Key to Developing Client Relationships

The Key to Growing Client Relationships

OCBA Solo & Small Firm Section

July 16, 2015

Your Clients Are Not Yours Alone

Your Clients and Prospects are Not Yours Alone

More than 90% of Unsatisfied

Clients Do Not Complain*

*U.S. Department of Commerce, T.A.R.F. Institute

*U.S. Department of Commerce, T.A.R.F. Institute

It Costs 5 times More to Get a New

Client Than it Does to Keep an Existing One

Retaining Just 5% More of Your Client Base

Can Increase Your Profits by Almost 100%*

*U.S. Department of Commerce, T.A.R.F. Institute

Do You Approve of Client

Feedback Interviews?*

96%Yes

4%

No

*Corporate counsel survey conducted by Market Intelligence

Impersonal/

Passive/

Interesting

Personal/

Assertive/

Interested

Pitching a Potential Client

“Let me tell you about me…”

Like Flossing Your

Teeth, Only

Connect with the

Clients You’d Like

to Keep.

Why Satisfied Customers Defect, Harvard Business Journal

“Completely satisfied clients believe their

outside firm excels in understanding personal

preferences, values, needs or problems. To

figure this out, a firm must excel at listening

to clients and interpreting what they are

saying.”

Skills for Client and Prospect Meetings

The art of questioning -

Active Listening

In-depth research

Consider AFA’s, RFP’s and pitches,

technology, Future Trends 2030

Be a “Lawsultant”

Take notes.

Ask open-ended questions.

Paraphrase - clarify.

Sit forward, nod, make eye contact.

Don’t interrupt.

Active Listening

Reflect back

use “active listening”

written follow-up

“What additional information do you

need for us to be considered?”

Communication

Who Are The Best?

Available and responsive.

Speak “plain speak,” not jargon.

Know client’s business.

Superbly prepared.

Good “idea person”

Have quick reflexes.

Clients feel they’re #1.

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Moments of Truth

“Recovery from a service blunder or problem,

from the clients perspective, is the most

important way to enhance the client

relationship.”*

*“Why Satisfied Clients Defect”, William Sasser,

The Harvard Business Review.

Merry Neitlich, Managing Partner

2222 Martin St., Ste. 255

Irvine, CA 92612

949-260-0936

www.extrememarketing.org