As an RN, you come from an industry that shows scant respect for all you know and all you do. It’s a fact that consumers believe doctors make the big decisions. As a result, it’s doctors who get most of the credit. But you and I know that it is the nurse who has more patient interaction and invariably knows more about what’s really going on with the patient. And it pays substantially to convince attorneys of this fact.
Discuss Travel Expenses in Advance – If you’re traveling with an attorney-client or at his request as a CLNC consultant you should always discuss your travel expenses (e.g., airfare, meals, hotel and cancellation/change fees) and consulting fees in advance. You don’t want any surprises at billing time that may undermine the trust or good-will you have built up with that attorney.
I wake up every morning with new ideas, ventures and projects for me and my staff. But before I enter into a new venture or project, I ask myself these three questions: “What do I want to come from this venture? Why am I really doing this? How will it benefit me and my clients?” I want to have a clear picture of the goal that I am striving for before I go all in. By clarifying the goal at the beginning, I believe I determine the outcome instead of the outcome being determined by all of the things that happen along the way – those things that distract me from my focus and cause me to settle for less than I wanted.
Certified Legal Nurse Consultants engage in a variety of communications with a variety of people. We discuss cases with our attorney-clients, CLNC subcontractors and attorney-prospects. The key to having an effective conversation is not just listening, but also engaging and knowing when to end. One of the Institute’s customer service representatives told me about the time he spent almost an hour speaking with a prospective CLNC consultant. He listened to her talk about her life, family and dissatisfaction with her current nursing position. They talked about legal nurse consulting and the freedom it provides and they just talked, but according to Evan, he did a lot more listening than talking.
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.
*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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