The more I am around legal product and service providers, the more I think many of them have a lot to learn about lawyers and marketing. Too much jargon, too much BS, and too little understanding of what drives lawyers. I’m not a vendor, but I did practice law for a long time and have seen lots of pitches. So at the risk of perhaps stating the obvious (which some vendors still seem to need to hear), here are my top 10 tips for legaltech vendors:
1. Don’t talk jargon all the time. Remember that in most cases, the people making the final decision will be lawyers who may not grasp what you are saying. If you are selling to IT folks, make sure you give them the kind of ammo they need to sell your product or service to lawyers. Don’t leave it to the IT people to do. Remember KISS: keep it simple stupid!
2. Think about the proverbial easy button. Your product or service must be easy to use. Most lawyers bill by the hour. Time spent figuring out how to use something isn’t billable and is wasted money. Your product and service need to be demonstrably easy to use and intuitive. Want an example: look at the LitSoftware suite of products.
3. Articulate the problem your product or service is solving for the user. Make sure that it is really a problem and just not something you have dreamed up. Look for solutions that advance the customer’s real needs and concerns. As one of my partners put it: the problem is the problem. Diagnose your customer and user’s problem before you start spouting off solutions.
4. Differentiate your product or service. Why is your product or service different and better than others