Imagine being able to get dozens or even hundreds of attorney-prospects at the push of a button. Then you’re able to start marketing to them, knowing that you have a solid hot lead.

I found a tool that wasn’t designed with Certified Legal Nurse Consultants in mind; however, it could be a great weapon in your arsenal. It’s software called The Localizer Leads Tool. The Localizer Leads Tool is an Adobe Air-based marketing software program, which simply means it will run on both Macs and Windows PCs.

The Localizer Leads Tool pulls specific information on attorneys from Google, giving you access to their address, email, website, phone number and more. This tool allows any Certified Legal Nurse Consultant to instantly generate massive lists of attorney-prospects.

This video explains how a CLNC^® Consultant would use this tool to generate attorney-prospect leads with the push of a button.

Click here for a free trial of The Localizer Leads Tool and click here to purchase.

P.S. Comment and share how you find attorney-prospects on the Internet

Guest Blogger Profile

Brian Horn is an Internet marketing consultant who specializes in search engine marketing, site optimization, social media marketing, link building and web data analytics. Brian has consulted with Vickie Milazzo Institute for more than five years.

Brian also speaks at seminars and conferences throughout the U.S., Australia and Canada on how to use the Internet to improve business.

Today’s professional athletes cross-train to reach their next level of success. For example, a professional football player doesn’t just do football drills – he lifts weights and might even practice yoga or ballet, all with the intention of performing better on the football field.

Cross-training can create synergistic benefits, and this just might be a strategy for taking your CLNC^® business to its next level. Choose a category, preferably one you are weak in or typically avoid altogether, and ask yourself how your CLNC^® business could benefit from expanding that category. It might be technology (if you find yourself struggling to do more than read your email), public speaking (if you’d rather be in the coffin than give the eulogy) or self-development (if you find yourself constantly obsessing over everything that is wrong with your life).

Now spend the next three months cross-training in that category and watch your CLNC^® business soar!

Success Is Inside!

P.S. Comment and share where you need to cross-train and when you’ll start.
 

I always start my day with a plan and usually before 9:00am I am busting that plan. Over the years I know I’ve wrecked more than a few of my executives’ days because my management style is dynamic and priorities change unexpectedly. I believe my job is similar to an emergency nurse – to triage company priorities every second of the day.

Finally Harvard Business Review (October 2011) has validated that I’m onto something. It turns out that the greater a person’s tendency and ability to multitask, the greater their ability to absorb and disseminate information. They also are less likely to bog themselves down in one task while neglecting other important tasks. And here’s what I like about the study – it states that “people with those enhanced tendencies make strategic decisions faster, thus boosting their company’s performance. They become superior information brokers, absorbing and disseminating more insightful information than their average counterparts.”

By multitasking, I’m not talking about doing two things at once such as reading email while you’re on the phone with an attorney-client. What I do mean is the ability to shift back and forth between projects and priorities at a second’s notice.

In today’s world, CLNC^® consultants are faced not only with important cases and deadlines, but also with an onslaught of potential distractions such as email, texting, voicemail and social media. These distractions are just as much a part of your Certified Legal Nurse Consulting business as sitting down and writing that report for your attorney-client. Successful Certified Legal Nurse Consultants are able to go from one task to another and have the ability to fully concentrate on each task they are doing. We rarely get the luxury of long uninterrupted periods of work and accordingly, have to bring our full concentration to those periods we get – no matter how brief they may be. That’s where our agility in multitasking comes to the forefront.

Today, what will you be multitasking on? Or is the list too long to write down here?

Success Is Inside!

I was referred to an attorney by a medical testifying expert I know. Because of that referral, I got right through to the attorney and thought “this is going to be easy.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. After briefly discussing my CLNC^® services, he responded “I have been doing this for 35 years myself.” I acknowledged his expertise as the attorney and then proceeded to explain how I could save him time and money by screening his cases first before he sent them to expensive MD experts. He didn’t bite.

Not one to give up, I next offered to send him a sample of my work product. He agreed. A week later, I called him to follow up. He was very complimentary of my work product but still didn’t hire me for a case.

