The big draw: why knowing your clients matters

Who would not want more good clients who are happy to pay good fees? This sounds great. Peters’ book is about getting more enquiries, turning them into clients, and having a formula to attract the right clients in a way which does not devalue your professionalism. It is written by a former solicitor who has developed the Profitable Practice Programme, offering advice and mentoring to a variety of different sized solicitors’ firms. She points out that lawyers are not always very good at selling themselves and we have little training in the skills that successful businesses require. 

Peters makes several good observations. Offering free advice clinics are probably pointless and only achieve our doing more work without charge. Networking does not really help much, unless you like being stuck in the corner of a room with someone who sells widgets. It may be successful if it is targeted and backed by strong customer service and reputation. She is also accurate in stating that every manager owner or partner of a legal firm needs to be fully involved in marketing at every level. We need to ask ourselves how and why successful firms succeed – unless we are successful ones and then you would keep it a secret!

What I do not understand is how you identify a good client or a good case. Yes, I know some bad clients you can spot a mile off and an essential part of our work is knowing when to say to no. However, it is not always clear when a client is going to turn in to a loyal source of repeat work, or what files will go horribly wrong.

The Magnet Formula does contain a number of style lapses with contractions. And some chapters have long lists of points to consider, some of which could have been developed more.

Probably the best way to market is by word of mouth, providing a good service, and doing the work well. There is no short cut to going the extra mile. Advertising needs to be backed by good service, which depends equally on getting the right staff and motivating them.

Peters does make some good points, which will help us all to think about what sort of work and clients we want.

David Pickup is a partner at Pickup & Scott Solicitors, Aylesbury

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