How can you expand your relationship building with attorneys?
Promotional Material for Relationship Building with Attorneys
“I have 9 years of experience and all of my work has been through word of mouth. Would you recommend I still have a promotional package when meeting with some of the same people I’ve worked with before?”
In my experience, attorneys tend to pigeon hole legal nurse consultants. They often think of the LNC only in terms of the services they are familiar with. Does the attorney know you also locate expert witnesses if you do chronologies? Does the attorney know you also do timelines in addition to finding literature that supports a case? You also attend IMEs along with medical summaries? And so on.
A legal vendor friend of mine created a marketing piece he called, “I did not know you did that…” and he listed all of his services. I developed a piece that was similar. Having a promotional package that includes information about your background, benefits of working with you, your services and your testimonials is a great idea. This information should be mirrored on your website.
Getting Feedback
“What should I ask the client when trying to follow up after a case in order to find out how I did? Should I use a questionnaire or make a phone call?”
Asking for feedback shows you care about the case and the attorney. The sooner you ask for feedback, the better. There is no one right way to request it. You may use a written survey, a questionnaire on line (www.surveymonkey.com lets you set up a free account), or through phone calls. Attorneys are often juggling responsibilities on several cases at once and it can be difficult to connect with them. Ask, but don’t be a pest.
You should use a database to keep track of your clients and prospects and to promote relationship building with attorneys. In the notes section, document when you asked for feedback and what you learned. If you do not get a response back from the attorney, bring up the subject the next time you talk to the attorney.
Before I did my first non-expert witness case, I worked for hours on a sample report of a delay in diagnosis of appendicitis. I made an elaborate series of reports based on this fictitious case. (I had heard you had to have sample work product.) After sending it to an LNC who worked in a law firm, and getting no reaction to my request for feedback, I sent it to an attorney. I found out months later he loved what I did. Don’t assume the attorney disliked what you did if you don’t hear from him.
Ways to Keep in Contact with Attorneys
“How often and by what method should I stay in contact with my clients?”
One of the advantages of being a legal nurse consultant is that you can work with attorneys in different parts of the country. You may not ever meet the attorney. It takes a trip to his website to associate his face with his voice. When you can’t go to his office, look for other ways to stay in touch and build relationships.
This can be through a phone call, email, newsletter, or small thoughtful gift. Look for descriptions of cases that are similar to the ones you’ve handled for him and send a copy of the case to him. Congratulate him on cases that he has won; send a handwritten note.
Repurpose your blogs from your website. You are blogging, aren’t you? We divide our clients into four categories: nursing home, personal injury, nursing malpractice and medical malpractice. Once a month we email a recent post that matches the interests of the attorney (one of these four groups). The reminders that we are thinking of our clients help to keep us top of mind.
Have a question? Ask me in the comments section.
Pat Iyer MSN RN LNCC provides coaching services to new and experienced LNCs to help ramp up their skills. Obtain information at http://LNCAcademy.com.