A “legal audit” is a simple but effective way to get more prospects and new clients, and more legal work from your existing (and former) clients. All you do is create a series of questions that help identify actual or potential legal issues or opportunities and distribute it.
You can do the audit in person, but I suggest doing it by email, via a questionnaire.
You ask, they answer, and you review their responses. When you spot an issue or opportunity, you tell them their risks and options and invite them to talk to you about the specifics of their situation. The audit costs them nothing and might save them a lot of expense or headache, or open doors they might not realize are closed.
This may sound like a “free consultation” but you’re not going to spend a lot of time with them, nor will you share a lot of your expertise. Think of this more like a pre-consultation, to see if they need your help or advice.
Your audit will provide you with people who
- Hire you immediately, or
- Sign up for a paid consultation (if you do these), or
- Learn what you do and how you can help them and hire you in the future.
If you’re concerned about missing issues because you aren’t speaking with them, reduce the scope of the survey. Remember, this is just a pre-consultation.
You can do this with existing and former clients and your prospects. You can offer it as a service to people who work with, advise, or write for businesses and individuals and want to provide their clients or customers with added value (i.e., your survey).
You can use it as an “excuse” to re-connect with leads or prospects you haven’t spoken to in a while. Rattle their cage, see if they want to speak with you. And you can advertise your survey or promote it on social.
If you want to “go big,” team up with other lawyers in other practice areas and have each supply you with survey questions related to their field. Or, if you want to advertise, join forces and share the ad costs.
Can you see how this could generate a lot of new business for you?
Try it with a small number of clients or prospects with a handful of basic questions. If you get some results, adjust and expand to taste.
