When making decisions in a case, who s in charge?

Transcription

1 CLIENT SERVICE: THE ETHICAL FOUNDATION OF LAWYERING & THE BEST MARKETING TECHNIQUE FOR GROWING A LAW FIRM NYSBA Marketing Conference for Solo Practitioners March 3, 2017 Carol Schiro Greenwald, Ph.D. Consultant, MarketingPartners March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 2 When making decisions in a case, who s in charge? Clients? Lawyers? 1

2 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 3 CLIENTS CUSTOMERS CONSUMERS March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 4 Consumers Their way or the highway Measure lawyer value in the context of client service 2

3 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 5 Effective response to consumers = Client-centricity Clients Lawyers legal skills, client knowledge, service focus Firm s culture, resources, processes, procedures March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 6 VALUE How clients arrive at a value for legal services is the same way they arrive at a value for any service. 3

4 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 7 Value is a person s perception of the worth of a service in relation to its cost - WIIFM - Value is in the eyes of the beholder - Based on their experience and expectations Value Features + Benefits Time Loyalty Quality [service + results] + value Time March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 8 What Clients Want / Expect Objective: Results Savings / cost predictability Safety Efficiency Emotional: Situational Personal Emotional 4

5 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 9 How to Give It to Them Make them comfortable Acknowledge and respond to their idea of response time Validate their financial concerns Understand their definition of success Anticipate problems / propose solutions March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 10 THE ETHICAL BASIS OF CLIENT-CENTRICITY NYS Rules of Professional Responsibility 5

6 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 11 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 12 6

7 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 13 Advice [Rule 2.1] LAWYER your empathy & support legal possibilities your expertise wants needs CLIENT accepts approves decisions to be made Help! March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 14 Legal Competence [Rule 1.1] Most fundamental legal skill: Determining what kind of legal problem is presented and what remedies exist. Unfortunately, clients assume legal experience and expertise. 7

8 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 15 Diligence: YES, Procrastination: NO [Rule 1.3] March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 16 CLIENT-CENTRIC SERVICE: BEST PRACTICES Easy Moves Toward Client-centricity 8

9 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 17 Understand each client s world Friends Within family Client Work issues, problems, requirement s Other professionals working with clients Colleagues March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 18 Understand the client journey key touchpoints Pre-service period Awareness through Internet social media Word of mouth Past experience with similar service providers Service period Touchpoints Possible responses Post-service period Relationship management What do they say? Social media Word of mouth Their expectations Their individual experiences with you and your firm Satisfaction / Dissatisfaction 9

10 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 19 Design their journey: create firm standards to maximize the impact of client service Create a culture that includes techniques to set expectations for your office and your clients. Shared communication guidelines Client communication preferences checklist Office communication parameters Content communication guidelines What clients see Balancing legal with human Billing that validates expectations Content and timing March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 20 Set, reinforce and repeat expectations Communication expectations Preferences Checklist: Mode of contact Time of day Meeting format and content Client s decision-making involvement Billing as a key form of expectation management Relate to progress and initial expectations Make entries into stories Explain results / progress after meetings Summarize progress in accompanying Thank for their trust and business 10

11 March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 21 Communications: Best Practices Guidelines for shared decisionmaking Explain matters promptly Make options clear Conversation content Begin by setting context What is going on, how it relates to the whole Explain legal terms and options Discuss next steps Conversation guidelines In-person: memorialize, get OK Phone call: memorialize, get OK writing best practices Draft Lay aside for minimum of one hour Review, edit, spell check Send March 3, 2017 NYSBA Solos Marketing Conference Carol Schiro Greenwald, all rights reserved 22 SUMMARY: Make client service your value proposition and build your practice around it Outcome focused: WIIFM Ensure that clients see your value Show that you understand their experience Show that you understand their world Make every interaction: Empathetic Understandable Relevant Action-oriented value risk costs client priorities / legal possibilities 11

12 CLIENT SERVICE: THE ETHICAL FOUNDATION OF LAWYERING & THE BEST MARKETING TECHNIQUE FOR GROWING A LAW FIRM NYSBA Marketing Conference for Solo Practitioners, March 3, 2017 Carol Schiro Greenwald, Ph.D., Consultant, MarketingPartners To continue the discussion... Please call me at or me at Carol Schiro Greenwald, All rights reserved 12