Page 19 - Minnesota Vol 8 No 5

Know the law. Be a leader.
ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Cybersecurity and Privacy Law
• 13 weeks
• Earn CLE and IAPP credits
BEGIN JUNE 5, 2019
mitchellhamline.edu/ cyberleader
ASKING FOR CLIENT FEEDBACK
False! Many lawyers would rather let a disgruntled client simply nd another lawyer or law rm than to ask for feedback. Keeping your pulse on the satisfaction of your clients is one of the best business practices you can implement. We encour- age clients to use end-of-case or end-of-matter surveys using a web-based tool like SurveyMonkey. Clients can also leave feedback you can use on your website or can be directed to leave a review for you on Google or Facebook.
PERSONAL IS BETTER
True. While you may think that a quick email or text acknowledging a referral source for sending you a new client would be enough –– it’s not. Today, when some- one receives a personal, hand-written thank you note from a lawyer, that lawyer immediately stands out from other lawyers, many of whom don’t even bother to say thank you. When someone receives a written thank you note from you, they will remember you.
LINKEDIN, A WASTE OF TIME?
False! I am convinced the only reason lawyers don’t use LinkedIn is because they don’t know speci cally what they should be doing. e ABA reports that 90% of lawyers have LinkedIn pro les, and my guess is that 85% aren’t sure how to engage and use LinkedIn to develop new business. Congratulate people on promotions, like and comment on their posts, share interesting articles you nd. Do some research on how to use advanced search on LinkedIn. rough your contacts, you can meet just about anyone you would like to know – without violating MRPC Rule 7.3.
FIRING A CLIENT
True. If you really think about it, there were likely red ags in the consultation meeting you had. You needed the revenue, so you took the client on. You are now convinced that the client is disaster. ey are di cult, rude, they don’t pay you, they don’t return your calls or provide the documents you request from them. ey are simply not engaged in their own case or matter. You can terminate the representa- tion. Just make sure you read MRPC Rule 1.16, Declining or Terminating Repre- sentation. en, if you can, end the relationship. Focus on the criteria your best cli- ents have in common, and actively seek to attract more people like those you enjoy working with. ese clients will be those that trust you, respect you, are engaged in their case, return your calls, and are generally good people going through a di cult legal challenge.
I hope I have been able to bust some of the myths you held about your marketing e orts! E ective marketing for lawyers means rst and foremost, doing magni cent work and taking excellent care of your clients. Beyond that, it is important to your future success that you don’t put marketing on the back burner – or take it o the stove completely – when you get busy. Remember to do one thing every day that supports your future growth rather than saying, “I’ll market when I have time.” If you approach your marketing e orts with consistency and dedication, you will be successful.
FOR OVER 25 YEARS, TERRIE S. WHEELER, MBC, HAS BEEN HELPING LAW- YERS AND LAW FIRMS LIKE YOURS DEVELOP HIGH-IMPACT, LOW-COST MARKETING STRATEGIES THAT DIFFERENTIATE YOU AND YOUR FIRM. TER- RIE TEACHES MARKETING AND CLIENT SERVICE AT MITCHELL HAMLINE SCHOOL OF LAW AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS SCHOOL OF LAW. IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS A MONTHLY COLUMNIST FOR ATTORNEY AT LAW
MAGAZINE, TERRIE IS ALSO A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIA- TION’S SMALL FIRM | SOLO SECTION E-REPORT. TERRIE IS THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MARKETING, LLC, AND IN 2018, LAUNCHED A UNIQUE SERVICE FOR MINNESOTA LAWYERS, CLE-CONNECT | ETHICAL MARKETING CLES ON-DEMAND.
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