3 Ways to Develop Authentic Relationships

Thank you so much for coming to the Intentional Marketing Blog. This is the first in what will be a weekly series where I will share my thoughts and ideas on current topics and trends in the world of legal marketing. Hopefully the information you find here will help demystify the marketing process and inspire you to grow your practice.

Since this is the first one, I thought it would be a good idea to focus on the idea that has become the cornerstone of my marketing philosophy. This has been developed over a thirty plus year career working with attorneys and law firms of all shapes and sizes. During that time, I have attended all the seminars, been to all the conferences, read all the books. I’ve even written a book of my own! (Intentional Marketing: Building Your Legal Practice One Relationship at a Time, due out September, 2017). I have creating marketing plans for large firms, small firms, and single practitioners. The idea I keep coming back to time and time again, is that marketing is about creating authentic relationships.

There are is no commercial, superlative ranking, or website that can match the power of an authentic relationship. An authentic relationship is not just going to lead to a single case, it is going to lead to long term clients who will turn into referral sources, which is the ultimate goal of any marketing campaign.

Authentic relationships do not just happen overnight. They take time and energy to develop and maintain. There are some best practices you can employ to make sure the relationships you are creating are authentic ones. Here are three ideas to consider:  

1. Make it About Them, It Will Be About You- this is what I call my Golden Rule of Marketing, and a key step in creating authentic relationships that will last throughout your career. Our clients are so much more than the matters they bring us. Get to know your clients on a personal level and chances are they will stay clients for years to come.

2. Visit Your Clients - Go see you clients at their place of business. This is an extremely underused marketing tool and a surefire way to let you client know you care about their business. These face to face, non-billable interactions on their home turf shows a level of commitment to your clients that is guaranteed to wow them. Chances are they will be relaxed, impressed with your effort, and maybe even ready to hand you a new matter.

3. Trust Your Instinct- You can’t build authentic relationships with others without first being authentic with yourself. I make sure the plans I develop with my clients’ work play to their strengths and work with their lives. If a marketing plan doesn’t feel right to you- trust that feeling.

Be sure to check back in for a new Intentional Marketing blog. Have a great week, and seriously…go visit your clients.