Recently, I mentioned the latest book by The BTI Consulting Group entitled The Mad Clientist’s ABCs of Client Service in a post about how it is okay to be “inactive” on summer vacation. After taking a look at BTI’s blog post about the book and the other letters of the alphabet (with their pithy suggestions
Client Communications
People Skills are as Important as Legal Skills
By Tom Kane on
Put another way, how a lawyer services his/her client can be the most important factor in terms of ongoing client relationships. Most clients place a very high value on quality legal services. I am not referring here to the outcome of a legal matter, although that certainly is important. But considering how many talented lawyers…
Do Your Clients Refer You/Your Firm To Others? Most Don’t
By Tom Kane on
According to a survey by The BTI Consulting Group, only 40.1% of clients “recommend their primary law firm to a peer.” As bad as that statistic is, the good news is that it is better by almost 7% over the previous year, and better slightly than five years ago. According to the survey it…
Ten Commandments of Client Service – Part II
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips
As mentioned last time, one in-house counsel on the InHouseBlog posted his ten commandments applicable to outside firms when providing legal services to his company. And I suggested that his rules could come just as well from individual clients or entities without an attorney on staff. In the interest of brevity, I only covered five…
Ten Commandments of Client Service – Part I
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips
Not every client is a company or entity that has in-house counsel. Smaller companies often do not have a lawyer on staff. So, when I visited InHouseBlog and read a post about one in-house counsel’s “Ten Commandments“, I thought that those directives could be applicable to all clients, including individuals.
Here are the first…
Plan for the Worst
By Tom Kane on
When it comes to marketing and business development, plan to lose. HUH, you may say.
Stay with me.
Hope to win, but don’t assume that you will get the next engagement – either from an existing client or from a prospect. With the competitive nature of our industry (yes, law services is an industry, despite…
Law Firms: Are You Listening to Clients? It’s More Critical Than Ever
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips
For over 10 years here I’ve been pleading with firms to talk with their clients about how they’re doing. Whether the process was seeking realistic client feedback, or simply conducting a general client survey, the important thing is whether firms were doing it at all. Most were not. It is critical in this day and…
Procrastinate No More, It’s Not Too Late
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips
I know, I know. You’ve been too darn busy. But I have a newsflash for ya. Christmas is next week!
Don’t forget your clients and referrals sources, or other key contacts. I won’t even mention your spouse. In that department you are on your own.
But for the rest there is still hope. But it’s…
Send a Thanksgiving Day Card!
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips
It isn’t too late to send a Thanksgiving Day card, at least to key clients. Why? As I have commented before, it has several benefits:
- Avoids religious connotations for those sensitive about such things;
- You beat the holiday crowd;
- Don’t get lost in said crowd; and
- Most importantly, you can, in a truly meaningful way,
…
Why Highly Profitable Law Firms Are Marketing Savvy
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Client Communications, Marketing Tips
Well run and successful law firms in my experience always seemed to have a good marketing sense. Even in the days before the “M” word came into vogue, these firms had a rainmaker (usually a founding partner) or two good at bringing in business. As the legal industry became more competitive, more firms have recognized…