Certified Legal Nurse Consultants

Here at Vickie Milazzo Institute we frequently mentor new CLNC^® graduates on creating their unique selling position (USP). Your USP communicates how your legal nurse consulting experience, nursing experience, education and leadership in nursing can specifically benefit the attorney-client with his medical-related cases. In essence, you are translating your experience into a benefit for the attorney. USP is not about you and the CLNC^® services that you provide. It is about how you translate you and your CLNC^® services into the mind of the attorney-prospect.

The important word in USP is “unique.” What can you claim that another registered nurse cannot? The most common mistake I see is including a generic quality or characteristic that any legal nurse consultant can claim such as, “I’m organized and very analytical.” Who among us would say we’re not organized and analytical? If you want to stress your analytical skills, is there a specific experience that separates you from other RNs? Here’s an example:

“Five years of experience reviewing medical records as a risk manager in a variety of specialties plus my CLNC^® Certification qualifies me to quickly and cost-effectively review cases in any medical and nursing specialty. I can save you time and money by screening cases before you pay to send them to expensive medical experts.”

A second common mistake I see is legal nurse consultants stating expertise and credentials without a benefit statement such as, “I have 10 years of experience.” The attorney might not instantly understand all the benefits these 10 years of experience offer. Here’s an example of adding a benefit statement to your experience:

“I have 10 years of emergency experience. Having worked inside emergency departments, I can share details of how emergency services are provided that you will never find in an emergency medicine textbook. This will reduce the time you’ll have to spend with expensive medical experts.”

A third mistake I see is focusing on the CLNC^® services you provide such as screening cases and analyzing causation issues. At some stage you will want to emphasize CLNC^® services you provide, but they are not a USP. CLNC^® services are common to all Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. Your USP can, however, qualify you to deliver a CLNC^® service in a very unique, more qualified or more specific way. Here’s an example:

“My five years of experience in cardiology qualifies me to identify plaintiffs who have a pre-existing risk for heart attack and stroke in the defense of your Vioxx^® cases.”

Put your USP to work for your CLNC^® business with your attorney-prospects and remember to keep it unique.

Success Is Inside!

P.S.	Comment and share your USP with your CLNC® consultant peers.

To be happy in a million ways

No man must stand alone with out-stretched hand before him

Let your heart be light

Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile

Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun

A swell time to go gliding in a one-horse open sleigh

Jingle bells all the way

A bag filled with toys

All is merry and bright

Laughing all the way

Gone away is the blue bird, here to stay is a new bird

Time to rock the night away

Snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree

Homemade pumpkin pie

Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright

Let it snow

To be a child again

Making spirits bright

Angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold

Peace on earth, good will to men

Joy to the world

Love and peace this day

Although it’s been said many times many ways:

Merry Christmas to You!

Success Is Inside!

P.S.	The first person to comment on what these Christmas wishes have in common will receive a gift from me.

This morning, while having my cup of healthy green tea, I looked over and found Tom reading a hardback copy of Next of Kin by Joanna Trollope. After the double-take, I asked him where he’d found it and he told me “on your bookshelf.” Then I remembered, all the books on the bookshelf I’ve talked about in my earlier blog are ones that we’ve read and, for whatever reason, have decided to keep. They’re paperbacks, hardbacks, a few legacy books, novels, biographies, travel books, fiction, science fiction (Tom), history, one on gardening that must have been a gift and my book Inside Every Woman published in English, Vietnamese, Polish, Indonesian and Chinese (Soon to be joined by the Korean version!).

The book Tom was reading came from another set of bookshelves, one in the closet of my home office where I keep a different array of books. The closet contains my law books, my published works on legal nurse consulting, medical references and most importantly, all the books that we haven’t yet read. You know, the ones you get for birthdays, Christmas or just buy and put up to read later. We’re voracious readers and even more voracious book buyers.

I asked Tom what he thought about the Trollope book and he told me it was pretty good – he’d read half the book and he was enjoying it even without a single terrorist being blown up. That made me think, what sort of books are you reading? Do you ever read books outside your own favorite genre? Or do you get stuck in the rut of reading one type of book just like you do with your morning cereal – rarely a change in variety, just different portion sizes.

As Certified Legal Nurse Consultants we’re busy. I know one CLNC^® consultant who reads nothing but murder mysteries and another who rarely reads for fun at all. I believe that it’s essential for Certified Legal Nurse Consultants to read a rich and varied diet. Just as you can’t feed a thoroughbred horse a diet of potato chips and expect him to win the Kentucky Derby, you can’t feed your mind a steady diet of nothing but trash novels or People magazine and expect to perform to your best ability. The books we read influence not just our thoughts but our way of thinking, the things we concern ourselves with and where we apply our ultimate energy and efforts.

