Miami Legal Business Development | Branding | Law Firm Coaching | Paula Black

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By giving clients an amazing experience we can not only drum up repeat business, but we can build a referral source for the future.

This week we asked: How do you think clients would rate your client service?

1) Terrible - 0%

2) Not great - 0%

3) Just OK - 31%

4) Pretty good - 43%

5) Outstanding - 26%

My Thoughts: I’m happy to see that over two-thirds of you think that your clients would rate you above average. But are you sure? How do you know?

This week we’re looking at the importance of client service—not just in retaining clients, but in transforming them into major referral sources. The book I referenced on Tuesday (“Flip the Funnel” by Joseph Jaffe) uses actual case studies of big business to show how companies relate to consumers and the importance of making sure they’re happy. Not just happy. Go-out-of-their-way, over-the-top, have-to-tell-someone-immediately happy.

Quick example: One of my team members recently had her second child. When she and her husband pulled out their three-year-old crib to put it back to together for their newborn they found that a small albeit important piece was broken. Having bought the crib from a large national retailer they jumped in the car and headed to the store. After explaining their dilemma to the manager he explained that the crib was a special order item and they didn’t stock the part needed, but he would check the back. 15 minutes later he returned with the part. How? He had taken apart an entire floor model in the back office just to provide them with a 3-inch bracket. Did he have to do that? Absolutely not. Did my associate run immediately to Facebook, Twitter and anyone who would listen and tell them how fabulous the retailer was? Yes. Did that translate to new business? You bet.

Think about it. What have you done for a client lately that would inspire that kind of action?

"In an acquisition-heavy world, we pull out all the stops to woo a stranger to sample our wares, yet we ignore the very people who essentially fund our acquisition efforts in the first place. It is tantamount to feeding yourself by holding the steak knife the wrong way," writes Jaffe. "Not only will you go hungry, but also you'll end up in the emergency room."

Black Pearl: If you’re interested in more information from the book check out the Twitter feed or the website.

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The more you know about your client and their business the more you are able to help them in ways that neither of you can see if you don’t. I'm NOT talking about their legal matter, I'm talking about the operation of their business, their customers, their strategy and business plans. As well as personnel issues: how many kids do they have, where do they go to school, what do they like to do in their spare time? And the by-product is a stronger relationship and increased business.

This is a universal issue. No matter what city on the globe you do business… connecting is human nature.  John Strachan from Paull & Williamsons in Scotland points out…

“Focus on your potential clients’ business. Don’t just read off a list of services that your firm can provide or a description of the size, make-up and location of your firm. That will generally be a turn-off for potential clients. Focus on listening to the person and learning about the client’s business, then talk about how your firm’s services can be tailored to meet their specific business needs and requirements.”

Getting people to talk about themselves and then listening is an ART. Some people are so smooth and interested that the other person doesn’t feel interrogated. The reward is that you have gathered the information you need to position yourself  as a solution to their needs. 

Asking is critical, so do you ask and more importantly HOW do you ask? Please take TWO SECONDS to answer this poll question, I will close the polling Wednesday at 5pm EST. and on Thursday I will post the results.

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The question we are considering is: How many clients do you give something for free?

Results

1. None – 25%
   
2. Less than 5% of my clients – 12%
   
3. 6- 25% of my clients – 13%
   
4. 26 - 50% of my clients – 25%
5. More than 50% of my clients – 25%

Thanks to everyone who participated in this week's poll...

My Thoughts - So… who’s giving it away? 75% of you are giving SOMETHING. Of those, 25% are giving to OVER 50% of their clients... WOW,  that's a commitment to client service and building relationships!

As for the 25% of you that NEVER give anything away... I can't help but wonder how valued your clients feel, and how much business you are leaving on the table for others to pick up. 

Showing that you value your client and their business is important to every relationship and knowing when to stop the clock will pay dividends down the road. Studies show that it takes 7 times more money to acquire a new client than to keep the ones you have. This is a marketing habit that makes good business sense for your law firm branding.

For those of you who didn't take the poll, where do you fall in on these stats? Stopping the clock is a great way to pick up new business. Your clients already trust you (or they should), so if you “check-in” and there is a matter sitting on their desk, wouldn’t they give it to you?

Black Pearl - A little something to think about: A couple of weeks ago CBS Sunday Morning had a very interesting story Free For All, Profit For Some and featured Chris Anderson's new book Free:The Future of a Radical Price, presenting a compelling case that free doesn't have to be a four letter word and it can be a form of marketing. There is a great success story from The Wall Street Journal, take a look and tell us what YOU think...