This month, we look into “The Art of Strategic Communication”, the theme of this year’s Jurismus International Meeting. Thomas Benson of Angell Advokatfirma in Norway travelled to the meeting in Spain to present “Strategic Communication” to the young lawyers.
What is Strategic Communication?
Strategic communication is an umbrella term to describe the activities of disciplines including public relations, management communication, and advertising. However, strategic communication is also increasingly recognised as a developing subfield within communication.
Why is it relevant for lawyers?
Clients and potential clients are often business people. As we know, successful businessmen and women want to develop. They want to overcome barriers, make connections, and are usually good strategic communicators. These clients will look for a lawyer with the same skills and values. A lawyer that can help them build and “repair” mistakes and failures and then devolve new business in a legal frame.
Strategic communication in practice
Your communication needs to be more than “simply reaching and responding”. It needs to be consistent with your law firm’s mission, vision, values and needs to be able to enhance its strategic positioning and competitiveness.
Keep in mind: communication should be seen from the client’s perspective. Therefore, each time a lawyer or law firm communicates, they should ask themselves the following question: “As a result of this communication, my client will…”. Also, strategic communication must be clear, true, repeated, consistent and delivered with passion.
What do I need?
A flexible Strategic Communication Plan, including tactical steps like branding. The following six elements are crucial: 1. WHOM? (active entrepreneurs) 2. WHAT? (reorganise companies to be more profitable) 3. WHERE? (media, keynote-speaker) 4. WHEN? (always looking for an opportunity) 5. HOW? (looking for the right spot or punchline) 6. WHY? (profitable). Don’t forget to evaluate on a regular basis.
Using modern technology
The 21st-century media revolution bought new methods of outreach and communication practices. Because of new technologies, there are now more channels available to reach your clients. Include these innovations in your communication plan, as technology is here to stay!
Meeting the client
Clients appreciate your knowledge about them and that you know whom you are talking to. Prior knowledge will not only make the conversation flow easier but will also solve the case more quickly. More important: you will not make a fool of yourself by not having basic knowledge of the case or the client.
The first meeting is significant. So are your body language and your voice tonality. People generally don't like negative people, making a positive impression is always an advantage! Small talk is essential as it helps strengthen the bond between you and your client. After all, the client will consider you as a “normal person”, even though he knows you're a lawyer.
Let the client speak!
Active listening is an essential part of a conversation. Don’t be too case-oriented. Instead, have an open mind, bring in new ideas, and present your competence and skills. Keep in mind: you never close a case without opening a new one. Convince the client that you are the right lawyer to advance the company’s goals.
Sure, you have to adapt your communication to each person. Ask yourself: Am I meeting an active or passive client? How demanding is the person? Will local knowledge or intercultural communication skills be required? When and how do I discuss the “win or lose” issue? Last is a highly sensitive topic, but it will help your client to know the chances of winning or losing a case.
Working with the media
When working with the media, you will have to prepare differently. The media have only a limited amount of space or airtime, and topics compete for attention. That means, your time is limited too. You may have only a few seconds and need to have a good punchline.
Engaging with the media may be scary at first, but it will help you improve your communication skills. It will bring your message to a broader audience, and it will help raise the profile of your law firm in the long run. Seize the opportunity, or someone else may do – it is better to get your message across yourself!
About Thomas Benson:
Thomas is a lawyer and partner at Angell Advokatfirma in Bodo, Norway. He is a lecturer of Employment Law at Nord University, a City Advocate for a number of councils, and the author of “Arbeidsrettsboka”. He is a Member of the Norwegian Bar Association’s Committee on Employment Law and a Board Member of Eurojuris International. Thomas is also an expert commentator of employment law on NRK News and Tv2 News. Further, he participated several times in regional and national news broadcasting, both on TV and on the radio.
Links:
Angell Advokatfirma AS: www.angelladvokatfirma.no
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngellAdvokatfirma
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/angell-advokatfirma
Photo Thomas Benson:
OLE MARIUS RØRSTAD / NRK
Sources:
Financial Times Lexicon: lexicon.ft.com
Oxford Index, from Oxford University Press: oxfordindex.oup.com
University of Cambridge Communications: www.communications.cam.ac.uk