I have three books on my night stand. One is for my emotional and spiritual development and two are for pure relaxation. My business books are banned from the bedroom and live only in my office.

Take a moment to look at your own bookshelves or your bed stand. What books are in your personal library? Was the last book you read something that enriched your legal nurse consulting business or you personally, something that challenged your mind or just a fun read?

Is it time to stretch your tastebuds?

Success Is Inside!

P.S.	Please comment and tell me what you’re reading right now. I’d love to hear from you and get some good ideas for new books!

Legal nurse consulting is a relationship business, so I asked the CLNC® Pros to describe their favorite attorney-clients. Each one is different, but pay attention to some of the common themes throughout. Developing satisfying relationships with our attorney-clients is one thing Certified Legal Nurse Consultants love about owning their CLNC® businesses.
▶	My favorite attorney-client also happens to be my first attorney-client. He is one of the top nursing home defense trial lawyers in the nation. During conversation I can always see his mind working; formulating strategies and trial themes. He always takes the time to listen and learn more about my long-term care nursing experience, bounce ideas around or simply chat about life. He consistently treats me with respect and he supports my CLNC® consulting practice by sending me cases and referring other attorneys to me.
	Approximately one year ago, he hired me as a testifying expert on a nursing home elder abuse case. The case involved an 87-year-old gentleman with multiple medical conditions who was admitted to a skilled nursing home for “failure to thrive.” Although he was at risk for falls, after rehabilitation services were completed, over the next year and half he had gained weight, ambulated independently with the use of a cane, enjoyed an active social life, making the facility his “home.” Unfortunately, he did fall, sustain a hip fracture, underwent an ORIF, was diagnosed with a cerebral hematoma requiring burr holes to relieve pressure and eventually passed away.
	During the deposition, as I handed my CV to the opposing counsel, my attorney-client recommended to the opposing attorney, “You should keep that…it will come in handy later.” I paused, and briefly looked at him. My mind started wandering, “Gee…this attorney is marketing for me…I can’t believe it!” Well…the trial went forward and we received a defense verdict. The jury did not find abuse. Approximately 6 months from the time my deposition had been taken, that same plaintiff’s attorney called me and ask me to consult on a new case. I gladly accepted!
	Vickie teaches that when you are giving a deposition to always view the opposing counsel as a potential client. Vickie is definitely on point!
	Suzanne E. Arragg, RN, BSN, CDONA/LTC, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is a new client. He is a junior partner in a large defense firm and the first case he hired me for contained 8,000 pages of records. After completing my review, I explained to the attorney that he needed to speak with one of the plaintiff’s treating physicians and I assured him that this treating physician’s opinion and testimony would actually be favorable to the defense position.
	After securing the meeting, it was an hour and a half drive together to meet with this treating physician. I was on pins and needles, yet confident I was correct in my interpretation and evaluation of this case. But what if I was wrong? The meeting went smoothly. I immediately developed a rapport with the treating physician. On the return trip from the meeting, my new client called his senior attorney and said eight magical words regarding our meeting with the physician, “He said everything Laura said he would say.” I was elated and very relieved!
	Since that day my new attorney-client who I’ve been with now for six months won’t meet with a healthcare professional without me.
	Laura M. Averette, RN, MSN, CPHRM, CLNC,
▶	My favorite attorney-client is the one from whom I get the most work! However, that is not the only reason he is my favorite. He has a great sense of humor and communication with him is easy. He has two assistants and I have an equally easy time with both of them. There is continuous banter and chatter back and forth between all four of us, and it makes the working relationship lots of fun. The attorney is bright, insightful, positive and he appreciates all that I do for him. He listens to me and my opinions and is genuinely interested in what I have to say. He comes to the table with no preconceived notions. He is open minded and easy to work with.
	Most of my cases with this attorney are short, quick and pretty routine. There was one instance where I discovered medical malpractice on top of the personal injury. He was very receptive to my delving deeper into the case and preparing a much more comprehensive report. He told me repeatedly that he would not have been able to do this without me and in fact, would not have even been aware that anything was out of the ordinary.
	He frequently refers me to other attorneys and I never have to wonder or guess about how he feels about my work.
	Dale Barnes, RN, MSN, PHN, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney is my first attorney-client. Knowing that my CLNC® expertise on my first case helped this attorney win the case gave me the same awesome feeling as nailing a patient’s diagnosis as a nurse practitioner. He didn’t, however, become my favorite attorney-client until recently when we met on opposite sides of a case.
	I went up to this attorney and said, “Good morning, sir and how are you doing today?” The attorney replied, “I was doing fine until now when I see you are on the opposing side.” I was flattered and said, “Why thank you, sir. I will take that as a compliment.” He replied, “It was meant as one.”
