Maintaining Client Relationships

As an attorney, the relationships you build with your clients can last for years, even decades. These relationships can be rewarding on their own and can also lead to referrals for new clients. Building great relationships with new clients and maintaining them for years will help you grow a healthy law practice. Here are some ways you can build and maintain client relationships.

Learn Your Clients’ Needs

Take the time to learn about your clients’ needs by asking them questions about their goals and listening to their answers. Never assume you already know what is best for them since each client is different. Clients will usually have an idea of what they want to achieve. They need you to help them create a plan that will help them reach their goals.

Share Your Knowledge

One of your greatest assets is your knowledge of the area, or areas, of law you practice in. Sharing your knowledge with your clients instills confidence and helps them understand how you will help them achieve their goals. When talking with your clients, explain things clearly and ask if they understand what you are talking about. Your knowledge can also be an effective marketing tool. Regularly posting video tutorials and blog posts to your website can boost traffic to your website and show that you are knowledgeable in your field.

↠ Key Elements to Improving Your Prospect Pipeline ↞

Stay Positive and Open-minded

Your clients will likely have problems they want you to help them solve. Staying positive about the situation you are working on with them will boost their confidence in you and the process. Even though you are the expert, your clients may have good ideas as well. Be open to suggestions they put forward.

Communicate

Open and clear communication is a key element to any relationship. Let your clients know the best ways to reach you and when you are able to be reached. If you don’t answer phone calls or emails on weekends, for example, let your clients know and set their expectations. When you do communicate with your clients, communicate in a way they will understand using terms that won’t confuse them. Checking in with your clients regularly will let them know you are thinking of them and that they matter.

>>> Three Tips to Get More Clients and Referrals <<<

Exceed Expectations

Provide realistic timelines and meet or exceed them. Find small ways to add to the service you are providing. For example, you could look up a deed in the county registry for your client so they don’t have to. Small acts can make a big difference.

Maintain Long-term Relationships

Even after you have finished a project for a client, they will likely still be your client. Keep them up to date with what you and your firm are doing. You can do this by sending out regular newsletters, uploading blog posts and articles to your firm’s website, and participating in seminars and workshops. Finding ways to stay on your clients’ minds will reassure them that you are there for them and they will be more likely to recommend you when they meet someone who needs an attorney.

Impress your clients by remembering personal things about them from previous conversations or customizing your communications with them. You can track every phone, email, or in-person interaction through marketing automation. When you take the time to remember details like where the client celebrated their birthday or follow up by asking how their vacation went or if they decided to adopt that dog from the local shelter, they’ll know you are really listening. If you’re looking to improve your law firm’s marketing and communication efforts, contact Law As a Business. We have the tools and experience to market your business so you can continue to focus all of your expertise on your clients who need you.

Create a successful maintenance plan for your firm’s clients!

Attorneys know that elder law and estate planning are designed for a snapshot in time. However, life is not static, and those worries change and evolve over time. The answer to making sure clients’ plans evolve with them is establishing regular communication to update or modify their plans. Watch this video and learn how to develop ongoing long-term relationships with your clients through a maintenance plan, so they know you’re still available and ready to help them with legal issues that come up down the road.