I decided to focus on something specific to get his attention, so I mentioned that I frequently attend independent medical exams (IME) for attorneys. I shared that attorneys appreciate my ability to point out inadequacies in the exam. Finally, I got his attention.

Three days later, the attorney contacted me and requested that I attend an IME. I did so, and he was impressed by my evaluation and the things I pointed out that the MD did not do during the IME. He had considered settling the case, but after hearing what I had to say he decided the case was stronger than he originally thought. That single IME led to a case and then another.

I consult on many cases for him and attend all of the IMEs. It took awhile, but he finally saw me for the professional I am and how he benefits from my CLNC^® services. I felt like I had run a marathon, but it was worth it in the end.

Nikki J. Chuml, RNC, FMC, PRN, CLNC is an independent Certified Legal Nurse Consultant in California with more than 25 years of nursing experience. She works as a consulting expert in a variety of specialties and as an OB testifying expert nationwide. Nikki is a CLNC^® Mentor and a guest faculty member for Vickie Milazzo Institute.

I recently brought an idea into a quarterly all-day executive meeting fully expecting us to spend substantial time discussing it. We did, but not in the way I expected. That one idea stimulated a discussion that took the entire meeting and led us into a completely different direction. By the end of the day, we landed on a new and improved idea, one that was much better than my original.

The kind of springboarding that happened that day rarely happens when we are communicating via email, which we certainly do a lot of here in my office. Call me old fashioned, but in my opinion only the dialog that happens when people sit around the table together and springboard ideas off one another stimulates this level of idea generation.

The same applies to you and your attorney-clients. Email works for the majority of your routine communications, but when was the last time you sat around the table with your attorney-clients and had a deep discussion about a case? Try it on your next significant case after your attorney-client has had the opportunity to review your report. I promise you will challenge, stimulate and surprise each other. Not to mention that you’ll take that case analysis to a much higher level. If you’re not springboarding with your attorney-clients regularly, it’s time to start now.

Success Is Inside!

It’s important to avoid a bulletproof mentality in the decisions you make for your legal nurse consulting business as well as in the cases you’re working on for your attorney-clients. I like to shoot holes in my own decisions. This doesn’t mean I don’t move forward with the decision, but it does mean I’ll be more prepared if things go south. Then, when things don’t go perfectly or as planned, we’re not a perfect target for perfect failure and destruction.

At the Institute, before we implement a business idea or decision, I’ll sometimes ask my executive team to brainstorm and discuss the upside and the downside. This forces even the most fervent supporter or opponent of an idea to challenge their own viewpoint. Sometimes it’s the person who introduced the idea who withdraws it. And sometimes it’s the opponent of an idea who ends up fervently embracing it. More often than not, we usually execute an improved version of the original idea.

Any business idea worth pursuing is worth shooting holes into it first. Smart Certified Legal Nurse Consultants know it’s better to shoot those holes themselves than to let someone else beat them to the trigger.

Success Is Inside!

I’ll be the first to admit I have a bad sense of direction. If I’m traveling with Tom and we come to an intersection he’ll ask me which way I think we should turn. Invariably he’ll go the opposite way and he’s usually – annoyingly – right.

We just got home from Paris and Provence. Paris was a stop on one of my first European trips. I’d volunteered to be a nurse through Europe for a class of high school seniors. The nursing part of the trip was uneventful, other than an emergency surgery with my Swiss Army knife. Just kidding, an Austrian doctor did the surgery after I convinced him that the surgery really was necessary. And no he didn’t thank me later, but the parents of the student whose life I saved did.

I had a day off in Paris and took advantage of it to explore the City of Light. Armed with a pocket full of change for the subway and a small map I set out early in the morning to experience everything French I could cram into a day. Fresh French bread, stinky French cheese, rich French coffee in a small cafe, people in berets, I enjoyed it all.

Near the end of the day, when it was time to come home, I experienced something typically French that I didn’t expect: a subway strike. A cab was too expensive and out of the question, so my only option was to walk back to my hotel.