	My attorney-client for this case wanted to know what the other attorney said and I told him. My attorney-client wanted to know if I thought my presence was unnerving for the other attorney and I replied, “Yes.” He replied, “Good.”
	After the case was completed (in my attorney-client’s favor), I went up to the other attorney to shake his hand. He remarked that he had noticed my work in the case and that, “as usual” I had done a good job. I wished him well and we parted.
	Later, at the dinner table, I told my family what had happened. My son asked me if I had apologized to the attorney for winning the case against him. I replied that I was not going to apologize for doing my work well. My son said that I would probably never consult for that first attorney again.
	A few months later, the first attorney called me wanting to consult with me on a case. I replied that I would be happy to consult with him. He said that he wanted to get to me before an opposing attorney consulted with me. I was flattered and said to the attorney, “Why thank you, sir. I will take that as a compliment.” The attorney replied, “It was meant as one.”
	Connie S. Chappelle, RN, MN, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is a sole practitioner who specializes in probate and family law. Since I have been consulting with her she has taken on more personal injury and medical malpractice cases.
	Her office is not too far from me and we have been working together for a couple of years, but I still haven’t met her in person. As Vickie teaches, with FedEx, email, fax and snail mail, Certified Legal Nurse Consultants do not have to be near their attorney-clients to successfully consult with them.
	With each case, my attorney-client continues to appreciate my help and tells me how much I teach her along the way. I enjoy working closely with her on her cases and I like knowing that I am helping a family, a child, a mother, a father or whoever has been wronged get the help they need. When someone needs care for the rest of their life, it is nice to know that I had a part in getting them what they need and that they are taken care of. It is rewarding to know that I make a difference in both the client’s life and the attorney’s life. She takes every case on as if the client is her friend. She fights for them to the end. I enjoy being right by her every step of the way. She allows me to be involved in everything so I use all of my skills I have learned over the years. This is the relationship we have built over the last couple of years and it means a lot to the both of us.
	Nikki J. Chuml, RNC, CCE, FMC, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client was my first attorney-client, who took a chance on me by giving me my first case. Upon the attorney receiving my written work product on the first case, he then immediately handed me case #2 and case #3. When presenting the case details to that attorney on cases 2 & 3, he said, “Larry, you should be charging more for work products like these!” This positive feedback grew my confidence in leaps and bounds and inspired me to increase my hourly rate without blinking an eye, and I haven’t blinked since!
	After completing the CLNC® 6-Day Certification Seminar in September 2000, I immediately knew that I was trained by the best – Vickie Milazzo Institute. However, what really drove that point home was my attorney-client’s simple statement ,”Larry, you should be charging more for work products like these!”
	Thank you, Vickie for changing my professional life nine years ago!
	Lawrence H. Frace, RN, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is one that is in my hometown. He has a busy general practice and is in a firm with two other attorneys. One reason he is my favorite is because he has offered to speak to the NACLNC® Private Apprenticeship groups I lead for Vickie Milazzo Institute. We have gone into his office and he does “mock interviews” with each Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. He also reviews a case that he has and asks for opinions and feedback. During this time, the CLNC® consultants get a chance to talk with an attorney in an environment that is nonthreatening.
	They gain so much knowledge from this experience. The Certified Legal Nurse Consultants get to see our professional relationship and how comfortable we are working together. It shows them that you really can have great life-long relationships with attorney-clients.
	Dorene Goldstein, RNC, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client tells me what she wants in a professional and respectful manner. She puts on her game face and is ready to fight for what she believes. She is also caring and kind. I would not want to be against her in the courtroom.
	To discuss our first case I met this attorney at a local bakery. She brought the 911 tape, crime scene and autopsy photos. After a little small talk, we got down to business. We looked through the photos, pieced together part of the case and discussed the CLNC® services I recommended for this case. The only catch…I needed to do it in five days. Normally, this would not be a problem; however, the next few days were packed. The night before trial, I met the attorney to deliver my work product. I showed her my 80-inch timeline that she requested for trial. She could not believe her eyes and said it was “perfect.” The next day I spoke with her after court. She stated the other attorneys were “impressed” and had carefully looked over the timeline. Since then, she has passed my name along to several other attorneys.
	Vanessa R. Heckman, RN, MSN, CNP, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is a ball of fire. She is passionate about her work and advocates for her clients and all victims of elder abuse. When she involves me in her cases, I am truly an important part of her litigation team.
