What to say when asked "what do you do?"

----Original Message-----
From: produ******@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 9:28 AM
To: How To Make It Rain
Subject: benefit statement

I had sent this email from another account, and I thought I'd send from the account that was registered for your coaching program. :)

 RJon-

My partner and I have crafted a benefit statement attached below. Could you please have a quick look and give me your feedback?

Note, the additional answers are to questions we are anticipating as follow-ups. Also, we're trying to avoid the "stigma" of being a new firm and of being solos, so even though we're not fully joined as an LLC yet, we're trying to anticipate how to answer those. Again, any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

-A****

 _________________________________________________

What area of law does practice focus on?

 I solve legal and business problems for small to mid-size business owners and real estate professionals.

How do you do that? What do you mean?

 

* Business entity creation

* Lease / purchase review for business assets and locations

* Employment law issues and processes

* Collections accounts receivables

* Business dissolution

* Partnership dispute resolution

* Vendor disputes

* Creditor negotiations

* Debtor and Creditor bankruptcy representation

* Protection of family business assets through and outside probate

* Strategic Planning Consultation

* Negotiate with IRS to resolve tax disputes

 Who are you working with?

 I'm with a boutique firm specializing in small to mid-size businesses.

 What's the name of the firm?

 We're in the process of establishing M******* & H******, LLC

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REPLY:

Mr. H******,

In my experience, no-one ever lays-up the question quite that easily/formally. Most of the time they just ask "What do you do?" or if you're speaking with another lawyer, they might ask "What type/area of law do you do?" In other words, the question is usually a lot more sloppy, which requires a more general answer that captures the questioner's attention by painting a vivid imagine in their mind while at the same time trying demonstrate your confidence/focus and screen-out people you really don't want to be working with in the first place.

So, based on what you share with me below, if someone were to ask "what do you do?" like at your kid's soccer game or in a networking setting, perhaps you could offer something like this:

 "My law firm protects mid-sized business owners so they can focus on making money"

 This response covers all of the services you listed below and is provocative enough, I think, so that if the person you are speaking with has even the slightest idea that they might ever need your services, they're likely to ask some follow-up questions. If you'll then try to avoid the temptation to bask in the spotlight and instead try to focus it back on them, I think you'll find yourself in a good position to begin ferreting-out information about their business that helps you figure out which of your services might be most appropriate for them and then you can ask questions that head in that direction.

Notice that I left-out small businesses and also real estate professionals. It's important to understand that you can have alternative answers for different audiences. If you know the person you're speaking with is a real estate professional simply use real estate professionals in place of mid-size business owners. Just adapt the answer to the audience. It's not like anyone is going to say "hey, you just told that other guy your law firm protects real estate professionals!" Afterall, aren't real estate professionals owners of "businesses" too? And small vs. mid-sized is largely a matter of opinion but most small business owners, I think will feel comfortable hiring a law firm that focuses on mid-sized, but not necessarily the other way around.

Many people make the mistake of thinking they have to give a laundry list of all the services they offer. That's a mistake because unless someone needs all of those services, the list will be boring to them. And it's a mistake because - and this is a little counter-intuitive - because it doesn't really give the other person an easy way to keep the conversation going. So you end up with a kind of awkward silence, they ask for your business card because they don't know what else to say and immediately forget the list of services that didn't seem relevant to them anyway.

On the other hand, even if there's no time for follow-up, they're going to remember that you have a law firm and that it protects business owners so they can focus on making money.

I suggest you practice it aloud a few times and understand how powerful an answer like that will be for the intended audience. Don't be discouraged if it falls flat with the wrong audience because what they think doesn't really matter all that much anyway, does it?

And a word about being a solo or in a small firm. . . don't waste time or energy trying to hide from it. You'll end up wasting a bunch of your time getting people excited who aren't going to be happy when they find out you're "only" a solo. And you'll scare people off who are looking for a small firm where they will be able to enjoy easy access to their lawyer instead of having to get passed-off to a bunch of assistants and associates.

Hope this helps & thanks for your participation in the Bronze Attorney Coaching Program!

RJON

www.HowToMakeItRain.com

Helping Lawyers In Small Firms Make Alot More Money