Ok let’s put cynicism to the side for one minute, your membership of Connect2Law can be an integral part of your firm’s marketing strategy and help retain existing clients, develop new clients and generate income - don’t believe me? Please read on.
There are two areas, critical to all businesses, where your membership of Connect2Law can add value.
Protecting your existing clients
If an existing client requires assistance in an area of law you don’t specialise in, referring them to Connect2Law means that client has no need to go a neighbouring competitor. You are protected by our non poaching agreement, but if that client goes to another local firm and they are happy with their service what do you suppose may happen?
With the threat of new entrants into the legal market just months away, it is critical that all firms re-visit their existing clients. Now is the time to start contacting them, let them know not only what is going on in your firm, but be clear that you are the only point of contact they need for all legal assistance.
Winning new clients
A potential new client walks in, calls or visits your website. If they are looking for a firm who can offer advice on clinical negligence and this is something you don’t provide what do they do? Find another local firm, look on the Law Society website?
If you let the client know that you can assist through your membership of Connect2Law you have the opportunity to capture them as a potential future client. The point of our non poaching agreement is that we won’t cross sell other services to the clients you refer – but you should be!
Make the referral, but take down all the client’s details, including their email address and input this into your case management / database system. This contact information is a valuable resource that you need to exploit, but that’s for another article...
In order to ensure that you are getting the most from Connect2Law consider what happens at the various touch points where you interact with clients.
Client meetings / telephone enquiries
- Make sure ALL of your staff know that you are member of the Connect2Law scheme and clients should never be told you can’t help them. This includes reception and support staff. Remember, if we can’t help we will try to find a member firm that can.
- Your business development manager will happily visit your offices and speak to as many people as you wish, that is what we are here to do. Not only that but we can also offer CPD for listening to a presentation on Connect2Law!
- North West members can also take advantage of a free cross selling course in your offices for 1 CPD point.
Website
- What areas of law does your website say you cover? Does it state you’re a member of Connect2Law and more importantly what this means for clients?
- Proactive members of scheme now advertise a complete range of services, which generate direct enquiries from their website. Forwarding an enquiry in an area of law they don’t cover takes seconds, but captures the client and potentially generates a referral fee for very little work.
- We can supply both text and a logo to add to your website and show that you’re a member of Connect2Law.
Reception
- Clear out the magazines! Your reception is another opportunity for you to let clients know about the other services you provide. You should provide information about all the areas of law they can access from your offices and via the Connect2Law network.
- We can supply posters and menu cards branded with Connect2Law for use in reception and waiting areas.
Letterhead & Stationery
- If you list your areas of law on your stationery make sure you have a ‘catch all’ that encourages clients to contact you for any legal query.
- Add the Connect2Law logo to your letterhead.
Email & Direct Mail
- Each time you write to a client you have the chance to remind them about other services you can offer. You’re already paying for the stamp so why not include a flyer on a complementary area of law.
- Take a leaf from your bank or building society, next time they send you a statement you’re likely to find information about a loan, savings account etc included. This will generate a direct response from some customers but for others it simply serves as a reminder and continues the drip..drip…effect of marketing.
- If you cover only one area of law your business development manager will happily discuss how we can help market a range of services to your client base. We have worked with firms who specialise in personal injury matters and successfully marketed a full range of private client services. The firm reminds their existing clients what they specialise in, whilst generating income from referrals in other areas.
As members of the scheme you will all have your own business development manager whose primary role is to develop the relationship between your firm and Connect2Law. Take advantage of their time and find out how we can help create a successful partnership together.
