The Lifetime Value of Your Clients
Attracting and converting more prospective clients is the primary goal of your 2008 marketing plan, but it's not the only one. Too often, we think of clients in terms of single cases and neglect the long-term value of those relationships.
While it's true that word-of-mouth referrals aren't likely to bring in as many potential clients as a television ad or Internet marketing, we shouldn't underestimate their value.
The quality of these referrals is usually very high, and these "free" prospects effectively dilute your marketing costs by giving you two—or more—paying clients for the price of one.
To make the most of those relationships, and of your marketing dollars, start building that long-term relationship from the very first contact.
- Be Accessible - Increase your chances of converting a prospect and of gaining referrals by sending the message that you care. Simply taking a little extra time to listen, guide and connect can make all the difference.
- Set the Right Expectations - Underpromise and overdeliver. Overselling might seem like a great way to talk a prospect into the office or get him to sign on the dotted line, but in the end you may be setting him up for disappointment—and yourself for a disgruntled client who won't be likely to refer his friends and relatives to you. Instead, set realistic expectations and then overperform. Clients who are pleasantly surprised will speak well of you.
- Build on the Attorney-Client Relationship - Once a prospect becomes a client, it's easy to believe that your marketing work is done and all that remains is the lawyering, but that short-sighted view may cost you future clients. Small investments can make a big impression. For instance, create templated letters to keep clients up to date at various stages of their cases and return telephone calls promptly.
- Keep in Touch - Set up an email or newsletter campaign that provides your past clients with helpful tips related to the issues you helped them resolve. The fact that you're continuing to help after the case is closed and the retainer is spent will make an impression.
- Be a Source of Information, Not Just Representation - Let your prospects know about the resources on your website right from the start, and then keep them posted as those resources are updated. Help them think of you as a long-term resource and a continual source of fresh information and insights.
- Be Direct - During the final meeting or phone call, ask your client to keep you in mind if he or his friends or family have future legal needs.
A solid professional relationship can last for years and generate repeat business and referrals. Taking these and other simple, low-investment steps toward forging that relationship is well worth your while.
In future newsletters, we'll look at some of these strategies in more detail.
Tax Refunds for Clients Can Mean Payment for You
Federal law requires that W-2 forms be mailed by January 31: what better time to encourage your clients to put their money to good use? The timing is right to send out a letter explaining how your clients can use their tax refunds to achieve something positive.
The specifics depend on your priorities and the area of law. For instance, a bankruptcy client can be encouraged to use that money to clean the slate and get a fresh start. You might choose to offer clients with past-due balances a 10% discount if they use tax refunds to pay their balances in full. The best approach depends on your practice, but don't let this opportunity slip by unnoticed.
Warrantless Laptop Searches: The Government Says "Yes So"
Search and seizures already create a lot of confusion for many criminal defendants, and the waters aren't getting any clearer. Recently, the U.S. Government claimed the right to conduct warrantless searches of laptops at airports.
Check out the link above and let us know at newsletters@totalattorneys.com what you think about warrantless searches of laptop computers.
In the meantime, here's what others are saying about similar issues.
Breathalyzers & Minors
We all know that breathalyzer test results can be unreliable for a host of reasons-but that doesn't stop prosecutors from relying on them in DUI cases. Now, they're finding their way into high schools.
More and more high schools are using breathalyzers in an effort to prevent underage drinking. In some schools, detection of any alcohol on the breath could result in students being denied to social events like Friday night football games and the prom.
Examine the increasing use of breathalyzers on people under 21 in the following articles.
Blogging about Divorce Case Raises Key Constitutional Questions
Perhaps your firm has its own blog in which your divorce lawyers react to recent cases and laws, or respond to reader comments and questions. We know from authoring the Total Divorce Blog, that blogging can be fun and creative way to connect with consumers.
Like any evolving media, however, blogging raises a host of new legal issues-or at least, new twists on old ones. Recently, a Vermont man was ordered by judge to stop blogging about his divorce, causing an outcry from some sectors. But this is far from the only legal issue brewing in the blogosphere today.
Putting the Total Program to Work for You
Answering Consumer Questions during the Initial Telephone Call
We've frequently detailed how the Total Attorneys program sets the stage for you to turn a contact into a client by asking the right questions and building a sense of connection.
While asking the right questions is an important part of helping your prospective client understand that he needs to take action, it's just one piece of the puzzle. Don't underestimate the importance of answering questions in a way that conveys interest, understanding and concern.
Remember that the first 30 seconds of that initial conversation are a great time for you to listen as the contact explains his situation and asks questions. The information you gain will help you speak to the issues that are foremost in the client's mind.
