An attorney comes up to your booth when you are exhibiting at an attorney conference and asks, “So, what do you guys do?” When you’re having a conversation with a potential attorney client, you need to guide the attorney to ask the right questions.
When you’re first introducing your legal nurse consulting business to a prospect, his or her next question will likely be, “What can you do for me?”
That question is as wide and high as the sky above us, and your answer can get lost in that vastness because the prospect hasn’t told you what he or she needs. At the outset, that’s the only question you want to answer.
Your job is to turn the conversation around to answer the right questions.
The right questions
Sales people often hear this example:
Suppose you are selling stationary. (I know you aren’t. Stay with me for a minute.) The customer says, “Sell me on this pen.”
Some people would say, “It’s black, it’s got a felt tip point, it’s shiny,” but an experienced salesperson will say,
- “What are you looking for in a pen?
- What type of surface would you plan to use for the pen?
- Are you looking for a felt tip pen or do you want something with a fine point?”
I suggest that as an experiment, you list some other specific questions a salesperson could ask the customer about what she’s looking for in a pen. This will sharpen your ability to ask perceptive questions.
To generalize, think about your own legal nurse consulting business, and make a list of right questions that will enable you to highlight what you offer. If one of your selling points is your ability to help the attorney understand medical issues, ask, “Are you frustrated by being faced by a mountain of medical records? Do you find it challenging to understand the nuances of medical care? What aspects of handling medical cases are most difficult?”
Find the Pain Points
As a legal nurse consultant, I learned to ask probing questions like the ones above about the challenges and frustrations he experienced in preparing medical-legal cases. This enabled me to explain how my services could take away those challenges and frustrations.
I asked, “What are the things that give you concern? What are the things that you would identify as a nightmare when it comes to medical records or medical issues?”
Listen, Listen, Listen
Asking the right questions is essential, but listening is just as—if not more—important. If you are talking to the attorney in person, keep your eyes on the potential client. Say, “Yes, I understand.” If you’re taking notes—which may be necessary—say, “That’s a very important point” to show that you haven’t taken your attention away from her.
This is How You Convey Self-Confidence and Caring
The right questions establish you as an authority. They indicate that you know the ins and outs of the attorney’s business—and yours. They offer the promise that you know how to effectively support your potential client through the difficult aspects of practicing law.
By taking charge of the conversation and asking the right questions, you move much closer to a connection and a sale.
The right questions extend to closing the sale. Get my essential report on 47 ways to get the attorney to send you the case. Click on this link for the free download.
