MAKE A LITTLE RAIN: By Janet Dean, Executive Director As a consultant, trainer and advocate for clear communications and personal
leadership in the legal profession, I know there is a general lack of
enthusiasm for marketing. I think it is worthwhile for us to share some ideas on this passive opposition. The perception of marketing as something that is done primarily by consultants
from outside or lone individuals within an organization, has lowered its
priority on the organizational agenda. And, it is not supported by a large
body of published materials or recognized training and education. All these
combine to make law firm marketing a challenge. The individual lawyer needs an introduction to the necessary activities of
active marketing, no matter what stage you are at in the marketing process
or your career -- just starting out, involved in marketing for a while or an
experienced hand. I'll introduce the broader scope of the concepts of legal marketing and
review the top protests you may have encountered or offered yourself. WHAT IS MARKETING Marketing is the process of bringing your services to your clients. In the
past one contact was enough to engender loyalty with your clients. Today a
series of contacts is required to motivate the client to choose you and choose
to act now. Once the decision is made, it can be unmade at any time. There
is no such thing as a "loyal’ client. So, how does marketing help? Lawyers who actively market do so for the following reasons: MARKETING STRATEGIES There are two ways to market. One is the traditional product-sales model
and the other is the model for professional services. Traditionally, you can try to persuade others to buy what you sell. Think about how suceesful you are at persuading your loved ones to do something you want. Or, you can sell people what they want to buy. Think about when you are looking to buy a new suit to fit your image and the salesperson tells you you look powerful. Which strategy do you think is easiest? It is easier to market services that a client already wants than to try to create a desire for
those services. This is the principle behind successful law firm marketing. You match your services to your clients wants through a combination of activities in four significant areas;
Lawyers and firms who don’t actively market, will give several reasons for
not doing so. Let’s look at some of the protests we might hear. And then,
more importantly, let’s look at potential proactive responses that can
bridge the gap between doing and not doing. PROTESTS Protest #1: We don’t have time Effective client relations, for example, can save time on call-backs,
correcting mistakes and dealing dissatisfied clients. Although these costs
are ‘soft’, they are important measures of organizational effectiveness. Protest #2: We’ve gone through too much of the 3 R’s already: Protest #3: Everything is fine. Protest #4: I don’t have the people to do this. Get your staff involved in areas that interest them and use their skills. It is a lot easier and more
productive to do the things you enjoy -- you are the best person for that job! Protest #5: It costs too much. Investing in improved client relations is a relatively easy, low-cost
marketing initiative. Communicating clearly is always better: it saves on
follow-up, errors, questions. Now that’s not only saving time - that’s
making money - because happy clients are active clients. Protest #6: Our reputation is already excellent. client service -- an opportunity to show excellence. Ask your clients about
your services and your reputation -- you may be surprised by what you learn. Protest #7: Our current clients are satisfied. Response: Don’t be satisfied with satisfied clients - thats only the midpoint of a successful professional relationship.
There are several phases of a successful client relationship; Protest #8: Why change what we’re doing?
Response: Take a moment to think of all the files you have worked on over
the course of the past few years. Which file comes to mind as the most
enjoyable and why? Now imagine if all your files gave you that same
enjoyment and brought you the money you wanted. If you had a tough time imagining that file, or if you could only think of a
handful of them, you should change what you are doing.
"ALL THINGS ARE DIFFICULT BEFORE THEY ARE EASY." JOHN NORLEY NEXT STEPS Law firm marketing is a business decision you have already made. The question is are you willing to do it effectively -
it will happen with or without your attention. By focusing some time energy and initiative into your marketing efforts, you
can build (or maintain) the practise YOU want.
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· to gain more control over the nature and profitability of their work
· to move from the present to the "perfect" future
· to ensure success in the increasingly competitive legal marketplace
Response: No body has time – especially time to do extra work on new projects.
But, you must find your own motivation for marketing, then find activities that you are comfortable with.
We always find the time to repeat the same weak activities over and over
again – instead of doing the right one a first time.
reorganize, restructure, review.
Response: And, we’re going to continue to go through it. As firms make
every effort to streamline and improve efficiency, so must the individuals
in the firm. Take advantage of the new information to ensure your own
marketing activities are aligned with firm priorities.
Response: Unfortunately the nature of serving clients requires that we keep
an eye on the horizon to ensure everything remains "fine" as circumstances
evolve.
This means we have to work to ensure that our immediate successes
don’t make us complacent about the future.
Response: Within a team, market from your individual positions of strength.
Response: Marketing time and activities do cost money. Identify your budget
and then work within your financial limitations. Look for high-return,
low-cost activities. This is where your creativity is crucial.
Response: Learn to question your reputation. It is no longer something that we create once that lasts for a
lifetime in our clients minds. Your reputation should always be
changing for the better. How do you measure
excellence? What standards do you use?
How do you involve your clients in determining excellence? Marketing is