Archive for June, 2011

Marketing Myths Most Lawyers Believe

June 15th, 2011

MARKETING MYTH #1: “My marketing’s most important purpose is to promote my services.” False! The most important purpose of your marketing is to establish that you can be trusted. Most of us don’t do business with people we don’t trust. While your prospect is considering whether to hire your services, he is also trying to determine whether he trusts you.

MARKETING MYTH #2: “My prospects know the services I offer.” Not true. If you believe prospects know the services you offer, you will start losing clients to lawyers who make their offering of specific services crystal clear. Many lawyers have had the experience where one of their clients has gone to another lawyer because he didn’t know the first lawyer provided the same service. Write a detailed list of your services and give a copy to all clients and prospects — because if prospects don’t see the service they want on your list, they may go to another lawyer.

MARKETING MYTH #3: “My referral sources will send me all the new clients I want.” It won’t happen. Certainly you’re grateful to get referrals from time to time. But if you think all the new business you want and need will come from referrals, 99% of the time you’re wrong. You must develop a marketing program that will attract clients directly to you so you don’t rely solely on referrals. Also, this helps you avoid paying referral fees.

MARKETING MYTH #4: “When prospects or clients have questions, they will call me.” Not true. People often hesitate to call unless they know their calls are welcome. This is particularly true of prospects who haven’t yet established a relationship with you. In all of your communications, invite prospects and clients to call you with their questions or problems. Often, their questions lead to work you can perform on their behalf.

MARKETING MYTH #5: “It makes no difference whether my photo appears in my marketing materials.” Not true. Your photograph is a key piece of your marketing puzzle. A warm, friendly, engaging photo with good eye contact can do wonders for your marketing. It helps establish a friendly, trusting relationship with your prospects and increases your reader’s comfort. Prospects don’t care what you look like, but they feel better when they know.

MARKETING MYTH #6: “Interacting with prospects is a waste of time.” Wrong. Always look for new ways to get prospects to interact with you. The more prospects talk with you, the more opportunities you have to explain how you can help them. Your interaction can take place over the telephone, in your office, at your seminar, by e-mail — almost anywhere. The nature of the interaction doesn’t matter as long as you and your prospect carry on a meaningful dialogue.

MARKETING MYTH #7: “I have to be careful not to repeat myself when talking with prospects.” Wrong. When people take in new information, they forget most of it. And unless prospects remember what you say, they won’t likely hire you. It’s good to repeat yourself when you want to make a key point. Selective redundancy gives you the opportunity to convey your message from two or three different perspectives.

MARKETING MYTH #8: “My prospects understand what I say because they know the legal vocabulary.” Not true. When you assume your prospects have basic knowledge or understand simple terms, you’re often wrong. Your message means nothing if your prospects don’t understand what you’re saying. Always go back to square one. Make sure you’re not talking over your prospects’ head. And if you must use a legal term, make sure you define it.

MARKETING MYTH #9: “Marketing methods don’t work as well today as they once did.” Not true. If your marketing doesn’t work, it’s probably due to a poor, inadequate or incomplete marketing message. Don’t blame the method that delivers the message when it’s really the message that’s lacking. You should design your marketing message as carefully as you prepare a case for trial.

MARKETING MYTH #10: “The more complicated my message, the more prospects will understand the need for my services.” Wrong. Every day, your prospects suffer from information overload. They screen out complicated messages. Keep your message simple because a simple message is the only message that has any chance of getting through to your target audience.

MARKETING MYTH #11: “How an advertisement looks is not as important as what the ad says.” Not true. Graphics in print ads are critical, not only to your image, but also to make sure your ad seizes your prospect’s attention. Yes, a powerful message is important. But without strong graphics, your prospect may never see your ad. Then you’ve wasted your money.

MARKETING MYTH #12: “Prospects and clients don’t mind when I’m slow to return phone calls. They understand that I’m busy.” In your dreams! Everybody’s busy. Delays in returning phone calls are one of the biggest sources of complaints about lawyers’ services. They are a major hot button with clients and prospects. When you return phone calls promptly, you make a powerful, positive impression. When you don’t, the impression you make is far more negative than you might imagine. Prospects cannot easily assess the depth of your knowledge or experience. But one thing they evaluate quickly is whether you return phone calls promptly.

