Posts tagged - marketing

Treat your clients’ money as if it were your own

Posted on: November 05, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So my firm has a unique culture, as do all businesses. But the difference at my firm is that we have captured the essence of our firm in 21 fundamentals we call The JW Way (http://www.jaburgwilk.com/mission-statement). These are the foundation of our business and inform how we operate from how we deal with clients to who we hire, whether attorneys or staff.

Today I am focusing on one fundamental: Treat clients’ money as if it were your own. Yes, I know this makes sense, but doing it is not always the obvious choice. The easiest example of this in my world involves litigation. A partner of mine is known to say: We can ride to court in a Honda or a Cadillac. In some situations a client may only be able to afford the Honda. Of course this means having difficult conversation at the front end to determine what your client or customer can afford and how that relates to what they want to do.

If that is the case, you then have to figure out whether it is possible to provide outstanding legal advice and service that will meet your client’s expectations going to court in the Honda. If not, or if a potential client is looking for a luxury ride they cannot afford, the best thing I can do is decline the representation because odds are I cannot realistically meet their expectations.

For me, when a client is on a litigation budget, that means thinking about overall costs for a representation and what can be done to try and work within a given client’s budget or financial limitations. For example, it could mean taking a close look at larger litigation expenses such as depositions and only taking some, but not all possible, depositions. Or, on smaller expenses it may mean sending a demand by snail mail and email, but not having it hand delivered or served.

I am sure there are ways in your business to shave both smaller and larger amounts from what you are doing for your clients or customers on a specific deal or project. Or maybe it is looking at administrative expense and overhead in your business. Maybe there is a bigger picture change you can make that will result in savings you can pass on.

The fact is that by treating our clients’ money as if it were our own, as well as following the other fundamentals of The JW Way for a number of years, it has lead my firm to great overall business decisions and great hiring decisions regarding people who fit into our culture, as well great and continuing success. This in turn has resulted in my firm being able to meet and exceed the goals of our clients and avoid sending invoices that provide sticker shock; Your client doesn’t want the invoice for the Cadillac if you discussed the Honda.

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You must take action to expand your network and control your destiny

Posted on: October 07, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So my question to you is are you green and growing or ripe and rotting? No, you are not a vegetable or a piece of fruit, but you either are taking action to improve yourself and your business or you are not. The difference is like that between talk and action. Knowing what to do and doing it are not the same.

You also need to think about whether whatever your doing is achieving your desired results. If not, why do you keep doing it?

If all I can do is write about what to do, but not do it, that is to my detriment. Sure, I like writing on these type of topics, which is why you are reading this today. But my goal is not to be a writer, but an attorney who is constantly trying to expand his network and develop meaningful relationships with the people I deal with. By doing so I have better control over my professional path and create opportunities.

One of the things I like best about what I do is meeting and working with all different types of people including other attorneys (really), accountants and other professionals, business owners, and many others. The diversity in the people I deal with keeps me engaged, interested and energized to keep networking. It keeps me trying new things in my effort to expand my network and develop interesting work for me and my colleagues. I always say if we were all the same the world would be a boring place, which I truly believe.

So are you the ripening banana looking better day by day or the old one on the counter no one wants to touch? It may only be a  metaphor, but it is true that you either are improving yourself or not. If you do not do so you are destined to the life of the worker bee, which is not necessarily a bad place to be. But if you want to be higher up the food chain, no matter if it is in your profession, your company, or your industry, start by expanding your network and see where it can take you.

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You must have substance because reputation matters in the long run

Posted on: September 28, 2015, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You might be able to baffle people with you know what initially, but it won’t last if you are all flash and no substance.  If you make a sale by saying the right things, but don’t have the employees or equipment to correctly and timely get the job done, it will be the last time you work for that customer, or anyone that customer tells of your failure. You likely will lose business you will never know you lost. That is how reputation works.

Substance comes a number of ways. It can be through experience, or learning, or building on past successes. But every step you take forward will be lost if you are all smoke and mirrors. The point is not to mislead people about what you can do or your experience.  You may get away with it once in a while, but it will hurt you in the long run.

And therefore you will hurt your reputation. Once your reputation is tarnished, it will follow you for a long time.

