Law firms get ahead by working out what sets them apart, says Nick Jervis

Mission statement

This is one question that I ask every law firm that I meet, whether on one of my hidden profits discovery days or when I meet someone at a conference or networking event, and it is one that always causes firms the biggest headache.

Ultimately, they say, we are very similar to the other law firms who do what we do, so we struggle to set ourselves apart from the competition. However, from my experience, firms that do manage to struggle past this point, and successfully do spell out exactly why they are different and why clients should choose them, do very much better than the others.

For my own business, I have a very clear mission in mind. In the incredibly challenging legal services market place in which you now operate, I set out last year with a clearly stated mission of helping 1,000 firms of solicitors to survive and thrive. This is what I focus on achieving every day.

If you think about my service when compared to your own, it is very similar. I provide a service based on my expertise just like you do. I need new clients as much as you do. I know that if a solicitor chooses me I can help them better than any other marketing consultant, and I have no doubt that you feel exactly the same about the service that you provide, yet you have probably just not yet sat down to work out how you can put that in to words.

While most firms I meet do not know exactly how to set themselves apart from the competition, once I ask them a few questions their passion for their work shines through. I find that they go from being embarrassed about talking about their legal services to being fired up about how a client they recently helped achieved a tremendous result and it reminded them why they do what they do.

End product

Do you feel the same way? If yes, work out how to convey that to clients when you first meet them. Let your enthusiasm for what you do shine through and you will convert so many more enquiries that you are already receiving into new client instructions. It is worthwhile sitting down and spending 30 minutes, one hour or whatever it takes, to sum up what you do or what you strive to achieve for your clients into a very short, yet powerful statement.

Think of the most recent client files you have closed and what went particularly well. You should soon find a common thread running through the provision of your services. I set out to stop law firms who provide good services, but do not know how to market them, from going out of business.

I am into the hundreds of my 1000 mission, but I know I still have a long way to go. What mission can you now set off on that fulfils both your clients and your own firm’s objectives? Crack that and you are well on the way to a successful practice.

Nick Jervis is a solicitor (non-practising) and the managing director of Samson Consulting, a law firm marketing consultancy. Download a free guide: 8 Ways To Instantly Attract New Clients from www.samsonconsulting.co.uk