Top Lawyer Coach, LLC

Focus On Client Needs and Cross-Selling Opportunities

Cross-selling to existing clients is similar to selling to prospects. You have to understand your clients' businesses, identify their needs and issues, and discover where new opportunities might exist for you and your firm.

Cross-selling, though, is a tough road to hoe. There are many lawyer marketing mistakes that can ruin any chance of making a successful cross-sell. The keys are to focus on communication, clients' needs, and what's happening INSIDE THE FIRM.

Here are five tips for finding cross-selling success!

1. Communicate with clients.

Talk and LISTEN to your clients.  Always ask how their business is doing, industry trends and threats from competitors. Also, ask for feedback on your services. Lawyers often see BIG RESULTS with these types of client interviews.

2. Know your firm's range of services.

Keep track of skills, case and transaction inventories. Spend time on the firm's website to get up-to-date on all of its practice niches and specialties, and lawyer strengths.

Remind your clients of all the firm's areas of expertise, specific "wins," and alert them to areas of concern or change. Whenever you identify a prospect that others in your firm can help with, make time to follow up with the relevant colleagues about addressing it.

3.  Sell yourself.

If you are trying to promote your services to others so that they can sell you, make the case for why you add value and how you will enhance the relationship with that client. MAKE YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION EASY TO UNDERSTAND.

4. Celebrate cross-selling successes.

Updates about cross-selling success can be incorporated into the firm's internal newsletter, as an addendum to new matter openings and at attorney meetings.

Cross-selling requires a TEAM APPROACH, so be sure to acknowledge and reward those who follow team and client-centric behavior.

5.  Don't OVER-sell.

Make sure you really offer value when you cross-sell. Not every client will need what your colleagues have to offer - and there may be other firms or lawyers that can better serve them.

Don't oversell yourself or the firm! However, if the client truly needs something that you or a colleague can provide, then move forward enthusiastically.

Before you embark on your next cross-selling endeavor, take the time to ensure that you and your firm's services are effective.

Above all, remember that every success you provide to a client should serve as a steppingstone to future cross-selling opportunities.

Invest your time and hard work into your clients NOW - and reap the rewards later.

Adapted from article Why Client Feedback Interviews? Because You Really Do Need to Know by Martha E. Candiello