You've finally landed that highly sought after yet elusive client. Now you must give everything you have to keep them. It seems as though you've put forth all of the blood, sweat and tears you could muster just to get this opportunity. Now that you have secured this client, what law firm marketing strategies are you employing to keep them?
Other successful firms have found ways to keep their premium clients. What are you doing to keep yours? Once again, you may feel like banging your head against your desk; frustrated and fed up because it's just one thing after another. You don't catch a break just because you've landed the client. Now you must figure out how to keep them.
Prepare to bleed more effort into serving your new conquest. The process to make the client happy has only begun. You know the only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Following are some law firm marketing strategies that insure your clients remain in your focus and you must work hard to employ them.
Begin work on the case immediately. As soon as the client signs on, spend some time that day or the next working on the case. This is necessary to protect your client's best legal interests. It also shows their immediate need for legal help and that you genuinely care about them.
Send them some form of written communication within 48 hours of taking the case. It isn't enough to start working immediately on their case. You must also show that you are actively working on their case by mailing them a copy of everything you do. Consider time stamping everything so they will see you started on their case almost as soon as you landed it.
Send out a brief client survey within one week of landing the new client. This can be a great way to collect data on vital questions such as:
* Why did they select your firm?
* Who else were they interviewing?
* What do they like best or least about working with you?
* How can you improve?
* How fast was your response time to their initial request?
* How did they find you?
* Do they know of anyone else who could use your services?
* Important dates (birthdays, anniversaries, etc)
* Additional contact information
It's also a good idea to send out an additional client satisfaction survey when the case is completed. This allows you to gauge their overall satisfaction from start to finish once you have worked on the case.
Project the efforts you have put forth in order to satisfy the client. Give them regular updates on their case, even if it drags out over months or years. Keep the client in your mind at all times and let them know you are always working in their best interests. This shows you care and gives them a reason to appreciate your consistent efforts. Even when nothing is happening with their case, maintain regular contact with your client.
A very important attorney marketing plan is to ensure the client not only sees results, but knows how hard you have worked to obtain those results. Show your client all of the hard work you have put into their case. Even the smallest details or easiest motions you have put forth demonstrate that you care about your client. Show them that you have worked for them to the best of your abilities and did everything you could to serve them well.
If you want to keep your clients happy, begin using these simple law firm marketing strategies now. There are law firm marketing services available to assist you in putting these strategies to use in the most productive ways possible. Contact them and get it right. Don't bleed that last vein dry without a winning plan to make it worth your efforts.
Law Firm Marketing Jobs
If your law firm is not growing (or worse yet, shrinking) and your revenue stream is down to a trickle, it's high time to start being proactive with your marketing. One of the most important aspects of successful law firm marketing is the ability to clearly define and demonstrate the services which you offer. Put yourself in the shoes of your client for a moment. If you are not employing proven legal marketing techniques to tell them what you have to offer, why should they buy from you? If you don't tell prospects how you are different from your competitors they will assume you are basically the same and start shopping you on price.
After many years of studying effective law firm marketing strategies, I have seen a common problem. Many attorneys communicate with prospective clients in a way clients do not understand. One of the biggest mistakes a lawyer can make is to use "legal jargon" when speaking with prospects. No one wants to feel stupid and would rather save face than risk embarrassment by asking you to define what you believe is a "common legal term". Effective marketing for attorneys relies on your ability to be understood; without a clear understanding of what you can do for them, most clients will head for the nearest exit.
As a lawyer, you must uncover the words and phrases your clients use to describe their goals, challenges and problems. You must cross their "language barrier" before you can begin to entice them to learn more about how you can help them. For example, unless they have experienced it most people don't know the difference between Chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcy. Nor do they know the difference between a will, living trust, and an estate plan.
Here is a simple exercise which will help you accurately demonstrate your product and services:
1.Write down the terms and language you use to describe what you do to another professional in your field.
2.Now, write down the key words and phrases your clients use to describe your services to you. (If you can't complete this step, start asking your clients and listen to them as they describe their problems.) Your ability to succeed in law firm marketing will rely, in part, on your willingness to write down the key words and phrases your clients are using and committing them to memory.
These two lists should be very different. If they overlap by 50% or more, you are probably not listening closely enough to prospects and clients. It is recommended that you go back to square one and ask more questions, listening more intently, if you expect your legal marketing efforts to be effective.
Review your current marketing materials closely.
Are they filled with terms from your list or your client's list?
Which list of words predominate your legal marketing material, like your website and brochure?
Do your materials read like you are primarily addressing other attorneys or your prospects?
Is your marketing material filled with legal jargon and in-depth technical descriptions of your services? If so, remove them.
Could the "average man/woman" on the street pick up this material and know exactly who your ideal client is and how you can help them in thirty seconds or less?
Failing to cross your prospect's language barrier is a common mistake seen in all forms of legal marketing. By spending the necessary time to analyze and update brochures, marketing materials and ads you will greatly improve your ability to connect with prospects and convince them to hire you.
Both Stephen Fairley & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Stephen Fairley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Marketing Tips, Business Plan and Advertising Guide. Stephen Fairley is CEO of The Rainmaker Institute is the nation's largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms generate more and better referrals and create a 7 figure law practice. Over 6,000 attorneys have benefited fro. Stephen Fairley's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.
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