As Is, Home Zone & Road Maps
A comprehensive framework for assessing your firm's current capacity, understanding your market position, and building strategic roadmaps for sustainable growth in the legal services industry.
Chapter 1
As Is Assessment
Understanding your firm's current state is the foundation for strategic growth. This assessment examines capacity, staffing, keyword research, and competitor analysis to establish where you stand today.
Capacity Assessment Questions
Core Capabilities
Does your firm have the capacity to research current core competencies, nurture self-directed teams, and standardize repetitive work? Can you research new opportunities and measure customer satisfaction effectively?
Service Delivery
Can you meet all elements needed for satisfaction: delivery in required time, with enthusiastic attitude, delivering expected value at the expected price?
Understanding Service Delivery Gaps
Negative Gap
When service delivery falls below expectations, you create a negative service delivery gap that damages client relationships and reputation.
Positive Gap
When service delivery exceeds expectations, you create a positive service delivery gap that builds loyalty and generates referrals.
What Level Is Your Firm On?
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2
3
4
5
1
Level 4: 100%
Pride
2
Level 3: 80%
Restless
3
Level 2: 60%
Exhausted
4
Level 1: 40%
Frustrated
5
Starting: 25%
Overwhelmed
The Satisfaction Outcome
An outcome of satisfaction is clients who buy more, buy more often, share positive comments that lead to referrals, and ultimately grow the firm. Outputs impact satisfaction, outputs result from capacity utilization, and capacity results from inputs.
1
Inputs
Resources and capabilities
2
Capacity
Ability to deliver
3
Outputs
Service delivery
4
Satisfaction
Client growth
Four Levels of Firm Development
1
Frustrated & Overwhelmed
Little spare time to promote or invest. Working in the business rather than on it.
2
Exhausted but Excited
Understanding the need for marketing systems to grow, but still struggling with implementation.
3
Restless
Some free time available, but worried about the need for an effective growth strategy.
4
Pride
Time independence, peace of mind, and pride in the legacy you've built.
Staff Symptoms Assessment
Work Pressure
Evaluating the balance between demand and your firm's capacity to deliver quality service.
Work Intensity & Fatigue
Understanding when your team is going the extra mile and the sustainability of current workloads.
Estimating Market Demand
Divide demand into component parts to understand the total market and identify micro niches. Use both Google keyword search for visible demand and Facebook for discovering hidden micro niches beneath the surface.
The Iceberg Model of Demand
01
Start with Customer List
Build a custom audience from your existing customer base
02
Create Lookalike Audience
Use this to expand your reach to similar prospects
03
Use Avatars
Define personas to further expand and target your market
Define the total market and establish all market segments (micro niches) labeled A through G and beyond.
Keyword Search Demand: Power of Attorney
Understanding search volume helps identify market demand. Power of attorney generates 33,000 searches per month, with related terms like "how do you get a power of attorney" (550/month) and "power of attorney forms" (14,000/month).
Keyword Search Demand: Guardianship
Guardianship-related searches show moderate demand with specific opportunities in forms and legal processes. Key terms include guardianship forms (2,000/month) and legal guardianship (700/month).
Top Search Terms
  • Guardianship forms: 2,000/month
  • Legal guardianship: 700/month
  • Guardianship attorney: 400/month
  • Guardianship lawyer: 300/month
Keyword Search Demand: Intellectual Property
Intellectual property searches total 12,000 per month, with "what is intellectual property" (11,000) and "intellectual property rights" (2,000) showing strong educational demand. Attorney and lawyer searches (600 and 500 respectively) indicate service-seeking behavior.
Corporate Law Search Demand
4K
Mergers & Acquisitions
Monthly search volume for M&A related terms
3K
Business Law
General business law inquiries
2K
Business Lawyers
Direct service searches
Labour Law Search Volume
Labour law generates significant search volume with "what is a labor lawyer" leading at 3,187 searches per month. Labour laws (3,034), employment act (2,000), and specific regional searches show strong demand across jurisdictions.
Taxation Search Demand
Tax-related searches show massive volume with "tax" generating 244,000 monthly searches. Property tax (20,000) and sales tax (18,000) indicate specific service opportunities.
Service-Seeking Terms
  • Tax attorney/lawyer: 7,000/month
  • Tax advice: 6,000/month
  • Tax planning: 3,000/month
Chapter 2
Home Zone
Understanding your home zone means knowing your location, core competencies, how to get found versus go find, and defining detailed customer avatars for each market segment.
