At a Sunday lunch with my family we were discussing showering or bathing and somehow found ourselves on the subject of washing the soles of our feet (my fault I am afraid as I always like to take a conversation as far as I can).
Now I had assumed (always a dangerous thing to do) that everyone did the same as I do, which is to lift up the soles of my feet and wash them thoroughly with soap or shower gel. Surely everyone does that don’t they? Apparently not! I was of the minority that took the time to do this. Most people in my extended family felt that standing in the shower and letting the soap run over their feet was enough most of the time (unless they were removing stubborn grass stains etc). I was made to feel like the odd one out for something that I thought was perfectly normal.
On thinking about this further it made me think about marketing legal practices and how the same problem can cost solicitors thousands of pounds every year. Now you might struggle to see the connection between washing the soles of your feet and marketing your law firm, but I am referring to the real problem in the story above – assumptions!
So many times we are all guilty of assuming something will not work for our business because ‘we would not be persuaded to act if presented with this offer in this way’. When it comes to what will or won’t work for your business there is simply only one way to find out – testing. You absolutely MUST ignore your own preconceptions if you really want to grow your practice and increase your profits. Let me give you an example. For two years I put off selling my Sales Process ToolKit online to solicitors because I felt ‘Solicitors weren’t ready for this type of product’.
Finally I thought I would do it anyway and I was amazed by the response. It has turned into one of my best selling products and has received excellent feedback. The only regret I have now is that I did not sell it online sooner than I finally did. Why? I made the wrong assumption.
If you are making assumptions about what can and can’t work in terms of marketing your business now please stop. Test every idea you can think of to bring new business into your practice. Only once you have the results can you make an informed decision about what will or won’t work for you.
Assumption = Missed Opportunities To Grow Your Practice and Your Profits!
Testing = Certainty
Washing the soles of your feet part 2.
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Tags: law firm marketing
Absolutely right Nick. The approach of reviewing everything you do and challenging long-held views of both yourself and other solicitors, is central to the successful growth of my firm. It’s an approach that my youngest son, when still aged six, mastered to perfection but one which the average solicitor has sadly lost over the years — the continual use of the word “why”.