3 Things Vital To A Law Firm's Survival

Every living organism must have certain things for survival. For we humans: food, water & shelter. Much like any breathing living organism, your law practice’s needs must be met in order to survive. Your practice needs:

#1: Positioning/Authority

#2: Get & Close New Clients

#3: Build a Team & System to Support #1 & #2.

Let’s dig into each of these needs.

#1 Positioning/Authority

Let’s face it: whether you like it or not, you’ve got competition. The market is saturated with attorneys who do exactly or nearly exactly what you do. 15 years ago, you could rely on a country club membership and a website to drive in more clients. Today, most law firm web sites do little more than serve as an online business card. 

So, how do you set yourself apart in today’s ever-changing marketplace?

You do it by creating your own positioning or authority in your area of expertise. You establish one or two things that set you apart from your competition and makes prospects choose you no matter what price you charge. Consider: what would make your client brag about the fact that with such a busy practice, you actually chose them to work with as your client?

The key to answering this question, is to position yourself as an undeniable expert as opposed to a lawyer trying to sell them a service. Expert vs. Salesperson. Do you notice the difference? One pulls in clients. The other pushes them away.

Here are just a few ways you can create positioning and authority in your practice area:

• Write a Book
• Launch a Podcast or an Interview Series (or appear as a guest)
• Speak (not at CLES but at an expo, event or venue your ideal client attends)
• Offer “Ask an Expert” interview editorial or offer an article to your area’s publications. Maybe you can become a regular contributor to a trade journal.
• Media interviews
• Start a Blog
• Create a Youtube Channel

#2: Get & Close New Clients

Too many attorneys waste their time on things that don’t drive in new clients. Think about it. Email, meetings, technology, distractions, planning, etc.

As a thriving law firm leader, you should focus the majority of your energies on 2 things: 1) Activities that produce revenue; and 2) Activities that create a great customer experience.

So take a good hard look at how you spend your time. Odds are, you should be spending more time on growing your practice by focusing on getting and closing new clients. 

Do this: carve out just one hour each day for a month to dedicate yourself to nothing other than to focus on getting and closing new clients. If you need to, set a clock. Turn off your phone and your email. Don’t allow for any distractions. You’ll be shocked as to what you’ve accomplished and how it has bolstered revenues after just 30 days.

#3: Build a Team & a System to Support #1 & #2

My experience has been that most law firms start with #3 when they should be starting with #1 & #2. 

Without authority and new clients, you’ve got no revenue. Start with authority. You can easily create authority as a 1 man solo operation (see #1 above). Maybe you outsource support, reception and some other tasks as revenues increase. 

Once you’ve established authority and your marketplace position, then you drive sales (by getting and closing new clients). You’ll drive sales with your alluring offer and by solving your ideal clients’ most pressing issues with the services you provide. You’ll build a successful practice by creating profits and by providing great value to your clients. 

Then and only then, do you build your team. No profits=no people.  

As a 1 man solo shop, you’ll be wearing multiple hats. Too many hats. That’s okay because you’re on your way to growing a thriving practice. Once you’re generating profits and providing value, you’ll build your team and implement your systems to support your practice.

 You’re probably thinking, “System building??? I’m a lawyer not a scientist, mathematician or aerospace engineer”. That’s okay. I got you. Keep reading.

Here are a list of systems (at minimum) EVERY law firm should have in place:

• A new client intake system
• A sales/close the client system
• A lead generation system
• A marketing system
• A system for delivery of product/service you provide
• A client support system
• A hiring, training and termination system

Of course there are many more you might incorporate. But, at minimum, you should have all of these systems in place.

When I refer to “systems” here is what I mean: let’s take new client intake for example. If your client intake system is “Marge handles new intake calls”, you don’t have a system. If your so-called “system” can get sick, quit, get fired or go on vacation, it’s not a system. 

A system requires that every single move is memorialized in a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) that anyone can read and jump right in. If you truly have a system, Marg can spend an entire two weeks in the Cascades searching for Bigfoot without internet and you’ll have nothing to worry about.

If you’d rather eat glue than create a system, I’ve got your back. Here are a couple of ideas: 

Seek out a colleague who has systems in place at his/her firm. Ask them if you can review their SOP manual in exchange for dinner and drinks, a Cuban cigar, or whatever their vice is. Use it as a template for creating your own SOP manual and then implement them in your firm.

Or, consult with Dori and I about working with JDpreneur.com to implement systems for you. It’s what we do! [email protected] and [email protected].

Now that you know the 3 vital things your firm needs to be survive, get out there and implement!

Until next time, be a successful JDpreneur!

Lisa Haster is an Attorney, 2X Author and Trusted Marketing Advisor and Founder of JDpreneur Marketing Group. Lisa works with lawyers to show them the NEW way of marketing their law practice by attracting more clients, increasing revenue to their firm and creating notoriety without expensive advertising. To apply for a complimentary “Ultimate B.A.R. Breakthrough Strategy Session" email Lisa at [email protected] or for additional FREE marketing training, visit our Blog at www.JDpreneur.com.