You screwed up. What are you going to do about it?

July 11, 2013 by
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My wife ordered vitamins online. The wrong order came. No, it’s not a tragedy, just one of life’s little annoyances. She has the hassle and expense of shipping it back and then waiting for the correct order to arrive.

She called the company to ask what to do.

“No problem,” she was informed. The rep explained that they company has a “one time courtesy policy” for situations like this.

My wife immediately got a 100% credit for the purchase.

No need to return the vitamins sent in error. My wife could use them, give them to someone, or throw them away.

The correct order was shipped out that day. No charge for shipping. And the 15% discount she got on the original order would be applied.

Yes indeed, no problem. In fact, a very nice experience, all things considered.

For a nominal one time cost, the company not only prevented the loss of a customer (they have to assume that an unhappy customer will leave), they made a fan. My wife will indeed use them again and, as she often does, recommend them to others.

But it wasn’t just what the company did that mattered, it was what they didn’t do.

They didn’t suggest that my wife was the one who had screwed up. (It is possible. Maybe she did click the wrong box.) They didn’t even ask. They gave her the benefit of the doubt and they did it immediately.

That’s their policy.

So, do you have a similar policy?

You know you’re going to screw up something. You’ll forget to return a call, there will be an error in your bill, or something will go wrong on a case and the client will blame you.

Law happens.

The question is, what are you going to do about it?

You need to think this through and decide in advance.

How will you handle it? How will you make it as pleasant and beneficial for the client as possible?

Take some time to consider this. Meet with your partners and staff. Brainstorm problems and solutions and make some decisions.

Then, when something does happen, you can surprise and delight your clients with your own “client courtesy policy” and keep those clients coming back and recommending you to others.

Marketing is everything we do to get and keep good clients. It’s easier when you know The Formula

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Law office management, Marketing legal services

Marketing is easy when you love what you do

July 10, 2013 by
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I know a lot of people who love sports. They can talk all day long about stats and trades and classic games. Ask them about their favorite team and they light up and will tell you all about them.

By the way, have you ever noticed that when you ask someone about the game they just attended or watched, if their team won they say, “We won!” but if the team lost they say, “They lost”?

Interesting.

Anyway, if you love sports, you probably know what I mean. You love talking about the game. You don’t have to work at it. It’s easy to do. Natural. Fun.

And when you meet a fellow sports lover, hey, the two of you can go at it for hours. Telling stories. Recalling great plays. Sharing gossip.

Wouldn’t it be great if marketing your legal services was that easy? Just as effortless and satisfying?

It should be. It can be.

I read a great definition of marketing the other day that prompted me to write this post. The author said,

“Marketing is sharing what you love with people who will appreciate hearing about it.”

Isn’t that a great way to think about it?

If you love what you do in your work, it should be easy to talk about. If you’re talking to someone who needs your help, they want to hear it.

Your conversations, presentations, and marketing documents, are an expression of what you love about your work. What gets you excited? What makes you tear up? What makes you want to lace up the boxing gloves?

You don’t have to love everything about what you do. That’s probably asking too much. But you can always find some aspect of what you do that gets you fired up.

Write a letter to your clients and tell them about it. Do it now while it’s on your mind. Type it or record it on your smart phone. Tell them why you love what you do. They want to hear all about it.

Marketing is easy when love what you do.

Do you know The Formula? It will help you get more clients and increase your income. Check it out here.

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Filed Under: Career satisfaction, Communication, Marketing legal services Tagged With: ,

The Productive Life Show interviews me about productivity, Evernote, and GTD

July 8, 2013 by
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I was interviewed recently for The Productive Life Show, a podcast hosted by Andy Traub and Daniel Gold. We talked about productivity, Evernote, and GTD (Getting Things Done).

You can listen to the podcast, download the audio, and read a transcript here.

During the show, I mentioned that I also use Workflowy, primarily for outlining. I said I hoped it would someday allow links to be clickable so that it would integrate better with Evernote (and other apps). I was just notified that this is possible, although I’m not sure when it became so.

