Something for free… isn’t that what every client wants? Sometimes we have to think about the value of building the relationship and know when to stop the clock.
The word free, I’m sure, makes some of you cringe and others think, “I wish I never had to charge at all.” Well it doesn’t have to be an either/or… a little goes a long way. Stopping the clock can be a means to solidifying a business relationship that will stand the test of time. My friend Richard Few, Managing Partner at Smith Moore Leatherwood in South Carolina, has an interesting take on the issue…
Check in, don’t check out! Most new business comes from existing clients. You don’t have to bill every time you talk to a client. Check in periodically with your client; see how they and their businesses are doing at no charge. For young attorneys, their ‘clients’ are firm partners, so the advice is still the same. And usually, you can get another piece of business from the client just for checking in. No one gets much business by being checked out.
With the pressure to bill more hours these days Richard is pointing out that giving an hour or two could pay big dividends. Let’s find out how often you give a client something for free. Please take TWO SECONDS to answer this poll question, I will close the polling Wednesday at 5pm EST. and on Thursday I will post the results.
No matter how you answer the question, think about how it could impact your law firm branding if you did it more? How much more business could you bring in? Anybody have a great success story? Please share…