Happy Clients …

August 6, 2021 Doug Brown , ,

Satisfied clients are the most credible ambassadors for your practice.

Potential clients really want to know what your prior clients have experienced with you. It helps them know you are the real deal.

The only way you’ll discover what your clients would say to someone thinking about working with you is to ask them the question.

Some attorneys are reluctant to ask for testimonials because they are uncertain what the client would say.

They fear negative feedback, don’t want to impose on the client’s time, or find other excuses not to do it.

But when you do ask you can get amazing feedback that makes you feel good – and helps others know what it is like to work with you. It allows you to help more of the people you were meant to serve.

Like what happened when I asked a recent client: “What would you say to someone thinking of working with me?”

Here’s what he said:

“Doug was very insightful in making suggestions to better manage time and helped me focus on developing goal-oriented plans. I feel that I now have a great roadmap to reach my goals in the short, intermediate, and long terms. Doug’s coaching produced tangible results for me in the form of increased profits for my firm and general attitude improvement. … I can truly say that I feel happier, more productive, and am on my way to reaching my ultimate goals.”

I was honored to receive David’s heartfelt words. That’s why I do this work. To make a lasting difference for my clients.

That’s probably why you do your work as well.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know what they say about you when you’re not around?

Go ahead and ask. You’ll be happy you did.

-D

P.S. … Coaches help successful athletes see possibilities they cannot. They stay focused on the goal while the athlete says focused on preparing and executing to meet the goal. Coaches act as the beacon to direct them when they lose focus. Successful business owners, like you, hire coaches for the same reasons. If you’re thinking that you might be ready for coaching – then you are. If you’d like to talk and learn more, and see if we’re a fit just CLICK HERE and we’ll set it up. No expectations or obligations. Just a conversation in service to you as a loyal reader of my messages.

 

Doug BrownHappy Clients …
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What is the Best Time tracker?

August 4, 2021 Doug Brown

In a recent presentation of the Power Principles of Time Mastery, one of the CLE participants asked me what I thought was the best time tracking system to use. It’s a pretty common question, especially because there are so many choices.

In this video, I answer the question and share what you need to know to pick the best one.

 

Doug BrownWhat is the Best Time tracker?
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Got motivation?

August 3, 2021 Doug Brown ,

Don’t wait until you are motivated to take action.

It can often be a very long wait.

Especially when you are working on something out of your comfort zone.

The motivation you need might never come, or it might come too late.

Like my client, George.

He was pondering why he wasn’t motivated to do the work required to get new clients for his practice.

I told him it didn’t matter.

We had already plowed that field.

All that mattered now was being in action toward a goal he already decided upon.

To do the work.

Motivation follows action.

When you are in action you will make progress.

You will be in control. And that momentum leads to motivation.

The way to get in action is to decide.

That’s it.

Make a decision on what action you’re going to take.

Decide when you create the plan for the day.

Keep it simple, clear, and direct.

Make it something you can accomplish in the time you’ve got.

And when the time comes, act.

Repeat.

Motivation will follow.

Be in action.

-Doug

P.S. … Really successful attorneys seek out a coach for the same reasons top athletes surround themselves with coaches.  To hone their skills, to offer fresh perspectives and honest feedback, and stay on track to their goal.

Like my client David, who recently wrote:

“Doug’s coaching produced tangible results for me in the form of increased profits for my firm and general attitude improvement. The attitude adjustments were significant enough for my wife and children to offer unsolicited complimentary observations about my overall demeanor.”

If you’re ready to up your game and get the kind of results that David did then CLICK HERE to connect and see if we’re a fit.

Doug BrownGot motivation?
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More than my accomplishments …

July 30, 2021 Doug Brown ,

Simone Biles’ withdrawal from Olympic competition provides important lessons for lawyers and hard-charging professionals. We need to stop and notice – and change the narrative around mental health in the law, and business.

Her statement that “… I realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before” applies to everyone. All you need to do is replace the word “gymnastics” with your profession.

The competitive nature of high-achievers can lead us to the false belief that we are our accomplishments and that our professional identity is who we are as humans.

Add in the legal profession’s programming to associate mental health with professional competence and to exploit any perceived weakness and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

I see this all the time with my private coaching clients.

On the outside, everything appears to be great. But a look behind the curtain reveals the cost of the outward success. The prolonged stress, the pressure of living up to everyone’s expectations – including their own. The need to continually do more and more, faster and faster. It’s overwhelming and lonely.

Successful lawyers come to me for coaching on productivity and growing a profitable practice. At the start, they are not thinking that we’re also going to dive into foundational practices, like self-care – including mental and emotional health. Then they see how it’s all connected and they appreciate having a thinking partner as a guide to cut through the clutter and achieve their goals.

Key reminders for me – and maybe for you:

Mental health is at least as important as physical health.

High achieving professionals are not immune to mental health challenges.

Your community and support network has a huge impact on mental health.

You are much more than your accomplishments and your profession.

If you’d like to know more about busting mental healthy myths then check out my podcast guest appearance on Steve Lawlor’s Legal Wolf Podcast.

Doug BrownMore than my accomplishments …
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Another Smartphone?

July 28, 2021 Doug Brown , ,

The alerts and notifications on my client’s smartphone wouldn’t stop. Shutting them off wasn’t helping because his clients would just call the office. So we came up with a solution that saved the day – and his sanity.

