Here are ten things every firm must do:

1. Establish and communicate a clear and differentiable brand identity that has meaning to members of the firm, clients and prospects.

2. Differentiate the firm by adding unique value to the service proposition, including:

a. Superior work quality and management through dedicated and well-trained practice group leaders.
b. Focusing on extraordinary client service, headed by a client service manager who can act as an ombudsman for the firm.
c. Developing alternative billing strategies that provide value to the client and increased profitability to the firm.
d. Train clients in e-discovery, e-billing and other technologies before they impose their standards on the firm.

3. Market by industry service teams, rather than practice groups.

4. Focus on diversifying the client base, particularly in niche areas of strength.

5. Ask for referrals if the firm can handle additional work.

6. Network clients with other clients—both will increase their loyalty to the firm.

7. Assess client satisfaction formally and annually to clearly understand each client’s value proposition—and act upon client suggestions.

8. Conduct meaningful market research into new geographies, areas of practice, legal developments—and share the results with clients.

9. If the firm has three or more names, shorten it to one or two.

10. Seriously evaluate whether advertising, airport billboards, blogs and podcasts are meeting the firm’s expectations.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 12:19 pm and is filed under Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.