Home Zone: Customer Profiling
Customer profiling drives relationship building. Understanding your audience requires three layers: location (where they are), demographics (who they are), and psychographics (what they do and care about).
Location
Geographic targeting
Demographics
Who they are
Psychographics
What they care about
Know Your Products, Services, Markets & Customers
Home Zone is about understanding volumes, values, and profitability across four key dimensions of your business.
Products
Know your products: volumes, values, profitability
Services
Know your support services: volumes, values, profitability
Markets
Know your markets: volumes, values, profitability
Customers
Know your customers: volumes, values, profitability
Home Zone Market Places Framework
Problem
Do you have the skills? Is there visible need and search stats? Do you have a solution?
Profit
Recurring revenue potential? Measurable ROI? Market size? Can they afford to staff your solution?
Presence
How competitive is the marketplace? Can you establish market leadership?
Channel
Can you target the market online? List group psychographics: interests, groups, whom followed
Defining Customer Personas
To start, define a representative customer persona or avatar. Create one avatar per micro niche product or service to ensure targeted, relevant messaging.
The Four-Stage Customer Journey
01
Pains & Frustrations
Per current survey: What problems are they experiencing right now?
02
Goals & Desires
Per current survey: What are they trying to achieve today?
03
Fears & Implications
Possible future: What are they worried might happen?
04
Dreams & Aspirations
Possible future: What is their ideal outcome?
What Pain Can You Solve Right Now?
Identifying the specific pain or frustration you can solve immediately for your customers is the foundation of your value proposition. List the top challenges your ideal clients face and match them to your instant solutions.
Your Solution Promise
"We help _____ achieve/do _____, so that they can _____ without _____."
Crafting Your Solution Promise
The result should be a solution or promise that you can keep. This becomes your core value proposition.
1
Biggest Goal
What is your persona's biggest goal or desire?
2
Greatest Dream
What is their greatest dream or aspiration?
3
Biggest Frustration
What is their single biggest frustration or pain?
4
Greatest Fear
What do they fear most?
Location Specification: Four Levels
Specifying the location of your customer base aids in assessing the size of your marketplace. Each level of specification narrows your audience and increases targeting precision.
Country
National/International
Province
Regional targeting
City/Postal Code
Local markets
Distance
Commute radius
Result at each level: Audience size determination
Customer Demographics
It's about knowing who your customers are. Define a representative customer persona starting with these eight key demographic factors.
Eight Key Demographic Factors
Age
Age range and generation
Location
Geographic area
Income
Income level and net worth
Marital Status
Family composition
Education
Education level achieved
Job Title
Professional role
Employer
Company and size
Industry
Business sector
Customer Psychographics
It's about knowing what your customers do. Psychographics reveal interests, behaviors, and preferences that drive purchasing decisions.
Opinions & Behaviors
Events, associations followed, interests, causes supported
Activities
Entertainment, fitness, food & drink, hobbies, shopping
Digital Presence
Preferred social media, experts followed, software opt-ins
Influences
Publications followed, people followed, brands followed
Home Zone Analysis Process
This systematic process moves from location specification through demographics and psychographics to determine market size, calculate market share, and ultimately assess growth potential.
Home Zone Market Demand Strategy
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Keywords & Content
Research top ranking sites for keyword usage and track search volume statistics
2
Keyword Traffic
Feed the demand by tracking traffic sources and establishing geo location
3
Design Offers
Be relevant by researching customer needs, pains, and frustrations
4
Design "The What"
Sort keyword traffic into categories and plan content pages
Market Demand Research Checklist
Keyword Analysis
  • Research top ranking sites for keyword usage
  • Track source of traffic referrals
  • Keyword stats and market share
  • Rank keywords by search volume
  • Establish geo location of demand
Customer Research
  • Research customer needs and pains
  • Identify customer frustrations
  • Define your solutions
  • Determine value beyond price
  • Assess competition credibility
Content Strategy Development
Sort keyword traffic into categories and plan About Us pages. Excite with quizzes to show knowledge base. Ignite interest with FAQ teasers that demonstrate expertise and build trust.
Target Audience Building
It's about knowing who your customers are AND whom your potential customers could be. Build your audience systematically through eight strategic steps.
1
Keyword Volume Research
2
Market Demand & Share
3
Build Offers
4
Page Content Design
5
Communicator Design
6
Sharing Rewards
7
Reviews & Rewards
8
Audience Building
Exploring Niche Opportunities
Capability Assessment
  • What skills, capacity and funding do you have?