So respect yourself. Respect the hard work it takes to become a person of substance. If you do, you are heading in the right direction, and have or are building substance.

 

 

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Why it is time for an annual “checkup” for you and your company

Posted on: December 16, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The end of the year is always a good time to take stock of where you are personally and professionally.  This can be checking in with your personal accountant to make sure you have withheld/paid enough taxes during the year or planning for deductions to planning for large corporate expenditures on things such as upcoming projects, planned corporate initiatives or planned equipment purchases.  But the one thing that is a constant is that we all should be doing this.

In the past I have mentioned why it is good to sit down with various professionals you or your company work with just to check-in, be they attorneys, accountants, insurance professionals, financial planners, investment professionals, etc.  The list depends on you and your business.

This does not have to be a formal appointment unless you think that is appropriate depending on the nature of the planned conversation. Instead, it can be you offering to buy them lunch or a drink.  The point is the better the professionals you work with know you, the more they are able to make recommendations aimed to benefit you or your company.

So don’t wait, start making plans today to meet with these people this year, or at least first thing next year. We all are busy this time of year, but if you take these actions it will help you now and in the future.

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Why you shouldn’t put your cell phone on the table at lunch or let it kill your creativity!

Posted on: December 04, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Putting your phone on the table at a meal sends the wrong message whether you are dining with someone you are looking to connect or network with, or when you are with your spouse or kids. It is the equivalent of telling whoever you are with that the people who text, email or call you are potentially and likely more important than they are.  If not, why would you leave open the possibility of having your phone interrupt the conversation and meal?

And yes, I acknowledge that phones and other devices have most of us hooked. We all are addicts. You know the feeling or thought: “Yes, I just checked for new emails and texts two minutes ago, but I may have missed one…I just can’t help myself.”

It really is all of us just filling any empty time by checking our phones or other devices. In the past we would have had to do things such as think, daydream, or stare out of the car window.  Now, I have a child who is a teen and barely knows directions because his face is buried in his phone anytime he is in a car.  Observing teens and their friends leads to the conclusion that they do not know how to enjoy a moment of quiet.

I have read what others think we should do. Don’t bring your phone into a business meeting. Turn off your phone at night. Makes rules about its use at the dinner table. Don’t check work email after a certain time. Great ideas, but hard to actually do.

That is why I am trying to follow my new, self-instituted rule of not placing my phone on the table when I am dining with someone.  It may seem like a small step, but you have to start somewhere.  And as a big believer in paying attention to those you are dining with, it definitely makes sense.

If any of you have ideas or rules that work and result in better face to face communication in your offices or homes, I would like to hear about them.

 

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Why you need to prepare for meetings

Posted on: September 30, 2014, in: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When new or potential clients ask me how we can make our first meeting as productive as possible it is an easy answer.  Prepare.  That means me too.  I ask them to look through all of the documents, emails and information they have that is relevant to their issues.  And I ask them to send me the operative contract, documents, emails and or an outline of the pertinent facts prior to the meeting.

This applies to you too.  You cannot prepare too much.  Knowledge is power.

If you are meeting with a salesperson, know what you need and have a plan.  This helps you order what you need, not make emotional decisions and keep the meeting on point.

If you are the salesman, know the company or person you are trying to sell.  Research.  It helps to keep notes about people, their companies, their families, etc. The personal touch is everything (but you need to be sincere and care, or you will hurt your cause).  Search the Internet, review your notes, or take whatever actions will help you be prepared for your meetings.  Knowledge and preparation make meetings go smoother, and better, and more productive.

By doing so you will help yourself, and help others.  Time is money is true.  Most people would like more money, and we all can use more time, so prepare as well as you can and you will have a better opportunities for more of both.

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I Can’t Thank You Enough!

Posted on: December 18, 2013, in: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Of course, you think, another person telling you to be thankful during the holiday season. Kind of, but not really. You should be thankful for what you have, but year round, not just because it is this time of year. But that is not what I am talking about.

 

This time of year is a good time to remember to show gratitude. Yes, you should do so year round, but it is better late than never, and should be done in both your professional and personal worlds. Lucky enough to have someone clean your home? Some extra money may be sufficient without a card or hand written note (yes, there are still times a hand written note is appropriate), and arguably will be more appreciated than a gift.