	An MD expert I had previously worked with recommended me. I was brought in at the last minute and needless to say I had to put in long intense hours to write the report and to help develop questions for the defendant nurses and experts. The case settled and she was so happy that my report had helped to settle the case for quite a large settlement. My attorney-client attributed her success to my work product.
	Sandra Higelin, RN, MSN, CS, CWCN, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is a man who has a wonderful reputation as a medical malpractice attorney. For many years in a row, he has been named as a “Super Lawyer.” He is one of the rare heavy-hitters who really does take each client’s case personally, and spends many hours pouring over my reports and research. Over the years I have seen him eat, sleep and breathe his cases to the point where he has to be reminded to take a break. He has the ability to really soak in the medical information.
	He is now in the professional position to be able to choose to take the “pick of the crop” medical malpractice cases, but his love for his job and his clients haven’t changed.
	I have seen him pick up the phone to call and check on a client who has had surgery or who wasn’t feeling well. He makes his clients feel like they are special, and he’s sincere. When it comes to doing work for him, he’s a dream come true (naturally I had something to do with that!). He isn’t close enough that I can be involved with the initial consultation, so he calls me after meeting with the potential clients to give me my first briefing on the case. He tells me about the case, who the actors are in the case and we discuss the CLNC® services I will provide. He gives me what I need to know to rule out conflicts of interest and supplies the statute date. Then he lets me know if he has a budget or if it’s “carte blanche.” I always get my customary retainer delivered with the records. He is very responsive to my opinion, and most appreciative of any work I do for him.
	He also has a great sense of humor which makes him even more enjoyable to work with.
	Jane A. Hurst, RN, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is a young corporate attorney in Washington DC who represents a hospital. This attorney had not worked with a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant and was interested in many of my CLNC® services. Because my training in the CLNC® Certification Program was so thorough, my attention to details of the medical records was equally thorough, a fact he didn’t hesitate to mention frequently. I was grateful for the freedom to work independently, to use my nursing knowledge, my research experience and my ability to write reports. Over the years, we worked on many cases together and won most of them.
	Camille Joyner, RN, CCM, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client is an attorney I met when I began working in his law firm as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. He had a wonderful welcoming way about him. I think the thing I liked the most was that he valued my opinion and professional experience.
	This attorney-client had been practicing for many years and had won many large verdicts. I consulted on a case involving a woman who had a femoral to femoral bypass graft. The surgeon actually placed the graft material into her abdominal cavity. This went unrecognized by the attending doctor and multiple radiologists addressed the anatomy and the proper placement of the femoral graft. He listened so intently and acted as if he understood completely what I was explaining. When I was done he looked at me and said, “Well, I am so glad that you could actually do this surgery and perhaps do it better than this surgeon himself. I will certainly include you when we are preparing for trial to capture some photos and show the anatomy to explain the procedure step by step.”
	I was thrilled. This was one of my first cases at his firm and I felt like I had hit a homerun.
	Mildred Mannion, RN, BSN, CNOR, CLNC
▶	My favorite attorney-client practices in a prestigious personal injury and medical malpractice law firm. As a plaintiff attorney and a partner in the firm, he has won many awards, and is highly recommended by other attorneys. He is extremely detail oriented, very practical and never hesitates to reach out to me even when it is something simple that he wants to run by me or to get my opinion about. I value his years of experience and professional advice, and he has fostered my personal growth as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant.
	For someone with his experience and status he is never intimidating or boastful. He truly has a passion for practicing law and working with people and that shines through when working with him. He treats me respectfully, professionally and he values my opinion and work product. He is always open to learning and enjoys my educating him about the pieces of the medical puzzle as they apply to the cases. He has referred me to several new attorney-clients. When I am working with other attorney-clients in his office, he always stops in to say hello.
	One afternoon I got a call from him after he had left court on a motion in a case on which I had been consulting. He called to tell me a humorous story that he got a “kick out of” during the motion and asked if I had a minute so he could share it with me. I was so touched that he thought of me and wanted to keep me in the loop with a good laugh!
	Julie Somen-Becker, RN, BSN, CLNC
Success Is Inside!
P.S.	Comment and tell us about your favorite attorney-client or congratulate these Certified Legal Nurse Consultants for creating such positive relationships with their attorneys.

