Client loyalty Archives - Page 10 of 18 - The Attorney Marketing Center

The lifetime value of a client

April 23, 2015 by David M. Ward

Most lawyers invest more time and money in acquiring new clients than in retaining existing ones. And yet the cost of retaining clients is a fraction of the cost of acquiring new ones.

If you want your clients to keep coming back to you, the first thing you need to do is to realize that it’s worth making them happy.

And it is.

Your average client is worth so much more to you than what they pay you for their initial engagement. Their value is an average of all of the fees they are likely to pay you in the future, over their lifetime as a client.

Some clients won’t come back because they don’t need you again, but others will hire you frequently. Some will have small cases, others will have big ones.

And every client can send you referrals, which also count towards their average lifetime value.

Once you understand that the client who pays you $5,000 this year might contribute an average of $150,000 to your bottom line over their lifetime, you will appreciate why it is worth investing in them.

If you only look at the $5,000, you might resist the idea of spending $50 per client per month to stay in touch with clients via a newsletter, birthday cards, and small gifts. If you look at their lifetime value, however, you might look for ways to invest even more.

Consider the cost of acquiring a new client. Take everything you spent last year on anything that could be considered marketing (and don’t forget the value of your time) and divide that number by the number of new clients you signed up.

If you spent $2,000 to bring in one new client who pays you $150,000 over their lifetime, you did well. So I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to bring in new clients. Just that it’s more profitable to keep your existing clients coming back.

It’s also much easier to get existing and former clients to hire you. They already know you and trust you. You don’t have to find them or convince them that you can do the job. If they need your services and you kept them happy in the past, you don’t have to do much to get them to hire you again.

The most effective marketing strategy for any professional is to make an ongoing effort to keep their clients happy. Find out what they want and give it to them. Encourage them to tell you how you are doing and what you could improve. Find out what they expect of you and do everything you can to give them more.

Because over their lifetime, they are worth a fortune to you.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Increase your income, Leverage, Referrals Tagged With: client retention, lifetime value

What will your clients want from you ten years from now?

February 5, 2015 by David M. Ward

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says that if you want to build a successful, sustainable business, donâ€™t ask yourself what could change in the next ten years that could affect your company. Ask what wonâ€™t change, and then put all your energy and effort into that.

Bezos knew that Amazon’s customers will always want low prices and quick delivery and he invested heavily in the infrastructure and systems that allow him to provide these. He sacrificed short term profits to build something great for the long term. “When you have something that you know is true, even over the long term, you can afford to put a lot of energy into it,” he said.

What should you invest in? What do your clients want today that they will still want ten years from now?

Well, more than anything, your clients buy “you”. So invest time and energy in becoming the best you can be. Invest in your skills, your knowledge, and your ability to communicate.

Work on your writing, speaking, and selling skills. Work on becoming a better manager and a better leader. Invest as much as 25% of your time in personal and professional development.

There are other things clients want from you, related to your specific practice area(s), services, and client types. Figure out what those are and invest in them, too. If you find that your clients really want services performed quickly, for example, focus your energy on finding ways to do that.

But mostly, focus on making the best you possible so you can attract the best clients possible.

If you want to learn how to differentiate yourself from other lawyers, get The Formula

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Communication, Image, Increase your income, Marketing legal services, Personal development

The foundation of all attorney marketing

January 5, 2015 by David M. Ward

The foundation of all attorney marketing is value. The more value you deliver to your target market, the more successful you will become.

When you deliver more value, you get more clients, and better clients, and you’re able to charge higher fees. You get more referrals and fewer complaints. You build a base of loyal fans who are not only willing to help you, they go out of their way to do it.

Value starts with your services, of course, but it’s not just the excellence with which your perform those services. It is a function of everything under the umbrella of “client relations”.

It is the little things you do for your clients that improve their entire experience with you. It’s the way you show them that you care about them as individuals and not just names on a file. It’s how you make them feel about themselves and their decision to put their trust in you.

