Clients have options. Lots of them. So, why do they choose you?
You can learn how they found you by asking, “How did you find me?” You can also do intake and exit surveys, track your leads and advertising metrics, and you should.
Did they find you via search? What keywords do they use? Did they see your ad? Which publication, what day and at what time? Were they a referral? From which client or business professional, and what did they say about you?
The list goes on.
But while this is important information and you should continue doing what you do to get found by prospective clients, it doesn’t answer the bigger question: when they find you, why do they hire you instead of all the other attorneys they could choose?
Even the most unsophisticated client knows there are other attorneys who do what you do, and they know how to find them.
So, why you?
Sometimes, the answer is simply that you were the first one they looked at. They needed help and didn’t think they could wait. Or you looked like you could do what they needed or wanted done, and they didn’t want to spend time looking at other options.
But that’s not always the case. You should assume that a significant percentage of prospective clients do take the time to look at other options and that they compare them to you.
And so besides getting found, you need say and do things to stand out from other attorneys. You need to differentiate yourself so clients see choosing you as the best option.
The good news is that this isn’t as difficult as you might think. And, while other attorneys might be able to say the same things you could say, the fact is that many attorneys who could, don’t.
Many attorneys don’t say much of anything beyond name, rank, and serial number. Which makes your job much easier.
Okay. What could you say about your services or about yourself to make yourself stand out? That’s what you need to figure out. Here are some ideas to get your juices flowing:
You’re good. You have achieved millions or billions of dollars in verdicts or settlements for your clients, won awards, achieved records your competition haven’t.
** You’re trustworthy. You have many testimonials and endorsements, people who say good things about you, tell their stories and recommend you.
** You’re tough. You have a military or athletic background, or have taken on seemingly impossible cases or causes and beaten the odds.
** You’re smart. You have an academic background; you teach other lawyers (school, continuing education), you’ve been a judge, you do a lot of speaking, have written books, write a blog or newsletter, or served on committees.
** You’re well-known. You have been interviewed in prestigious publications, quoted by your peers, run for office, are the president of your local bar association,
** You’re focused. Clients prefer lawyers who specialize in their particular problem or type of case, or who focus in their niche or market.
** You’re like them. You grew up in their town; you had the same major in school; you read the same authors, or listen to the same kinds of music.
** You’re well-rounded. You have a good sense of humor, play guitar in a band, play sports, coach your kid’s soccer team, are active in charitable or humanitarian causes.
** You’re likable. You say things that make them smile, show them you truly care about your clients, tell stories that make them think.
** You explain things clearly. You thoroughly tell people about your work and how can help them. You spell out the steps, keep things simple, and don’t present too many options.
** You make it easy to hire you. You don’t bury them in details, fine print, disclaimers, and red flags. You spell out the next step and make it easy to take.
Figure out what makes you different and feature that in your marketing. It’s often the reason the people who find you hire you.
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