MARKETING MYTH #13: “The articles our public relations firm generates will attract new clients.” Maybe not. In most cases, p.r. programs bring exposure, but exposure does not always bring new clients. Attorneys routinely report, “We were happy with the number of articles about our firm, but we didn’t get even one new client!” A good publicity program can be an important part of your marketing program. But whether your publicity program generates only exposure or solid marketing results depends on the experience and know-how of the person conducting your program.

MARKETING MYTH #14: “The most effective time to deliver my marketing message is when my prospect is in my office.” Wrong! The most effective time to deliver your marketing message is when your prospect first thinks about his problem and wants to know what solutions are available. You have a significant advantage over other attorneys when you have a packet of materials you can mail to your prospect, regardless of his location. You can offer your information packet any number of ways, such as through your advertising, publicity, newsletters or mail. When your prospect thinks about his problem, he sees that you offer material on the subject. Then he calls or e-mails your office and requests your information. And you respond by sending your materials, as promised. In many cases, this puts your marketing message into his hands before he calls other lawyers.

MARKETING MYTH #15: “My quarterly newsletter will prove to be an effective marketing tool.” Not even close! In today’s over-advertised society, you’re fortunate indeed if you can create an impression in your prospect’s mind. If you hope to make your impression stick, you should send your newsletter at least monthly. The more often you mail to prospects on your mailing list, the more new business you will likely attract. The frequency with which you deliver your newsletter is much more important than its size.

MARKETING MYTH #16: “By lowering my fees, I’ll gain a stronger competitive position.” Not true. When you lower your fees, (1) you undermine your credibility because prospects wonder why your services are no longer worth what you once charged, (2) you attract clients who know the price of everything and the value of nothing (people who are loyal to the dollar are never loyal to you!), and (3) you lose money because it is usually impossible to achieve the volume of cases you need to make up for the profits you lose. Instead of lowering your fees, raise them — because it’s easier to justify why you charge so much than to explain why you charge so little.

MARKETING MYTH #17: “If I invest enough dollars in marketing, I will eventually get the results I want.” Not necessarily. Your results depend on the marketing methods you choose. If you don’t get favorable results from a small investment, you won’t likely get better results from a larger investment. The key element is the strategy you select, not the amount of money you invest.

MARKETING MYTH #18: “To attract new clients, I should promote my services.” No! When you promote your services, you take on the role of a salesperson, which undermines your credibility. This is called selling-based marketing. Instead, promote your knowledge using Education-Based Marketing. This allows you to attract new clients, increase referrals, strengthen client loyalty and build your image as an authority without selling. Education-Based Marketing gives prospects what they want, information and advice — and it removes what they don’t want, a sales pitch.

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Lawyers – Generate a Million Dollars in Additional Income For Your Law Firm

June 14th, 2011

Today’s lawyer is so focused on getting the message out that will persuade the potential client to call the firm; the lawyer fails to look within to see if a change in the thought process, management, or delivery of the product can create new clients. From someone who spends a great deal on marketing, I have become quite savvy on how to generate free clients.

Traditionally, the client used to have one lawyer who handled everything. Then, due to fast paced technology, coupled with a much smarter client, lawyers could not depend on repeat business. The advent of lawyers doing marketing by touting cheaper rates or other hooks knocked the old- time family lawyer right off the top rung. Those lawyers today are still trying to figure out what went wrong and how to change the practice in order to meet the 21st Century’s client consumer.

Today’s firm marketing has to be more than yellow pages, television, or other media markets. Firms must simply figure out what the client wants and deliver it in such a fashion that they become mini-marketers for your law firm.

Today’s client wants more than just a lawyer. I don’t recall one client who has asked me where I went to law school, what my class ranking was, or even if they could see my law license. Clients were looking for me to get on their level, talk to them, and be available to them.

