Legal Marketing & PR

Marketing tip of the month: Meet with a top client to discuss the economy

By Jim Hassett

What are you going to do this month to increase new business?

How about meeting with a top client to ask how the economy is affecting their business?

Explain that there will be no charge for your time, and make sure they understand you are giving them something for free.  Why free?  Because they are such an important client, and because you want to provide more value.

Ideally, meet face to face in the client?s office (not yours) or meet for lunch.  If that?s not practical, schedule a telecon ?off the clock.? 

Go in to the meeting with a two or three central questions, and a few extras.  (For sample questions, see previous posts in this blog, my book, or The LegalBizDev Success Kit.)

Then listen and learn.

Do not try to direct the conversation to legal needs.  Your client will take care of that, if she wants to go in that direction.

At an absolute minimum, you will increase client satisfaction and accomplish some defensive marketing.  And you might even walk away with some new business. 

Full post as published by Legal Business Development on October 01, 2008 (boomark / email).