Not so fast

March 15, 2024 by
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Your clients generally like when you get the job done quickly. It shows them you have the experience and confidence to do a good job and give them the solution or prize without delay, often at lower cost.

But if you move too quickly, they may wonder why.  

Did you overlook anything? Take too many risks? Make mistakes that will come back to haunt them? 

Did you push them to settle too soon, for less than they could have gotten?

At the other extreme, if you move too slowly, they may think you don’t know what you’re doing or you’re dragging your feet to bill more hours.

Too fast, or too slow, and you make clients nervous. 

It’s the same with prospective clients. 

After a meeting or presentation, if you follow up too quickly or too often, they may wonder if you need the work. If you take too much time to follow-up, however, they might think you don’t care about their business and won’t give them enough attention. 

Each case or client is different, of course. Set the pace accordingly. 

Consider the size and complexity of the case, the emotional aspects of the issues, the number of decision makers, deadliness, and the best practices in their industry or market.

Talk to the client and find out what’s most important to them. Some will tell you they want the best results, no matter how long it takes or what it costs. Some will want you to prioritize cost. And some will tell you they don’t know and ask what you recommend.

In that case, think about what you would want if you were the client—and do that. 

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Filed Under: Client relations, Closing the sale

Stop making it harder to hire you

March 13, 2024 by
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More than a few lawyers talk themself out of the sale by simply talking too much. 

Not all prospective clients want all the details. Which is why you should give prospective clients the opportunity to sign up immediately, without seeing your entire stable of dogs and ponies. 

You need to give them enough information so they can make an informed decision (and you can CYA), but if you insist on telling everyone everything they “might” want to know, you’ll scare off a lot of clients. 

You know, the ones who tell you they have to think about it. They really don’t want to think about it. They’re just scared.

Which is why you should give everyone the option to get started without hearing all the details. 

Tell them what you can do to help them, assume the sale, and hand them the paperwork. If they have (more) questions or want to see more information, they’ll tell you. 

If you’re not sure, ask them. “Do you want me to get started?” If they hesitate, then you can offer more information. 

Yes, this is easier in person where you can read their body language. It’s easier with contingency cases that don’t require payment up front. But a surprising percentage of prospective clients will not only sign up without hearing all the details, they actually prefer it. 

They want to say yes, so they can get on with their life and let you do what you do. They don’t want to think about their problem any more than they have to, they don’t want to wait for a solution, and they don’t want to talk to more lawyers. 

They want you. Now.

At least that’s what you should assume. 

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Filed Under: Closing the sale

When do prospective clients decide to hire you?

January 30, 2024 by
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By the time most prospective clients meet you or speak to you, they’ve already decided to hire you. Or not.

They usually know something about you—from your website, your ad or mailing, a review, or a friend who referred them. When they speak to you, their gut tells them yes or no.  

You can give them more information about yourself, about their case and what you can do to help them. But they’ve usually already decided. They use the information you give them to confirm their decision or to see if there’s a reason to override it.

Which means you don’t have to give them a lot of information or go hard trying to persuade them.

If, based on first impressions, they’ve decided they want to hire you, you only need to tell them enough so they can justify their decision. If you give them more, you risk overwhelming or confusing them, giving them more things to think about or question, and talking yourself out of the sale. 

On the other hand, if they initially decided to not hire you, loading them up with information is unlikely to get them to change their mind. 

People don’t like changing their minds.

Give them basic information and not too much of it. If they want more, they’ll ask for more. 

Hey, this is good news. Since the sale is made before you speak to the prospective client, you just have to say enough to not screw it up.

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Filed Under: Client relations, Closing the sale, Salesmanship

Talk less

January 23, 2024 by
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All of the marketing and advertising you do is merely a prequel to having a conversation with a prospective client. 

During that conversation, they want to know what you think about their situation or question; they want to know if you can help them; and they want to know what it will take for you to do that. 

So, you ask questions. And listen. 

You listen so you can diagnose their problem or need and tell them how you can help them and what it will cost. If they like what you say, they begin to trust you and move closer to taking the next step. 

But they might not be ready. They might have more questions. 

Questions are good. It means they’re interested. 

But the key to reaching agreement isn’t for you to do all the talking. They key is to get them to do most of the talking. 

Which means asking them more questions. 

You want them to tell you more about their situation, what they want and what they fear. As you validate what they say, through your words and body language (and additional questions), they see that not only are you knowledgeable about their situation and capable of helping them, you want to.

But don’t let them wander. You must control the conversation by narrowing the scope of their questions and keeping them focused on the solutions they need and want. Answer their question and ask your own:

Does that make sense? Is that what you want? Would (this) be better for you or would (that)?

When you see that they might be ready to take that next step, ask a “closing” question. If you’ve answered their questions and told them what you can do to help them, your closing question might be as simple as, “Are you ready to get started?” 

Talk less. Listen more. They’ll tell you what they want—and what you need to say to get them to say “yes”.

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Filed Under: Closing the sale, Salesmanship

What to do when prospective clients say your fees are too high

December 7, 2023 by
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You don’t want to lose them and you don’t want to cut your fee. What do you say or do with prospects who say you’re too expensive? 

