Step Four – After the Phone Rings

Treat every client like a potential Collaborative client

Make sure you do not ignore the opportunities you already have.  Every potential client is a potential Collaborative client or knows a potential Collaborative client.  Early in my Collaborative practice I thought that when my phone rang with a call from a new potential client, I needed to decide up front whether I should talk to them about Litigation or about Collaboration.  I was self-limiting.  Then I learned to treat every potential client like a potential Collaborative client.  When I started telling every caller about Collaborative Law, more of my cases became Collaborative cases.  Even if Collaboration is not right for the client you are talking to, it may be right for their sister, or co-worker, or best friend.

Include your core message

So imagine your phone rings right now and it is a new potential client.  Make a point of working your core message into the initial conversation.  Also remember that passion shows – if your message is not coming through, work on yourself, not your delivery.  Then shut up and listen.  Way too often we spend our time with the client talking about what we can do for them.  Most clients want more than anything to be heard.  If we spend more time listening and less time talking, not only are we creating a better bond with the client, but when we do talk, we can much better speak to their concerns rather than the generic client’s concerns. If the client is a good fit, your core message will have some overlap with what the client is looking for.  If you are listening, you will be able to both let the client know where you stand, and give a sense of why your services would be valuable.

Screen

Finally, even though you are talking to every potential client about Collaboration, as you listen to the client be sure to screen for whether they are in fact a good fit for Collaboration.  Not every potential case is a fit for the Collaborative process.  As odd as it sounds, you should not talk people into Collaborating.  You want to let them know about Collaboration, but then if they are interested, let them convince you they are right for it.  A client who is talked into Collaboration does not have the same commitment to the process as one who has decided on their own that this is the right thing for them.  If the client is not committed, they are less likely to put the effort into making it work, they will argue with you more about how to do it, and they will terminate more readily.

Exercise 4

Exercise 4 will help you develop a plan for talking to potential clients about Collaborative Law.

If you work at identifying your ideal client, defining your core message, communicate that core message effectively, and remember to screen for clients that are not a good fit for Collaboration, you will be well on your way to building a satisfying and rewarding Collaborative practice.