from lead to client: how to close
DESCRIPTION
Sales Tips for LawyersTRANSCRIPT
FROM LEAD TO CLIENT: HOW TO CLOSE
The Esquire Network: July 15, 2014
ABOUT US
We help law firms acquire new clients by implementing innovative marketing and client acquisition strategies.
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SPEAKERS
Allen Rodriguez Eva Hibnick
Director of LRIS at the LA County Bar
Director of Attorney Services at LegalZoom
Legal Industry Consultant for McKinsey & Company
Harvard Law School
Corporate Associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore
Marketing Manager at General Assembly
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MARKETING VS. SALES
6%
26%
19%10%
16%
23%
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Marketing
Clients
Leads
LEAD SOURCES
Networking Events
Third Party Directories
Pay per lead
Social Media
Website
Referrals
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Paid campaigns
Blog posts
CLIENTSClients
• Express interest in your services
• Interest=
• Hand you a business card
• Call you
• Walk into your office
• Respond to an ad
• Referred to you
• Ask for your legal assistance
LEADS
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• Budget• Can they afford your services?
• Authority• Decision maker? One fronting the bill?
• Need• Urgency of legal pain
• Type of outreach• Cold vs. Social proof
LEAD SCORING
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YOU’VE GOT A LEAD!
NOW WHAT?
SALES IS NOT…
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SALES IS NOT…
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SALES IS…
• Offering your services to those in need and
incapable of fighting their own battles
• Using your legal expertise to help solve
others’ problems
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INITIAL CONSULTATION
IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE
• Consumer
• GC
• Company
• Attorney
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B2C:
CONSUMERS
BE RESPONSIVE
• Lead Source
• Urgency of legal pain
• Likelihood of contacting other attorneys
• Train staff to follow up with leads or outsource
intake to a third party
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MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE AS A RESOURCE
• Be helpful
• Provide them with additional resources
• Provide referrals/introductions
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• Don’t talk AT them. Listen. Let them talk.
• Understand their pains
• Understand what is important to them
• Assure them that you will act in their best
interest
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LISTEN & BE COMPASSIONATE
• Disclose fees upfront
• Explain the time and effort involved on your
part to achieve the desired outcome
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BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT FEES
• No legalese
• Explain the legal process
• Do not talk down to them
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SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE
PREDICT OBJECTIONS AND HAVE ANSWERS
• Too expensive Payment plan
• Need time to think/shop around Stress
urgency of legal need and set follow up
meeting
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NEVER LEAVE THE CONVERSATION OPEN-ENDED
• Try to close them on the spot at the initial
consultation
• Don’t be shy to ask for the sale
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B2B:
GENERAL COUNSEL
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
• Leaning on your or your firm’s experience is
not enough
• Read all public information out there (10k,
10q, previous earnings call)
• Ask relevant questions to GC prior to the pitch
• Know what department GC is in
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ADDRESS COST SAVINGS
• Be open to alternative fee structures
• Suggest use of technology to save client
money
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ALWAYS BRING DESIGN & DATA TO THE TABLE
• Humans are visual beings
• Data is a great way to show how you reached
your conclusions
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LEAD NUTURING
FOLLOW UP
• 4 touch points to make a sale
• Invest in a CRM to keep track of all of your
leads
• Set up an email campaign for those that don’t
initially become clients
• Perpetual maybes are the worst
• Not all leads are good leads
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