TechnoScore: 3.5
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score
In the first half of this video, Law Office of Leonard Weitzman, Family Law, Bridgewater, NJ, I was impressed with how confident, natural, and poised Weitzman was during his one man show. Yet, when he started talking about himself during the second half, I struggled not to jump to the next video.
Weitzman uses a very effective and subtle technique when talking about what you should look for when deciding on an attorney. Specifically, he mentions the need to see and hear a confident, able and presentable lawyer. He gives you this information while sounding confident, able, and totally presentable.
A potential client watching him will recognize that each of those elements are reflected in Weitzman's brief video. This technique was also used effectively when Ronald Reagan, who in 1984 was 73 years old while debating Walter Mondale, said "I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience." Get it? He never had to come right out and say that his advanced age was a benefit instead of a liability. Rather, he just raised it in a statement.
Attorney Weitzman had everything going for him in the first sixty seconds. He lost a full point for talking about himself during the next 60 seconds. I always advocate that rather than talk about how wonderful you are, have your associate, partner, or former client do it for you. Listen to what he says: "I'm a certified civil trial lawyer," "I'm rated by Martindale-Hubble with the highest ranking..." "When I walk into a courtroom with my client, I believe my client has the utmost confidence in my ability and my skills..." Stop saying "Me, me, me." Instead, let your satisfied client tell the viewers for you.
Video Techniques
Attorney Weitzman stands throughout the video. Not a bad idea, but he moves around a lot, which is distracting. There are also a few b-roll shots of him moving around his office and sitting in front of his desk.
Lighting: Barely adequate. The background is poorly lit and he is standing in front of a greenish/brown wall which never makes anyone look good.
Sound: Adequate
Set: A wall in his office.
Practice tip: If video taping in an area that does not have natural lighting, make sure a light is pointed behind you toward the wall to illuminate the background. This way you'll look better, and there will be more contrast between you and the wall. To create even more contrast, have a light from behind you point to your back.
Makeup: Cannot tell.
Music: Mild, soothing background music. Non-intrusive.
Length: 2:06 minutes. Ditch the self-lauding, or include a client testimonial within your video and you'll gain back that one full point for a TechnoScore of 4.5 instead of 3.5.
Script: Appears well rehearsed. Not scripted, at least not that I could tell.
Performance: His performance was excellent. From this video, I have no doubt that Weitzman is knowledgeable, able, confident and knows what to do in a courtroom.
Practice tip: Don't make a sales pitch. Weitzman tells viewers to "Please contact my office for an appointment. I continue to offer most consultations for no charge." However, he does not explain why they should call for an appointment.
In the initial segment of his video, he does a great job explaining what to look for in an attorney. However, the call to action for an attorney video is to provide viewers with more information. That's the carrot that will entice them to pick up the phone and call. Simply telling them to call, without telling them why misses the key reason to make the video in the first place.
Sidebar: The copy in the sidebar contains two paragraphs about his philosophy of the practice of law and the areas of his practice. OK. I get it, but there's no phone number anywhere in the text. If you tell viewers to call you in the video, why make them search for your Web site url, then have to click on it, and then scour your site for your contact information? A better practice is simply to list your phone number in your copy. Weitzman lost half a point for this mistake.
Conclusion
Weitzman makes a compelling argument for what type of attorney to look for when searching for a family lawyer online. His appearance and demeanor speak well for his legal abilities. My advice: Tweak the video, improve the lighting, incorporate a client testimonial, add your phone number to the sidebar copy, and give the viewer a real reason to call you. Then you'll have an excellent attorney video.
The Back Bench
Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "Leonard is very charismatic, and the video clearly conveys that. He is articulate and personable. Nice touch on using clients in the video. I would cut the length of the video about one minute, but otherwise, very nicely done."
Lawyer, journalist, and legal media consultant Robert Ambrogi says: "This well-done ad demonstrates the power of video is to personalize its subject in a way that no static Web site or brochure ever could. The lawyer's demeanor -- at once confident and modest -- is enhanced through artful editing and transitions."
TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "After a strong opening argument, Weitzman fails to prove his case (why you should hire him)."
About YouLaw
YouTube offers law firms a free advertising platform with tens of millions of potential clients. But a poor video can hurt more than help. In this column, lawyer and online video expert Gerry Oginski reviews and rates the latest law firm videos. A panel of fellow experts (The Back Bench) add to Gerry's reviews with pithy remarks. We link to each new YouLaw column and all other noteworthy law firm marketing articles in our weekly BlawgWorld newsletter, which is free. Please subscribe now.
About Gerry Oginski
New York trial lawyer Gerry Oginski has created more than 150 informational online videos for his medical malpractice and personal injury practice. Realizing that most video producers don't have a deep understanding of the practice of law and what potential clients look for, Gerry launched The Lawyers' Video Studio, which provides free tutorials and video production services. If you need help producing a video, please contact Gerry now.
Contact Gerry:
T: (516) 487-8207
E: lawmed10@yahoo.com
