THE VALUE OF AN ENGAGED CLIENT.

• Author: Huxford, Krysta S.

A few years ago, Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny underwent a branding overhaul. The partners and I viewed this undertaking as a chance to engage our clients and referral sources through an exercise to see how our firm was perceived in the community. After all, perception is reality, and if we wanted to be recognized as the go-to law firm in our region, we needed to understand what others thought of our brand.

It was a strenuous process in the sense that receiving feedback can cause anxiety and unease. However, it generated phenomenal insight into our current brand and the new brand for which we were aiming. Feedback came from several categories of our contacts: clients, referral sources and community leaders. Participants deemed overall firm strengths as responsiveness, accessibility, attentiveness, reasonable rates, personal relationships, caring, reputation, connections and community involvement. When asked about the strengths of individuals within the firm, many named the same descriptives, but they also cited such adroit practices as: giving sound, practical advice; bringing out important issues; asking strategic questions; listening carefully; and acting insightfully and knowledgeably.

It was the feedback on individual strengths that led to the strategic decision to engage with our clients and contacts more frequently--without asking for business -- through education and appreciation.

Here are some examples of this strategic engagement:

* Last fall, we held a client appreciation event at a local winery. The evening included a wine tasting and dinner catered by a local restaurant. This event was intentionally kept to a low number of attendees so that conversations could be cultivated amongst our guests, not necessarily between our attorneys and clients. The event was a tremendous success. We successfully convened a gathering of people who discovered similar interests and possible business for one another.

* Our holiday open house, which has been coined the "first party of the year" in our county, not only offers a chance to connect with co-workers, but also a way to foster relationships outside the office. This gathering, which typically draws around 400 attendees, is a combination of clients, referral sources, elected officials, friends and people with whom we serve on community boards. The event is a way to use the firm's network to connect people who could benefit from one another's acquaintance.

* Seminars and roundtable discussions...