Speaking generally without giving fact-specific advice allows you to answer questions and establish your interest and expertise while guiding the prospect toward the next step: discussing his situation with you in person. For example:
- A bankruptcy lawyer may be asked whether student loans are dischargeable in bankruptcy. How would you answer? Ideally, by indicating that student loans are generally not dischargeable in a bankruptcy case and that you would need to sit down with him and gather more information before you could make a specific assessment in his case.
- Divorce lawyers often get questions about how child custody is typically determined during divorce cases. Responding that courts typically rely on a variety of factors when coming to child custody decisions, listing some of the most common factors, and then suggesting that the prospective client should visit your office to more closely examine these factors as they may apply to his situation that could very well persuade your prospect to move forward.
- DUI lawyers often hear from people who have just been charged with drunk driving and are wondering if there's any way to beat the charges. Replying that there are generally different ways in which a DUI charge can be challenged and that you would be happy to examine the facts of the case for such possibilities during a face-to-face meeting may spark the contact to take the next step.
When it comes to answering questions, be forthcoming with general information.. Don't underestimate the competitive advantage that answering questions may give you: an attorney who answers questions over the telephone will seem more accessible than an attorney who is unwilling to answer questions until the consumer comes into his office for a consultation, and that accessibility may be the first building block in your attorney-client relationship.
Kevin's Corner
Practice Management Tip of the Month
Tracking Your '08 Marketing Efforts
"2008 is here, and it's time to kick your marketing plan for the new year into high gear.
"Your firm may have set some lofty goals for the year and those efforts may already be underway, but don't forget that tracking the return on those efforts is critical.
"Creating an efficient tracking system may sound like an arduous task, but it doesn't have to be. Consistency is the key.
"Simply begin by asking every consumer who contacts you how he or she heard about your firm-but don't stop with the basic "yellow pages" or "television ad". Find out which telephone directory the prospect saw you in, and whether he was looking at your text ad or a graphic ad. Ask TV viewers what channel they saw you on and at what time of day.
"You may even want to go so far as to assign a unique telephone number for each ad so that you can accurately track which generates the most inquiries. But even then, your job isn't done. After all, it's not inquiries you're most concerned with-it's clients.
"Collect all of your data in a central location, perhaps something as simple as an Excel spreadsheet. Make sure that your employees update this spreadsheet every time they come in contact with a consumer, from the initial call through the day your firm is retained.
"Create sections for appointments scheduled and appointments kept, and track which prospects ultimately become clients. Note fees as well, so that you can calculate which marketing outlets generate more lucrative relationships.
"Consistently tracking this data will allow you to better identify opportunities to increase conversion, assess the value of your various marketing endeavors, and increase your focus in the most profitable areas."
- Kevin Chern is President of Total Attorneys Inc. and a Law Practice Management Consultant to more than 650 law firms throughout the country.
Updated Median Family Income Data for Bankruptcy Cases Filed on or after February 1st
Bankruptcy cases filed on or after February 1, 2008 will be subject to the Census Bureau's updated median family income data and the Administrative Expense Multipliers.
Updated figures are available at the U.S. Trustee's "Means Testing" page.
Holding Insurance Companies Accountable Amidst Disturbing Cases
Insurance companies are a common foe of personal injury lawyers; we know all too well that corporations will go to great lengths to protect their bottom line and minimize payouts. These recent cases illustrate the importance of keeping up the good fight and holding them accountable.
Your Sponsor Advocate Team
Changing Contact Information in Your TA Account
Our sponsor advocate team occasionally gets questions about making additions and changes to a firm's contact information in its Total Attorneys account.
For example, your firm might hire a new secretary whom you want to handle all action in your TA account. Adding that person's primary contact information to your account is simple.
After logging in to your account, just:
- Click on the "Go to Admin View" tab at the top of the page;
- Select "Firm Settings" and click on the following "Users" tab; and
- Click the "Create Account" button at the bottom right of the next page.
From here, you can add your new employee's primary and contact information and create username and password for them. Once you're done, click "Save New Account" for the changes to take effect.
If you need to make changes to your own contact information, whether your office has moved to a new location or simply changed its phone number, here's what you'll need to do:
- Log in to your account and repeat the first two bullet points from above;
- Select the "Edit Account" button on the next page; and
- Choose "Edit Primary Details."
You will then be able to change everything from your name and birth date to your office location, email address, and home, work, cell and fax numbers. Make the necessary changes in the relevant boxes and click "Save Primary Details."
In order for these changes to take effect, you will then need to click on the "Account Info" tab at the top of the next page. Simply enter the specific changes once again in the respective boxes and then click "Save Firm Settings."
If you have any specific questions about adding or changing contact information in your TA account, Senior Sponsor Advocate Tressa DiGiulio and her sponsor advocate team is here to help.
Simply call 312-753-6911 or shoot an email to support@totalattorneys.com to contact our sponsor advocate team.
