When we are trying to woo potential new clients, we have a tendency to promise them the world.
In New Jersey, The Rules of Professional Conduct 7.1(a)(1) it is unethical for attorneys to promise a certain outcome of a case (I cannot imagine that it is allowed in any state).
While you may not be making a promise about how the specific case will go, are you making promises about how you are going to interact with your clients?
Are you promising that they are your number one priority? That you will respond to every contact and call? That you will keep them informed throughout the time they are working with your firm?
“Client Service” is not just a term to put on your website as a mission statement which you don’t live up to – “Our Clients are our number one priority” or “We care about our clients.” Client Service is a living and breathing edict.
Keeping your promises will help you to keep your clients.
At Marketing Field, LLC – “Our promise is that every correspondence is returned within 24 hours during the business week (and usually a lot sooner)”. We don’t strive to keep this promise, we just do it!
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 would like to have these tips sent directly to your in box, please sign up here.
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.
In addition to keeping your promises, you can use your promises to help adjust your clients’ expectations so that you keep your office running smoothly. For example, if you set up a system for returning messages/calls, such as “We will return calls between 5pm-6pm each day” then your clients will become accustomed to the way your office works without being frustrated when they need to leave messages for you…as long as you actually keep your promises.
Great advice and tips, Thanks so much!
Great tip Kevin!