I started my legal nurse consulting business with the intention of testifying, but working behind the scenes with attorneys was how I really built my business. Despite that fact, I was always open to testifying and did so occasionally. And that’s exactly what you should do when your attorney-client asks you to testify. That’s right, go ahead, say yes!
All smart business owners use social media to promote their services or products and so should CLNC consultants. Here are some simple ways successful Certified Legal Nurse Consultants are using social media in their CLNC businesses.
Phil Newman, RN, CCRN, CLNC, shares how he applies the old “lunch and learn” concept to attorneys. He also discusses how to get into the offices of attorney-prospects after meeting them at his legal conference exhibits.
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. There is no way you can do a better job than I do.” 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.
Exhibiting is one of the most effective marketing strategies for Certified Legal Nurse Consultants, but only if you follow-up. After any event (seminar or conference), the attorney-prospect is going back home to his hectic routines. No matter how much you hit it off in person, you will need to be persistent in your follow up to recapture the attention you had when the attorney was thinking about you and your CLNC® services, not about upcoming depositions, trials or briefs.
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.
One of the most important strategies I use to build successful attorney-client relationships is to remain available and accessible to my clients. Even when things are extremely hectic and busy, I never let my attorney-clients sense that I am too busy for them. I always reach out promptly with at least a short response or suggest a time to talk when they request something. Mobile devices make it easy for me to respond promptly.
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.
The business relationship with the attorney who gave me my “breakout” case has developed in a way that I did not envision because it has resulted in my consulting almost exclusively for this one attorney-client. I know if I do a great job and maintain a successful relationship with this attorney, other attorneys in his law firm will also hire me.
One of the most important principles I have learned from consulting with attorneys is to anticipate the opposing side’s arguments and positions. I also learned this analysis strategy in law school. On final exams, my grades depended upon my ability to argue both sides of every case even when I didn’t like my own arguments.
*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
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