My experience in hospital nursing was filled with mixed emotions. The frustration level was one that I have never experienced anywhere else. But I kept being a nurse, and I kept going to work. Nursing jobs paid the bills but did not contribute to my soul.

When I saw Vickie Milazzo’s ad for the CLNC^® Certification Program, I wondered if this was a nursing career that I could be passionate about. I saw the ad several more times after that. Each time I felt a tremendous pull. The woman in the ad looked like no nurse in my facility. Vickie personified a victorious nurse dedicated to her profession, unlike other ads where the model-like woman leaps through the air with her hair blowing in the wind.

Little did I know I was implementing a business plan by showing the ad to my husband and proclaiming, “What an investment this would be for our future. We need to choose the VIP CLNC^® Business System and take advantage of all the available resources.”

My fear of flying could not hold me back. Several months later, I looked out of the airplane window after take-off. Dark thunderheads hung over the mountain tops. Lightning flashed sending streaks of light all around the plane. Down below, hundreds of colorful hot air balloons lit up Balloon Fiesta Park waiting for their early morning launch. My overwhelmed senses were full of expectations yet to come and I was calmed by the knowledge that I was so lucky to be the lead character in this new adventure.

That was the calm before the storm. WOW, is how I describe the CLNC^® 6-day Certification Seminar. I was amazed by Vickie and the course content. Then the 2-Day NACLNC^® Apprenticeship followed. I was brain-dead by the time it was over. I assumed the hardest and most challenging part was behind me. I went home and began implementing everything I had learned right away.

I went on my first marketing campaign in my hometown. I had seven promotional packets. Each one contained a personalized introduction letter to the attorney, a brochure, a business card and a professional profile. I marketed to all seven offices, but it took every ounce of courage I had. My husband went with me to the first office. I’m sure “amateur” was written all over me. I decided taking my husband wasn’t a good idea. The next office I went to was torturous. I stood there knowing I had to go in, but wishing I didn’t have to. My palms were wet and my mouth was dry. My husband reassured me from the sidewalk and I took a deep breath and went in. I met four attorneys that day. Each time I felt out of my element and left the office thinking, “There has to be another way.” I felt as wanted as a telemarketer.

I did the “busy thing” for awhile after that. We built an office and I set that up. I reviewed the advanced resources in my VIP CLNC^® Business System. Then I went to the NACLNC^® Conference in March. I talked with Certified Legal Nurse Consultants about their strategies for overcoming fears. Nothing clicked for me. I did discover other strategies to beef up my promotional packet and implemented them as soon as I got home. I went on several more marketing campaigns, but I could not overcome the fear of meeting attorneys. I went to their offices hoping I wouldn’t see any. I could relate to the office staff and break ice with them, but not the attorney. How was I going to get business with this mindset? The fear of meeting attorneys was bordering on a phobia.

The turning point came when a legal secretary called my office after receiving my promotional package and left a message for me to call. As usual, I contacted Vickie Milazzo Institute for mentoring. I listened carefully to the CLNC^® Mentor and followed up with the appropriate phone calls and sent a follow-up letter. Three weeks later, the legal secretary called to set up my first appointment with the attorney. I was thrilled, but it was short-lived as fear began to well up inside of me, again. I contacted Vickie Milazzo Institute for mentoring yet again. I was probably over-prepared for this meeting, but it was important to get it right. I would have to do this in spite of the fear.

I had no idea what to expect, but I was well prepared in every way right down to the power suit. I arrived at the office early to find out the attorney would be late. “That’s okay,” I thought, “I can wait.” There were a couple of gentlemen also waiting. We made small talk until the attorney arrived. After she arrived, she took one of the gentlemen in her office for about twenty minutes. He left and then the legal secretary ushered me and the other gentleman into a small conference room.

“What is this?” I thought. I was led to believe it would be the attorney and I, only. Everyone was introduced. It was very formal.

The attorney said, “This is Mrs. Schmitt. She is an expert and she is going to tell us how to proceed. Go ahead, Mr. Jones (not his real name), tell her your story.”

I felt my eyes bug out. My inner voice said, “Wait! I didn’t practice this! No time for a mentor request.”

The man started talking, but I could not understand him. His lips were moving and I could hear his voice, but I was so paralyzed with fear that I wondered what I looked like to him or, horror of horrors, what did I look like to the attorney?! I thought, “I better snap out of it because the attorney is going to expect something intelligent from me!”

Thank God this drama was only going on inside my head and not in the room. In a split second, I realized that sitting in front of me was a patient, Mr. Jones. My nursing instincts kicked in. I forgot about the power suit I was wearing and immediately began to assess his physical condition and his words became crystal clear. “The other guy dropped the air conditioner causing me to fall and hurt my back and knee,” he continued.

The 30 services that Certified Legal Nurse Consultants offer with a risk-free guarantee faded away as I asked, “How many days after the surgery did you notice the redness and swelling?”

My sample work products became forgotten when I told the attorney, “The infection that your client acquired after surgery was not the result of mismanaged care because they did a culture and treated it in a timely manner.”

