In the abstract, this philosophy probably makes sense. But how do you do it? In other words, how do you know what your prospects are thinking? And how can you leverage this knowledge in a way that’s neither manipulative and sneaky, nor overly overt? It’s a delicate balance. But here are two ideas to at least get you moving in the right direction:
- Go to forums devoted to bankruptcy and debt. Find out what your potential clients are discussing. What frustrations and concerns do you read about on these forums?
- Use feedback in your legal practice more often and more thoroughly. You need to track the emotional journey of your clients as well as their financial, logistical, and legal journey. What are their thoughts and feelings prior to connecting with your team? How do they feel during the process? What are they thinking and feeling at the end of the process?
If you know the answers to these questions, you will be able to market better, since you can demonstrate proof that you are able to take a customer from feeling/thinking state A to a better feeling/thinking state B. You’ll also be able to understand what you might be able to do to make the client journey easier, better, more certain, etc.
Continually educate yourself. Learning to empathize with your law firm client should be an ongoing priority, not only for you, but also for every member of your team. If you don’t understand what makes your customers tick—what drives them and what repels them—then how are you supposed to communicate effectively with them? And if you cannot effectively communicate with them, how are you supposed to show them that your services are really, truly their best alternative?
Starting over can be scary, but it can also be exciting, revitalizing, and motivating. That’s why many people daydream about what they would do if they could “start over.”
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