The following blog is from Valerie M. Nowottnick, a guest of McBride For Business.
I had a conversation with one of my out-of-state clients today. I’ve been assisting them with their office organization/management/start-up issues. They have had difficulty in finding competent, reliable support in their location. They hired a student who is currently attending a community college majoring in paralegal studies and she has been a tremendous asset to their firm. Unfortunately, others have fallen by the wayside while the student picked up the slack and kept the office chugging along.
During my conversation with my client (a Partner), I asked him if he had given any thought to buying the student (employee) lunch one day or getting her a Starbucks card – just to thank her for her hard work. “No,” he replies. “Why would I do that?” I proposed this scenario: Partner gives rather nominal appreciation gifts every so often. The student/employee goes outside of the office and tells her friends, family, and associates how nice it is to work in their firm. Then her friends, family, and associates call the student/employee when they need legal advice. Thus, Firm lands personal injury case – all because the Partner purchased a $10.00 Starbucks card to say thank you to the student/employee.
This is just some food for thought. Marketing and advertising is not always by conventional means. Sometimes, you can land clients just by treating your employees to a cup of coffee once in a while.
This posting is intended to be a tool to familiarize readers with some of the issues discussed herein. This is not meant to be a comprehensive discussion and additional details should be discussed with your attorneys, accountants, consultants, bankers and other business planners who can provide advice for your circumstances. This article should not be treated as legal advice to any person or entity.
About the Author
Valerie M. Nowottnick, ACP, is the Owner of Paralegal Consultants, and she brings over 30 years legal experience to the firm. Valerie successfully completed the Advanced Certified Paralegal course in Discovery and in Social Security Disability through NALA and earned her “ACP” credential. You can reach Valerie at www.paralegalconsult.com or (240) 223-7293.