Three Ways to Build Client Loyalty at Your Small Law Firm

Think about the brands and services you buy from most. Do you usually stop for lunch at the little sandwich shop near your office or have a long-standing appointment with the same hair stylist? With so many options today, what is it that’s making you come back to the same businesses time and time again? The answer: customer loyalty. Whether people are grabbing a bite to eat, getting a haircut or purchasing legal services, clients want to feel valued and appreciated. So, how do you translate that to your legal clients? It’s simple! Check out these tips below.

Focus on client experience

It feels inexplicably good when the barista at your favorite coffee shop remembers your “usual,” right? It’s a small gesture in the grand scheme of things, but her ability to remember that you prefer soy milk in your cappuccino makes you feel like an important customer. You can provide this type of similar personalized service to your legal clients. If you know that one client prefers to meet in person rather than over the phone, or likes to chat for a while before getting down to business, try your best to accommodate them. When your clients feel like you know them more personally, they’ll be more inclined to stay with your law firm for the long haul.

Stay in touch

Even if a client’s legal matters have wrapped up, it’s important that you stay in touch with them. You never know when they might need your services again. Keep a database of all your past and present client contact information, including home and email addresses. Take the time to send birthday and holiday cards throughout the year. It’s a minimal amount of work on your end and lets clients know that you still keep them in mind and appreciate their business.

Offer long-term client discounts

Do you have a few clients who have been around for years and years? At this point, you probably know them quite well and have a great working relationship already established. Clients like this are ideal because the “getting to know you and your matters” phase is long over, and you can simply focus on doing great work for them. To show how much you appreciate working with them, offer a long-term client discount. Whether it’s a reduced hourly rate or a smaller retainer, these extensions of goodwill let clients know that you enjoy working with them and want to continue that relationship well into the future.