Comments on: Asking for the business: IMHO, rarely ethical or effective https://solopracticeuniversity.com/2012/01/13/asking-for-the-business-imho-rarely-ethical-or-effective/ The 'Practice of Law' School Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:23:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.21 By: Debra L. Bruce https://solopracticeuniversity.com/2012/01/13/asking-for-the-business-imho-rarely-ethical-or-effective/#comment-27097 Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:33:12 +0000 http://solopracticeuniversity.com/?p=2857#comment-27097 Thank you so much, Roy, for saying that asking for the business can be a big mistake. So many lawyers are uncomfortable with anything resembling sales. When we try to follow advice to ask for the business, most of us handle it clumsily. As you pointed out, it’s not appropriate to ask for business without first determining that the client has a current need for legal services…a need which is not already being met satisfactorily. I prefer to put the time and energy into relationship building and uncovering needs. Then there may be an opportunity to say, “I have some experience in helping clients with that,” or “Would you like to hear how some of my clients have solved that problem?” Then you have an opportunity to tell a success story.

That’s more persuasive than an ask, and often leads to more pointed inquiries about your services… initiated by the client. And if it doesn’t turn into new business this time, at least the potential client will still take your calls!

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