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5 Rules to Live By When Building a Lasting Client Partnership

Good client relationships are crucial to sustaining a lucrative law practice.

That's why learning how to nurture a new client partnership is WORTH YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT!

Focus on these five rules for building - and maintaining - a healthy relationship.

1. Say "we."

The word we fosters togetherness.

It makes the listening client feel connected to you. It also gives a subconscious feeling of "you and me against the cold, cold world."

2. Use "you" liberally.

Begin every appropriate sentence with "you."

It will immediately grab your client's attention, and they will often respond positively because you have pushed their pride button.

Think, comm-YOU-nicate!

3. Don't touch a cliche with a ten-foot pole.

Clients cringe at cliches. Trite, over-worn phrases shout lack of imagination.

So, if you are feeling fit as a fiddle, happy as a lark, or high as a kite, just remember that using common cliches around uncommonly successful people brands you as UNCOMMONLY COMMON.

Roll out some clever phrases instead!

4. Pause before you speak.

Silence - the pregnant pause, the white space of conversation - works!

Silence brings the words around it into high relief. It suggests those words matter, making them effective and memorable.

It's hard to resist talking enthusiastically and often, but that makes you appear too eager and too inclined not to listen.

5. Don't use a naked "thank you."

People use the bare, curt "thank you" so often that it becomes a throw away.

Don't let the words "thank you" stand naked and alone. Always make it thank you for something.

For example: Thank you for being such a good client.

This practice will have positive effects. People will listen and appreciate your gratitude.

Bottom line: SINCERITY and INCLUSION are the threshold characteristics of effective relationship building.