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They don’t just happen.

Getting a client into your office for an initial consultation is the culmination of a great deal of effort.

You’ve done your networking, advertising, content creation, and social media, and you’ve finally got someone sitting in the seat across from you.

This is it. The game is on. Everything comes together for this one meeting. Can you feel the pressure?

Now is the time when you convert that marketing energy into money. This is where the rubber meets the road.

Don’t blow it.

Seriously, don’t blow it. You won’t get another chance with your prospects. Make it happen. Be magical. Be amazing. Bring your A game.

Your Initial Consult Game Plan

Here’s my list of initial consultation rules:

Clean your space. Meet in an orderly room. If it’s your office, then clean it. If it’s the conference room, then straighten it up. The room sends a message. Do you want to sit on a doctor’s exam table with wrinkly paper or blood on the pillow? Keep your space in perfect order. Avoid the wait. Greet them immediately upon arrival. Don’t leave them waiting in the lobby. Don’t leave them alone in the conference room. Go get them and bring them into your cocoon of safety. Make them feel the love immediately upon arrival. Be welcoming. Greet clients with eye contact, a handshake, and a smile. Do whatever is traditional in your area and be happy to see them. Your handshake should be firm, you should extend the eye contact, and your smile should be real. Provide structure. Give them a brief road map for the meeting. Do it in 20 seconds or less. “Tell me what’s happening first and then we’ll talk about how we can help you take care of things. Be vague so they have space to expand the agenda, but make sure they know they’ve come to a place where they’ll be heard and understood. Listen. Listen way more than you talk. Be quiet. Ask an open-ended question and let them go. If they stop, then hit them with another open-ended question: “Tell me more” or “What happened then?” or “How did that feel?” or “How does your family feel about that?” Listen some more. Don’t stop listening. They didn’t really come to you for answers. They came to share their story. Let them talk and then let them talk some more. Be quiet. Listening hard is where trust grows. Let it happen. Take minimal notes. Listen so hard that you can’t write much down. Show them that you’re listening by focusing on their words. Taking notes may be essential to your process, but it’s not your process we’re worried about now: it’s getting them to retain. Stay focused on them. They’ll be happy to repeat details later for note taking. Nod and make noises. Bob your head up and down. Move your eyebrows. Wrinkle your face. Make it obvious that what they are saying is penetrating your brain. Don’t be impassive or neutral. Be emotive. Practice your facial movements in the mirror. Show them that you care and understand without saying a word. Add a few noises along the way. Say “ah,” “uh huh,” and “oh my.” Keep the words to a minimum: go for sounds instead of full phrases. Repeat back what you hear. Supplement your nods and noises with a few words. The words should be identical to their words, and only do this a few times during the meeting. If they say “It’s so sad,” say “sad” while nodding. If they say “I’m so angry,” say “angry” while scrunching your face. Stick to the single words. Give them only the advice they need. Don’t worry about giving a long speech on the law. This is the beginning of the engagement. There will be time for more education later. Tell them what they need to know for now and stop. Before the meeting ends, ask them if there’s more they need to know right now: “Did you get all your questions answered?” Walk them out. Take them to the door. Walk them through the process of payment. Don’t leave them alone to fend for themselves at any point. Stay with them from beginning to end. Walk them to the car if that’s what it takes for them to feel comfortable with the process. Worry about them and how they’re feeling. Take care of them. Be the solution. Follow up. Call them tomorrow. Tell them that lots of folks think of additional questions after the meeting. Ask what they still need to know. Listen some more. Set the time for the next meeting so you can move forward.

Follow these rules, and you won’t blow it. In fact, follow these 12 rules, and you’ll end up with plenty of new clients. Make sure they’re comfortable and have a chance to tell their story, and you’ll build a powerful, trust-filled connection that increases their interest in hiring you to solve their problem.

Follow these rules and you’ll be busy, busy, busy.