5 Tips for a Perfect Sales Pitch for the Legal Profession
By Peter Boyd on February 26, 2013 in PaperStreet
PaperStreet started with just me and a small yappy dog. We worked out of our house for awhile and now have grown into a company of 16 full-time employees (soon to be 17).
While we have a Client Relations Director and each of our Design/Development/SEO Directors talk to clients, I still handle most of the sales. It allows me to answer any questions, set the tone of the project and make sure we are going to meet client’s expectations. We are soon migrating my duties to a sales position though.
How does this background information apply to law firms? Good question.
Most law firms, and small professional organizations, probably fall into this category too. The lead partners or senior attorneys meet directly with the client and prepare the proposals.
However, just like me, most attorneys are not trained in sales at all. They may know how to present a persuasive argument in court, but that is a bit different than pitching a client.
We can all improve in sales. We don’t have to act like Alec Baldwin in GlennGarry Glen Ross (although that would be fun at least once). We can all improve though.
Here are the five things that I have found are most important in our sales process in my 12 years of pitching prospective clients and sending out proposals:
1. Listen First.
If you are not listening to what the client needs, then your proposal will be off. Find the true issue and then propose a solution to solve that issue.
2. Talk in plain, professional language.
You definitely need to impress on your knowledge. Sometimes that knowledge will involve industry or legal jargon. If the clients do not understand you though, then you will lose their attention. Try to make analogies to whatever the client may be able to relate to. I often use lots of housing analogies because most people have built, bought or at least lived in a house.
3. Be responsive. Quick proposals are a MUST.
You need to be responsive. The quicker you can get back to the initial call, the better. I often call clients back who email us within about 2 minutes. Sometimes they are still on our website. Definitely call back the same day to all calls. Moreover, we issue proposals the same day because we have a process setup to send out customized proposals with ease. If you do not have a standardized proposal that you can customize, then get one immediately.
4. Answer all questions.
You must know your service. Don’t try to pitch anyone if you don’t know everything about your company and area of specialty. Be ready for most general questions. If a client has a specific question that you cannot answer, simply say “I will get you an answer to that.” Then of course get them an answer that day.
5. Impress, at Least Once
Create one star moment that they can remember. It can be your office environment, your awesome website, your overall presentation, your idea to solve their issue, or just you. Just make sure you are memorable. The worst thing is if you follow-up on a proposal and they can’t remember you at all.
Conclusion
We can all improve in sales. If you can only remember one of the tips above, then just listen to your clients needs and solve their issues. If you have any other sales tips, leave a comment.
