The Burning Question: How to Get Files & Grow Your Firm

1. Very rampant during the indoor MCO – Write Articles. A wise man (nobody really) once said : “Unseen, unheard, unknown”. More articles almost necessarily means more exposure. Some firms are also notably mass producing articles. If employee headcount is low, outsource.
2. I heard this once from a grab driver. Station Agents at lure locations/”hotspots”. Hospitals & clinics for personal injury claims, properties for sale, government buildings, courtrooms (?), police stations, etc. More than just courtroom touters really.
3. Ads. You can literally see the word ads next to some firm names on google. To what extent this is lawful – best to seek their legal advice (jokes on me).
4. Cold calling. Literally pick up the phone and dial every single business in the vicinity or even go through the legal notices or newspapers to scout for potential cases. This is something I read online but it rings like a tenable idea. Beware of consequential nuisance claims.
5. Big investment. Literally pay and hire the top guns. Clients move with lawyers and lawyers who have established themselves can be expected to move with an exodus of clients. So persuade with whatever you got; love, money, power. Say it with me! Love, money, power.
6. Direct marketing/”sharing”. Get on Facebook, Clubhouse, elaborate till ends meet. It’s like fishing. The longer you talk the more chance of a bite. Or even webinars. I’m not saying everyone does it with the intention of marketing, but that it is whether you like it or not.
7. Join clubs & committees. Golf clubs, NGOs, entrepreneurs’ society, join every single society. Be somebody. As they say, “Network equals net worth”.
8. Focus on the business & work hard. Mark me if my maths is wrong. Every minute you rest is every minute you’re not earning? Time = money.
9. Seasons’ greetings. Man I hate this one but hey guilty as charged. I mean sometimes when you read them at the right moment, we feel cultured for a fleet second. But going thru a whole list of them i.e. on Linkedin on a Hari Raya or Chinese New Year. That’s one too many most of the time.
10. An extension to #9 above, send greetings’ cards & appreciation gifts to clients. Navigate finely because can be seen as prohibited advertising. See my previous article here.
11. Hire a marketer or absorb a PR equity partner. Goes without saying, requires cost & some aptitude at hiring. Alternatively, invest in friends. Get a big group of free marketers. Well, nothing is really free if you think about it.
12. Economies of scale. Yes overheads increase, but some businesses also thrive on the big firm illusion and/or economies of scale. If it works, it works. Not only that, it allows readiness for larger / volume files. Also can help owners focus on the business aspects of practice. See #8 again.
13. Employees with commission. Arguably, one of my favourite models on the list for “growth firms”. The idea is that employees with incentive not only work better (as they feel directly involved in the clients/files), it can also encourage them to bring in files, which is suitable for firms who are willing to expand.
14. Panelships. Bank panels, company panels, government panels and the like.
15. An extension to #14 above, purchase panel firm name with royalties, that is you pay a premium to a law firm who is an existing panel of multiple banks & companies and use that name to operate. Simple.
16. Go big or go home. Similar to #12 above. This one’s a bit tricky. Sometimes you get Queen when Freddie Mercury joined them. And sometimes you could be Beyonce after Destiny’s Child or Michael Jackson after The Jackson 5.
17. Personality. Or just be a charmer. Some people are simply more successful on tinder than others. Pick up some people skills.
18. Connection. This one is for the silver spoon birth right. Nothing to elaborate here.
19. Natural talent. Mike Ross would probably whip up that class action faster than the rest, right?Personally, I don’t think it’s enough to just be a Mike Ross without people knowing you are one. Refer to #1-18 above and combo.
20. Experience. Gain as much as possible every single day and GROWWW.

Closing