The attorney asked numerous questions: “How can you tell if it was the hospital’s fault? What can you tell from the medical records?” The attorney mysteriously became a patient as well. She wanted to know what I knew. I answered all her questions demonstrating how I, the Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, could help with her medical-related cases. I stated that in my opinion there was no medical malpractice in this case and that she should only pursue the personal injury claim. I explained vocational and functional capacity evaluations that could strengthen her case. As the conversation went on she was amazed at the information I provided. She was a criminal defense attorney and had people ask her about taking medical malpractice cases. She said she had five potential medical malpractice cases and set up an appointment with me for the next case.

That experience changed me. I had heard other success stories that sounded too good to be true; a CLNC^® consultant goes into an attorney’s office and walks out with armloads of cases. But this attorney was truly sincere.

I now remember that I’m a nurse when I market to attorneys, which is what I should have been doing all along. I am not a salesperson, I am proud to be a nurse. Now, when I go into attorneys’ offices, I hope I meet them and ask if they are in so I can meet them. I look forward to educating them about how I can cost effectively consult on their medical-related cases. The expertise of registered nurses is as important to attorneys as it is to patients. Thanks to Vickie Milazzo and the CLNC^® Mentors, this expertise is available to every attorney through all of us Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. It is our job to educate attorneys in every creative way we can.

Guest Blogger Profile

Diana Schmitt, RN, BSN, CLNC has 24 years experience in the health care industry and is the owner of Diana Schmitt & Associates Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. Her firm specializes in merit review, expert witness location, and medical literature research for medical malpractice cases.

P.S.	Read more CLNC Success Stories and send your CLNC Success Story to feedback@LegalNurse.com.
P.P.S.	Comment if you would like to congratulate Diana on her CLNC success.

Powerful, strong entrepreneurs have one common trait – they are passionate about their business. In today’s post, Beverly Denver, the publisher of Houston Woman Magazine talks with me about what drives passion in successful entrepreneurs. Certified Legal Nurse Consultants will find Beverly’s insights especially applicable to your CLNC^® businesses.

Success Is Inside!

P.S.	Comment and share how passion for your legal nurse consulting business has changed you.

Homes across the U.S. are smelling like rotten eggs. There’s actually a deeper reason than a teenage boy’s socks. Depending upon the age and location of the home, it may contain defective drywall. We’re all aware of the environmental problems and issues associated with China and its pollution, chemical spills and lead paint in children’s toys. But there are other ways that defective products can get into a home. One of which includes building or repairing the home with defective products (and the watchdog in this case is not the FDA)!

Between 2004 and 2007, millions of pounds of defective drywall were imported from China and used to build and repair homes in the U.S., especially in Florida (and 12 other states). The Chinese drywall in question contains large concentrations of sulfur compounds which, when exposed to humidity or moisture (like in Florida), emit sulfuric acid causing not only health problems but also damage to a home, its electrical wiring and its contents (human and otherwise).

Certified Legal Nurse Consultants screening cases in the concerned states that involve respiratory problems accompanied by persistent coughing, recurring headaches, nosebleeds and eye irritation might consider investigating whether the potential plaintiff(s) live in a home or building constructed or extensively repaired during that 2004-2007 period. Follow-up questions might include asking about a persistent rotten egg odor (smell of released sulfur), intermittent problems with electrical appliances or wiring (due to sulfuric acid exposure) and even whether the potential plaintiff has recently had to replace an air conditioning coil (new air conditioning coils should last in excess of 15 years). Jewelry and pennies turning black from corrosion is another possible indicator of exposure. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating the problem and you can read a copy of their warning here.

Search the Internet for terms such as “Chinese drywall” to locate attorneys who are handling these cases. Legal nurse consultants should also pay attention to the news for reports on these cases and the attorneys associated with them.

Success Is Inside! (just stay outdoors),

P.S.	Please comment and share your most memorable case involving a defective product.

Every day at our Chicago CLNC^® 6-Day Certification Seminar, the housekeeper left a handwritten thank-you note on my pillow. With that little note, she received a pay raise. The money I was leaving for a tip doubled after that second note. Her simple act of gratitude for a small gratuity led to a larger gratuity.

This week, make it your goal to send three handwritten, attitude-of-gratitude notes every day. Send thank-you notes to:

• Attorneys you’re currently consulting with.
• Anyone who has helped you get those attorney-clients.
• Inactive attorney-clients for their past business.
• Your CLNC^® subcontractors who have helped you on cases.
• Anyone else you can think of who helps to make your CLNC^® business easier to manage and more profitable.

This is a powerful marketing tool that will reap big rewards for Certified Legal Nurse Consultants and everyone else. Think about the last time you received a personalized, handwritten, thank-you note from someone. Didn’t it make much more of an impression on you than a thank-you email? In a world where technology rules, it’s the simple handwritten thank you that will stand out and stick in the recipient’s memory.

