Do you know what clients value most about your work?

It’s the quality of the conversations they have with you.

Don’t believe me?

Think about the last time a client wrote a review of your work. Did it say:

‘They draft a document better than anyone I’ve ever known’?

No, it didn’t.

What it did say was something along the lines of:

‘They kept us informed throughout the process’ or

‘They always make time to explain what’s going on’ or

‘Their advice was fundamental in how we moved forward’.

If you want to create powerful relationships with clients, all of your conversations need to add value to THEM, not you.

Why?

Because if your conversations are helping your clients achieve their goals, they will be more likely to come to you for help.

But here’s where your problem lies:

You want every client meeting to end in work.

Of course you do. Otherwise, what’s the point?

So without realising it, you are putting your intentions in direct competition with your clients’. Their focus is on better results and yours is on winning work.

This means you don’t spend your time with them adding value, or helping them reach better outcomes.

Every single conversation you have with a client should add value. This is especially important during your early conversations. 

Because you may not be the only lawyer they are talking to.

And if you're not giving them something to think about each time they speak with you, another lawyer might be. And that lawyer could end up stealing your client.

Clients know they have more choice than ever, so they aren’t looking for document drafters. They want lawyers who will advise them and get them better outcomes than your competitors.

What’s more, if you’re midway through a transaction, your clients are paying for those meetings. And they aren’t paying for your time. They are paying for your knowledge and experience. So they don’t want you to keep it all to yourself. They expect you to use it to their advantage.

Make your conversations about them. Ask the questions that enable you to provide the advice that leaves clients wanting more meetings with you.

Help them make the best decisions.

Because that’s ultimately what clients want.

So stop thinking about how you can bring the conversation round to what you do. 

And start asking questions that get to the bottom of what your clients want to achieve.

Scott Simmons turns lawyers into rainmakers.

A BD consultant, trainer and coach, he teaches lawyers the tips, techniques and methodologies to go into the marketplace, give their clients the best advice and win more work.

And he helps law firms develop strategies for growth and then, most importantly, take those strategies to market to help them build organically as the foundation for the future.

You can find him on LinkedIn

And at his firm website