If you’re a lawyer, you’re a salesperson. True, you don’t sell cars or encyclopedias – but you do sell something. As a consumer bankruptcy lawyer, I’ve sold freedom from debt problems and a good night’s sleep for 11 years (my, how time flies).
Any consumer bankruptcy lawyer knows that we’re frequently running up against our own clients’ preconceived notions of what bankruptcy can and cannot do for them. In fact, I’ve often felt like a doctor trying to get a petulant child to take his or her medicine – we know it’s the right thing to do, but the client isn’t always compliant.
That’s one of the reasons why I focus on a blend of education-based and permission-based marketing. I call it . . . well, I don’t really have a catchy term for it, but I know it works. Find the prospect, offer something for free, then build trust and break down objections over time by educating the prospect on the benefits of the solution I provide. It may take awhile, but I have found that by using this technique I waste less time, have clients who are better educated about bankruptcy, and experience fewer moments of, “How much is this going to cost me?”
See, my clients know the deal before they walk into my office. I’ve given them more information than they would have otherwise expected, and have done so in a non-threatening manner. And at no time do I ever engage in the hard sell.
For a primer on education-based marketing, check out this article by Trey Ryder. And remember, your 2007 marketing plans should already be well under way.
