Summary
Expect to learn the importance of stepping away from the role of an advice giver and instead becoming an interested listeners to create value propositions, which can be achieved by asking three questions: why do you want to do this, why do you want to do it now, and why do you want me to do it, allowing clients to perceive their own value and benefits without being guided by the lawyer's viewpoint.
3 Key Takeaways from this Video
- Shift from being an advice giver to a curious listener: Lawyers should step away from the role of simply providing advice and instead adopt a curious and interested mindset, actively listening to clients' needs and concerns.
- Use questions to create value in the client's mind: By asking strategic questions, lawyers can guide clients to consider the value of their services. Three key questions are: why do you want to do this, why do you want to do it now, and why do you want me to do it. These questions help clients recognize the benefits and urgency of hiring the lawyer.
- Let clients perceive the lawyers value: Rather than telling clients the value of hiring you, as a lawyer you should allow the client to discover and articulate the benefits of working with you. By doing so, clients feel more confident in their decision and are more likely to appreciate the value the lawyer brings to the table.
Transcript
0:07 You have to first of all step away from what you're most commonly doing as a lawyer. You're an advice giver.
0:16 You're always saying, “oh, I think you should do this. If these are the circumstances, you should do that.” In creating a value proposition for the audience, what you really need to do is be a little bit like Rene Brown and be interested and curious, start listening rather than telling.
0:36 So, you know, one question should lead to another question, a clarifying question. As opposed to, I think I have the answers. I'm going to tell you what your value is.
0:46 There's a podcaster, author Jonathan Stark, who has a podcast called Ditching Hourly.
0:53 And he says, ask three questions to get a client thinking about value. These are the three questions that he likes to ask and I use it a lot.
1:02 The first question is, why do you want to do this? Which is kind of an open ended like I need to do this because if I don't, I'm going to get sued or I want to sell my business.
1:14 And if I don't do that now, X is going to happen. So, you're already starting to create that value in the client's mind, they're going oh if I dont do this something I'm not going to achieve what I could, I'm going to have a missed opportunity.
1:26 The next, the second question is, why do you want to do it now? That's the creation of urgency and then now part really brings the life like if I don't do it this week or right now, then the market's not going to be there or I'm going into business tomorrow I need to incorporate.
1:43 So, that creates a sense of like, yeah, getting it done right now with someone that'll do it right now. That has a lot of value to me.
1:51 And lastly, and this is, I think by far the most powerful in my world and that is, why do you want me to do it?
1:58 Like, why us? And you know, it sounds like you're trying to talk someone out of doing things, but actually what you're doing is you're making them focus on the benefit of hiring you.
2:10 They probably are going to say something like, well, so on, so down the street said you were great. And all of a sudden they're thinking, oh, I'm about to hire a great lawyer who can do it right now and I really need it done.
2:21 And they in their own mind have created the value. And so they walk right into it. If you try and tell them what the value you're trying to steer them, then you're sunk.
2:30 Really giving them your own viewpoint.