For a long time, law firms could get by on a reputation. Work would flow because of who they were and the name they had built over decades of providing quality legal services.  Times have changed, and that is not how it works anymore.  Kelli J Proia^[1] of Lawducate gave a presentation at the Legal Marketing Association's North East Conference, and she was kind enough to share her ideas on how lawyers can reframe thoughts on selling, and how marketing departments in law firms can help lawyers become successful.

Proia says, “The legal industry actually has a history of success without traditional selling methods. . . law firms could be very successful with minimal marketing and no sales process at all.  Years of success without selling has led to a mistaken idea amongst lawyers and firms that professionals don’t have to sell. I can’t tell you how many times a lawyer has told me that he shouldn’t have to sell, that his work speaks for itself.”   But that was before--before the Great Recession, before the internet began to seriously change the game, before competition for legal work got cut-throat.  Now, the idea that your legal work speaks for itself and will naturally attract clients is not realistic. Proia says, “That’s an attitude born of a bygone era.”

Part of the anti-sales attitude stems from a misunderstanding of what sales actually involves.  Proia points out, “They [Lawyers] have this idea that sales is forcing someone to buy what you’re selling.  They think of sales as pushy or dishonest.”  Of course, the real picture is much more nuanced.  People don’t shop for lawyers like they shop for clothes or cars. Legal problems can be emotionally draining and scary, so finding a lawyer gets wrapped up in all of that negative emotion.   But in fact, flipping the script is a good way to approach the situation.  Letting potential clients know that you can take away the pain is a good approach. Proia says, “Sales is actually the means by which people who have a problem get their solution.  If lawyers truly want to serve their clients, then they should want to sell their legal services, their solution, to every person with that legal problem.”  Framing it this way is an important distinction, understanding that sales is about persuasion and education, not setting a trap.  Thinking of sales as a way to help people find solutions to their problems can help lawyers embrace the process.

However, there is an element of rejection that goes along with sales.  Not everyone will want to work with you, and rejection is just part of the game. Proia points out, “For a lawyer, that often feels like a personal rejection.  No one wants to be rejected. But you can't take this rejection personally. You have to keep offering your services.” Instead of letting this fear of rejection become a roadblock, there's one thing to remember—lawyers do a lot of selling—just in non-sales settings.  Proia argues that: “Lawyers are actually the best salespeople in the world.  They are what I call natural-born sellers.  Lawyers are trained to ‘sell’ their arguments to judges, juries, opposing counsel, colleagues, the media, and their clients.  Selling is the only job a lawyer has . . . every skill an attorney uses to sell legal arguments is the same skill set he or she needs to sell legal services.” 

Proia argues that lawyers should “focus their marketing and sales conversations on how they solve their clients’ legal problems.  Focus on what you do and why you do it.”  Keeping the conversation focused on the problem at hand--and the solutions that the lawyer can offer, keeps the spotlight where it should be--how to alleviate the situation that is causing the client problems. Proia says, “If a firm or lawyer wants to demonstrate their value, they need to show potential clients what they do for their clients.  Their message should be, ‘if you have this legal problem, here’s how I solve it.’ Then you need to walk them through the process of how you help solve their particular legal problem.” 

In some cases, this can come down to educating prospects about their own issues.  Proia says, “Unfortunately, most legal marketing is designed to impress rather than inform, so the prospect never really understands the legal problem and how the attorney helps her solve it.  Hiring a lawyer becomes a leap of faith.”  Demystifying that process is an integral part of sales, and it can help lawyers be successful.  Proia says, “The more comfortable you can make a prospect, by demonstrating that you understand her problem and that you can make that pain go away, the more likely she will hire you.”

Marketing departments in law firms can help lawyers by helping them understand the true nature of sales, and how the game has changed.  Communicating in a way that makes sense to a prospect is crucial.   Proia advises, “Coach your lawyers to talk about what they do to help others.  Rather than introducing himself as a patent attorney, the attorney should introduce himself as someone who helps inventors and companies protect their greatest assets.”  To help with communication, Proia suggests marketing departments accumulate a library of ways to answer common questions that potential clients have.  Content should be across several streams--articles, videos, podcasts, etc.  Proia says, “Prospects are looking for an education first, an attorney second.  Educate them.” 

_{^[1] Kelli J Proia, founder of Lawducate.}