As I promised in my last post, here are the last two of four suggestions that Trey Ryder recommends following to maximize the opportunity to land work from new clients, especially when your “presentation needs a boost.” They are:
3. Understanding
- FAQs (answering prospects’ questions before they ask them will show that you are forthcoming and it will help allay their fears. Think of as many questions past clients have asked, and prepare a list of your answers),
- Glossary (it’s a great idea to give clients a mini-dictionary of legal terms that they are likely to hear or read as their matter progresses),
- Possible Outcomes (it just makes good sense to provide a prospect with a list of the possible results that could occur in his or her matter, and the choices that are available now and at that time. It will help them think ahead, make choices now as to how to proceed, and avoid unnecessary surprises).
4. Uninvolved
- Objectives (identifying the objectives that typical prospects want to achieve, and asking for a prospect’s goals will help involve them in the decision process, and show your understand ing of their type of matter),
- Contact Information (asking for all the prospect’s contact information will give them something to do and involve them in process),
- Other Facts (elicit as much additional information from the prospect as possible, in order to bring them into the process, put them more at ease, and move the decision process along),
- Minor Decisions (a good way to move the process along is to have the prospect make little decisions {e.g. would you prefer weekly or monthly status reports} to bring them more into the process and likely move more toward the decision to hire you).
Not all these suggestions may work as legal marketing (really sales) tools for your firm. Yet, a number of them should help you to educate prospects, so they can understand what you will do for them and how much you will charge them. Further, it should help put prospective clients at ease in making the decision to hire you.