Good Morning!! I am Jay from ABC Law Associates, are you planning for divorce; we are the right person who can help you on this…..
….No need to say, what should be the response to the caller.

In fact legal is entirely different kind of profession altogether. But there is one thing very interesting about the legal profession; it’s one of the few professions where as a lawyer you get opportunity to work with your customer very closely. This creates very good opportunity to win the “TRUST” of your customer. Customer/client is the most important part of any business and any customer loves attention. Sometimes a lawyer make him/herself so engaged in client’s work only that, they are not able to update the customer about status of their work, most interesting thing sometimes we are delayed in sending invoice itself, just because we are very much involved in wrapping up the work.

As a customer you would have experienced the engagement after buying any product from any e-commerce site. Every minute level of update about your product/shipment keeps you so engaged, and that’s the reason you prefer your next purchase also from the same site. It’s the TECHNOLOGY only which enables any business to perform up to that level. If we consider e-commerce business only, even though any time you are disappointed with your purchase, but there is probability to repurchase something from the same site if you receive ant campaign mail of 50% discount. A lawyer does not get the second chance because they can’t say “50% DISCOUNT ON DRINK AND DRIVE CASES”.

So, during the engagement with any customer is the most appropriate and only time to win the trust of your customer. Getting, customer’s work done is definitely most important, but along with that, if during this engagement you updated you customer so well, then it’s your customer only who will do the advertisement for you.
Here are few things where technology can help you to bring you close to your customers. Interesting thing, all these tips needs an internet connection and nominal cost.

1. If possible create a website for your legal practice with few pages like Disclaimer, About Us, Contact Us etc. It should neatly explain your practice area. This increases the confidence of customers.
2. Having personalized email is always better. You may use zoho.com to create personalized emails free upto 5 users. If your team size is 10 or greater, you may use email by Google Apps for small business, it costs around Rs. 25,000 for 10 users for an year. Use signature in all your email communications. Your signature should include your name contact details etc.
3. Use Microsoft Excel/ Open Office Spread Sheet/ Google Spread Sheet (if not using any) to have track of your cases/projects. This will help you to become more organized and enable you to have your data on your fingertips.You may have one spread sheet with various sheets like Customers, Projects, Tasks, Billings etc, do not forget to include appropriate status for records where ever necessary.
4. Use outlook/google calendar to setup reminder for your important meetings and dates.
5. Save your entire customer’s information in your email contact. Save your customer’s cell phone, email etc. It will help you to sync all your contacts with your smart phone.If possible store date of birth, anniversary date it will help you to be updated about these dates. If you can manage to send an email/call on these dates, it helps you to be close to your customer, and increases the opportunity to be referred.
6. You may use some time tracking/ issue tracking tools, in our later posts we will list few open source tolls which may be helpful for a legal practitioner.
7. Create good looking and informative LinkedIn, Facebook pages, with your contact details and speciality. Do not forget to use professional looking photograph. In our earlier posts we have explained how create Facebook page, in our later post we will write about LinkedIn profile as well.
8. Writing blog on your practice area can always help you in having strong web presence.

Try out these and see what magic it can create on your customers as well as revenue.
-Ashish Tripathi