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Want to get hired as lawyer before first meeting client? Blog

December 7, 2009

Lawyers are well aware we generally don’t get paid after the first date.

Lawyers take phone calls from potential clients answering any number of questions. We’ll have people into our offices to review their legal situations, we’ll present likely outcomes, outline what we can do to help, and to estimate the cost of our legal services. All without any expectation that we’ll get paid for such calls or meetings. We’re just looking for the chance to go to work and get paid.

Much of what you’re doing as a lawyer is earning the trust of the prospective client. Until people see you care, that you understand their legal issues, and that you can help, you can’t expect people to hire you.

How do increase the chances you’ll be trusted and be hired? Blog.

Seth Godin, in a recent blog post, says basically that. To establish yourself digitally.

Digital transactions are essentially free for you to provide. I can give you permission to teach me something. I can watch a video. I can engage in a conversation. We can connect, transfer knowledge, engage in a way that builds trust… all of these things make it more likely that I’ll trust you enough to send you some money one day. I can contribute to a project you’re building, ask you a difficult question, discover what others have already learned.

Seth points out that expecting someone to give you money the first time you transact may work if you’re a pretzel vendor on the street. But as lawyer?

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