I’m a keeper of statistics, and it became apparent when we implemented our strategic plan back in 1997 that my most valuable commodity was my high rate of client rapport. A good portion of my business came from clients who genuinely liked me, and told everyone about me long after their case was settled.

Over the years, I started noticing that there was a big difference between ‘just satisfying’ the client with the right results, and developing a relationship with the client that lasted far beyond the settlement of the case. Thus, I created and designed a client loyalty program within my firm that accounts for approximately 33% of my new clients, many of which were referred by clients I represented over 15 years ago. Ask anyone at my firm and they will vouch that my development of client loyalty versus client satisfaction is non-negotiable. I don’t care how much money you generate, you are tasked with creating client loyalty.

CLIENT LOYALTY IS NOT THE SAME THING AS CLIENT SATISFACTION!!!

As you know, excellent service leads to client satisfaction, which is an essential element in creating client loyalty. A client can be satisfied with the results but still feel no personal tie to you or your firm.

Client loyalty is a concept that includes five things:

1. The overall satisfaction of client’s experience when doing business with a law firm.
2. The willingness to build a relationship with you and your company.
3. The willingness to be a repeat client.
4. The willingness to recommend you to others.
5. The reluctance to switch to another law firm.

CLIENT TURN-OFFS:

Client turn-offs arise when employees (and I mean lawyers as well as non-lawyers) fail to communicate well, both verbally and non-verbally. Some examples of client turn-offs are:

1. Failure to greet or even smile at a client.
2. Failure to see the client on time.
3. Inaccurate information given or lack of knowledge conveyed.
4. Failure to give full attention to the client either while on the phone or when meeting them in person.
5. Rude or uncaring attitude.
6. Inappropriate, dirty, or sloppy appearance at the workplace.
7. Any communicative message that causes the client to feel uncomfortable.

Surveys completed by the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs revealed these interesting facts (within this article client and customer are inter-changeable):

1. One client in four is dissatisfied with some aspect of a typical transaction.
2. Only 5% of dissatisfied clients complain to the company. The vast silent majority would rather switch than fight. They simply take their business elsewhere.
3. A dissatisfied client will tell 10 to 20 people (12 is the average) about a company that provided poor service. Some people will tell hundreds or even thousands.

How does this affect our business? If 25% of our clients are unhappy or unhappy with our service, but only 5 % of that 25% bother to complain, the impact can be devastating.
Let’s take a typical injury law firm that signs up 1000 clients per year. If 250 clients are unhappy but we only hear from 5% of that 250, which is approximately 13, that may sound good to everyone until they realize that the 237 quiet ones are likely to tell 2,844 people (237 x 12 = 2,844). Adversely, if a client is completely satisfied, he might tell 1 to 3 people or an average of 2.

In 2004, my statistics showed me that there were three major sources of clients in my firm, and it broke down as follows:

421 cases or 41% were TV
140 cases of 14% were from our website
340 cases of 33% were from personal referrals

Now let me tell you the cost of getting those referrals. TV cost approximately $900 per client in real dollars. The website cost approximately $500 per case to get them in the front door. And last but not least, personal referrals cost absolutely nothing. Which type of referral would you think I want?

What is also important to note is that of the 340 personal referrals that we signed up, we only had 823 referrals, which means that we had a 41% success rate in signing up personal referrals. In TV advertising, we had 2,333 calls and signed up 421 new cases. This was a conversion rate of 18%. Our website yielded 1,268 inquiries and only 140 signups, which is only an 11% conversion rate. You can clearly see that the personal referrals are already sold on our services when they seek us out. They’re not just shopping around for attorneys or trying to find out information. They come to us wanting our services. This also costs the firm less time and money in converting these calls to actual cases. Now I ask you, which do you think is the most cost effective form of advertising we do in the firm and also yields us the greatest conversion rate? It is clear…the personal referrals from our old clients and people we do business with.

