing is one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of lawyers. There is a vast amount of basic information you know that prospects want. And there are a number of tools available for you to disseminate this information to them, including:

Blogs – Blogs are a great, inexpensive way to disseminate your knowledge quickly – plus, search engines love blogs because they provide fresh content and are usually very search engine friendly.

Online Article Marketing –Research shows that consumers visit sites like Lawyers.com and Avvo to research questions they have on legal issues. Short, education-based articles that are written specifically for your niche will do a great job for you in exposing your practice to prospects. If you can write 500 words on a topic, you can use this simple strategy.

Free Reports -- Think about some of the questions your clients have and put together a short report (three to six pages long), a PowerPoint presentation, or even an audio CD, and offer a free copy to website visitors who give you their contact information. (Remember, if you cannot get visitors to call you directly, the second-best alternative is to persuade them to give you their contact information with permission to contact them.)

This kind of free educational information is a great tool you can use to start building relationships with many people who need your help but aren’t ready to walk in your door. It is not enough simply to offer people a free consultation. Almost every lawyer does that. Take it one step further and give them some great information that will help them think through the issues and challenges they are facing.