This is an exchange I recently had with a Member of our Coaching Group.  According to our calculations she’ll probably double her revenue in the next 12 months, cut the hours in her office by about 15% and she will have eliminated most of the work from her practice that isn’t fun for her to do.  The only modifications I’ve made to the following exchange is to protect this lawyer’s identity and change the order so it now reads in chronological order:

On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 9:07 PM, jxxxxxx wxxxxxxxx  wrote:

Attached is my web-site….he didn’t know what to do on the blank sections. And I want a professional pic…this one is awful …just by a digital camera in office. If you can’t open the attachment, the website is at: www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com

Also, I had a meeting with a pastor who wants to go all out on the seminar…wants to know when I want it…he said day or night or weekend…He once had an estate planning seminar on a Sunday at 4 and he got 60 people the first year. Second year only 12…so when do you suggest I have it?

In addition, he is going to write a letter to each of the Pastors in the community at the big churches…the catholic, lutheran, etc and invite them and their parishioners who  need help to the seminar!!  I didn’t even ask…he offered!

Also, a strange coincidence happened the day I met the pastor (who i never knew before).  I was in Court Wed. morning…my usual bi-weekly collection mediations…I have cornered the market on this and pretty much the only attorney handling this for all the law firms throughout [the State] and bring my legal assistant with me. (It used to be many other attys in town…it’s just me now) Well, this Wed. the court administration, John came over to me and congratulated me on what a fantastic job I do on this.  I almost fell over.  I didn’t think he even knew I existed!  He is quite influential in town.  My legal asst. has helped me make headway in the courthouse as she is a retired JA. (now working for me).
Anyway, my meeting with the Pastor was at 1:30pm and he had just had lunch with John who was raving about me!!

He also suggested to add something about my fee (on the agenda) which I think is a good point.  He commented how people don’t go to attys because they figure they can’t afford them. If people learned that I got paid at the end, then they would not be afraid to go to the attorney.  Also, I told him how I usually collect $200 from folks for payment of their medical records.  I take payments or can get paid afterwards if they can’t afford it. (So far I haven’t been stiffed.) He stated that if he sent me anyone, not to worry about the $200…if I didn’t get paid, the church would pay it…I wasn’t worried about the fee…but I thought that was a very nice gesture….

As  you can see, it all went well…actually much better than I anticipated.

Also, I hope I wasn’t too harsh on Henry during the coaching call…I don’t like mission statements or retreats…however, I am working on documenting my goals.
J

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Great job!  You should be VERY proud of yourself.  And pretty encouraged too at this point, I should think.

As for the dates/times, it seems to me a meeting following the regular Sunday services makes alot of sense if you give people enough time to have a little bathroom break, serve some refreshments to keep the blood sugar level up and give plenty of advance notice (a few weeks) and reminders, reminders, reminders, reminders leading up to the program.  Ask attendees to “r.s.v.p.” by providing name, best telephone number, email if they use it regularly and mailing address.  Explain the reason is to be sure you have enough hand-out materials and free gifts.  Then you’ll start peppering them with reminders and teasers that will get them excited & talking about the program.  We’ll talk it all through next week.

 

—–Original Message—–
From: RJon Robins
Sent: Feb 11, 2009 9:38 PM
To: jxxxxx wxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: web-site

OK, let’s just get one thing straight. . . this is the kind of good news that warrants a phone call ! ! !

Isn’t it amazing how good things just have a funny way of happening to Rainmakers who get out into the market and take action!?!?  I’ve seen EXACTLY the same kind of happy co-incidences happen with too many Rainmaking clients in too many different markets and in too many different practice areas to believe it’s just chance.

BTW, I am sure that hearing your name come up from the Pastor impressed John as much as his remarks about you impressed the Pastor.

BTW # 2 – Now would be a GREAT time to drop a hand-written note into the mail to John (with hand addressed envelope & hand stamp, of course) to thank him for the compliment he gave you and to let him know how much you appreciate not only his kind words but the fact that he went out of his way to express them to you.  And you of course pay him a sincere & honest compliment back.

BTW # 3 – Now would also be a GREAT time to drop a similar note to the Pastor to tell him how much you appreciated his enthusiasm for the project, his helpful suggestions and how welcome he (obviously) made you feel as a visitor to his Church.

BTW # 4 – Don’t forget the note to the Pastor’s Wife to thank her for making the introduction and letting her know too how much you appreciated her Husband’s enthusiasm, his insightful suggestions and for how welcome he went out of his way to make you feel as a visitor to his Church.

These notes are important.  Don’t procrastinate.  Write them on personal stationary if you have it.  Firm letterhead if you need to.  And any scrap of paper you have laying around if there is no other choice.  But get these in Th
ursday’s mail, without fail and I PROMISE you will be glad you did.

Don’t think twice about your comments to Henry.  Alot of people have had bad experiences with “mission statements” & retreats.  Let’s think of a different term to use other than mission statement.  Perhaps “a note to remind yourself why you do what you do and that you can use to help you decide if an important choice is going to move you towards or away from your goals.”

RJON

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On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 8:18 PM, Jxxxxx Wxxxxxxxx  wrote:

RJon,

A couple of silly questions….

Just want to check….since I saw 2 Pastors I need to send out a letter to both…my friend who works at the courthouse…her husband was presenting the seminar to the education committee, but since he had an older congregation, he didn’t think it would be something they need there.  However, I’m assuming that I still need to send him a thank you note also.

My friend that works at the courthouse who introduced me to her husband, pastor (above)…the courthouse is the only address I know for her…is it OK to send there…she’s a clerk in the probate division.

J

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The “letters” should actually be hand-written, hand-addressed, hand-stamped “notes”.  I generally don’t think there’s anything wrong with sending a thank you note to someone at their place of business if the nature of what you are writing to thank them about has to do with the work they do at that place of business.  However as I understand it, your friend who works in the Probate office made a referral for you that is not directly related to her work.  And in a worst-case scenario if the note were to be opened by her most jealous, viscous, awful, terrible co-worker it could be used against her.  So in this case I’d recommend you either call & let her know you’d like to send her a personal note and ask for a different mailing address other than her work.  She may ask what it’s about.  You can tell her you just want to write her a little note to thank her for making the introduction.  She’ll say it’s not necessary and you’ll say no, it really is necessary because you really do appreciate what she did for you.  Be persistent but not obnoxious about it.  And if she still insists it’s not necessary you can then just hand it to her next time you see her.

RR