Ten Golden Rules to Make Your New Clients Happy.

• Author: Remsen, John, Jr.

For most law firms, satisfied existing clients are the best source of future business. They will continue to use your services when they need a lawyer, and they are your best referral source for new clients.

Yet, most clients can't fully appreciate quality legal work because they aren't lawyers. Rather, they judge the quality of your work based on service-related issues, and how they are treated when they deal with you and your firm.

Allow me to use the analogy of the automobile mechanic. If you own a car, you need a good, trustworthy mechanic to keep the car running smoothly and to fix problems as they arise. You don't necessarily want to know what's going on under the hood of your car. Your mechanic is supposed to know all that stuff. And you trust him to treat you right.

If you are like me, you assess the quality of your mechanic's work based on the way you are treated and whether or not you trust him. Does he listen to you when you bring the car in for servicing? Does he keep your car running smoothly? Does he provide an estimate before he starts the work? Is his final bill reasonable and within the estimate? Is your car clean and ready when promised?

These are the same factors that clients apply to lawyers and other professional service providers. They don't necessarily want to know the intricacies of the law. They want a good result. They want to feel like you are taking good care of them. And they want to trust you. These factors are especially important when you are dealing with a brand new client.

With that introduction, here are my "Ten Golden Rules to Make Your New Clients Happy."

(1) Send Your New Client a "Client Welcome Kit"

Be sure to include your firm brochure, a client service pledge, a current list of contacts with direct dial phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and a nice welcome gift.

(2) Seek to Understand the Big Picture

The best lawyers--the ones who deliver the most value to their clients--take the time to learn about their client's business (and personal) goals and objectives. Visiting your new client's place of business is a great way to get things started on the right foot.

(3) Create Expectations and Then Exceed Them

Walk your client through how you propose to handle the matter and what he can expect in terms of results and timelines.

(4) Always Follow Through on Your Commitments

Nothing aggravates a client more than a broken promise. It also has a very serious negative consequence when it comes to building...