By guest blogger Aaron Rothert

When it comes to solving crime in any age, Sherlock Holmes is a great example of an expert’s expert. His keen powers of observation and obsessive love of detail were critical to his success.  He solved the unsolvable and got results where others failed by focusing on the detail they overlooked. Regardless of the high personal price he paid to achieve these results, he managed to emerge victorious from almost every predicament.

If we were to sit Sherlock Holmes down and have him submit to a DISC Behavioral Profile in this day and age, his legendary powers of perception and love of detail mean he’d probably skew toward the behaviors characteristic of a “high C.” These behaviors include a love of exhaustive analysis, the capacity to focus on intricate detail and systematic problem-solving abilities.

These attributes served him well, but in spite of his immense powers of perception, Sherlock had his shortcomings. The most important of which was his relative anonymity prior to John Watson’s arrival.

Sherlock needed Watson to become the legendary figure we know today. Similarly, the high C attorney may need a strong wingman to help navigate everyday social situations. Like Sherlock, high C attorneys can be very effective yet remain relatively unknown because they tend to focus more on tasks than on people. They may excel in research and fashioning legal arguments, but may lack the ability to charm that makes marketing efforts flow.  Additionally, they could have many satisfied clients, but never recognize the need to leverage them as referral sources.

If you’ve done a DISC Profile and find that you’re a high C, but you want and need to develop new clients, here are a few strategies to consider:

1. Consider hiring a marketing assistant. Sherlock leveraged Watson’s writing ability and social skills to further develop his clientele. As a high C, Sherlock was not naturally a people person, but when paired with Watson, Sherlock found great social success. Similarly, the high C attorney paired with a high I marketing assistant can make an excellent team. Consider someone you respect and trust, and allow them to handle setting up your marketing activities (small groups and one-on-one activities are best) and the management of your social media presence.

2. Focus on the matters that require your particular skills as an attorney. With Watson handing social aspects, Sherlock was free to immerse himself in the details of each case. In a law office, there are plenty of details to focus on. Certain details require your attention, and others don’t and it’s important to understand the difference. High Cs have a tendency to be drawn into the details of every issue. Avoid this by identifying those issues that require your expertise and delegate those that do not.

3. Your satisfied clients are often your greatest marketing asset. Attention to detail often leads to great results for clients. Leverage these relationships for marketing. Develop a comfortable strategy to ask for a referral at the conclusion of a matter. A satisfied client is already convinced of the value you provide. Let them know that you would appreciate the opportunity to provide that value to others.

Don’t let yourself drown in the details.Take a few “elementary” notes from Sherlock Holmes to greatly improve your practice and your client development skills.

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Atticus, Inc.

This article was written by an Atticus staff member.

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