Many law firms get frustrated with the concept of branding. Many lawyers feel branding is an esoteric art that is not measurable through numbers. Frustrated by the lack of concrete tracking mechanisms, many firms ignore the importance of branding their law firm altogether. Ignoring branding is a mistake that could cost you in the long run. How much your firm can suffer from not having a brand identity is tough to calculate.

Stand for Something Bigger Than Yourself

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Nelson Mandela. Mohandas Gandhi. What do these three people have in common? While all three were fervent advocates of equality and justice, all three also stood for something and knew who they were and what they represented. Most successful individuals and businesses also stand for something larger than themselves. Having a strict set of values they espouse is why people with strong core values are successful. People gravitate towards others with similar values and want to do business with those who share a similar outlook on life. By having strict core beliefs, you may ignore some people who would like to do business with you otherwise. However, by trying to be everything to everyone, you ignore everyone by not aligning yourself with any sort of value system. Don’t sell your law firm short. Believe in something. Have a strong set of values that your firm sets out to promote with its legal work. Otherwise, what makes you different from every other law firm?

Dare to be Different

At the end of the day, branding is about distinguishing your firm from other law firms. Many firms suffer from brand confusion – everyone “looks” the same. What makes your firm the best firm to deal with someone’s legal issue? Also, daring to be different is an important phrase because of the implications that the word “daring” holds. To dare to do something is to take a risk and stick your neck out on the line no matter what the consequences might be. While your firm doesn’t need to take massive risks in order to be successful, many successful firms have found success by being more than just a law firm. Firms stand for something more than just their law firm when they produce PSAs telling kids to avoid drinking and driving or by supporting legislation that could negatively impact their community. By daring to be different, bold law firms demonstrate their values and align themselves with the interests of others.

Do Something that Matters

At Network Affiliates, we feel it is important for lawyers to do something that matters to them. Chances are, if something matters to you, then it will matter to someone else in your community as well. Standing for something and taking risks isn’t easy, otherwise everyone would do it. However, being different and choosing the type of risks that are acceptable for your firm could be your firm’s 1% differentiator in the market. Contact Network Affiliates today for help with discovering what makes your firm different.

I’ve seen attorneys scratch their head trying to figure out why they haven’t received the public praises they deserve for their superb quality work. The truth is, most people are more likely to share their opinion after a negative experience rather than a positive experience. This is primarily due to the fact that they expect exceptional treatment, which is why you need to provide them the tools and reasoning for advocating for your firm.

Give them a reason to help

Let your clients know you truly care about them and the outcome of their case and that you would like to serve others in the manner you have served them. Express to them that they can help other people in similar situations by being a firm advocate. Let them know that their reviews are part of a greater good, not just an opportunity for the firm to profit. That feeling of community and being part of something bigger can be extremely effective.

Give them instructions

Whether it is by email, flash drive video chat or in a leave behind packet, give them complete instructions on how and where you would like them to post a positive review and/or provide a recommendation. Give them links to your Google Places and Yelp page. Explain how to set up a profile on these sites. The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to participate.

Timing is everything

When are your clients most likely to provide a valuable recommendation? Most likely it’s when you hand over their check. This is when you should give them a reason to help you and instruct them specifically on how to do so. It is all about opportune timing.

Most big firms ignore this opportunity because they don’t see the value or simply are afraid to ask. These actions result in referral business, which typically represents your most valuable cases. If you need help building referral business, contact Network Affiliates today.

When are clients the happiest with your firm? When they receive their settlement check from their attorney. Your firm can capitalize on that specific moment by giving the client an opportunity to advocate for your firm. Simply set up an on-camera exit interview. Here are some things to think about when setting up these exit interviews.

There needs to be incentive for their time

Remember this is an exit interview. Explain to the client that you want to help others in a similar situation and the exit interviews allow your firm to do just that. Give them a reason for their unbiased feedback. Maybe this can include an incentive such as a gift card, movie tickets, etc. They are taking time out of their day to make your firm better. The value of their opinion exceeds the cost of any gift card or movie ticket.

Ask the right questions

Figure out specifically what they liked about your firm and what they did not like. Do not sway just for the positive. Honest feedback allows you to adjust certain internal processes, improving the service you provide. Plus the client will appreciate your concern and respect for their opinions.

Get a release form

Depending on your state bar, it could make sense to repurpose the exit interview videos for web content. Make sure you have the proper release forms in place to do this. Nothing is stronger then a sincere testimonial from a satisfied client. Take advantage of the opportunity to share this sort of content virally.

Exit interviews are extremely valuable for two reasons; it gives your firm an idea of where they can improve and what their strongest assets are and it gives you possible content for the web. Contact Network Affiliates today to learn more about on-camera exit interviews.

Why Should I Keep In Touch With Past Clients? This is a question that should be common sense among lawyers, but it still isn't. For whatever reason, attorneys still operate very transactionally. This means they assume that when you are done handling a client's case, that is the end of that relationship, for all intents and purposes. It's almost like a fast food sort of mentality where you serve that person once and you move on to the next case like nothing ever happened. Not keeping in touch with your past clients is a huge mistake and is costing your firm money.

Referrals are the life blood of your law firm- It seems like we've said this a hundred times in this blog at this point, but it bears repeating; referrals are the best cases your firm can get. These cases cost you little or nothing to receive and most are well qualified and worth a lot of money. Where do you get these referral cases from? Your past clients. You can't get these cases if you aren't staying in touch with your past clients. So, how should you keep in touch with clients that have been satisfied with the work your firm does?

CRM still works- CRM is a great way of staying in touch with your past clients. Sending brochures and newsletters to past clients still works well and will help your firm win cases. If your firm doesn't want to kill any trees, your firm can send out your newsletters via e-mail. Sometimes, the simple gesture of sending a card is enough to distinguish your firm from others. Birthday cards, thank you cards and holiday cards are all still effective. We suggest, however, sending out cards for holidays where cards aren't as common. Thanksgiving is a good example. If you know your past client was a veteran, a card on Memorial Day or Veteran's Day might be appropriate. Really, the sky is the limit and any of these activities will help your firm develop more referral based business.

Social media was tailor made for keeping in touch with clients- Social media is a sector where few law firms are active. Having an active social media presence will allow your past clients to engage with your law firm and keep your firm top of mind. This results in more referrals for your law firm. Having positive reviews on Yelp and engaging with reviewers is another way to keep in touch with past clients and develop more referral based business. Your firm can also post testimonials online or videos discussing situations you have helped clients out with to show how your law firm can help. This is a new frontier for attorneys and is still maturing. Learning how to develop referral based business online can only help your law firm grow its business.

Choosing just a handful of ideas from this blog post and implementing them will make a difference for your firm. The question is, how many of these ideas are you willing to implement? Don't bite off more than you can chew. Start small and then add more to the solid foundation you have built. Referral cases are the best cases that come into your office. You owe it to yourself and your firm to do a better job in obtaining these cases. To discuss how to best keep in touch with your previous clients, contact Network Affiliates today.