Maya Angelou said it best when she said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Value doesn’t stop with clients. You also deliver value to your prospects, referral sources, and others who work in, advise, or sell to your target market. Give them more value, make them feel good about knowing you,Â and they will remember you when they need your services or know someone who does.

You can deliver value to your prospective clients and referral sources through content-rich websites, videos, podcasts, articles, books, and speaking engagements that educate and empower them and help them make better decisions. You can deliver value through free consultations and free seminars, or paid seminars, books and courses.

The foundation of all attorney marketing is value. Find out what your market wants and deliver it to them. Over and over again. Surprise and delight them by giving them more than anyone else in the market, and you will own that market.

Marketing is easier when you know The Formula.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Increase your income, success

The best way to get more legal work

December 19, 2014 by David M. Ward

I spoke to an estate planning lawyer the other day. He’s getting ready to do another mailing to his client list to encourage them to make an appointment to review and update their estate plans, due to a change in the law. It seems many people are either unaware of the new law or believe it doesn’t apply to them.

We spoke about the content of the letter, including whether or not to extend a special offer or incentive to get more people booking appointments.

I am sure he will get more work out of this, but not nearly as much as he could.

One letter (or email) isn’t enough. Selling your services to prospects or clients is a process, executed through a series of communications. Even if the letter he sends is brilliant and makes the phone ring, a second letter would bring even more.

Some people won’t read the first letter. Some will mean to call, but forget. Some will need time to take care of other business. Some won’t have the money today, or not want to spend it today, but that will change over time.

Never rely on a “one off”. If you do, you’re leaving much dinero on the table.

Your letters and emails, your newsletters, and everything else that comes out of your office, should be part of a sequence of communications, designed to educate and stimulate response.

But don’t stop with the written word. Or other static ways to educate and motivate your list (e.g., videos, seminars, speaking engagements, etc.)

I told this lawyer that if he wants to book more appointments, there’s something else he needs to do.

Call the clients.

You are their lawyer. They need to have this work done. You’ll book more appointments and get more legal work if youÂ talk to them.

Actually, have someone else in the office call on your behalf: “Mr. Twinkletoes wanted me to call you to make sure you received his report about the recent changes inÂ the tax law and to see if you have any questions. He knows you’ll want to take care ofÂ this immediately, so we’re booking appointments right now for the week of the 5th. I have an opening on. . .”.

You’ll get waaay more appointments if you call.

What’s that? You don’t do estate planning? Your practice area doesn’t have a lot (or any) repeat business?

No problem. Here’s a couple of things you can do.

Team up with an estate planning lawyer and promote his or her services to your client list. That lawyer can then promote your services to his or her list.
Call you clients and tell them you have a special offer or promotion going right now and you want to let them know so their contacts can take advantage of it.Â Referrals, baby.

Your list is incredibly valuable. Repeat business, updates, and referrals await you. Call and get some.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Marketing legal services, Referrals Tagged With: book more appointments, get more legal work, repeat business

You can have everything in life you want if you do this

October 8, 2014 by David M. Ward

Zig Ziglar famously said,”You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

It sounds like good advice, and it is. Help enough clients get what they want and they will make you rich.

But helping clients solve legal problems is only the tip of the iceberg. Your clients have wants and needs well beyond what your services can do. Help them get what they want in other aspects of their life and you will be rewarded with a multiple of what they pay you in legal fees.

One time clients will become lifetime clients. They will return again and again and refer other clients. They will promote your events and your newsletter, send traffic to your website, share your content on social media, and help you build your list. They will give you testimonials and sing your praises to anyone who asks.

What can you do for your clients beyond your legal services? Well, what do they need? What are their personal and professional goals? What problems do they need resolved?

Do they want to refinance their mortgage? Perhaps you can introduce them to someone who can help. Do they want to expand their business? Recommend a book or share your experiences in building your practice.

When it comes to helping people, little things can mean as much as big things. Start by making a list of different ways you can help. What do you know how to do? Who do you know that you can recommend?

