“It’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you use that makes a difference.”            Zig Ziglar         

In my last post I talked about how sales can be discouraging because we tend to take rejection of our services personally, thereby discouraging further sales activity.  Looking back on the title “It’s Not About Me” I realized how that very title could lend itself to a myriad of additional tips on sales and marketing.  Here is my tip#2 on why it’s not about you.   

So many times when faced with a sale or marketing opportunity, lawyers pitch themselves and their credentials.  “I am a successful and experienced trial attorney.”  “I have a terrific track record.”  “I can do more for less.”   Then you hand over the high-priced brochure with more about you, your results and your services and hope you have made your point.  All that is nice, but when it gets down to it, while the credentials are necessary to make the cut, to close a sale the conversation should not be about you.  

If you want to make the sale, then sell your knowledge, experience and skills by demonstrating them.  If you focus the conversation on a discussion of your prospective client’s needs and problems and how you propose to solve them, you are more likely to convince them you really have the credentials it takes to do the job much more effectively then a sales pitch about you.  Try “What problems are you facing.” “Here are some ideas on how to solve them.”  

Most clients understand that slick marketing materials are designed to show you in the best light and expect that there is some spin involved.  Doing the job by listening to your client, figuring out what needs to be done and offering solutions on the spot demonstrates real skill and credentials without the spin.  Show you can do the job by doing it, and your credentials become a mere checklist of information for the file on your way to a new client.