Jaimie Field – Enlightened Rainmaking

Recently, on many of the social networks which I frequent, I have noticed attorneys asking questions about practice areas in which they obviously do not practice.  Usually this is from a solo practitioner or small firm attorney.  The post inevitably starts with: “I have potential clients who needs . . .” and continues to ask for information that would be basic knowledge for someone who practices in that area on a regular basis.

Stop!

If you regularly practice in Intellectual Property Law you should not be working on a Matrimonial Case!  If you are a Trusts and Estate Attorney you should not be handling a Personal Injury Matter.

What has happened since the recession began is that many attorneys are fearful that if they let that one particular potential client walk out the door, they will not get more clients.  Let me assure you, that this will not happen.

In fact, referring cases in practice areas that you do not have a good grasp on is the best business decision you can make:

• When you confine your practice to areas in which you have real knowledge and interest, you can become known as an expert in your field.   Clients will hear of you, and begin to come to you with matters you can truly handle.

• When you refer a client in a practice area in which you have no earthly business practicing to an attorney who does, the attorney to whom you referred will try to find a way to refer you business.  If they don’t send you business than refer cases to other attorneys in that arena.

• When you refer a client to another attorney who can assist them  better than you, the client will come to see you as an advisor.  This is the position you would like to be in as when you are seen as an advisor, clients will refer you to their friends, family and others.

• You risk ethical complaints.   When you practice in an area you do not normally represent, you risk not knowing the answers or even ways to find those answers. ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.1 discusses Competence:  “A lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation”.  This usually leads to you not returning phone calls because you are afraid you are going to be wrong.  ABA Model Rules Rule 1.4 talks about keeping clients informed during their matters.

• You risk losing clients.  Three things you need to know about clients:

1. They are not stupid.  Potential clients will search for you on the internet and discover the areas which you say you practice.  Even if it is not at first, they will find someone who can do the job better and faster (which also means cheaper).
2. They are spending lots of money with attorneys and want to know that the attorney they are working with is the best for their matters.
3. They will talk to others.  If you botch a case in an area in which you have no business practicing, or if clients feel like they are not being represented well, they tell others.   Negative word of mouth travels a lot faster than positive.

Stop practicing law in practice areas in which you have no business practicing (wow, that’s a lot of using the word “practice”).  When you concentrate on a area or niche, you have the ability to become known as an expert in that field.  This will lead to more clients and client matters as people who need your particular brand of proficiency will come calling.

Look on the corner of your desk or open that top drawer – is there a stack of business cards you’ve collected during networking events?

Pull the cards out and start going through them.  Do you remember who any of these people are?

First, cull through the list of cards and throw out any card of any individual you truly cannot remember.

Then start contacting those who you do remember – send an email, make a coffee date, call to catch up.  Start creating the relationships which will lead to new business.

And make a promise to yourself.  That you are no longer collecting cards just to have a stack of cards sitting on your desk (in your drawer).   When you go to a networking event, bring a pen and just jot down a few things on the back of the card to help you remember your conversation. Put the date and the event and you will never forget about that person again.

But most importantly, do not just stick that card in a drawer on in a pile wrapped with a rubber band on the back corner of your desk.  Find a way to organize them that makes sense to you.  Use 3-ring binders with 8×11” card holders, do it electronically, but make sure that it is a system you are going to use.

Finally, contact the person you met –  ask if you can put that person on your newsletter list, send a referral, invite them to learn more about your practice, find out what they do.

It isn’t a contest to see who collects the most cards – you might as well just wallpaper a closet with them if that‘s the case.

It’s about creating relationships which lead to new business for you both.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you want them sent directly to your email box, follow these directions.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie?

Call or email for more information.

What type of law do you practice?  What industry do you target?  

In each area of practice there is a list of people who work in the same in industry who do not practice law.  People like accountants, psychologists/therapists, and other vendors who concentrate on the same group of people/businesses you are trying to reach who will not step on your legal toes.

Create your own ad-hoc networking group.  Gather these people together to meet at least once a month, whether in person, via Skype or conference call, and create relationships with them.  Make sure that each person’s business compliments but does not compete with the other.  Each of these people and businesses has the ability to refer more business to you without feeling like they are competing with others who do the same thing that they do for a living.

In addition to referrals, this group can also provide competitive intelligence about the industry you wish to target.

Where do you find this group with which to network?

Search the industry with which you want to work.   Find the publications, magazines, websites that people read to keep up with the industry and see who is writing the articles and advertising in these publications.  Contact them and ask if they would like to be a part of this group to help grow all of your respective businesses.

What’s the worst thing that can happen?  They say “no?”  If this happens, there is more than one person who can take their place.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie?

Call or email for more information.