So Many Competing Lawyers

From an increase in the number of lawyers to national and global expansion of larger firms to corporations with counsel on staff, competition is everywhere. The number of lawyers increased almost 25% in the 1990s – from 755,694 in 1990 to 1,048,903 in 2001. And recent trends are pointing towards consolidation in the legal industry. A recent study conducted by research group, BTI Consulting Group, of 180 corporate counsel clients found that Fortune 1000 clients are going to cut their roster of law firms by 40% of the next 3 years. Marketing is about breaking through the group and establishing yourself and your firm as the leader in your specialty area.

Belief that All Lawyers Are Alike

You know that’s not true, but yours prospects don’t. They don’t know why they should choose your firm over your competitors. You have to give them a legitimate reason – whether that be expertise, your track record, your specialization, your customer service – but without a differentiating factor, you are just like everyone else. Marketing is about explaining why you are different.

Prospects Look For Specialists

Whatever prospects may tell you, they are looking for an attorney that they feel comfortable working with and relying on. They may tell you they want ‘outside the box’ thinking, but really, they want safety. They want to know that you are an experienced specialist in their area with a proven track record for handling problems like theirs. At the same time, they don’t care what you’ve done for others with completely different problems. You may be the best real estate lawyer in the city, but if your client is coming to you about a litigation issue, he doesn’t care. He only cares about what’s in it for him. Marketing is about educating prospects and explaining how you can solve their problems.

Getting the Profitable Business

If you’re not getting the ‘good’ business, you’re wasting your time. Good business is profitable business. It’s working with clients you have a good working relationship with. It’s finding the clients who can afford your services. It’s avoiding ‘difficult’, nitpicking clients who nickel and dime you for every last billing detail. Marketing is about finding the clients you want to work with.

Brand Recognition

Branding is choosing a specialty area and positioning your firm as the expert in that practice area. It is about delivering a clear, consistent message through all your client interactions so that with repeated exposure, clients will come to recognize you or your firm as THE firm for that practice area. Marketing is about making sure your firm comes to mind when prospects and clients have a specific problem.

Overcoming Objections

No one likes to be sold, and when they feel a sales pitch coming along, immediately, the wall of defense goes up. They start thinking about any and every objection they have to why they would go with you. Why should they go with your firm when Firm ABC down the street charges 25% less? Your firm is too big or too small. You don’t have enough experience in this industry. You’ve never done a case exactly like this before. How would you respond? Marketing is about addressing these issues before your prospects think of them. It is about calming their fears and building rapport before you even walk in the door for that first meeting.

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