At the Institute we post all the handwritten thank-you notes and cards we receive on the bulletin board in our lunchroom. That way, all the staff can share not only the sentiments of the author, but also the pride the recipient feels in being recognized.

Handwritten notes are not only a great way to demonstrate how much you respect the professional relationship, but are also a great way to retie connections with attorney-clients, subcontractors and vendors. Your personal message reminds attorney-clients of the work you’ve done for them in the past and of the relationship that you share. Even a little 4-sentence note may open the door for additional business!

Every CLNC^® consultant should have a box of high-quality note cards. Embossed with the name of your legal nurse consulting business isn’t required, but go ahead and spend the extra money for good quality paper and presentation. It’ll be worth it.

Send thank-you notes for the next thirty days and watch your CLNC^® business soar along with your attitude of gratitude for all of the new cases you are receiving.

Success Is Inside!

P.S.	Discover 54 more free ways to promote yourself to attorneys.

P.P.S.

You can even reinforce your thank you notes with a special thank you video for those extra special occasions like this one.

When I was a young girl, my father didn’t eat leftovers (still doesn’t). That caused my mom to be very careful about how much food she would prepare for meals. My sister, Karen, still jokes with me that mom would prepare only five pork chops (one of our favorite dishes) and not one more (despite our pleas). I hadn’t really thought about pork since my letter to President Obama or pork chops since the last time Karen and I talked about Mom’s pork chops.

That all changed this week when I was having a skylight repaired in my bathroom. The ceiling is pretty high so it required a long ladder and two repairmen – one to do the work and one to steady the ladder. Naturally the guy holding the ladder got bored quickly and became quite chatty. At one point, apropos of nothing, he mentioned that he couldn’t wait for lunch. I overheard him and asked him if he’d had breakfast (healthy green tea and a healthy breakfast is an important way to start your day). He told me he’d had a small one – his wife didn’t cook him any bacon to go with his eggs. I replied that he was lucky on two fronts: (1) his wife cooked him breakfast (I was glad Tom didn’t hear him say that) and (2) she’s helping him watch his diet.

He replied that it wasn’t his diet she was worried about, it was catching swine flu from the bacon. I laughed and told him he could safely tell his wife that you can’t get the swine flu from eating bacon or other pork products. In fact, I went on to tell him that unless she was sleeping with an infected pig or had a sick pig running around the house she was safe. Just as I was getting started on a lecture regarding the facts surrounding swine flu, I noticed his eyes began glazing over (just like an attorney’s do when a legal nurse consultant goes on too long about their services without engaging in their positioning strategies). I cut to the chase and said, “Tell your wife that the best way to beat the H1N1 Influenza A virus (we can’t call it swine flu anymore because we’re apparently offending pigs) and just about any superbug, is to follow the hygiene practices championed by that 19th Century nurse, Florence Nightingale. Her practices are still valid today: vigilantly wash your hands and stay clear of anyone who is ill.”

For attorneys who are reading this blog, before you call our office, any Certified Legal Nurse Consultant can tell you there is no product liability suit against a pork producer for an H1N1-infected piggy. Those same Certified Legal Nurse Consultants also know that there might be a medical malpractice case for failure to diagnose, since the symptoms of H1N1 Influenza A are so close to those of “normal” flu.

As RNs we can and should contribute to this public health issue by reminding everyone around us (not just our spouses and children) to wash their hands. We should also remember that nursing and medical personnel can be a source of infection.

I’ll be washing all the way up to the elbows for a long time to come. Stay clean and healthy!

Success Is Inside!

P.S. When I walked over to Starbucks this morning for my “free” coffee, the staff must have read my blog about them because they had my tall “red-eye” (bold coffee with a shot of expresso) on the counter by the time I got to the register (darn)!

Attorneys are flocking to Twitter. So are over 4,000,000 other people who have signed up for this site along with your technologically-advanced potential attorney-clients.

What Is Twitter?

Twitter is the fastest growing social media site on the web today. It is taking the Internet by storm with about 10,000 new users per day signing up to participate in this Internet revolution.

Twitter is best described as a micro-blogging platform. You are limited to 140 characters each time you do an update, which initially, may seem a small amount. However, as you become an experienced Twitterer, it’s amazing what you can fit into 140 characters.

That said, Twitter is like one huge chat room with as many people as you choose to connect with…in your case, I’d focus on attorneys and other Certified Legal Nurse Consultants.

So let’s get started and set up your Twitter account.

How to Set Up

There are a few things that you should be aware of when organizing your legal nurse consulting account. Even if you have an existing account, consider these tips to improve your Twitter experience.

