It takes more than good lawyering to make a practice a success. Just as important is a good public image.
Here Trey Ryder, a legal marketing consultant in Payson, AZ, gives seven ways to make the firm look good.
Rule #1: Pay up! Few people know much at all about the law firms in their community, Ryder says.
They don’t know the good from the bad.
But what does get around is word on which firms pay their bills and which don’t. That’s because law firms deal with a large number of local vendors and those vendors talk.
Be a late payer or argue about charges and the firm’s reputation suffers. So does the service it gets. It’s much the same as calling a tire company to come fix a flat and being told “you haven’t paid the bill so we aren’t going to fix your tire.”
When it comes to money, information gets around.
Rule #2: Don’t shock clients with the bills. A 100% client turn-off: adding unexpected fees or expenses to the bill.
Clients want to know what a matter will cost and they want to know that before they get into the work. Everybody wants an idea of what the bill is going to look like. Nobody appreciates a shocker.
If it isn’t possible to give an exact estimate, quote a range. Say, for instance, “A problem like yours typically runs from $2,000 to $2,500.”
The upfront quote is also a good business-screening device. If the prospect turns it down, the firm has just avoided doing work for somebody who isn’t going to pay.
Rule #3: Be considerate of the associates and staff. The internal workings of the firm also count as marketing. When employees are disgruntled with their jobs or with the boss or the firm’s culture “they gripe to other people.”
And the griping is no longer word-of-mouth. It gets broadcast on Facebook or Twitter, and what people say can ruin the firm’s reputation.
One of the main things employees want today, Ryder says, is a positive, upbeat environment—as well as a financially secure environment.
Money is a highly sensitive area because people fear for their jobs. They don’t want to hear the boss say, “My Christmas present to you is to let you keep your job.” The boss may think that’s a joke, but they will wonder what the underlying message is.
Don’t mention bad possibilities such as layoffs, either. People will talk about what’s said and news like that “can cut the firm’s legs off.”
Tell staff the firm is grateful for their work and appreciates their efforts. Doing so strengthens the bond with staff and builds a good public image.
Rule #4: Be there. Be on time. Keep appointments. Honor commitments. That applies to attorneys, administrators, and staff.
When people speak ill of a law firm, that’s one of the first things they bring up, Ryder says. They’ll say the attorney didn’t keep appointments or arrived late or that the firm doesn’t do what it promises to do.
Rule #5: Be pleasant about returning calls. Tell the clients, “This is how we handle calls and this is why we do it this way and here’s how it benefits you.”
Ryder cites one firm that had a good calling policy but phrased it “brutally.” The policy said: “Don’t call unless we have a scheduled appointment to talk because we might not be available.”
Make it positive. Say, “The best way to reach us is to schedule a telephone appointment with the secretary. That way we can be prepared to answer your questions and set aside time to focus totally on your call.”
Rule #6: Respond fast. When someone asks for information about the firm, send it immediately.
Any prospect is quite likely looking at other firms as well so be the first to hand over marketing materials.
Rule #7: Rectify the mistakes. When things go wrong, or when the firm doesn’t produce what was expected, make it up to the client.
It’s not unheard of for an attorney to have a written guarantee stating that fees will be reduced if “our work doesn’t live up to your expectations.”
Poor work by an attorney should be the attorney’s problem to fix, not the client’s problem to live with.
Attorneys already tier fees based on if a matter proceeds to court or not.
Add something to that. Perhaps a “30-day file guarantee” during which time the client can pick up the file with no fee and no strings attached if the work doesn’t meet expectations.
Or guarantee that the lawyer assigned to his or her case will address “any problem with anyone in our office.” Now the client feels they have 100% access to the attorney.
When a client is dissatisfied, money should be the first solution, not the last one an attorney offers, Ryder says. People like to see their attorneys held accountable and rarely, if ever, does anybody ask for their money back.
