Sometimes it’s the small things that make the biggest difference in life — and in business. From a customer service perspective, the little things can build loyalty more effectively than any advertising or marketing campaign. You may think the kind of customer service touch points common in retail or other service businesses don’t apply to the legal industry, but think again. Nobody who needs a lawyer’s services is probably very excited about it. You can score big points by making their experience with you and your firm simple, easy and even pleasant.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is from Benjamin Franklin: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” I mention this quote every time I speak, no matter the topic. Why? Because it applies to everything we do in life. With every task, project or matter you are working on, there is always a goal. If there wasn’t a goal, why would you be doing it?

Clio’s built in credit card processing, Clio Payments, makes it easy for law firms to get paid. No other integrated payment system is easier to implement. Better still, Clio Payments is cheaper than any other payment solutions offered to law firms. When a law firm chooses Clio as their practice management software, they receive industry leading payment features including

It’s always interesting to me how many lawyers still think a successful law practice centers on knowing lots of legal principles. The reality is, that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s true that you know how to read analytically, how to quickly assess, review and assimilate case law and statutes. You have a good appreciation of the sheer depth and complexity of legal analysis. These things are necessary but insufficient.

Last month, I was asked to speak at BlogPaws, a national conference for pet bloggers. (Yes, I got to take Rosie the basset hound with me.) I was part of a panel that presented a three-hour workshop called "Legal Dos and Dont's of Blogging and Social Media." This time, I deployed some new techniques to maximize the impact of our talk, and I think they worked.

For almost 14 years, I’ve answered my telephone at the South Carolina Bar and taken questions from lawyers and their staff. Questions about case management software are probably in the top three reasons for calls. (I used to distinguish between practice management software, which includes front- and back-office functions, and case management, which has front-office […]

In Part 1 of "Purge Toxic Clients," we walked through how to identify a bad client. Today, having identified them, let's look at how to actually end the relationship. When ending a client relationship, you have three goals: 1) Politely explain the situation; 2) Be professional — you never know where people will be five, 10 or 15 years in the future; and 3) set clear expectations of what to expect from you next.

You can create a video that simply exists on your website, or you can create legal videos that help you capture new clients and cases. While there is no magic formula to creating effective legal video content, there are general rules and guidelines you can follow to ensure that your video is positioned for success. If you’re venturing into the realm of video marketing for the first time (or if you’re looking to fine-tune your content to achieve the best results), here are five common characteristics of highly effective legal videos.

Question: How can I get my partner to cross-sell me to her great contacts? One of the toughest nuts to crack in a law firm is getting that important introduction to someone else's client. You know they need your expertise and experience, and you're positive it would be good for the firm. Too often, though, your partners hold their clients so close they lose sight of what those clients may need from others. Here's advice from the Legal Marketing Association's Adam Severson and Lisa Simon.

With so many choices (and new features being added constantly), shopping for practice management software can be overwhelming. So, we asked the practice management technology experts for a little perspective. First, what’s their best advice on making the decision, especially for smaller firms considering switching programs or investing for the first time? Then, what’s the […]