Selling is only icky if you’re selling something you don’t believe in to someone who doesn’t need it. Your true goal is to deliver your services to clients who need them. So don’t make it hard for your potential clients to buy from you. Focus on closing for your benefit and theirs.

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Those who know me know my son is seven and has now entered the wonderful world of orthodontia.  We knew this was coming up, stockpiled our pennies (you know how expensive it can be!) and through a series of referrals decided on an orthodontist.  We landed there because he has a wonderful reputation among his [...]

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One of the things that separate a solo from large, mid, or even small firms is the ability to control every aspect of the client experience…creating relationships that thrive, producing business that keeps flowing, and winning client loyalty…

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(Resurrecting an oldie but goodie…we so often forget the power of an apology.) I recently flew down to Florida for the holidays.  The day was unrushed and rather enjoyable. However, we flew Jet Blue and after we boarded our plane I heard one of the flight attendants say, “I don’t know when the pilot is going to [...]

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Obviously, attorneys have had some bad experiences with the free consultation. Yet, some of the most respected solo practice authorities, such as Jay Foonberg, highly recommend that solos offer free consultations. Others say solos should never offer free consultations. Still others say it depends. To further murk up the waters, I’ll share my experiences with (and without) the free consultation offer.

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Last Monday I posted this question and received a lot of comments on this blog and privately.  It struck a nerve because we’ve all been there.  Some of us have a finely honed sense of the ‘right’ client and can decline business easily.  Yet others are still feeling their way through this process.  And yet [...]

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In the spirit of Solo Practice University, many expert voices teaching you how to build and grow your solo practice, I am very pleased to announce that Solo Practice University has a new monthly columnist, Debra Bruce. She will be providing you excellent practice-building advice in her column ‘Lessons From the Lawyer-Coach’ appearing the third [...]

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The workplace is becoming more and more virtual, with meetings occurring across time zones and organizations and with participants who barely know each other, working on swarms attacking rapidly emerging problems. But the employee will still have a “place” where they work. Many will have neither a company-provided physical office nor a desk, and their [...]

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There is actually a silver lining, however, in this ever-growing world of distrust. Due to social media, the viral nature of information today, those who would look to deceive, suppress, deny accountability through carefully crafted public relations nonsense can’t stem the leaks. Everything is being exposed. Everything is being digitally memorialized. And everything can be digitally altered out of context. Everyone truly does live and work in the proverbial glass house today.

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If you cannot live off the value you create for your clients, your practice will not…and SHOULD NOT…. survive.

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