Every attorney likes to say they give personal attention.
They think this is some magical phrase that gets a consumer eager to want to hire them.
I say that's bull.
We all want personal attention.
We all want walk into an office and never have to wait.
We want special service.
We want to feel special.
We want to feel different.
We want to feel as if our case is the only one the attorney is focusing on.
We want great customer service.
We want the attorney to know everything about us.
We don't care that the attorney has 200 other cases to handle.
We want him to focus on ours for as long as possible.
We don't want some junior associate working on our case.
We don't want a paralegal working up our case.
We don't want a secretary working on our case.
We only want the most senior experienced trial attorney handling our case from start to finish.
That's what we want.
Why then do most attorneys say they give personal attention in their marketing messages?
It's because they think that their competitors don't give personal attention.
It's because they think their competitors simply view them as another case to handle without any regard for who handles their case.
You should know that lawyers tend to flock together.
That means they like to copy and adopt the same marketing messages that their friends have used.
They like to copy marketing messages that they think have been successful.
They like to think that by talking about the features of their law firm that will compel you, a client in need, to run and pick up the phone and sign up with them.
When I ask lawyers across the country how the phrase “We give personal attention” sets them apart from the hundreds and thousands of other lawyers in their town who say the same exact thing, they get that deer in the headlights look.
They often cannot answer my question.
They honestly do not know how to distinguish what they do from their colleagues who do the same exact type of work down the street.
It's a shame really.
These lawyers spend their marketing dollars to create messages to attract their ideal clients and consumers.
Admittedly, some of these marketing messages do work.
However, when you, a consumer, are searching for the best attorney to handle your matter here in New York, you see the same messages over and over again.
There is no possible way for you to distinguish one law firm from another when they use the same marketing message.
What that really means is that the message is wasted.
The message loses trust.
It is overused.
It no longer has any real meaning.
When an attorney suggests that his law firm gives personal attention, he is implying that other law firms do not.
You should know that most people searching for an attorney do not come right out and ask an attorney “By the way, do you give personal attention?”
The reality is that the best lawyer for you and your case may not be the best lawyer for someone else.
You may feel you can get better client service and attention by going to a solo practitioner who is familiar with every aspect of your case from start to finish.
Another consumer might feel more comfortable going to a large law firm who has fancy offices, fancy furnishings and large staff.
That consumer might not care that his case is worked on by paralegals, case intake managers, Junior Associates and other attorneys.
He feels comfortable going to a large firm and doesn't care about dealing with one or two specific lawyers.
When you are searching for the best attorney to handle your legal problem, if you were attracted to a lawyer by his marketing message, look carefully at what he is saying.
Ask yourself how he is different from all the other attorneys who handle the same type of work.
Then, if you choose to meet with him, ask him how he is different.
If he simply repeats his marketing phrase “We give personal attention,” that suggests he doesn't really understand the purpose of that message.
The purpose is to distinguish yourself from all of your colleagues and competitors.
I find that the best way to distinguish myself from all of the other attorneys in New York is to teach and educate my ideal client and consumer before they ever pick up the phone and call or walk into my office.
I created thousands of educational video that helps consumers understand how the lawsuit process works here in New York.
I've written thousands of articles that appear on my website and elsewhere to teach and educate my ideal client and consumer.
I've also written four informative and educational books to teach my prospective clients how these types of civil cases involving accidents, medical malpractice and wrongful death matters work here in New York.
That's one of the key ways that distinguish me from all of my colleagues.
When you go into an attorney's office to see if he is the right one for you, ask him whether he's written any consumer-oriented books to help you understand the lawsuit process.
Ask him whether he has created hundreds or thousands of educational videos to teach you about the legal process.
Ask him if he created hundreds and thousands of articles to help you understand how your type of case works.
The answers to those questions will help you make an educated decision about whether this attorney is the right one for you.