Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamiltion have appointed their first Chief Strategy Officer.
His main responsilibity is to "help the firm identify and pursue growth and marketing opportunities, including new geographies, combinations and lateral acquisitions."
So is a law firm's primary strategy, marketing their legal services?
Intersting article in June 9th Law Gazette where Gillian Khan, Marketing Director of London law firm, Berwin Leighton Paisner, claims that marketing staff simply do not stay long enough in the role to be significant. Gillian has been in her position over five years.
Is this a question of persistence pays or law firm don't pay enough?
Earlier this week I had the opportuinty to pass a referral to a law firm in another part of the country. My contact was looking for a law firm in this city.
When I spoke to the law firm, I was told that only the Office Manager processed new enquiries and that she was away for two days. Amazingly I was asked to call back in 48 hours. When I asked to speak to one of the partners, my request was declined.
Would you wait 48 hours to pass a referral to a law firm?
Or would you conclude like me that maybe they are not looking for new clients!
Rod Sloane
Solicitors Institute
It’s 9.07 am on Thursday 19th May, another grey London Spring morning,
but the view I’m looking at is spectacular.
I’m looking across the rooftops of the City of London at the dome of
St Paul’s Cathedral, it’s the view from Fagin’s den in Oliver Twist!
I stop looking at the view and my mind drifts back into the conference
room.
I am sat in the second row, window seat, of probably the best law firm
Seminar I have attended in memory. Great content about e-commerce.
Well timed at 75 minutes. Led by a partner who was wise enough to let
his young bucks do the talking and field most of the questions.
Good move.
The law firm is Pinsent Masons.
I am impressed.
So are the other 60+ other attendees in the room. Great view too!
On the walk back to the Farringdon Tube Station , I start asking myself
Why do so few law firms put on quality client seminars?
I ask myself again.
“Why do so few law firms put on quality client seminars?”
Do you ask that question yourself? It always amazes me
Because…
Client Seminars Work.
They are highly time effective and prospective clients can see you in action
…Unplugged! They like that.
And it’s because client seminars are so important to your business development
I am going to share some top secrets on effective law firm seminars with you in early June.
Friday June 10th, to be exact.
So that’s exactly what is going to happen at "How to Attract Profitable New
Clients" on June 10th, a morning only, law firm marketing seminar in London.
Expect to put seminars into your next Marketing Plan!!
Two caveats:
2. There is no cost to attend.
That’s right it’s a Free Seminar.
We have been able to offer you this thanks to the generous sponsorship of
IKON UK. This will be a different experience for you.
Because of the size of our London venue, I am capping the contingent from
any one firm to a maximum of three. So book now, we have limited space.
Join our FREE June 10th Law Firm Marketing Seminar
in London and learn "How to Attract Profitable New Clients"
For further information: Click Here
Ecademy are kindly helping with the registration for this event.
If you are an Ecademy member Click Here
If you’re not an Ecademy member and have no interest in joining,
then to register for June 10th either:
Call me free on: 08000 832 597 or
Email me on: mail@solicitorsinstitute.co.uk
Be Quick!
Don’t be a law firm marketing sinner.
I had to turn people away from the April Seminar.
Warm Regards
-Rod Sloane
Let’s define law firm marketing as planned and regular activities that generate profitable new clients and increase revenue.
The majority of these marketing activities can be used with existing clients; however you can also use them to focus on new clients.
What processes will most business clients go through before hiring you?
Try the VCR Model. That is Visibility, Credibility and then Rapport.
So how does this work?
Potential new clients have to become aware of you and your firm.
If not, they will simply hire one of your MANY competitors.
We are not referring to your technical credibility of whether you can execute the technical legal work. More, are you aware of the issues in your prospective new client’s marketplace?
Do you ask power questions or dumb questions?
Can you talk your client’s language?
If you struggle with technical issues for example, then you may just find it a trifle hard to position yourself as an expert in the software industry.
How you position your fee earners and your firm is key because any potential client will be looking for you to demonstrate a perception of expertise.
In short can you “talk the talk, but also walk the talk”.
Once you have established credibility, you can then work on what will pay you long term i.e. establishing rapport and building a relationship.
Can you build a relationship that is unique to you and your firm?
Every activity in your Marketing Plan should be focused on first building Visibility, then Credibility and finally Rapport.
If this is not the purpose of your marketing, then you are maybe pursuing a fruitless and wasted activity.
There appears to be some confusion between the function of a Marketing Plan and a Business Plan. Here’s one opinion. A Business Plan is a roadmap for the whole firm for the next three to five years. Often used in times of start-up or merger, it outlines markets and revenue plans. The desired outcome of this type of document is often to secure funds from potential investors.
A Marketing Plan is rarely shared with anyone outside the practice. This plan will normally have a timescale of one year and is simply new business based. It may or may not include revenue targets.
You may have asked yourself how long, big, detailed and comprehensive a Marketing Plan should be. The shocking truth may upset you, particularly if you come from an MBA background.
A marketing plan for a law firm should be one page long and only one page long.
Now, you may be thinking, but how am I going to include all our marketing plans…well you don’t.
The plan is for your partners, if it’s longer it will not be read, will not be believed and certainly will not be implemented.
Most solicitors marketing their legal services are “winging it” with a seminar here, now let’s have a new logo and a now a new brochure. Networking events, yes we must do them and let’s bash out a free electronic newsletter.
Now, there is a problem with all these disparate activities in that they will give a law firm guaranteed results, which will be occasional, short-term, erratic and most unlikely unprofitable.
The outcome of your marketing plan should be one simple goal…a focus.
Rod Sloane is the Director of the Solicitors Institute the law firm marketing consultancy.
www.SolicitorsInstitute.com
Last night I attended the Jeffrey Gitomer teleseminar "Asking Powerful Questions!" Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible and is an authority on sales and marketing. Wow! What an education. You might well wonder why this is so important to the marketing of your law firm.
Well most clients find it real hard to differntiate between most lawyers. Now according to Gitomer if you ask the same question as every other attorney and solicitor asks then...that is how the client will think of you.
The same as all the others.
Instead Gitomer suggests we ask questions to which the client responds "No one ever asked me that before!"
Make the client think before giving you an answer.
So out go all those dumb questions you might use including:
1. Which law firm are you currently using? Find out before the meeting.
2. Are you satisfied with Smith & Jones? Why should they tell you?
3. Tell me a little about your businessAs I cannot be bothered to find out myself
4. What will it take me to get this work? Shouldn't you know?
Watch out for these dumb words because clients hate them:
Today
Frankly
Honestly
If I were you...
So what 's the example of a good question.
Well try these, straight from Gitomer.
"Who are your three most trusted advisors?"
"How did they get to that position with you?"
My recommendation is that you go to www.gitomer.com and place an order for the CD of last night's teleseminar
