Solo In Chicago…Grow Your Practice!

Well, I’ve added off-site employee #1…I’m very excited. I know it’s really nothing new in the blogsphere here but it’s a big step for a newby sole practitioner. I know Grant Griffiths over at Home Office Lawyer and Greatest American Lawyer have been on the train for a while, but we just want to be like Walgreens, not the first with technology, just the best in its application.

My main usage of the off-site staff will be for customer service and book-keeping/financial analysis. When she’s working she’ll be totally handling the phones. Further, and most critically, she’s going to step-it-up for us with the business side of things. I obviously currently send out my bills each month but that’s about it.

The way I see it, running a law practice is two halves: legal work & business (financial, marketing, management). The business half of things with me has languished over the last year. NO MORE!

I’ve seen Susan Cartier Liebel commenting a bit around these parts recently. She’s new-to-me…blogging at Build a Solo Practice, LLC.

A very accurate post here about why we often don’t get prospective clients’ business.

My favorites and all to common for small firm lawyers:

1. You returned my call in which I asked for a price quote…a week later.

4. Your web site looks abandoned. (Copyright 2004? Are you even still in business?)

6. You never, ever answer your phone. It always go to voice mail.

10. You’re “invisible.” Like it or not, showing up in a Google search (or not) is a credibility factor these days.