Voice mail--the answer to garbled messages
Little pink message slips put into divided holders on the receptionist's desk was regular office procedure until the 1990s. Now, we have voice mail. Voice mail has been accepted slowly by law offices, lawyers, and their clients. Many clients did not want to leave messages on answering machines or voice mail. As time marched on, answering machines and voice messages were returned and callers became comfortable with leaving messages on voice mail.
For the law office, voice mail is indispensable. No longer is the pink slip telephone number reversed or the name of the caller indecipherable. The telephone receptionist, in answering the law firm's telephone, should no longer have to make written pink slips unless the caller absolutely insists on leaving a written message. The receptionist should urge the caller to leave a voice mail message for the lawyer being called, giving their name and telephone number. Some clients believe that their lawyer has the file and telephone number at hand at all times and fail to leave their number. We tell our clients that they can call our office any time of the day or night and leave a message. We tell our clients who want to leave pink slip messages that we are unable to call in and get the pink slip messages at night, weekends and holidays. With voice mail, the client is able to leave a detailed message. If there is some misunderstanding or unclear telephone number, the message can be replayed until the message or number is clear. With the message in hand, the lawyer is able to review the file, make the call to the insurance company that has been put off or take other action on the client's case. The lawyer will then return the call and make a meaningful response to the client.
Another feature of voice mail is the outgoing message that can be easily changed. We have a standard outgoing message and an alternate message. The alternate message is used when the lawyer is going to be out of the office for several days. In the alternate message, we advise the caller of the date of our return to the office and give the caller an option of connecting with another lawyer in the office or leaving a message to be answered upon the lawyer's return. The message again urges the caller to leave his/her name and telephone number.
The best feature of voice mail is the ability to call in, day or night, to receive your messages from any telephone in the world. The ability to return messages promptly cements the attorney/client relationship. Returning your client's call within 24 hours from your hotel in London tells the client that he/she is important to you.
From the financial side, the telephone receptionists' duties have been greatly reduced. No longer is the front desk tied up while messages are written on pink slips. Our receptionist has been given other duties. With voice mail, there are no accusations that the caller's number, written on a pink slip, has been disconnected. Replacing pink slips with voice mail is the way to go in the large or small law office.
Everyone can generate new clients
By Lawrence M. Kohn and Robert N. Kohn
Lawyers help their clients make their respective businesses as successful as possible. And yet, too often, the same lawyers fail to invest both time and money in an important aspect of their own financial well-being--acquiring more clients. Many professionals see the process of generating new clients as selling, and they stop dead in their tracks, distracted by the misconceptions of what it takes to be successful. While the obstacles to selling are real, they can be overcome. Following are a few examples:
You see selling as sleazy. The truth is that selling is only inappropriate if done inappropriately. We work with hundreds of successful professionals who maintain the highest ethical standards and have learned to be magnificent in prospecting. All you need is a genuine concern for the well-being of your clients. Then, your best selling strategy is to provide accurate and valuable information. That's selling with honor.
You feel too shy. Many successful professionals describe themselves as shy. But shyness is situational. Shy people don't feel shy with their friends, they only feel shy with strangers. Selling doesn't require standing in the spotlight. When you meet new people, it's okay to maintain a low profile. The smart strategy is to learn as much as you can about your prospects. Ask questions. Look for similarities. As prospects reveal themselves, they will no longer seem so distant and the shyness actually disappears.
You feel too busy. It's easy to get into a rut in the way you accomplish your daily activities. Making more time for generating new clients requires that other things get delegated, dropped or deferred. Take a look at every task you do and decide if it could be done differently. You may only free up a few minutes a day, but that could buy you one extra call, and one extra call per day could make a big difference.
Another technique is to bring more structure to how you prospect. It helps to schedule some time dedicated exclusively to selling. Some people prefer dedicating time early in the morning--before the day gets too hectic. Some people like to do some selling just before or after lunch. Others like to set aside some time at the end of the day. Selling can actually be a great way to wind down. Regardless of the time, the key is blocking out time in your calendar. If you have difficulty squeezing selling in between daily tasks, you may find that making an appointment with yourself really helps.
Another way to bring structure to client generation is using a contact management system. A wide array of computer software programs are available or you can create your own manual system. The goal is to use any system that forces you to review each of your prospects one name at a time, decide on an outreach task for each, give yourself a deadline and put a reminder in your calendar. These simple procedures dramatically increase the likelihood of your reaching out. And there is an undeniable relationship between outreach and results.
There are lots of other obstacles to generating new clients, but all of them have practical solutions. Think about your own selling obstacles. Write each one down and try to come up with a solution for each. If you can, get some input from a friend or business associate. Objective allies, even those not in your profession, can help you with new perspectives. With some extra attention to overcoming obstacles, everyone--yes, even you--can generate new clients.
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Lawrence M. Kohn and Robert N. Kohn are principals of Kohn Communications, a marketing and management consulting firm specializing in professional service firms. They are pioneers in the consulting technique known as executive coaching. For more information, visit their Web site at <www.kohncommunications.com> or call them at 310.652.1442
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