  • Are there long term prospects for this niche?
  • Do you have a passion for this niche?
  • Do you have a better, cheaper or faster solution?
Market Assessment
  • Is there a need and search volume?
  • Is the niche established and growing?
  • Is the niche competitive?
  • Can you become the "go to" authority?
The Sweet Spot: Where Appetite, Problem & Dominance Meet
Profit emerges at the intersection of three critical factors: appetite (mission and passion), problem (explicit need and solutions), and dominance (market presence and competitive advantage).
Niche Assessment Criteria
Mission
Who would you help for free? What do folks tell you you're good at? What comes easy?
Problem
Is there explicit need? Is there search volume? Is the market growing? Can you solve it better, cheaper or faster?
Profit
Can they afford your solution? What's the size of the niche? Can you quantify ROI? Is there recurring revenue potential?
Presence
Can you be seen as the "go-to" provider? How competitive is the niche? What messaging is being used?
Pathway
How easily can you target online? Which social channels dominate?
Psychographic Profile
List interests, experts, publications, associations, groups followed
Legal Firm Startup Strategy
Explore Niches
Such as Private Law (e.g., Divorce) or Corporate Law (e.g., Mergers & Acquisitions)
Drill Down
Discover the range of specific needs within your chosen niche
Survey Clients
Use quiz surveys, calls, interviews to establish extent of need
Package & Market
Create products, lead magnets, service demand and market effectively
Mergers & Acquisitions: The Challenge
Given the scale, value, and number of M&A transactions internationally, online traffic for legal support is insignificant. Support teams from big branded firms actively leverage client relationships to expand into new markets or dominate existing niches.
M&A Market Dynamics
Experience, knowledge, and value harvested from synergies plus economies of scale offer active players their edge. Legal teams focus on contractual arrangements and drafting funding agreements including cash, share issues, and structured finance.
Opportunities
Due diligence, valuations, funds management, and raising capital present entry points for emerging firms.
Back Door Entry Strategy for M&A
How can you as an emerging brand get a foot in the door when waiting for enquiries creates limited opportunity?
Custom Audience Lists
Create email address lists of possible deal players to target on social media platforms
Avatar Profiles
Create demographic and psychographic profiles of deal players (e.g., startup incubator members)
Lead Magnets
Market valuable lead magnets to these targeted audiences
Strategic Partnerships
Buddy up with current players such as banks or audit and accounting firms
Lead Magnet Strategy Matrix
High desire lead magnets like webinars and templates generate high quality leads but are easy to consume. White papers and toolkits are harder to consume but still valuable. Position your lead magnets strategically based on desired lead quality and consumption ease.
M&A Positioning: Your Value Proposition
Your Message
"We help startups clinch win-win deals by leveraging relationships and economies of scale to unlock value without legal overwhelm."
What could be your message to prospective clients so that you are their preferred legal partner when it comes to deal time? Focus on the specific value you bring to the transaction.
M&A Marketing Funnel
Build awareness through website, app, blogs, and online meeting rooms integrated with webinar platforms. Progress through audience building, list building with quiz pages, and content creation with ebooks and video libraries.
Getting Found Through Search
The purpose of keyword search analysis is to ensure your online content is positioned as the search result for relevant keywords. Achieve this through SEO (backlinks, content relevancy) and paid advertising (Adwords pay-per-click).
Keyword Optimization Strategy
Optimize Pages
Use relevant keywords on pages that search engines index: websites, blogs, etc.
Ask Right Questions
Research keywords that relate to your area of law and the questions clients ask
Geo-Target Results
Narrow down statistics by searching for results from specified countries
Assess Viability
Keyword assessment offers comfort on core competency niche selection
Push Marketing: The Alternative Approach
Targeting an audience to make an offer to is the alternative to getting found by way of a search result. This proactive approach puts your message directly in front of ideal clients.
Client Profiling: Demographics
Profiling your client enables accurate push marketing. Start with demographic fundamentals.
Personal Details
Name, gender, age, marital status
Location
Geographic area and homeownership
Financial
Net income, net worth, assets, turnover
Education
Education level and generation
Family
Family composition and life events
Languages
Languages spoken
Client Profiling: Psychographics
Social & Digital
  • Social media group memberships
  • Publications subscribed to/read
  • Association memberships
  • Club memberships
  • Brand preferences
  • Experts followed
  • Tools used (apps/software)
Interests & Behaviors
  • Activities (e.g., cycling)
  • Opinions and causes supported
  • Behaviors and events
  • Hobbies & interests
  • Entertainment preferences
  • Sports & outdoors
  • Fitness & wellness
Extended Psychographic Profiling
Facebook offers hundreds of targeting criteria. Leverage detailed psychographic data for precision targeting.
