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Over at LawFirmBlogging, a parable of sorts about the guru and the servant. Of course, it’s a parable about positioning your firm (and yourself) as either to “go to” person or the lawyer who gets the job done with customer service. I think it’s interesting that the author draws a distinction between one who is perceived as being the one who handle the tough cases and the one who is the professional equivalent of the “nice guy” (I can tell you, no man ever wants to be called a “nice guy,” specifically because it’s usually coming from a girl as she declines a romantic advance).
I think it’s possible to be both the guru and the servant; with a reputation for doing the tough work, the guru is able to place a monetary premium on his or her services. Combining that with a reputation for excellent customer service, the guru can increase referral and retention rates. The lawyer who acts solely as the servant, on the other hand, is forced to charge market rates (or less) and makes his or her money up in sheer volume of clients.
So how do you position yourself as the guru in your law firm marketing efforts?
This is the question that plagues many bankruptcy lawyers, especially in the face of massive competition from not only other bankruptcy lawyers, but from non-lawyers who are looking to pick up new business from the ranks of consumers who are overwhelmed by bill problems. Everyone promises free consultations, payments plans, evening and weekend appointments, and the like.
The answer is in differentiation, but doing so in such a way as to show your expertise. The best, easiest and cheapest way of doing this is through what is currently called content marketing. In the old days it was called “education marketing,” “lead generation,” and a host of other things. For my part, I like to call it showing your stuff (but not in a “dirty old man” way).
When you show your stuff to the public, you establish firmly that you’ve got stuff to show – and that you know how to use that stuff. For example, I can tell you that I’m the best bankruptcy lawyer to ever walk the streets of Manhattan … but unless I show you that I’ve handled X number of Chapter 13 cases and Y number of Chapter 7 cases (I don’t handle Chapter 11 cases, ripped that part out of the book the day I got it) then you’re not likely to believe me.
Now let’s say I show you a PACER printout of every case I’ve handled. And a petition filed for a really tough case. And the Discharge of Debtor in that same case. And a letter from the client telling me that I saved him from jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge by helping him get out of debt before he lost his mind. And a series of articles or blog posts written about how to handle bill problems.
Are you impressed with me yet? Am I likely to gain your trust and confidence to the extent that you will be more likely than not to hire me rather than some other bankruptcy lawyer down the street?
I am great not because I tell you that I’m great, but because I can show you what I know. That leads YOU to determine on your own that I am great.
A quick task to accomplish? It can be, but often it isn’t the case. A satisfying task to accomplish in terms of cementing your market leadership position? Absolutely.
Now go out there and figure out how YOU can be the guru in your market.
Photo courtesy of Bhutan-360.
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Yes, the fact that you can be both a guru and a servant was my reaction to the original article. And I think that's what our public expects at this point in time. They're looking for value and quality, and how best to deliver that than by making your accomplishments transparent and your client relationships respectful and engaging?
Yes, the fact that you can be both a guru and a servant was my reaction to the original article. And I think that's what our public expects at this point in time. They're looking for value and quality, and how best to deliver that than by making your accomplishments transparent and your client relationships respectful and engaging?