“I can save you money” is meaningless

Saying “I can save you money” is a phrase that has become white noise to many attorneys. Most LNCs say, “I can save you time and money.” That’s boring and so overused. It is a phrase used so often in ads and by salespeople that when we hear it, it’s like hearing “Blah, blah, blah.”

What does “I can save you money” mean?

But the urge to save money is a powerful incentive. What does saving money mean to an attorney?

Like any business owner, the attorney could

• increase profits,
• increase money coming into the law firm, or
• cut costs.

Here is the trap for the LNC: You do not want to market yourself based on low fees or a way to cut costs on LNC services. “I’m the cheapest LNC around” will lead you down a road to ruin. Why do I say that?

• You won’t be able to bring in enough money to cover your costs.
• You will associate yourself with cheapness. “This LNC must not be any good if he charges those fees,” the attorney thinks.
• You won’t be able to raise your rates to a reasonable level without losing your clients.

How can you help an attorney control costs?

Consider what happened to an attorney I know: He was a defense attorney who was ill prepared for a deposition he took of an out-of-state physician defendant. The deposition went on for hours at a huge cost. When the carrier got the bill for the expert’s time and the attorney’s time and travel expenses, it hired a driver and a truck and demanded the firm turn over every file the firm was handling on behalf of the carrier. The law firm lost a client and the attorney lost his job.

How can you put teeth behind a promise of “I can save you money”?

• You could help the attorney prepare for a deposition so it is accomplished in a minimal amount of time and an efficient way.
• You can help the defense attorney by identifying medical issues that will help to defend the case. This permits the attorney/insurance carrier to avoid paying on claims that are not meritorious.
• You can locate expert witnesses who charge a reasonable rate (whatever that is based on the expert’s specialty).
• You can bill for the services of an expert and act as a control to prevent an unreasonable number of hours being spent on the case.
• You can help the plaintiff attorney avoid taking nonmeritorious claims.
• You can save the attorney time, which means the attorney has the opportunity to turn her attention to other aspects of the case.

It is critical you understand the practice of the attorney and who he represents (plaintiffs or defendants). The incentive to control costs is universal, but the motivation of the attorney will vary.

Based on what you know about your prospects and customers, you could use words and phrases to address the needs of the attorney. For example, you could say, “Ms. Prospect we help law firms to …”

• …cuts the costs of…
• …reduce expenses on…
• …lessen the…
• …control the costs of…
• …minimize the number of …

Ask the attorney questions about financial risks. Here are just a few examples:

• “What does it cost you to (Ms. Plaintiff Attorney) to take a nonmeritorious case?”
• “How does that affect the profits of the law firm?”

Based on the answers, you’ll know how to describe the benefits of your services and be able to concretely describe how “I can save you money”.

The language of cost is universal. It captures the attorney’s attention. You have a recipe for success if you can affect costs, without cutting your own.

Pat Iyer MSN RN LNCC guides legal nurses consultants to develop their skills. Find out how you can thrive at www.lncacademy.com.