First, you realize that this might be true for them. In which case, you let them go. But before you do that, offer a lower-priced service if you have one, or a smaller portion of your full service. If not, offer to introduce them to a lawyer or firm with lower fees.

Help them and they’ll remember you if their financial situation or legal needs change. And by referring them to another lawyer, you might earn that lawyer’s referrals when they have a conflict or a client who needs more help than they can provide. 

For everyone else, consider that you might not have a fee problem, you have a marketing problem. 

You might be targeting prospective clients who are not a good fit for you in terms of their needs and your capabilities. If you are a sole practitioner, for example, and they want to work with a bigger firm, you either need to show them why you are more nimble and can provide them with more personal attention as a sole practitioner than a bigger firm, or otherwise convince them you can deliver what they’re looking for. 

Your timing might be the culprit. If you’re speaking to a prospect at a low point in their cash flow cycle, or in the middle of an inflationary cycle, introduce them to a bank or other source of funding, or adopt more flexible payment terms yourself. 

Your timing might also be a problem if (they think) you’re not responding to their inquiry quickly enough. 

Maybe they think you’re too aggressive in trying to get them to sign up. Or not aggressive enough if that’s something they are used to or expect. 

They might not like your style. Some clients need a bit of handholding, and you might not be solicitous enough for their taste. Others might equate being overly nice with being weak.

It could be ineffective marketing materials. Your website or presentation might talk too much about features and not enough about benefits. You might not have enough testimonials or reviews to see the deal. Maybe you haven’t shown them you provide enough value, especially if they’re comparing you to your competition who offers more or does a better job of articulating that value. 

Maybe the whole package they see is too lawyer-like (somber, boring, tight-lipped) for them, or not lawyer-like enough. 

If you want to sign up more clients and have fewer prospects tell you your fees are too high, you need to find out what people want and what they expect. It comes down to research, testing, and conversation.

Try different approaches and see what works best. Survey or talk to prospects, new clients, and especially, the ones who got away. 

You can learn a lot just by talking to people.

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Filed Under: Closing the sale, Fees and Billing

A simple formula 

September 26, 2023 by
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According to Wikipedia, “Copywriting is the process of creating persuasive marketing and promotional materials that motivate people to take some form of action, such as making a purchase, clicking on a link, donating to a cause, or scheduling a consultation.” 

There are several copywriting formulas, starting with the most well known AIDA, which stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. 

You can’t convince anyone to do something unless you first have their attention. That’s your headline or lead. 

Once you have their attention, you present information that builds interest for your product or service or solution. 

You then build desire for your product or solution by showing them how they will be better off when they buy it. 

Finally, you prompt them to take action to get what you offer. 

It works for most products or services, including legal services, but I use a somewhat different formula: PASBA. 

PASBA stands for Problem, Agitation, Solution, Benefits, and (call to) Action. 

  1. Problem. What does your reader want and what’s stopping him from getting it? Sometimes, especially with an abstract like legal services, they don’t even realize they have a problem until you point it out. 
  2. Agitate. What can happen if they don’t fix the problem or get what they want? What can they lose? How bad can it get? What pain and secondary problems might occur? Show them examples, stories, statistics, or other factors to illustrate and build desire for a solution.  
  3. Solution. What you can do to solve, mitigate, or prevent the problem, or help them achieve their goal? Tell them about your services and options. 
  4. Benefits. What do they get when they hire you? Will they feel relief? Be safer, happier, or otherwise better off? 
  5. Call to action. Tell them what to do to get your solution and benefits. Tell them how to get started, encourage them to take the first step, and create urgency for doing that with a deadline or by reminding them about the risks of delay or inaction.   

You can use variations of this formula in sales copy, emails, web pages, from the stage, in person, or any time you want to convince people to do something you want them to do. 

Make sure they know the nature and extent of their problem, what you can do to help them, how they will be better off, and what to do to get started. 

If you do, you’ll get more clients and help more people. If you don’t. . . 

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Filed Under: Closing the sale, Copywriting

Don’t take “no” for an answer

August 14, 2023 by
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What do you do when someone says they’re not ready to sign up, or they “need to think about it”?

In other words, “no”? No soup for you. 

You told them their risks and their options. You laid out a plan. Answered their questions. If they still said no. Should you let them go? 

No. Give it another shot. Because “no” often means “tell me more”. They may know they need to say yes, they may want to say yes, but they’re afraid and won’t commit. 

Follow these 3 steps to help them make the right decision:

  1. Isolate. Put on your litigator’s hat, repeat what they’ve told you (their objection or reason for wanting to wait). “So what you’re saying is. . .” (It’s a big decision, a lot of money, you’re not sure this is right for you, etc.) Get them to acknowledge that these are the reasons they want to think about it, etc., and there aren’t any other reasons. 
  2. Validate. “I understand how you feel; many of my clients told me the same thing when they first came to see me. . .”
  3. Differentiate. Show them why the benefits outweigh the risks or that this is the best time (and why). Tell them again why they need to do this. You might phrase it in terms of what your other clients (who initially hesitated) realized, e.g., “. . .and then they found out/realized. . .”

