When my daughter was in grade school I went with her on a field trip to Sacramento. One of the events on the agenda was panning for gold in a stream that once teamed with prospectors. They spent their days sifting through water, dirt, rocks, and sand. The more “non-gold” they got rid of, the more gold they found.
There’s a marketing lesson in this for lawyers.
If you want to find more “gold” (bigger cases, better clients), you need to get rid of as much non-gold as possible, as quickly as possible.
Why spend your time and resources courting clients who aren’t a good fit for you?
Other lawyers filter out cases and clients they don’t want after they talk to prospects. What if you filter them out before you talk to them?
When you create a profile of your ideal client, make a list of clients and cases that aren’t ideal. If you handle plaintiff’s personal injury cases, for example, your second list might include fender benders and soft tissue injuries.
Then, create a page on your website and describe the clients who aren’t a good fit for you.
You’ll stand out for being honest and transparent. You’ll build trust and create higher perceived value for being selective. You’ll attract better clients who see that unlike other lawyers, you don’t take anyone as a client.
Be honest about what you don’t want. You’ll get rid of more dirt and find more gold.
Need help figuring out who you do and don’t want as a client? Get this
