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Bar News - September 9, 2005 Lawyer Marketing: Focus on Solving Clients’ Problems By: Henry Dahut
Clients know when they are being romanced, and it can backfire in big ways. One partner shared this unfortunate experience, which happened while courting a rather large insurance company: It was the 1980s, and we were looking for more business from this one insurance company. We found out that one of their top claims people loved to go bird-shooting – doves to be exact – so we arranged a holiday hunting trip and invited some of the claims people as the firm’s guests. It was early morning and we were sitting in a field of mud just waiting. When we heard the sudden flurry of the birds, one of our guns accidentally discharged, and some of the pellets ended up in the backside of one of the claims adjusters. Luckily, they dispersed well and he was not seriously hurt, but the trip ended rather abruptly. When the president of the insurance company found out about the incident, he was livid and reprimanded his people for accepting our invitation. We never did see another file from them. Marketing of this kind is as stale and unproductive as yesterday’s three-martini lunch. What clients really want is to be listened to and respected. Campaigns That Focus on Solutions What clients really want is a lawyer who will help them make sense of their problem and figure out how to solve it – not scare them about what would happen, promise them a lucrative outcome, or tell them how valuable they are. To solve problems well, lawyers must hone their interpersonal communication skills and make them a priority equal to that of other lawyer skills. Law firms all too often balk at spending money on developing such skills in their lawyers, and law schools (for the most part) have missed the boat by failing to make such skills building necessary part of a student’s curriculum. This is mostly because law schools view their roles as training young minds to be proper warriors. Unless the client really opens up, and unless the lawyer really takes the time to understand, the lawyer will not truly know how to advise his or her client. Knowing the law is great, bit clients really want to know how it pertains to them and how it will specifically affect their lives, which requires that the lawyer understand what’s important to them. The context of client’s life situation must be considered and factored into our work if we are to be true problem solvers. Context-based Marketing Context is the full dimension of the life events and surrounding circumstances that gave rise to a client’s need to see a lawyer in the first place. Understanding the context of a client’s problem requires a broad understanding of clients and their circumstances. Context-based marketing is a process in which service is defined and implemented within the context of the specific needs and desires of the client. Lawyers are most useful when they help clients to uncover the full scope of their interests. Sometimes this requires that lawyers assist client in separating the facts and logic of a problem from its emotional side. Proactively helping clients to discover the full range of their options can help them to identify possible solutions they would not previously have considered. Lawyers often ignore their clients’ life concerns and focus solely on their legal questions. When this happens, lawyers miss an opportunity to build clients’ confidence and trust in the firm. Clients don’t expect us to fix all their problems, but they do want us to at least acknowledge their pain and understand their major concerns. Suppose a client is seeking counsel because of a divorce. Most lawyers still see their scope of responsibility as falling within the legal task presented, to the exclusion of other client concerns that may be just as important to the client. A lawyer who takes the time to really listen will learn about the all-too-often-ignored logistical and emotional side of legal trouble. In cases of divorce, these may include the need to relocate quickly, to find a safe place to store valuable possessions, even the client’s escalating depression. All of these concerns are very real and sometimes as threatening as the legal trouble itself. Lawyers who ignore such elements of the client’s life context lose a valuable opportunity to serve the client at a deeper, more personal level. It is when you become masterful at understanding your clients’ expectations that you are able to go beyond them – to perform the unexpected! When you do so, clients will not only remain loyal, but will also make sure that every piece of their legal work goes your way – and they will spend more time talking up your firm than most of your partners do! Take a look at your firm’s promotional material. You may be surprised at what you find. Work toward building a service-based, solutions-driven marketing philosophy – one that emphasizes educating clients about their options – and become a full information resource beyond the four corners of your legal pad. In short, find out what your clients need and want, and then go out of your way to help them find it. In the end, one generous gesture can mean thousands of dollars more in new business and have more marketing impact than most ad campaigns can muster. Henry Dahut sits on the executive committee of the State Bar of California Law Practice Management and Technology Section. His business and legal experience spans over 20 years, and he is the author of Marketing the Legal Mind – A Search for Leadership. For more information, visit his Web site at www.HenryDahut.com, or write him at Henry@HenryDahut.com. Reprinted by permission from the Oregon State Bar Bulletin, April 2005 issue.
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