By Samuel S. Woodhouse, III[1]

Before we discuss some successful marketing techniques, we need to discard some of the erroneous myths about marketing. Marketing is not simply handing someone a business card, taking a person to lunch, or even producing a superior work product (although a superior work product is very important). Marketing is responding to the needs of existing clients and identifying the needs of prospective clients with a goal toward fulfilling those needs. Given this, we should not think of marketing legal services as “marketing.” Instead, we should think of marketing legal services as “relationship building.” Make no mistake about it, people do business with those whom they like, not just those who produce the best work product. There are ten (10) techniques that you can use to strengthen your relationship with existing clients and build a relationship with prospective clients.

1. Return Phone Calls.

First, return all telephone calls as soon as possible, and, under all circumstances, within twentyfour hours. The biggest complaint that clients lodge against lawyers is that lawyers fail to return telephone calls. Of course, if a lawyer does not return the telephone call of a prospective client, it is not likely that the prospective client will ever become an actual client.

2. Listen to Clients.

Second, listen to your clients and your prospective clients. Many lawyers have a problem with listening. We prefer to talk and direct, as oppose to listening and hearing. You must determine, from the client’s perspective, not yours, what the optimal result is for the matter that you are handling. In a litigation context, the optimal result for the lawyer may be winning the case in court, but the optimal result for the client may be settling the case or submitting the case to arbitration or mediation. In a business context, an optimal result for the lawyer may be forcing the other side to include a particular term in a contract, but for the client, an optimal result may be obtaining a lower price or concluding the deal quickly. The lawyer must understand the client’s business and attempt to achieve a result that is best for the client, not a result that will allow the lawyer to boast to his colleagues.

Third, keep your client informed of the status of the matter you are handling. This is especially true if you are reporting to a particular person at a company. You must keep in mind that the person you are reporting to must report to other people in the company. By making your contact look good to his or her superiors, you will get repeat business from that person. If you keep your contact informed about what is happening in the matter you are handling, your contact will look good to his superiors because he or she will be able to immediately and effectively answer any questions they may have about the matter. You should talk to your contact person at the beginning of the assignment and find out how often he or she wants a status report, and you should stick to the reporting schedule.

4. Send Relevant Literature.

Fourth, send your clients or prospective clients articles that pertain to their business. When you are reading a newspaper, magazine or any publication and come across an article that pertains to the business of a client or prospective client, copy the article and send it to him or her with a brief note. I mean brief! The note should simply say something like: “I came across this article and I thought it may be of interest to you. I hope all is well.” You do not need to say anything more, your client or prospective client will be amazed and pleased that you thought about him or her. This will also signal to your clients that you are constantly thinking about their business and ways to assist them in improving their business.

5. Keep Your Promises.

Fifth, do what you say you are going to do. When dealing with clients or prospective clients, your word must be solid. If you say you are going to provide them with something—a status report, case analysis, contract or any other information—do it. More often than not your client needs this information or document because he or she must provide something to someone else. Thus, when you stiff your client on a promise, your client must stiff someone else, and this is the surest way to anger your client.

6. Make a Good Impression.

Sixth, look good. Your appearance is very important and creates an impression with your clients and prospective clients. If your appearance is good, you will create a positive impression. However, if your appearance is sloppy or unkempt, you will create a negative impression. Keep in mind that your appearance means more than just your clothing, shoes, and accessories. Your appearance also involves your office, car, and any other aspect of YOU with which your client or prospective client will come into contact.

7. Ask for What you Want.

Seventh, ask for what you want. You can apply all of the marketing or relationship building techniques known to the human race, but, if you do not ask for work, most of the time you will not get it. You will always get more by asking for what you want as opposed to waiting for someone to approach you and give you what you want. It goes without saying that you must be professional and tactful in the way you ask for work.

Eighth, do not overlook a valuable relationship building opportunity right under your nose. I am referring to your colleagues within your firm, or if you are a solo practitioner, the attorneys near your office space. You must keep your colleagues informed about your expertise and successes. You should also treat your colleagues with respect and professionalism. If you do those things, your colleagues will reward you with admiration and, more importantly, work.

Ninth, be patient. There is often a gestation period between the time you meet a prospective client and the time you actually receive business. This period could be days or years. Be patient. Continue to build a relationship with prospective clients even though you may not be receiving any business from them. The same is true when you are trying to get more or different business from existing clients.

10. Focus on Existing Clients.

Tenth, and finally, focus on existing clients. It is always easier to get more business from existing clients than it is to get new business from new clients. If you are servicing your existing clients well you have a good basis to pitch for more work. Spend the appropriate amount of time and resources trying to get more work from existing clients as opposed to spreading yourself too thin trying to get work from too many prospective clients. This does not suggest that you should not attempt to build relationships with prospective clients. Rather, this cautions you to be mindful of time management and to avoid spending an excessive amount of time chasing long shots while neglecting new opportunities with existing clients.