The company we keep — A sales tool

Are we known by the company we keep? Tom Collins cites a source that seems to conclude we are. And, he cites another source that suggests clients like to know who we represent because it tells them something about our experience in the respective industries of our clients and our expertise.  I take a contrarian viewpoint.

First and foremost, I am very much influenced by 25 years of law practice wherein confidentiality (including not disclosing the name of a client) was the mantra of the day.  Yes, you may get the consent of the client to move forward; but, I believe there is a subconscious level of concern amongst clients that says they really don’t want to be known by their involvement in legal matters.

Second, who would list a client for whom bad results were achieved? Who would list a client whom you knew would say nasty things about you or their experience with you? Thus, testimonials don’t really work. Does merely listing the names of clients do more? Does such a listing tell you the level of sophistication of the work for which you were engaged?

Third, you can provide case studies or examples of your experiences and skills without naming the clients. I believe this achieves the same objective while still retaining the confidence of your client.

Categorized in: Marketing