And “close” again. “So, shall we get this going?” 

If they still say no, you might say, “Before you make your final decision.. .” and tell them a new fact or statistic or client story. Yes, they’ve already made their final decision, but you don’t have to accept it. 

Reject their rejection. And close again. 

More: The Attorney Marketing Formula

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Filed Under: Closing the sale

It’s not just what you say, but when you say it

August 8, 2023 by
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It’s called “staging” and it makes your written or spoken message more effective by putting your points in the most effective order. 

For example, you stage your material when you start an article or presentation with the problem, not the solution, and follow that by explaining the risks of ignoring the problem or choosing a poor solution. 

After you describe the risks, you build on that with examples of what might happen, the costs, delays, pain and suffering, and secondary problems that can occur. 

Now, you have your reader’s attention and the desire to hear the solution. When you then describe the solution, e.g., your services, they’re all ears and ready to know what to do to get this solution. 

You tell them what to do, e.g., call, fill out a form, etc., and to seal the deal, you tell them the benefits of taking that next step—clarity, relief, a proven plan of action, saving money, etc. 

That’s staging. That’s using a logical order to improve your audience’s understanding, build tension, and show them a way to release that tension precisely when your reader or listener is most likely to do it.

But staging isn’t just the order in which you present the elements of your message. It’s also about how you transition from one element to the next. 

Want an example? (There, “Want an example?” is an example of a transitional phrase that pulls the reader forward to the next element, in this case, an example).

Transitional phrases keep readers reading and listeners listening. They do that by asking questions and painting pictures in their mind with statements that get them to focus on an image or feeling, ready to hear more.

There are many ways to accomplish this. For example, you can ask, “What do you think might happen if. . ?” and letting their imagination do the rest. Or, “Imagine how you’ll feel when you no longer have. . .”. 

You can also use transitional phrases to transition to your call to action or close. 

A few examples:

“At this point, there are 3 questions you should be asking yourself. . .”

“When I show this to people, they usually tell me/ask me. . .”

“Here are your options. . . which one makes the most sense to you?” 

“If this describes your situation, here’s what I recommend. . .”

Think of this type of transitional phrase as a palate cleanser, making the reader ready for the next course. 

Anyway, this is just a brief introduction to staging and transitional phrases. You don’t need to be a marketing expert or copywriter to use them. But do pay attention to how others use them in their writing and presentations, and consider how you might use them in yours.

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Filed Under: Closing the sale, Communication, Content creation, Copywriting, Presentations, Salesmanship, Writing

How clients happen

July 19, 2023 by
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When a new clients signs up, a sale has taken place. There’s no other word for it. Information was delivered, questions were answered, and a decision was made. 

But while a sale occurred, it doesn’t mean the attorney “sold” them. 

In fact, it was the client who sold themselves. And that began before they ever spoke to the attorney.

Your website and marketing materials do most of your selling for you. They show prospective clients why they need legal help and why they should choose you. When you speak with them, you guide them from the general to the specifics of their case or situation, and the client then sells themself on getting started (or not).  

Sometimes, the client needs a little nudge. There are simple techniques to help you do that and they are worth learning. One example is the “alternative close,” where you ask the client if they’re considering one of your services or the other, or to get started this week or next. 

Two choices, either of which are good for them and good for you. 

Think of this as a focusing technique because it gets the prospect to focus on what they want to do.

But it is their decision. You’re just there to help them make it. 

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Filed Under: Closing the sale

It’s an investment, not an expense

July 18, 2023 by
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Yesterday, I talked about following up with prospects and clients before, during, and after the case or engagement. Most lawyers get it. But many lawyers don’t do it because it takes a lot of time. 

I say it’s worth the time because it helps you get new business, keep clients from leaving, and generate positive reviews that can multiply that effect.  

But (surprise) lawyers are busy. Even if they want to do it, it’s too easy to let it slide. 

I mentioned having an assistant do it. Have them make the calls, send the emails, and otherwise manage follow up and other marketing activities for you. Yes, there is a cost, just as there is a cost to you if you handle this function yourself. If you take an employee away from their other work, that work might fall through cracks and cause problems. 

I say it’s worth the risk because the benefits outweigh that cost. Especially if you have a reasonable volume of cases or clients. 

Think about it. Do the math. If you hire someone part time and pay them $4000 per month, and they’re able to save one case or client per month or get one client to return, your costs would be covered, wouldn’t they? And if that assistant is able to stimulate clients to provide more reviews and more referrals, and this generates two additional cases (or saves) per month, you would double your investment. 

Over time, these numbers would compound.

You know I’m a big proponent of making referrals a primary marketing method for most attorneys. If you’ve read me for a while, you also know that you can stimulate referrals without explicitly talking to clients about the subject. But, let’s face it, talking to clients about referrals is a powerful way to get more of them. A lot more. 

If that’s not something you want to do, have your marketing assistant do it for you. 

I built my practice primarily with referral marketing. A key to making that happen was delegating as much as possible to assistants. 

It was an investment, not an expense. And it paid off in spades.

How to talk to clients about referrals

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Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Closing the sale, Increase your income, Law office management, Referrals
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