Go to http://www.twitter.com. If you don’t have an account, then you will need to register, otherwise login as you usually do.

Registration

The Twitter screen will ask you for your full name.

The next box asks you for a username. This is where you need to give some thought to how you are going to represent yourself and your legal nurse consulting business on Twitter. Using your name or business name is up to you.

It isn’t critical that you register your own name, but I would advise you to if you can, particularly if your name is an unusual one. I’m sure the last thing you want is someone else impersonating you or your CLNC^® business on Twitter, or anywhere else for that matter.

If you wish to register your business name, then you can do that also. Just make sure you use your own name in the sign up process so you are identifiable and connected with the business name you register.

You are now asked for your email address. Email addresses are linked to accounts and you will only be able to use your email address once. For every Twitter account you register, you will need a different email address.

Be sure to fill in the Captcha letters you see and click Create My Account.

The next screen asks if you want to add any of your email contacts. You can skip this step, or Twitter will search your email address book to find all your friends and business contacts who are already on Twitter.

If you opt to have Twitter search your contacts, then the next screen presents those contacts who already Twitter and asks if you would like to follow any of them. Choose some if you like, but be selective. Social media sites like Twitter can consume a lot of your valuable time.

When you click Finish, you will see your very own Twitter account. You are logged in and ready to go!

Your Settings

On Twitter it’s important to fill out your Settings. You’ll find the access to this at the top right of the screen, fourth link from the left.

On this page you will notice there are some tabs across the top. We’ll cover each tab in detail.

Account Tab

The information you entered when you set up your account shows on this screen, but now it’s time to enhance it so people can find you and your legal nurse consulting business on Twitter and you also make yourself an interesting person to be followed.

People will use the information you enter here to make that decision. Beware that much of what is entered is searchable on Twitter and through various third-party applications.

One thing to note is that you can change your username at any time on this screen. You just have to enter your password to do so. Although it can be done, it can confuse your follower base, so I wouldn’t recommend doing it on a weekly basis.

First select the correct time zone.

Then add your website in the “More Info URL” box. Make sure to include the http:// prefix.

Now fill out your “One Line Bio” box. You have 160 characters here to “sell” yourself as a CLNC^® consultant. Take some time and include your USP.

Add your location so people can search and find you if you are in their same area.

English is the default language in the language box.

Then you’ll see a check box titled, “Protect updates.” This is included if you want to have a private account and you wish to approve followers. NEVER turn this on if you intend to use Twitter to meet new attorney-clients. They won’t bother to request permission to follow you unless they know you personally.

You can now save your settings, but note here that there is also a link to delete your account should you ever wish to do so.

Password

This tab lets you change your password if you want.

Devices

You can enter your mobile phone number here if you want Twitter to send updates to your phone. Personally, I can’t think of anything worse, particularly when you get close to a thousand followers.

Notices

You can have Twitter “nudge” you with a text to your mobile phone if you haven’t updated in 24 hours. What a pain!

The Replies function is an interesting one and will determine what tweets you see that are prefixed with the @ symbol. This is how you direct a tweet to a particular individual or your attorney-client. Read the great help-screen explanation on this, before you make your decision.

The rest of the notices are self explanatory.

If you are new to Twitter and you are following someone and they are following you, Direct Messages can be sent that won’t appear in the Twitter timeline. They are private messages between you and the other person only.

If you are an infrequent user of Twitter, it may be worthwhile to switch on receiving notifications by email so you can respond. Otherwise leave it off as it will just fill up your email inbox with more clutter.

Likewise, the notifications that you have a new follower also clog your email and I would leave it off unless you like the buzz of knowing someone new is following you.

Picture Tab

This is really important. When you open this page you will see the small avatar on the screen which is the default for Twitter.

Add a professional photo of yourself to stand out for a good first impression. This is often more important than your name when people are scanning Tweets.

Design Tab

Here you can change your Twitter page background from the default. Select from the options Twitter provides or you can upload your own background.

You can also change all the colors if you wish. Again, the point is to change it to demonstrate you have taken some time setting up your account.

A note here worth mentioning is that with the plethora of Twitter client applications out there, many people don’t even look at your Twitter page anymore. Still, it is one component of your presence on Twitter and is worth doing well.

Just make sure you save your changes, and you’re done!

Well, that’s it for the setup. The last thing to do now is to click on Home at the top of the screen and send your first Tweet. Something like, “Hi, I’ve just joined Twitter and am looking forward to meeting interesting people” is a good first one to send. Just type it in and click the Update button.

You are up and running! You now have the official “cool factor” of being a CLNC^® consultant who is up-to-date with this social media site.

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 over three years.

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