Top 10 Ways to Fire the Client From Hell

When all else fails… just tell them you’re moving to Yemen

Clients are the lifeblood of any business. Without them, your firm simply doesn’t exist. On the other hand, some clients are so bad that your business, not to mention your personal sanity, is better off without them. So what do you do when you have a client that pushes you to the brink? You fire them! Here’s how to give 10 of the worst offenders the pink slip without burning bridges.

1. The bargain shopper: As a general rule, the client who pays the least will expect the most. The words “I need this done cheap” should strike fear in your heart, not because of profit margins, but because this client will nickel-and-dime you within an inch of your life for extra work, support and other nuisances that were not in the original scope.
How to get out: This one’s simple: Raise your rates, if only for this particular client. The bargain shopper will move on to the next firm that offers a better price, as he’s concerned only with the bottom line, not the value of your work.

2. The client who can’t make deadlines: This client wants you to set his project at top priority because he’s on a tight schedule and needs to get something produced right away. You agree, assuming that you’ll have all of the READ MORE →

Holiday Cards? Try www.CharityCards.com

Sure you send out cards. But do you have a plan?

Law firm marketing consultant Larry Bodine is a big believer in maintaining year-round contact with clients and prospects. The holiday season is a perfect time to make another positive impression. Bodine reccommends charitycards.com, which send 10% of its revenue to a charity of your choice. It’s a win-win.

Typical firms buy anywhere from 25 to 25,000 cards each season. There are five major techniques common to all firms that run a successful and timely greeting card program. These techniques – plus valuable tips – will increase your efficiency throughout the process.

One of the keys is to treat this task as a project with all the planning, marketing timelines and budgets of any other major project. This is not an “add-on” program, but a key element of an integrated marketing plan.

The five techniques to implement a successful marketing campaign for client greeting cards are:

1. Create a Plan – Systematize the Process and Gain Commitment to a Timeline
2. Quantify a Budget
3. Maintain Your Client List
4. Incorporate Interest
5. Build Ownership

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