As pandemic lockdowns ease and businesses begin reopening, it won’t be “business as usual” for our law firms—nor should it be. COVID-19 may be on the wane overall, but it hasn’t disappeared. When looking at rebooting your law firm, you need to formulate a plan of action, not just as to how you will reopen safely, but what you will do to rebuild financially if you’ve lost clients. Let’s discuss some practical tips to help as you begin your own reopening strategy.
Start Marketing Now
If you never stopped marketing during the pandemic—good on you. If yours was a full shutdown, now is the time to activate a marketing strategy to rebuild your client base—even before you officially reopen for business. Let creativity rule the day here—what approaches can you take to incentivize and attract new clients? What can you do to win back existing clients who perhaps “took a break?” If you know when you’re reopening, start populating your calendar. Better yet, set up appointments now by phone or video chat.
Communicate New Policies and Procedures Clearly
As businesses reopen, some people will admittedly be unconcerned about precautions, while others will be quite apprehensive about the reopening. My advice: Err on the side of caution. Pretending the pandemic either didn’t happen or is now history could come across as “tone deaf” and make people feel unsafe. COVID-19 is a reality of life, and it has changed how we do things. Make sure you communicate those changes clearly and positively to your team and your clients. What are you doing to ensure people’s safety when they do business with you? What are you doing to keep the office clean and safe? How are you encouraging social distancing? What online options do you offer? Communicating these changes will send a clear message that you care and will help build trust in an uncertain time.
Plan Ahead for a Second Wave
No one wants to think about a “second wave” of COVID-19, but many experts have warned of the possibility, especially if people get careless. Now is the time to create a plan of action for your law firm so you don’t get caught flat-footed (again). Build as much of a financial pad as you can. Be proactive in dreaming up ways to keep the firm going in the event of another lockdown, including work-from-home logistics, retaining clients, etc.
If you’d like more specific guidance in rebooting your law firm in the wake of this pandemic, we’re here to help. Give us a call at 888-207-2869 to learn more.