 

Doug BrownAnother Smartphone?
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Your NOT List …

July 27, 2021 Doug Brown

Imagine a world where you have a manageable “to do” list.

You get to focus on the things that really matter – and really add value to your practice and your clients.

You get to go home at a reasonable hour.

When you’re home you are mentally present and engaged – without worrying about all of the undone tasks at the office.

No, this isn’t some utopian fantasy. It is actually possible.

Step #1 is your “NOT List” – also known as a Stop Doing List

It is that simple.

Your list probably has lots of stuff on it that isn’t necessary.

Things you “should” get to, or would “like” to get done.

Perhaps it’s full of other peoples’ stuff.

Your time and attention are your most important asset.

You must decide how you invest wisely.

Here’s how to start:

1) Go through your list. If it isn’t an absolutely essential activity that YOU must personally do then take it off your list.

2) If it isn’t important enough to delegate it then put it on your Stop Doing List.

3) If you’re not sure, then create a “Parking Lot” list for it to live until you decide.

P.S… Once you’ve got your stop doing list you’re going to have to say “No” to people and situations. Check out this guide on How to Say No Without Being Negative

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It’s Just Not Logical …

July 23, 2021 Doug Brown , ,

Your clients do not hire you based on logic.

Your clients decide to hire you – and refer their friends to you – based almost entirely on how you make them feel. Based on emotion and unconscious urges.

In fact, researchers find that emotion is the thing that really drives purchasing behavior – and decision-making in general. The evidence supports this conclusion. Just consider why people buy one brand of a vehicle over another or live in a certain neighborhood, wear certain clothes. First and foremost it’s about how those things make them feel.

Sure, people use logic as part of the rationalization or justification for what they want to do. But logic comes second, not first. Without the emotional connection, you never get to logic.

This is why so many lawyers struggle with generating referrals and securing new clients. They are trying to appeal to a person’s logical brain – and that brain isn’t listening.

Clients hire lawyers because they have great big problems, or opportunities, that they can’t solve by themselves. These problems are charged with emotion – most often based on some fear, uncertainty, or doubt.

If you want to attract your ideal clients then you’re going to need to meet them where they are on an emotional level. Then you’ll need to show them how their life will be better when their problems are solved – and how that feels.

Take a look at your marketing messaging – on your LinkedIn or your website. Or even your “elevator pitch”. How are you connecting with them emotionally? How do you know?

-D

P.S. … If you’d like to know more about how to connect with clients then you need to understand the journey that brings them to you. This blog post will show you how.

Getting more great clients requires more

Doug BrownIt’s Just Not Logical …
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The Dreaded DDL

July 20, 2021 Doug Brown , ,

“I got the DDL again”, I overheard her whisper to a friend at work.

I’d heard vague references to this before and my curiosity got the best of me. So I asked, “So, what is this DDL?”. I’m really glad I did.

DDL was shorthand for “Disappointed Dad Look”.

It was a look they saw on my face from time to time when I wasn’t pleased about something. It wasn’t intentional, and I didn’t even know I was doing it. But it was a message they received just as strongly as if I had said it out loud.

Being in on the secret helped us communicate more clearly with less stress. When they saw it they could call me on it. Awareness allowed me to be intentional and adapt when needed.

The DDL was a great reminder for me that what we say only accounts for 7% of what we communicate. 38% is the tone of voice, and 55% is body language.

If we want to motivate people and build relationships and trust then we must pay attention to everything about how we communicate – especially when we’re not using words.

What’s one way that you make sure you know how your communications are being received?

P.S… Email is a great miscommunication tool. Click here to check out my 5 Tips to Improve Email Communication – and leave email chaos behind.

Doug BrownThe Dreaded DDL
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It’s not Complicated… Simple is better.

July 16, 2021 Doug Brown ,

You’re really busy with lots of really important stuff going on.

It all feels so complicated and precarious that it’s easy to believe that a simple solution won’t work.

In fact, our higher education leads us down a road of complexity when it just isn’t necessary.

Warren Buffett has observed that “Business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.” 

Warren is right.

One simple practice makes things much better for me when I feel up to my you-know-what in alligators: gratitude.

Yes, gratitude.

For me, gratitude is a very specific, and practical business strategy.

Gratitude helped me pivot to try new things and eventually to start living the life I’d always wanted – but didn’t know how to find.

A simple 10 minute a day gratitude practice helped me

  1. Reduce stress & sleep better.
  2. Improve relationships with clients and referral sources.
  3. Increase creativity, engagement, and mental function.

Even when it felt like the wheels were coming off and I felt stuck.

These prompts can help you get started if you are stuck. Here are some that I like and use:

  1. People. Start with family and think of one individual person and one thing you’re grateful for about them or your time together. You can do the same thing for friends, clients, referral sources. The list gets pretty long when you think about it.
  2. Places. Your home, or your community. Places you’ve traveled, vacations you’ve taken.
  3. Moments. Something you are looking forward to. A happy or satisfying memory. A time when you turned around a difficult situation. It could be as simple as the place where you enjoy your morning coffee.
  4. Your career. What you’ve accomplished. The people you’ve helped. What your job has allowed you to accomplish.
  5. Yourself. Your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Your relationship. Your ability to learn and solve problems. Your energy, passion, and presence.

How will you simplify this week?

Doug BrownIt’s not Complicated… Simple is better.
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