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CLIENT RETENTION – WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

In our last column, we identified steps that contribute to keeping your clients. It is a key to business development success. In addition to turning clients into your advocates, we recommend to our own clients that they:

* KNOW WHAT’S WORKING AND WHAT COULD BE BETTER — Find out by conducting regular client satisfaction visits or discussions to enhance client retention opportunities.

* FOCUS ON MORE THAN JUST WHAT YOU’RE DOING NOW — Cross-selling other practice group services is a solid approach to marketing.

Two more clues that we suggest will be in our next column.

The 50% Value of Client Retention

According to a Harvard Business Review blog, at least 50% of new business every year, for professional service firms, should come from clients and referrals—that’s right 50%!

* Turn your clients into important advocates and spokespeople for your firm.
* Know what’s working and what could be better.
* Focus on more than what you are doing now.
* Keep adding benefits to your services.
* Participate rather than just attend.

We’ll discuss each of these in more details in the following posts. You can also obtain lots of additional ideas from www.allancolman.com/services.

3 Laws of Client Retention

Our newest business development workshop is on keeping your clients. Entitled 3 LAWS OF CLIENT RETENTION, we identify what drives clients crazy and how to apply the 3 rules to keep them and actually grow more business.

Here’s a hint to the 3 rules from LEGACY by James Kerr, “What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge; it is communication.”

Go to www.closersgroup.com/services.

GREAT MARKETING BOOKS

In one of the LinkedIn groups, there has been a lively discussion of recommendations for “great marketing books” for new marketeers. But while they all address marketing, there is nothing moving the reader out into actual business development. This provides me with a very self-serving opportunity to offer OWN THE ZONE – Dominate the Competition, published by Made For Success Publishing and found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kindle, Itunes, etc.

“The real impact of the book is about transforming your business culture, erasing the artificial boundary between sales and professional service, and understanding the bottom-line benefits of speaking directly and honestly to client needs.” Larry Smith, Sr. VP LEVICK.

If you are on allancolman.com, download a free chapter. And for the first 10 people who send in the contact form, I’ll foward the book to you at no cost.

You can also reach me at acolman@closers group.com.

Win and Keep New Business – Webinar -November 6th.

NOVEMBER 6TH, 12 noon Eastern Time; WIN AND KEEP NEW BUSINESS – GOAL Webinar
This webinar for Global Outsourcing Association of Lawyers will address the following key elements of business development:

* Why should your firm be hired?
* Doubling the number of prospect meetings;
* Retaining clients;
* 12 steps to ASKING FOR BUSINESS;
* Building opportunities.

Register at – https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/965647478 or contact me at www.allancolman.com.

The World Series and 7 Steps to Accelerataing New Business

The World Series of baseball is upon us with one surprise team in the finals. It points out that even a “non-big-name” firm can win. All too often we hear law firm excuses that “they want a name-firm so if things go bad, the client can tell the Board of Directors “we got the best.”

More importantly, in the U.S. and Canada, 3 major new campaigns have begun, National Football League, National Hockey League and National Basketball Association. You won’t hear any of them with excuses as to why they can’t beat the big guys.

Our BUSINESS ACCELLERATOR WHEEL c, has 7 steps to get you ROI.

1. Opportunities;
2. Communications;
3. Anticipating and overcoming objections;
4. The “ask”;
5. The “close”;
6. Results;
7. Pipeline.

Let us help you put this to work for your firm.

Managing Partners Leadership

A PROBLEM IS SOLVED BY CONTINUING TO FIND SOLUTIONS

This message from LEGACY, James Kerr’s book, reminds us to build on successful problem solving. For law firm managing partners, practice area leaders and office managing partners, where a client’s problem has been solved, make sure all of your group knows about it and looks to their own clients for similar issues.

One of the strongest tactics to build great client relationships is when they identify a problem with your work, or timing, or budget, or etc., solve it quickly. And then periodically double check with them on whether other issues are brewing and solve them before they boil over into a retention-threat.

This strategy from the All Blacks professional rugby team from New Zealand also applies to staying on top of your clients’ businesses, their competitors, new legislative requirements, etc. Look for ways to identify possible issues your clients may face and raise them early. Prevent problems from developing.

Welcome to the new Closers Group website

We’ve learned from others the importance of simplifying and clarifying what clients come to us for and how we can help new business development. Whether you enter www.allancolman.com or www.closersgroup.com, you will find us ready to assist you in accelerating business, presenting keynotes on Leadership, Winning New Business, Client Retention, etc.

Deepest thanks to DeeDee Heathman from Made For Success. As the publisher of my books and future book, CRAZY IMPACT, she brought a unique view into building our new website.

We get measurable results for our clients.