Lisa Solomon of Ardsley, New York writes:
“My husband and I, both attorneys, are partners in The Billable Hour Company. We make watches and clocks especially for lawyers, with dials divided into six-minute increments–the same way many lawyers bill.
“Our product is a lighthearted take on the concept of the billable hour and it’s the perfect gift for a lawyer, law student, or any professional who bills by the hour. What’s the best way to pitch our products to get the media interested? Should we just send a press release and a photo? Or do we have to try to tie our product into a specific topic?”
I love novelty watches. These are terrific and will appeal to consultants and anybody else, including lawyers, who track time in small increments. Since they’re not too expensive, I’d forget the photos and cut to the chase – send a watch to any media person whose attention you want. Include the usual info, of course. Maybe you can call the campaign Doing Time and get Martha Stewart involved. (kidding) (maybe)…
Tie some promotions in to Boss’s Day (among other holidays). Target publications read by notaries (who are usually legal secretaries) as well as legal secretaries.
There are lots of publications for lawyers, from the most local level to the national Bar Association — that’s where I’d start my publicity.
If the clocks can be engraved, you might want to promote them to law firms as awards for most billable hours or business gifts for the holidays.
I would also find out about legal conferences and put promotional pieces in the gift bags for participants.
Depending on budget, I think taking out an ad in the yellow pages where the attorneys advertise would be ideal. People would see it and think it a great gift for their attorney and the attornies who check their listings would also see it. It’s a win win.
I think you have markets outside the legal field – try a tie-in with holidays or events dealing with time – for example February 29th in leap years (what do with all that extra time? divvy the day up into 6 minute blocks), New Year’s Eve (countdown from 10 seconds is so old, how about from 6 minutes), running a 6 minute mile in a marathon, etc. What if Father Time had a 6 minute watch for the holidays?
Or how about turning the idea around and rewarding yourself for NOT doing something for 6 minutes, like for people trying to quit smoking – going 6 minutes without a ciggie sounds easier than 10 minutes…or waiting 6 minutes before yelling at the kids (ok, counting to 10 really is easier). You get the idea.
And finally, what about two 3-minute eggs? Good luck!
Partner with a professional organizer who specializes in time management. Using this watch would be the ultimate in time organization! I do think the style of the watch could be “whimzier” if it is to be being taken lightheartedly. I know with some color and fun, it would be on my wrist as I determine how much time I spend on specific clients! GREAT concept.
Take these two steps that I guarantee will get you started:
1. Research a full list of trade publications and fax them a relevant press release about your product, letting them know how writing a story about you and the product would benefit their readers. From that, you will get a call back from at least one of these publications that will want to run a small story about you/the product in their publication (make sure it includes your contact information). From that small article, you will receive calls from folks wanting to order your product;
2. Mail order catalogs are always hungry for new products to sell their customers. Using the Oxbridge Directory of Catalogs (found in the library), you’ll find all kinds of catalogs that might be interested in your product; get on their catalog mailing list. Send a business proposal to the most promising of them; a very professional letter that in essence says, “Hey I have a product people like to buy that I think would do well in your catalog. Here are a few samples. Have a look and call me.” You will get a response from at least one catalog interested in testing your product. By the way, a small test is a mailing of about one million… From this you will get sales, and if they are sufficient to warrant it, the catalog will keep you (sometimes for up to 2 years), and you can expand from there.
Hope this helps!