Five Techniques for Meeting New Prospects

By Lawrence M. Kohn and Robert N. Kohn

Meeting new, quality prospects is an obvious component to an effective law practice. Unfortunately, lawyers can be complacent about reaching out to new prospects. Discomfort and skepticism make lawyers retreat to the comfort of the billable hour. The dangers in failing to market are significant, however. Every practice is at risk of losing clients due to constantly changing market forces. So, whether you want accelerated growth or you just want to protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances, implementing an effort to reach out to quality prospects and referral sources is the practical, conservative thing to do. Read on for five techniques that really work.

1. It's who you know.
Meet people through people you already know. This is how many lawyers get most of their business. You may know people who never make referrals, however. Identify the contacts who you believe are connected to good prospects. Then, tell them that you are interested in increasing your marketing and ask for their guidance. Asking for guidance is not asking for introductions; it is less invasive and is more likely to fit within your comfort zone. Also, if you can identify a category of referral sources such as certified public accountants (CPAs) or bankers, you can implement an effort to meet all of the CPAs and bankers of your existing clients.

2. Optimize your Web site.
If you don't already have a Web site, get one. If you have one that is not drawing traffic, you need to hire someone who can assist you in creating a Web site that is appealing to your prospects. They can help you increase your exposure by optimizing and organizing your Web site to make it more attractive to search engines. Sites with relevant, frequently updated content are rated higher by search engines.

FindLaw^®, the nation's leading provider of Internet-based client development services for lawyers and law firms, can design your Web site for you, optimizing it to increase your odds of appearing high on search engine results lists. For more information, call
1-866-44FindLaw.

3. Join organizations.
The key to meeting good targets through organizations is to pick quality organizations. For marketing purposes, quality organizations are filled with prospects. Many lawyers make the mistake of wasting time participating in organizations that are not populated with good targets. At least 30 percent of the members of a quality organization should be good targets. The best way to identify good organizations is to ask your current clients about the organizations they support. It is common for people to be active in organizations with other people who are similar to them.

4. Give speeches.
Public speaking is one of the best ways to meet new prospects and potential referral sources The key is to find a good audience. Once you do, call the executive director and ask for the name of the program chair. Contact that person and inquire about his or her policy for inviting speakers. If you meet the requirements, explain how you can be of value to their audience. When you give the speech, remember that your job is to get the business cards of the people in the audience, so be sure to offer something they will find valuable such as a checklist you have created or a copy of an article you have written. If they give you their card, you can send what you promised and stay in touch, building an alliance.

5. Give a seminar.
Seminars are valuable because you select your audience members. When they attend, it means they are interested in your topic and more likely to need your services. A good method for implementing seminars is to create a joint venture with other professionals who share your target market. If each participant in the joint venture is successful in inviting their existing relationships, your event will be well attended with very little marketing effort. Of course, you can reach out to strangers too; however, make sure that your invitation list is large and your expectations modest. Until you become skilled in the seminar business, it may be difficult to attract a large number of strangers.

Keeping these techniques in mind, it is important to make an effort to meet new prospects as an ongoing part of your business. With more prospects, you can be more selective in the matters you choose and, at the same time, protect yourself from the risk of attrition.

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Lawrence Kohn and Bob Kohn are principals of Kohn Communications, a marketing and management consulting firm specializing in the legal community. They are pioneers in the consulting technique known as Executive Coaching. Visit their Web site at www.kohncommunications.com or call them at 310.652.1442.