Start your letters with "You" for better client relations

I drove down to Newport Beach today and had lunch with the incomparable J. Craig Williams, one of my Law.com Blog Network cohorts.  Craig was an amazing host and our meeting is just further proof that every blogger I’ve ever admired virtually has been even cooler/smarter/nicer/greater in person than I hoped.  (Sadly, people meeting me generally have a different experience.)

At lunch, Craig shared with me this amazing tip, and gave me permission to steal it for my blog:

Every letter his firm sends starts with “You.”  Not metaphorically or theoretically, but in actual practice.  He told me that it really keeps the attorneys in his office, including himself, focused on the fact that all client correspondence is for the client about something they care about deeply.  It is never about the lawyer.  Beginning each letter with “you” instead of “I” reinforces his firm’s commitment to its clients.

Give it a try in your practice for a month or two, and let me know if you see any difference.