Wondering how to get clients as a lawyer?
Coffee with Hannele Korhonen: Happy customers and happy lawyers, episode two
Do you know the one thing that defines successful law firms? You know, the ones where the partners don’t lose sleep at night worrying about paying the bills?
A guess?
It’s not your:
- legal expertise
- your pithy arguments in court
- how tough a negotiator you are, or
- how many deals you close
Overall, it’s not your help or solution (product), either.
It’s not your price. Gone are the days of winning customers with the price.
The one thing that defines flourishing law firms is CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. People will buy based on the experience they have with you. Businesses that can offer an exceptional customer experience will grow faster.
Coffee with Hannele Korhonen: Happy customers and happy lawyers
Every week on Instagram I provide a live session for attorneys like you. You get practical and actionable information about improving the customer experience in your own legal business and getting more happy clients. I’m here to help you take your legal business to the next level, with confidence and ease.
You can catch a replay of Episode two here
Customer experience and boosting revenue
Business owners know they need customers to grow their business and increase revenue. But so many are losing money every day because they miss the customer experience part.
Especially in law.
Most lawyers still rely on their solid legal expertise to grow their business. All the development efforts are about improving their skills and then marketing their mastery to clients.
It’s very short-sighted (although I understand it). They don’t teach it in law school.
Let me give you some numbers:
A report from Forrester How Customer Experience Drives Business Growth, 2019 found a direct link between customer experience and growth. This means by making your customers happier you’re rewarded with growth. More sales, more revenue.
Bains & Company’s analysis Are You Experienced found that companies that excel at customer experience grow revenues 4%-8% above their market.
Did you know that? Incredible, right?
Businesses that can offer an excellent customer experience grow faster
Another study from Dimension Data Global Customer Experience Benchmarking Report says that 84% of companies that improved their customer experience grew their revenues.
Pretty convincing numbers. They explain two things, at least for me:
- The customer experience (as I like to call it) – making customers happy – is the one thing that makes or breaks your business.
- If you want to grow your law practice, this is the area you need to work on. Figure out how to make your customers happy and how to make their experience with you memorable.
Customer experience in law
Now, I know you might be thinking, “yes, these are general reports but we’re lawyers and this stuff doesn’t apply to us. The legal profession is different.”
One moment, you’re going to get the numbers for the legal sector, too.
Clio, a legal tech company publishes an annual report about law firms and the legal market. The 2020 report Legal Trends Report 2020 saw customer experience rise to prominence.
Clio’s data is compelling because they have unique access to over 1,500 small law firms globally.
The data showed legal practices focusing on clients as priority number one as they double down on survival.
Did you notice the use of the word survival?
Not success or growth: Survival.
But if you dive deeper, the report shows lawyers what they should be prioritizing when they shift their efforts to their clients.
After compiling the data about how legal professionals define success for their law firms, the one thing defining law firm success is making clients happy.
It ranks the highest in the survey where the other options are things like bringing in new clients or exceeding last year’s revenue. We often hear these things linked with business growth, but they didn’t get the top spot or even number two.
The gap between the second-highest factor: ensuring job security is significant at 42% vs 18%.
This empirical data verified my experience and belief: The foundation for your business and its growth is making your clients happy.
Happy clients means successful firms
Your clients are not just cases or account numbers, they’re people. Even if you’re dealing with big corporations, you’re still dealing with people, and the experience they have with you plays a huge role in their decision making.
It’s not about your product, your price or getting more clients.
They all matter. But ONE thing defines the success of your firm.
It’s the experience your customer has when they deal with you.
Want to create a better customer experience? Stay tuned
In the coming Live episodes, I provide more detail about the customer experience and give you concrete advice on taking action and improving yours.
Want to join me? Every Wednesday at 8 am ET you’ll find me at @lawyersdesignschool on Instagram, where you can ask any questions you have.
If you have any questions, please drop me an email at [email protected]. While you’re here, take a peek at the Lawyers Design School and discover other ways to enhance your customer experience, separate yourself from a sea of the same and grow a thriving legal business.
Catch the replay: Coffee with Hannele Korhonen: Happy customers and happy lawyers
Watch all the Happy customer and happy lawyers episodes.
Are you ready to grow your business?
Grab a virtual coffee with me and let’s figure out the next step!
