Have you ever heard the expression, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got?”

As you reflect on 1998 and look ahead to 1999, are there a few adjustments you believe you need to make in order to make this year more profitable than last year? As you consider the obvious issues facing your business, i.e. increased competition, more aggressive pricing, and the constant struggle to keep labor costs in line, would you agree it takes more effort today to become successful…and remain successful in the legal copy business? We have seen many legal copy companies approach this challenge in different ways, some with greater success than others.

As you begin this New Year, perhaps you are asking yourself, “What sets our company apart from our competition?” Successful legal copy companies have to continually find ways to differentiate themselves from their competition. Since 1994, we have worked with numerous legal copy companies across the U.S. to do just that. Through our updated training, account managers (new and experienced) become more focused, effective, and efficient in their ability to consistently bring in new business.

Your account managers are the life-blood of your company with regard to revenue. They represent who you are, and what you stand for as a company! An investment in them is an investment in your company. An investment that can, in many instances, pay for itself in the short run while the actual R.O.I. is experienced month after month, year after year!

As we interview account managers who leave companies, we consistently hear that one of the top three reasons they leave is lack of training and direction. Consequently, we believe one of the most cost efficient and effective ways to increase your bottom line is to invest in your account managers. As you make plans for the coming year, we encourage you to evaluate your sales staff in the following areas to determine your needs for training:

PERFORMANCE:

1. What is the average monthly volume of each account manager?
2. Based on what you feel they are capable of averaging, does their sales volume meet, exceed, or fall below your expectation?
3. Are you pleased or displeased with your account managers’ performance in the following areas:                                                                       
   a) Level of activity, i.e. number of sales calls completed    per day.
   b) Number of new customers who choose to start using your service.
   c) Effectiveness in tracking and landing large jobs being done in your city…if not by your company, by the competition.  
4. Ability to source new prospects, book the appointment, and smoothly execute the sales call.
5. Effectiveness at establishing a need with the prospect and getting a commitment to use your service.
6. Disciplined and systematic in follow-up sales calls with paralegals who are using a competitor.

SKILLS:

The typical account manager who is under performing is typically suffering from one or more of the following:

1. Poorly motivated
2. Ineffective at prospecting
3. Experiencing some degree of call reluctance
4. Ineffective at establishing need
5. Poor listening skills
6. Too complacent with their current level of business and not determined to dig deeper for new customers and large cases.

Our training effectively addresses all of the above and much, much more. If any of your experienced account managers fit into one or more of the six categories above, or if you have a new account manager on board, may we suggest you give strong consideration to sending them to one of our upcoming classes. We look forward to serving you soon.

Here’s to a very prosperous New Year!