What this means is that you can use Worflowy as the front end of your productivity system, managing lists of tasks and projects, and link therefrom to notes in Evernote where you have stored more detailed information such as webclips, articles, and documents (i.e., Word, Excel, images, etc.)

Of course you can also link to websites or other cloud based apps. This opens up all kinds of possibilities.

I’ll do a in depth post about Workflowy at a later date.

I had a lot of fun on the podcast and want to thank Andy and Dan for inviting me. I’d love to get your feedback about the podcast or any questions you might have about the subjects discussed.

The ebook: Evernote for Lawyers: A Guide to Getting Organized & Increasing Productivity

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Filed Under: News, Productivity, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Do you and your clients speak the same language?

July 2, 2013 by
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Why do app developers who aren’t fluent in English insist on writing their own app description? Do they think their English is good enough? Do they just not care?

Whatever the reasons, here’s what happens when you don’t have someone “translate” your broken English:

Description

Support sending international fax! !
Functions:
Phone pictures or mobile phones to take pictures of the file obtained images into the nearest scanned copy binarization pictures, and sent to anywhere from any fax machine.

Features:
Approaching the ultimate speed of processing image! !
Most satisfied with the effect of processing pictures! !
Send a fax, the cheapest price! ! !
The fastest speed of service of the destination fax machine! ! ! !
In short, pack your satisfaction.

Not kidding. This is the actual description of an app I looked at. And no, I didn’t buy it.

I don’t care how good the app is, when I see a description like this I move on. I don’t want to invest even two dollars in a company that doesn’t pay attention to detail or care about it’s customers.

It’s not about the app. It’s about the total user experience.

The same is true in a law practice.

If clients don’t speak your language and you don’t speak theirs, you must have someone available to translate. I’m sure you do.

But what about that other language lawyers speak? You know, legalese?

Lawyers need to be able to communicate in plain English. We all know lawyers who hide behind overly ornate language. Clients don’t get all warm and fuzzy about a lawyer who continually says things like, “With respect to. . .” and “Notwithstanding. . .”. (Anyone remember Marcia Clark?)

Plain English, please.

Get rid of unnecessary words. Don’t use a ten dollar word when a fifty cent word will do.

Use the active tense. Action verbs. Specific nouns.

Don’t write (or speak) to be understood. Write (and speak) so that you cannot possibly be misunderstood.

If you need help, get help. Take lessons. Get an editor. Practice.

Or clients won’t buy your app.

Marketing is everything we do to get and keep good clients.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Communication, Law office management, Public Speaking, Writing

Waterboarding our cat

July 1, 2013 by
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We took Seamus to the vet to get his teeth cleaned. They found a problem and had to pull a tooth. The vet sent him home with instructions for his care, which included eating only soft foods for ten days.

As you probably know, cats are fussy about everything. And stubborn. Seamus doesn’t like soft foods. He wanted his regular food and when it wasn’t forthcoming, no matter what we offered him, he wouldn’t eat more than a few morsels.

He wasn’t drinking water, either.

We were concerned. The vet said that if he didn’t get water, his kidneys could shut down. She said we should probably bring in him to be hydrated via IV.

My wife went online and found an alternative. Some cat owners in this situation used a big syringe to force feed their cat during their recovery period. And so for the next several days, that’s what we did. I held him tightly and my wife fed him baby food and water. He didn’t like it. Not one bit. It was torture, but it kept him alive.

But he was still unhappy and listless. He wanted his regular food, in all its crunchy glory. But it wasn’t ten days post surgery and we didn’t want him to bust his stitches.

Do we wait three more days and watch him suffer?

My wife went online again and found another vet’s website that discussed the issue. He said that one week on soft food was enough and the animal should be sufficiently healed by then.

We crossed our fingers and gave Seamus a bowl of his regular food. He devoured it. He looked at us like he wanted to say, “oh hell yes,” and when he was done, he drank water.

And today, he’s fine.

Anyway, here’s the thing.

When you give your clients advice, are you telling them what’s best for them or what’s best for you? If you tell them ten days when seven days is probably okay, are you doing that to cover your tush in case something goes wrong?

