When you have a client in the office, have you ever said “hold my calls” to your receptionist or whoever answers the phone? You shouldn’t have. It should be understood that unless there is an emergency, when you have someone in the office, you don’t take calls.

And yet, I know many lawyers do. Not you, of course. But we all know someone.

It’s rude. People don’t like it. It tells the client, “you’re not as important as the person on the phone, or as important as me, and I don’t care if I’m wasting your time.”

Even if the call is just a few seconds. Your next appointment calling to tell you they are running late, or opposing counsel telling you the case is settled and you don’t have to go to the settlement conference that afternoon.

The same goes for text messages. Unless your wife is about to go into labor, you shouldn’t be looking at your phone. And if your wife is about to go into labor, you should tell your client that’s why you’re checking your phone so he doesn’t think you’re a boob.

Aside from being rude and selfish, it’s bad posture. It tells your clients that you are poorly organized. Or hungry for new business and lacking self-confidence. You answer the phone because it might be a prospective client and you don’t want to lose them.

Weak.

I think some lawyers think taking calls actually gives them better posture. They think it says, “I’m very important. Look at all the people who want to talk to me.”

Notsomuch.

Here’s an idea you might want to run with.

Create a document, pledging your commitment to never taking calls or looking at texts during client meetings. Let people know that your clients are important to you and deserve your full attention.

Send this to all of your clients. Put it in your “new client kit”. Post it on your web site. Have it engraved and put it up on your wall. When a new client or prospect is in the office, call their attention to it. Let them know you really mean it.

It doesn’t matter that most attorneys don’t take calls during client meetings. Most of them don’t have a pledge. So when you do, you stand out. People talk about you. Remember you.

Marketing is everything we do to get and keep good clients. This is one of those things.

The Attorney Marketing Formula will teach you how to get more clients and increase your income. Click here to learn more. Go ahead. You know you want to.