But what about the guy or gal who referred you the big lead or client? Arguably shouldn’t be money (think kickbacks!).  Here a hand written note and thoughtful gift is the right idea. Not sure what to get them? You should be because you want to get to know people better who help you succeed and earn your living.

So remember to thank timely and often, and do it throughout the year. If you haven’t lived this way until now, this is a good time of year to start.

And to those of you kind enough to have referred a client to me, provided me with a lead or trusted me enough to connect me to one of your contacts, thank you!! And who knows, you still may be getting that hand written note and a gift…

Happy Holidays!

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We All Need To Try Something New

Posted on: September 18, 2013, in: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you’re not successful, you’ve got to change something. Funny thing is that if you are successful it helps to change something. Trying something new is good for all of us. It could be regarding how you generate or create business. It could be how you organize your workspace. It could be stopping at the corner coffee shop in the morning and meeting your neighbors or other professionals and business owners.

Back to if you are not successful or are on a bad streak. The problem is you, but not in the way you think. Odds are it is not your work product. It is that you are stuck in routine and maybe with things that used to work. We are in a new world: post-recession, surrounded by technology twenty-four hours a day, sucked into interactions with or through machines that used to happen in person, or at least by phone. Change something.

One idea is to reconnect with people. I know people thirty and younger may be rolling their eyes, but life previously didn’t involve texting, Facebook and twitter. Make a list and call someone from that list each morning. All it takes is three to five minutes a day, but that personal touch means something. If not that, change something else, regularly.

Don’t let lack of success or success define you. Interact with people. For most of us, it is those people and their memory of you that will define us, not a witty tweet…

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All Business is Relationships

Posted on: September 11, 2013, in: , , , , , , ,

It is important to remember how to be a member of the group. And don’t make it only about  business. Relax. All business is relationships, and it is where you need to do a good job. If you are not, you’ve got to tweak the formula.

Even if you know the answer, don’t always volunteer it. Many people don’t want to be wrong. Never. If you correct them, they’re alienated from you, and that might work against you…for years.

Generally try to avoid behaviors and actions that alienate people, like desperation, complaining or emotional reactions. It does not mean you should sublimate your personality. For example, you often meet bullies and people with a chip on their shoulder at the pinnacle of business. With some the only way you can gain their respect (sometimes begrudgingly) is to act just like they do. They may end up respecting you, they may not. But they will realize you know how to play the game.

But it’s much more complicated than that. And I’m still learning. This is why you always should try new things to find both what works for you and what you are comfortable with. And remember that important things such as friendship, respect and success are earned.

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Things you need to know for business and life

Posted on: September 04, 2013, in: , , , ,

I am sharing some things I was thinking about over the holiday weekend. I hope you all were able to relax and recharge, and are ready for you and your business to head strongly into the fall.

1. Being the star may be short-lived

Being a rainmaker or achieve success usually takes hard work and time. At points it feels like it is easy to break through, but it can be much harder to sustain.

2. Quality counts.

If you want to maintain your reputation and have longevity at a high level expect to work hard. It’s hard to game the system for your career. Your best bet is to focus on your work and do your best for your clients or customers.

3. Talent is not something you are born with.

There is no way around the fact that you have to do your work and homework to do your best for your clients or customers. Find a niche you like, or yet love, learn and do your best. If you do it is likely your clients, customers and professional acquaintances will help spread the word for you. The goal is longevity.

4. Throwing it all at the wall doesn’t work well.

Even if it makes you feel good to get the message out every way you can, unless your target market is listening it is wasted time and effort. It is not a numbers game, but about being personal. One personal email to an important connector is more important than a press release sent out randomly; The personal touch is everything today. People remember personal emails, phone calls and meetings, which can pay dividends in the future.

At the same time, if using the written word, use spellcheck!

5. Invest in yourself.

Success is slow. Learn well, put what you learn into practice and treat clients, customers and everyone you deal with how you would want to be treated. Yes, try to be professional even when others are not because people will remember the one time you lack professionalism if it happens. And there’s plenty of money to be made in the long run and it comes easier if you don’t make it your number one priority.

Please think of me if you or anyone you know want to discuss these type of issues or have any legal needs.

Neal

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