This is why two thirds of our population is on some kind of medication. Physicians don’t want to suggest anything non-traditional. If something goes wrong, one of our kind will will come at them with our six-shooters a’blazin. So they take the easy way out and prescribe the medically accepted pill of choice. It’s best for them, even though it may not be the best for the patient.

So, how about you? Where do you draw the line?

Do you tell your clients they need to have certain documents prepared to protect themselves or do you let them “take their chances”? In a contingency fee matter, do you recommend settlement because it is best for the client or because you don’t want to risk losing your fee?

I admit, it’s often a tough call. But that’s the gig. That’s what we get paid to do.

I do wish for one thing, though. When a stubborn client doesn’t want to follow our advice even though it is truly what’s best for them, we should be allowed to waterboard them.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Law office management, Legal industry Tagged With:

Collection attorney sends wrong form letter to debtor, includes advice on debtor’s rights

June 28, 2013 by
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It happens. Someone screws up and the threatening letter that was supposed to go to a debtor inadvertently contains language advising the debtor about his rights and options in defending against collection.

Ugh.

I heard about it and I could feel the attorney’s pain. We’ve all sent letters out with mistakes in them or sent letters or emails to the wrong party.

It’s embarrassing, to say the least. It could present legal and ethical issues. And it has the potential to cause a good client to leave and never come back.

In this case, somebody keyed in the wrong code. The wrong boilerplate was included in the letter and nobody caught the error.

The problem was compounded by the fact that a draft of that letter was not sent to the client (creditor) prior to being sent to the debtor. The firm does a boatload of collection letters and they are nearly always the right letter sent to the right party. “Why add expense and delay to the process,” I suppose they were thinking.

Well, aside from the fact that the client would have caught the error the attorney and his staff missed, from a marketing and client relations standpoint, it is the correct thing to do.

It shows the client that you respect him and value his input. It allows the client to feel involved in the process. And it builds the value of what you do.

It may be a form letter, but you want the client to feel that you at least took a moment to consider what he told you about the case and put some thought into the letter you are sending on his behalf.

Unless there is a prior understanding to the contrary, an attorney should send everything to the client, before they send it out or file it and again after they send it out or file it.

Okay, it didn’t happen in this case. The client is upset. Instead of threatening the debtor and getting them to pay up, their attorney advised the debtor about his rights, making it less likely that they will pay.

Now what? What should the attorney do?

From a legal perspective, there probably isn’t a whole lot he can do. He can send a “oops, wrong letter” letter and hope to clean up some of the damage, but who knows whether or not that will work.

From a client relations standpoint, the attorney should:

  • Take personal responsibility for the error and not blame anyone else in the office or try to excuse it as a computer glitch
  • Apologize profusely, in writing, on the phone, and in person
  • Cancel the fee for the letter and send another letter at no charge
  • Offer to handle the collection for free or at a greatly reduced fee

In addition, the attorney should explain to the client what happened and tell them the steps he is taking to ensure that it won’t happen again, not just for this client but for all of his clients.

Clients understand that mistakes happen. They want to see you own up to them, fix them, and prevent them from happening in the future. Most of all, they want to see that you care about them and are willing to do whatever it takes to make them happy. Especially when you screw up.

Marketing is everything we do to get and keep good clients. Here’s how.

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Law office management, Marketing legal services Tagged With: , , ,

Attorney marketing webinar: Here’s the replay (and a suggestion)

June 27, 2013 by
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The replay for yesterday’s webinar on attorney marketing is up.

Here’s the link :

We talked about several aspects of attorney marketing: referrals, social media, client relations, blogging, and a bit about legal fees. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Even though we didn’t sell anything on the webinar, it brought us some great exposure. And it was easy to do. An hour’s worth of work, answering questions about subjects we know well, without having to leave home or put on a tie.

We’ll get traffic to our websites, sign-ups for our lists, and clients for our services.

Would you like to do the same?

Go find someone who has an audience you would like to present to–a blogger, another professional, a principal in a company–someone who sells to, advises, or writes about and for your target market, and ask them if they would like you to do a presentation for their group or readers.

Yes, it is that simple.

