A saleman's patter may antagonise potential clients - but at least he is outlining the benefits of his product. Alastair Moyes argues that such a strategy by law firms could lead to more effective cross-selling


No one started in the legal profession aiming to become a salesman. Selling is seen as something done by men in sharp suits, conning unwary people into buying something they do not want.



The problem is that the legal profession is often perceived by the public and small businesses as people in well-tailored suits selling them something they are not sure they need.



To the customer, the two situations are not too far apart. The main difference is that the conning salesman is persistently presenting the benefits of his product in such a way as to make it difficult for the target to say 'no, thank you'.



By contrast, solicitors' services are needed to solve problems like moving house or drafting contracts. Unlike a conman, solicitors most often leave the benefits derived from their services to the imagination of the client.



Law firms have had little need to present the benefits of their services as work has usually arrived at their door anyway. But the market for legal services is changing and solicitors will need to change to compete against big-brand organisations that present their customers with easy access to the services they need.



Consider the benefits of the services offered by your firm. If you look at the leaflets, brochures and websites of solicitors, all cover the features and occasionally the advantages of the services offered. But few conclude those statements with the benefit resulting from it.



In simple terms, an example would be 'we have extensive experience....' But what benefit does that convey to the client? If the sentence were to continue, adding the words 'which means that...', you get to a benefits statement. 'We have extensive experience, which means that we can quickly understand your problem and provide a solution for you.'



It may sound simple or glib but it is what the client wants to hear. Have a look at the Halifax Legal Solutions website - www.halifaxlegalsolutions.co.uk - and compare how it presents its services with your firm's website.



When clients are looking for products or services, they are seeking a combination of solving a problem and making themselves feel good (or better). They are looking for the benefits to match their needs.



Coming up with the benefits of your own firm or department is not easy. What you are looking for is what benefits make you distinctive compared to your competitors.



Adding the words 'which means that...' after every statement guides the process, but finding several different ways to say how you save them money, reduce their risks, and solve problems they cannot deal with themselves, takes some doing. However, it is a vital process as the results are used in all forms of communications and promotion.



Using benefit statements within a firm will help fee-earners' understanding of what their and other departments do, and will lead to better cross-selling.



For the client, your firm's brochure, leaflets, websites and presentation all become much more useful to them with clear statements of benefits, relating the needs clients have to the results they want.



Customers will feel better when they know that their will can look after their affairs if they die or that their property is hiding no long-term legal problems. Managing directors will feel more secure if they have access to lawyers who can quickly turn business deals into watertight contracts, and provide their employees with a fair and clear contract of employment that protects the companies' profits from compensation claims.



A set of well-defined benefit statements has other advantages. It makes clear the value of the services to the client and justifies the costs. The more benefits a client can perceive, the less likely he is to question the cost.



This reduces the uncomfortable position that fee-earners find themselves in when trying to explain why their services cost so much. In this situation, the client has not seen the benefits and therefore cannot justify the cost.



The partners of a firm in their role as business owners and managers need to make clear that the sales process is the responsibility of every fee-earner, and not just for their department but across all the services the firm offers. Partners are responsible for providing the fee-earners with the tools quickly and easily to deal with the sales process without it interfering with their fee-earning work or making them uncomfortable.



Printed brochures and websites are a start. However, to make the most of benefit statements, each person who has contact with clients needs training to help them present these benefits. This is a process of finding a form of words with which they are comfortable.



Where fee-earners are reluctant to engage clients, a firm's management needs to make sure that opportunities are not lost. A simple file review before closure or archiving that notes what services the client may want next will provide other fee-earners with potential work. This process should be linked into the client and professional contacts database.



Understanding the sales process is a basic commercial requirement for all businesses and essential for a business to succeed. Matching the benefits of your services to the needs of your future clients should be a central part of a firm's management. Call it client service improvement or business development if you want to avoid using the 'selling' description.



As the market for legal services changes in the next year, your clients are going to want to know what they are paying you for. If your firm cannot easily and concisely justify your fees with well-targeted benefits, the clients will go to a firm that can.



Alastair Moyes is a director of Marketlaw