Can you help someone set up a blog? Make a video? Write an article? Do you have speaking or networking tips you can share? Can you help someone get a better deal on a new car? Find a trustworthy housekeeper, baby sitter, or building contractor? Recommend places to stay in a foreign country?

Keep adding to your list and look at it often. It will help you see how valuable you are and remind you to ask your clients about “what else” they need beyond your legal services.

Of course you can also help prospects and professional contacts and personal friends. And you should. The more people you help, the more people there are who want to help you.

Where do you find the time for all this non-billable work? Think of it as marketing time. Marketing is helping, after all. And remember, it might be non-billable time, but it’s anything but non-paying.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Marketing legal services, Relationship marketing Tagged With: zig ziglar

A recipe for better clients and bigger income

September 23, 2014 by David M. Ward

The other night my wife and I watched “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” a documentary about “Sukiyabashi Jiro,” a famed sushi restaurant in Japan and it’s master chef and owner, Jiro Ono. Actually, she watched it while I dozed, but I caught enough of it to realize a few things.

First, if the reaction of the restaurant’s patrons is any indication, I probably should try sushi one of these days. His customers practically swooned as they consumed their meal, and this in a country that eats lots of sushi.

The second thing I realized is that Mr. Ono is earning a small fortune. The bill for a meal starts at 30,000 yen, which is around $300, and you have to make a reservation a month in advance. That’s for locals. Customers fly in from all over the world and book a year in advance.

What’s the reason for his success? He charges premium prices for a premium meal. He uses only the best fish, which is laboriously prepared and presented. The result is an amazing culinary experience, earningÂ Mr. Ono’s restaurant a coveted “Three Stars” in the Michelin guide.

And it’s a little hole in the wall.

Clean as a whistle, but no atmosphere. Just ten seats. You sit at a counter, Mr. Ono serves you and watches you eat, gauging your reaction. No dilly dallying, mind you. He serves, you eat, and you’re done. “No soup for you!”.

Actually, there is no soup. Or noodles or appetizers. Just sushi.

Anyway, the point is that if you want to have better clients who fly in from all over the world to hire you and pay you higher fees and tell everyone they know about you, you can, if you offer a premium service. Find something you do and make it the best of it’s kind.

You will attract the best clients, the ones who value quality and are willing to pay for it. By charging premium fees, you need fewer clients. But you will have just as many hours available each day and can devote more time to each client. This will allow you to deliver remarkable service that generates repeat business and referrals.

You’ll have it easier than Mr. Ono, however, because he has discerning customers who instantly know that his work product is the best they’ve ever tasted.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Fees and Billing, Increase your income, Marketing legal services Tagged With: Sukiyabashi Jiro, sushi

A simple legal marketing plan

September 11, 2014 by David M. Ward

I like simple. Simple is easy to understand, easy to remember, and easy to do. So when it comes to writing a legal marketing plan, you guessed it, it should be simple.

Here’s that plan: “Two a day”.

Talk to two people a day who are in some way connected with your target market.

Examples:

Call a lawyer or other professional you don’t know and introduce yourself
Call a professional you haven’t spoken to in a long time and ask how they’re doing
Hand out your card to someone you meet in line for coffee
Call a former client, “just to say hello”
Invite a prospective client to coffee or lunch
Call a blogger in your niche and compliment something they wrote
Call someone who just got hired or promoted and congratulate them
Call new business owners and ask if they would like a free copy of your business report
Call the head of an organization and ask if they need a luncheon speaker

You get the idea.

The only rule is, you’ve got to call or speak to them in person. No email.

Why call? Because a professional practice is about the people. Not paper, not electrons. Flesh and blood people who can hire you or recommend you to others. Reach out and connect with enough people and you will never want for business.

If they’re not in, it’s okay to leave a voice mail message. Let them hear your voice, your sincerity, your lack of agenda.

Talk to two people a day. It should take you a minute or two, plus the time to decide who to call. If you don’t know who to call, call every one of your former clients. Or get a directory from a bar association, chamber of commerce, or business networking group and call through their membership list.