You’re doing them a favor. Making them look good to their readers. Providing them something to promote.

Make a list of prospective hosts for your webinar. Contact them, introduce yourself, and offer your webinar (or teleconference).

Then, go do it again.

This is what I do to get traffic and clients.  

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, News, Online Marketing

Law firm internet marketing: How one firm is doing it right

June 26, 2013 by
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If you want to know how to build your practice online, check out The Murthy Law Firm, which is doing it right. In an interview in the New York Times, Sheela Murthy describes what she did and how she did it.

Murthy describes her website as an online community for immigrants. It has resources for immigrants looking for information and answers to questions.

“How’s business,” she was asked. She answered,

Clients are banging down the door. They throw themselves at our feet asking us to take them on. The feeling is, “If they give this much away for free, what must it be like if you pay them?”

And that, my friends, is how it’s done.

Give people information. Give them resources. Answer their questions. Show them what to do. People are hungry for information. They’ll come looking for it, and appreciate you for providing it. And they will hire you, instead of attorneys who don’t provide this kind of information and resources.

When you visit the Murthy site, don’t feel intimidated by all of the resources you see. She’s been at this a long time. Do be inspired by what she has been able to accomplish and learn from her efforts. And make a decision to start or expand your website.

Then do it. Add something today. Add something else tomorrow or next week. Keep at it and watch your traffic and sign-ups soar.

Will clients bang down your door and throw themselves at your feet? I don’t know. But if they do, I want to see the video.

Law firm internet marketing is taught here.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Online Marketing Tagged With: , ,

Your marketing questions answered in free webinar

June 25, 2013 by
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Tomorrow, attorney Mitch Jackson and I are the guests on a free webinar where we’ll discuss marketing and productivity. Please join us.

The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, June 26, 2013 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM EDT. You can register here.

The subject is “Trial Attorneys: Dilemmas and Solutions,” but is open to, and appropriate for, attorneys of all kinds. We’ll be speaking about marketing online and offline, referrals, social media, and more. Bring your questions on any marketing topic and, time permitting, we’ll get them answered.

Mitch is a very successful trial attorney (2013 California Trial Attorney of the Year), social media expert, and host of his own video podcast program. I’m excited to be sharing the microphone with him.

The webinar is hosted by Draft n Craft, a legal outsourcing company, and will be approximately 60 minutes. It will be recorded (technology permitting) so get registered even if you can’t make it live and I’m sure they will notify you when the replay is available.

There are no products for sale and no agenda other than helping you. I look forward to seeing you on the webinar.

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, News, Online Marketing, Referrals Tagged With: ,

How to attract new clients

June 24, 2013 by
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So, you want to know how to attract new clients? Well, you can’t merely offer services people need and are willing to pay for. That just gets you in the running, along with legions of other lawyers who offer the same services. If you want to attract new clients, you need to be attractive.

You. Personally. Because people hire lawyers, not law firms.

People meet you at networking events, not your firm. They hear you speak, not your firm. They read something you wrote, not something written by your firm. And when they they give referrals, they say, “call my lawyer,” not, “call my law firm”.

One way to be attractive is to show people an advantage to choosing you. Show them how you are better or different. Show them benefits they get hiring you that other lawyers don’t provide. Prove that you are the better choice.

I cover this extensively in Make the Phone Ring: A Step-by-Step System for Attracting Good Clients. It shows you how to get clients to see you not only as the best choice, but in many cases, the only choice.

If you don’t have it, you can pick it up here.

One way to show people an advantage is to show them that you are a leader in your target market or community. Someone people want to follow and listen to. Someone with good ideas. Someone who inspires others to take action.

Leaders attract people who like what they see and hear and want to follow.

In his book, Tribes, Seth Godin said, “The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.”

Do you believe in what you are doing in you practice or are you just making a living? Are you painting a picture of a better future and showing people where you are going? Are you someone worth following?

If you’re not sure if you are a leader, turn around. If there’s nobody behind you, you’ve got some work to do.

Learn how to attract new clients online and offline, click here.

 

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Filed Under: Marketing legal services, Online Marketing, Personal development Tagged With: ,
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