7 Powerful Tips to Remember
1. Don't do it all by yourself. Most of the follow up should be done by your staff, not you. Don't have a staff? Then outsource it to a virtual assistant or someone who provides legal marketing services. You should remain focused on bringing in more business, meeting with prospects, signing new people up as clients, and billing your clients. Attorneys are not in business to chase down people they meet, especially unqualified leads. Focus on making money by bringing in more clients and then by billing them for your services.
2. Create your written plan ahead of time. Do not wait until the last minute to create your follow up plan. Think about it ahead of time. How do you want to connect with them after your event (trade show, seminar, presentation, article, networking event, etc)? As part of your law firm marketing you plan you should write down the exact steps your team will take to connect with them. Write down roles, responsibilities and time frames. Go over it with your team just before the event to answer any questions and make sure they know their role.
3. Have a plan for obtaining their full contact information and then have a back up plan. Do not rely on someone else giving you their contact information in a timely fashion. They may or may not. They may have better things to do or an emergency might arise or they may forget. Always, always have a back up plan. Make sure you get all their contact information including: full name, mailing address, phone number, and email. This will be of great value later on.
4. Use a database to keep track of your contacts. Do not rely on the stacks of business cards you have on your desk. Put them into a database like ACT or Goldmine or zoho.com. I heard of an attorney who went to a very important networking event and gathered about 30 business cards from some high profile contacts. He left them on his desk and when the cleaning crew came that night they threw them away as trash. Have someone on your team input them into a database as soon as possible!
5. Use multiple methods to connect with them. Some people read emails, some people read letters, and some people respond to phone calls. Any law firm marketing consultant will tell you to use at least two of these methods to connect. If possible, use all three. For example, have your assistant send out an email the very next day after your networking event. Have a letter sent out the day after that and three days later have them follow up with a phone call to set an appointment for you.
6. Remember the Rule of 48. The Rule of 48 refers to the amount of time you have to follow up with a qualified prospect after you meet them before they forget why you are contacting them. In most cases, you have 48 hours to make the first contact or you can forget about it.
I remember meeting with an attorney who still had a list of "qualified prospects" he met at a networking group six months ago. I told him the only thing they were qualified for is the trash. The fortune is in the follow up so do it quickly. If you don't have time, make time or don't bother. Even a quick email is better than nothing. Here's a helpful tip: whenever you have a big event coming up, clear two or three hours first thing the next day from your schedule and use that time to start the follow up process.
7. Plan for the long-term. Even though you usually only have 48 hours to start the follow up process, your law firm marketing plan should include specific ways you can stay connected to your leads, prospects, clients, and referral sources over the long-term. Whether it's a monthly newsletter, a quarterly phone call, or a legal update you send out. Once a semi-qualified person is on your list, institute a process to stay connected with them at least seven to ten times per year.
For law firm marketing, the fortune is in the follow up! You need to have a system in place to connect with and stay connected to your leads, prospects, clients, and referral sources. Why not take some time this week and meet with your staff to develop a written system for following up with people in a timely, systematic fashion. "Top attorneys
understand the fortune is in the follow up!"
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Need some help keeping in touch with your contacts? The Rainmaker Institute has a new service for Attorneys just like you. We will write and send out a personalized monthly or quarterly ezine to your contacts to help you keep them informed of upcoming events, keep your name in the forefront of their minds and offer them helpful tips and information. And if you need more help turning your contacts into clients so you can earn a seven figure income join us at our next Rainmaker Retreat. In this two-day marketing boot camp for small and solo law firms, you’ll learn valuable information and practical steps to take to better market your practice. For more information or to sign-up for the next one, go to: www.RainmakerRetreat.com or call 1-888-588-5891.
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