Two a day doesn’t sound like much but in the course of a year you’ll speak to more than 500 people.

At the end of each business day, before you go home, ask yourself, “Did I do my two today?” If you did, great. You’re working your plan. If you did not, pick up theÂ phone and call someone.

For a slightly more robust, but still simple legal marketing plan, get this

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Marketing Plan, Referrals

Referrals for lawyers who want more referrals

September 5, 2014 by David M. Ward

You’ve got a client list. A list of people who hired you once and will hire you again if they need you. But what if they don’t? What if your clients don’t need your services ever again?

Is that it? You invested time and money to attract them and persuade them to hire you. You worked hard to do the work and make them happy. Your clients know, like, and trust you. But if they don’t need your services, is that it?

No. Your clients can send you referrals. And they will if you stay in touch with them. They’ll send more if you ask for referrals.

In fact, for each $1,000 in fees a client pays you there may be $5,000 or $10,000, or more, in additional fees waiting for you via their referrals.

Your clients can help you in other ways. They can send traffic to your website. They can promote your content or seminar or newsletter to their social media connections. They can introduce you to other professionals they know who could become new referral sources.

And. . .

. . .they can buy products and services from professionals and businesses you recommend.

Perhaps they need legal services you don’t provide. Do you think they might hire an attorney you recommend? I think so, too. In return, you might earn referral fees from that attorney, or their referrals.

Tell your clients you know other lawyers and if they need legal services of any kind, they should call you first.

(Note to self: go meet attorneys with different practice areas.)

Wait, what else do your clients need?

An accountant? Financial planner? Real estate agent? Mortgage broker? Insurance broker?

Would you like to receive more referrals from people like this? You’ll get them. As soon as you start referring your clients to them.

Referrals for lawyers who don’t want to askÂ for referrals. Go here.

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Referral sources, Referrals, Relationship marketing

How to get clients to like you

August 27, 2014 by David M. Ward

I went to a doctor once who was highly recommended. One of the best in the area, I was told. When I got to his office and went up to the desk, I was handed a clipboard and asked for my insurance card.

No greeting. No smile. No eye contact.

I said something to her. Probably something like, “Would it hurt to say good morning?” Because that’s how I roll.

When I saw the doctor, he lectured me about not being abusive to his staff.

Guess what? I didn’t stay with that doctor. It didn’t matter how good he was at his job, I didn’t like him.

So there.

The question is, do your clients like you?

It’s not difficult to get clients to like you, even if you lean towards the grouchy side. But you can’t phone it in. You do have to make some effort.

Start by avoiding things that clients DON’T like:

Don’t make them wait. If their appointment is at 2 PM, 2:01 is late.
Don’t take phone calls when the client is in your office. That goes double if you bill by the hour.
Don’t brag. Clients want to know you’re good at what you do, they don’t want to hear you go on about it.
Don’t curse or use inappropriate humor.
Don’t delay billing. Don’t send vague bills. Don’t nickel and dime on costs.
Don’t fail to keep them informed about their case.
Don’t fail to call back when they leave a message.

There, that wasn’t hard was it? Pretty basic stuff.

Now a few things you should do:

Make sure your staff makes them feel welcome. Hello, is this on?
Smile. Firm handshake. Eye contact. Remember their name.
Talk about your weekend, but make it something they can relate to. You took the family to the beach, great; leave out the part about the yacht.
Show them you’re not perfect. Admit you’re a terrible cook or throw like a girl.
Be a good listener. Ask questions and let them talk. Take notes.
Talk about your kids and/or pets and ask about theirs.
Send thank you notes.

Yeah, it’s about treating people like you would like to be treated.

You’ve probably hired professionals who don’t get it. If you’ve ever had to wait forty minutes after the time of your appointment, you know what I mean. (Be honest, were you tempted to leave and send them a bill for your time?)

Anyway, don’t be that guy or that gal.

How to get clients to like you (and trust you): get this

Filed Under: Client loyalty, Client relations, Law office management