It happens during every consultation.
The moment where the client asks, “How much is this going to cost?”
Because you’ve had clients walk out before without retaining you, you’re a little nervous to tell them.
You end up justifying how much you charge with this reason or that, and at the end of it all, you’re left with an empty seat where your potential client won’t be sitting in again. What went wrong?
Don’t Justify Your Fees –– Explain Your Value
If a potential client tells you that they can’t afford your services, it’s unlikely to be because they actually don’t have the money. Instead, they’ve decided that having a lawyer help them is more of a luxury than it is a necessity.
If a potential client understands your value, however, they’ll do what they can to adjust their budget, bring in extra income, and find a way to fund your services.
Essentially, what you need to do is help them understand that your services are, in fact, a necessity and not a luxury.
But How?
Don’t give potential clients a laundry list of your accomplishments and tell them why you’re qualified to take on their case — that convinces very few. Today’s client’s want to know what you can do for them — and how their lives will be bettered by making a choice to work with you.
Instead, let them know how you can help them. How your services will benefit them and how you specifically can make a difference in their case where other lawyers may not be able to.
It helps to paint a picture. Describe a situation where they’ve used your services and illustrate to them the outcome. For example, if you’re a family law attorney, you can illustrate to them a picture of what life might be like once they get custody of their child. Then, paint a picture of what might happen if they don’t use your services — or anyone else’s.
Give your clients the opportunity to see the value you can bring to them and most importantly, what they’ll be getting out of the deal.
Learning how to have a successful dialogue with potential clients is the key to getting them to sign on the dotted line — and improving your bottom line. If you’re noticing areas where you could improve, such as your delivery of cost information, let a professional help.
You don’t have to keep holding yourself back — with just a little fine-tuning, you can secure more clients than ever before.