Media Preferences
Reading, music, TV, movies (e.g., documentaries)
Business Focus
Industry focus, company size (e.g., 5,000+ employees)
Technology
GPS devices, software preferences
Automotive
Vehicle cost and preferences
Spending Methods
Debit/credit card, premium credit card usage
Lifestyle
Cosmetics, perfume type, personal care
Chapter 3
Roadmaps
Strategic roadmaps covering budgets, customer value proposition, business planning, signature solutions, and the growth pyramid framework for sustainable expansion.
Budget Allocation Strategy
Evaluate what you do not fund as it often holds the key to exponential growth. It's a case of moving the focus to possibility versus historical trends.
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Recurring
Established revenue streams
2
Funded
Current budget allocation
3
Unfunded
Growth opportunities
Compare expected returns from unfunded activities with a funding requirement of 20% of your budget against returns from the last 20% of funded activities.
Niche Positioning Progression
The journey from low potential prospects to high-value clients who pay more represents your growth trajectory. Each stage requires different strategies and resources.
Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis
Determine and understand your startup and early stage funding needs through CVP analysis. Track revenue, variable and fixed costs, and stepped fixed costs across four production levels.
Interfacing Your Business Plans
Integrate four planning horizons: 3-year vision (why), 1-year goals (why), 90-day strategy (how), and this week's actions (now). Each level informs and supports the others.
Four Planning Horizons
1
3 Year Vision (Why)
Sales & profit targets, purpose & meaning, lifestyle goals, team structure
2
1 Year Goals (Why)
Sales & profit, products/services & pricing, capacity to scale
3
90 Day Strategy (How)
3 key projects, actionable launch dates, KPIs (e.g., 100 clients)
4
This Week's Actions (Now)
Launch core competency, run 2 FB ads, 30 sales calls
The DTHT Roadmap Framework
Roadmaps are the key to satisfaction. The Legal DTHT Roadmap consists of three phases and nine stages, navigated by Webo LPM and driven by Team Legal.
Three Phases, Nine Stages
Phase 1: Setup
Stages 1-3: As Is, Home Zone, DTHT Roadmap
Phase 2: Build
Stages 4-6: Offers, 4 Channels, People & Culture
Phase 3: Drive
Stages 7-9: Lead Magnets, Customer Marketing, Audience Building
The Nine Stages in Detail
1
Stage 01: As Is
Current state assessment
2
Stage 02: Home Zone
Market and customer analysis
3
Stage 03: DTHT Roadmap
Strategic planning
4
Stage 04: Offers
Quiz, promise, package
5
Stage 05: 4 Channels
Website, apps, blog, social media
6
Stage 06: People & Culture
Self-directed teams
7
Stage 07: Operations
Lead magnets, market your app
8
Stage 08: Marketing
Delight, reward, grow
9
Stage 09: Audience
Grow awareness
The Growth Pyramid
Track your firm's progression through four levels, each with distinct KPI symptoms, status characteristics, and strategic focus areas.
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4
1
Level 4
Driving/Standardising: 15-40% growth
2
Level 3
Branding/Thriving: 20-50% growth
3
Level 2
Promoting/Striving: 50-100% growth
4
Level 1
Establishing/Struggling: 50-300% growth
Four Levels of Firm Development
Read More
Level 1: Establishing/Struggling
Sporadic engagements, random and unexpected. Establishing reputation for core competencies, building client network. Info overload, no roadmap, no leads. Revenue growth: 50-300% PA.
Level 2: Promoting/Striving
Regulars and new clients. Growth in walk-ins driven by solution/outcome expectations. Some staff planning possible. Client list building, promoting relevant content. Revenue growth: 50-100% PA.
Level 3: Branding/Thriving
Appointments needed. Established relationships, regular referrals. Appointment scheduling a must. Actively promoted by clients, expanding team and marketing brand. Revenue growth: 20-50% PA.
Level 4: Driving/Standardising
Client waiting lists. Established brand and loyal staff. Accurate staff planning. Focus on collective marketing and exploring opportunities. World-class team with international presence. Revenue growth: 15-40% PA.