With my bad sense of direction, I used my map to make my way across Paris on foot. Four hours later (after a lot of fun and numerous, intentional detours, like a small café looking onto the Eiffel Tower and some great French table wine), I proudly walked into the hotel shortly after dark. Tom still has trouble believing I found my way back all by myself, but this is a true Hollywood, or Parisian, story.

My map was invaluable and not only did I use it, I focused on it. Normally if someone else is driving, I don’t even pay attention to the route we take. Being alone and not knowing the city, I checked street signs at intersections, park names, directions and monuments all along the way to make sure that I was staying on the right track. I didn’t always take the direct route, but still used my map to allow me to explore, always returning to my map to get back on course.

Do you ever feel lost in your legal nurse consulting business, questioning if you’ll ever arrive at your audacious goal? If you’re feeling lost or off-track, when was the last time you focused on your business plan, otherwise known as the map to keep you and your business on track? I refer to mine often and at the Institute, my executive team and I spend an entire day each quarter focusing on ours.

I encourage all Certified Legal Nurse Consultants to take some time today to sit down and find yourself on your map. If you’re on course, congratulations. If you’re off your map, figure out what it will take to get your CLNC^® business back on the route to the CLNC^® success you aspire to. If you don’t have a map or business plan, schedule time to make one and find your way out of the wilderness (but that’s a different true Hollywood story).

Success Is Inside!

Cheryl Garrison, RN, CEN, SANE, CLNC shares how volunteering her CLNC^® services to her local district attorney’s office involved her in a large elder abuse case which resulted in a quick and favorable settlement.

In this video, she explains how giving back to her community not only made a difference in that case but also gave her new confidence in her CLNC^® business and in working with attorneys.

Congratulations, Cheryl!

Success Is Inside!

Vickie,

I just completed a $39,000 case and sent the invoice to the defense law firm. My attorney-client notified me that he would have to submit my bill for approval to the insurance company since it exceeds $25,000. The attorney also told me there will now be a delay in the processing of the invoice. Is this common practice and what can I do next time to expedite the payment process?

Carolyn, RN, CLNC

Hi Carolyn,

Congratulations on working on such a large project. A defense law firm must ultimately be accountable to the insurance company for expenses incurred on cases. A common practice to address accountability in these situations is to have all bills that exceed a designated amount be submitted for approval by the defense law firm. This procedure is guaranteed to delay the processing of an invoice payment, which is exactly what happened in your situation.

So what is a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant to do? First, always get a retainer up front. If you know in advance that the case is large, as is here, ask for a sizeable retainer such as $5,000-10,000. Also, bill the law firm in increments of a similar amount as you continue to progress on the case. This will keep the cash flow coming and also ensures that you and your attorney-client stay in strong communication regarding what is required to produce a quality work product. Again congratulations on such a successful venture!

Success Is Inside!

Read Part 1.

“You wake up and your office is at your fingertips. You don’t have to drive anywhere. You don’t even have to get dressed if you don’t want to. You save money on utilities, office rental and other fees that come along with having an office. You can even deduct the portion of your home expenses that are used for your office (Ask your CPA for help). A home office provides you with a lot of flexibility and freedom. This freedom is one of the reasons I love being a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant.

When I first started my business full time I bought a very small two bedroom condo thinking this would be plenty of room for my home and my business. Within six months I found myself screaming out one day, ‘I need more space’ as the medical records came rolling in for new cases. I found a bigger place and my CLNC^® business has grown by leaps and bounds. Recently I moved from the desert to the beach. In my desire to save money I found a small condo to rent very close to the beach. It was bigger than my first condo but much smaller than the house I had just moved out of. I signed a lease and life was good. Within six months, history repeated itself and I found myself screaming out once more, ‘I need more space’ I was living in my office. I immediately began the search for just the right house that would serve as my home with an office instead of an office where I live.”

Sandra Higelin, RN, MSN, CS, CWCN, CLNC

“Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility. You can be at home with your children or relatives that need your help. You can be at home with your dog. You have more hours in the day because you don’t lose time commuting.

I have an assistant who helps me every day. She is a good worker and her fees are very reasonable. She doesn’t need a desk or a designated work space. She can work anywhere. I’ve even seen her use the floor. I really only have one complaint about her. She brings her babies to work – as you can imagine, that can be a problem. Sometimes she wants me to play with her babies when I’m trying to work. I can’t stay mad at her long because she really doesn’t understand my interruption policy. After all, she’s just a seven-year-old Schnauzer.

I remember one particular time when I was on the phone with an attorney-client discussing a case. Right in the middle of our conversation she decided to play with her babies (toys). One of her babies sounds just like a real cow mooing when it’s squeezed. Naturally, she had to stand in front of me squeezing it as fast as she could. I grabbed the toy and threw it out of my office door, but that made her sillier. She thought I was up for a good game of fetch. I was about to apologize to my attorney-client for the sound effects when he told me he knew I lived in a rural area, but he didn’t know my office was in a barn!”

Jane Hurst, RN, CLNC

“I love the flexibility that working from home affords me as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. Nurses with children can arrange their daily schedules around their kids without that knot of anxiety they feel when they need to ask for a shift change to attend a doctor appointment or a school function. The same holds true for those caring for elderly parents. This past summer, I actually worked from the deck of my beach house overlooking the bay!”

Annmarie Johnson, RN, BSN, CLNC

“Working at home has to be the best decision I have made in recent years.  Because I have few interruptions, I am more productive than ever.  Working at home also allows me to be there for repairmen. My dog definitely likes me at home. Instead of taking a coffee break, we go for a walk, which actually clears my mind even better than coffee. I can also do my online banking, shopping and emailing, all from my workspace. And an added plus – my desk can be as messy as I need it to be.”

Camy Joyner, RN, CCM, CLNC

“The advantages of working from home are obvious and my favorite is that I put my professional standards to the test every day. I always turn out a great work product that I am proud of for my attorney-clients. Most important, I never take the opportunity to be my own boss for granted.”

Mildred Mannion, RN, BSN, CNOR, CLNC

“I arranged and decorated my home office space based on my preferences. There is no commute time involved so I get to work immediately and when it is convenient for me. I stay involved in my family’s life. It can be challenging at times, but with good planning and organization you can arrange your business hours around your family’s schedule and be successful at being a CLNC^® consultant, mommy and wife! Working from home also allows me the flexibility and comfort that are not often found in the office setting. Screening cases in comfy sweats feels great.

Recently I had a conference call scheduled with an attorney-client to discuss a case. Being a new mom to a five-month-old baby girl made organization and anticipation more crucial than ever before. I had everything set and staged for both my daughter and my CLNC^® business to allow this call to go smoothly and without a hitch. The attorney telephoned me and we were off and running. Halfway through the conversation my baby decided to exercise her new found voice and began shrieking, babbling, blowing raspberries and giggling so loud that my attorney-client naturally could hear her over me talking. We both began laughing so hard and he told me he thinks I have a future trial lawyer on my hands! The next thing I knew he went into a ten minute recap of his four children and how each one was as a baby. It was very touching and I listened attentively before gently redirecting him back to the business at hand. We were able to successfully complete our conversation with no more interruptions from the future trial lawyer who tired herself out and fell asleep in her bouncy chair!”

Julie Somen-Becker, RN, BSN, CLNC

“I always enjoyed evening shifts so I like that I am free to plan my day as I choose. I am more focused and work more efficiently in the late afternoon or early evening clinical shifts. I make my attorney appointments or phone calls during the usual daytime ‘business hours,’ take a break and then go back to work in the evening. It works for me.”

Linda Turner, RN, MSN, NNP-BC, CLNC

“When my son was about five years old, he fell and got hurt at school. When the school nurse asked him if his mommy was home so she could call me, he said, ‘Yea, my mommy is home. She doesn’t work; she just locks herself in a room all day and doesn’t talk to us until she comes out.’ The school nurse thought that was a little unusual. I am sure she was thinking about where the number to Child Protective Services was at that point. When she called to tell me not only about the fall, but also what my son had said, I explained my profession to her and that my CLNC^® business was set up as a home office. She laughed and said, ‘Boy, I wish I could work at home and have the luxury of working whenever I wanted to.’”

Nikki Chuml, RN, C, CCE, FMC, CLNC

Success Is Inside!