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Social Media For Lawyers and Law Firms

June 14th, 2011

There are many good reasons why lawyers and law firms should be using social media marketing. It is inexpensive. It adds to your client list. It drives traffic to your website and it is an ideal way to brand your practice and interact with prospective clients. Many law firms are already engaged in it. If you are not part of this dynamic marketing tool yet, here is a short list that will help you get started.

Open a Facebook account. Facebook is the world’s biggest social media site. It claims to have 350 million active users – and 50% of them log onto it everyday. Facebook has become a digital business card for many attorneys. It allows you to network with old friends and create new ones. All of the people that you meet or reconnect with on Facebook are potential clients. Your primary purpose on Facebook is to connect with as many people as you can.

LinkedIn is another great networking tool for law firms. Set up a LinkedIn profile. This allows you to list your current and former affiliations. There are also communities and networking groups you can join. Become a visible part of any community that you join by contributing information and adding to discussions.

Twitter is the third big site for law firms. It asks the question, “What are you doing?” Write short one-liners announcing new services or post links to your website. Twitter is a public forum and it offers some beneficial advertising opportunities for your firm but you don’t want to “tweet” anything that is too personal. Information about family, friends or subjects that are not relevant to your law firm should be avoided. Any information about cases you are working on should be avoided as well, although you can mention the kind of cases that your firm specializes in.

Create a blog on your website. Blogs provide information about important cases, rulings, current legal news or news about your law firm. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs and web pages. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Blogs are also a good way to drive traffic to your website.

It is important for one person to be in charge of social networking responsibilities for the firm. This makes managing your efforts easier and eliminates any kind of confusion. All associates should be aware of social media rules and responsibilities. If you do not have company guidelines regarding social media and social media marketing, it is time to create them.

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Oregon Personal Injury Lawyers

June 10th, 2011

Personal injury is the bodily harm caused to a person because of someone or something. It can also mean invasion of a personal right like false imprisonment, causing mental suffering, any kind of harm, disease or death by another person. Personal injury law deals with protecting of those individual’s interests who have been victims of recklessness, negligence, inaction or malpractices of others. It also includes defective drugs, medical malpractices, worker’s compensation and product liability.

Personal injury law is also known as “Tort Law”. Oregon personal injury law is covered under the Tort Law, and some federal laws relating to damages and Insurance. People declaring to have sustained personal injury can claim for compensation for any financial loss, mental tension, and physical pain including permanent disability of death of a dear one. For establishing a claim, it would be very helpful to take the support of a good lawyer who would be able to prove that: 1) the person being accused is truly responsible for causing the personal injury; 2) the compensation claimed is suitable for the damages incurred. Personal injury claims may also result from a dispute with the insurance company regarding the payment.

A personal injury lawyer would be able to help in all the legal proceedings relating to the personal injury case. The lawyer would legally assist the client in determining how much the claim is worth and also help in getting sufficient claim from the insurance company. Oregon Law requires that insurance companies should pay the attorney fees for personal injuries less than $5,500.

It is very important to have a qualified attorney to deal with personal injury cases. There are certain aspects to be considered while choosing a good attorney: get someone who has specialized in personal injury cases; choose someone who has experience in dealing with insurance companies; the attorney should have sufficient experience in dealing with similar cases; choose someone who is professional about the contract, the fees, answering your queries, keeping you informed and updated; and so on.

A majority of Oregon personal injury lawyers cover most counties and cities in Oregon. Personal injury lawyers take fees only if the client manages to recover the money that is claimed. They take a percentage of the amount that is recovered from the settlement. There are many personal injury lawyers in Oregon.

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Cook County Lawyers

June 9th, 2011

There are over 40,000 practicing lawyers in Cook County – more than in the rest of the state combined. This number includes attorneys specializing in practically all conceivable types of law, in a variety of settings. Below is a bit more information on where and how these lawyers operate and some of the biggest practice areas.

Key Locations
The Daley Center is the main courthouse for Cook County; it is also the courthouse for the County’s 1st District. Most civil cases and traffic cases are held inside, along with many other suits. There are 5 other Cook County Districts, each with its own courthouse. The courthouses are in the following locations: Skokie (2nd District), Rolling Meadows (3rd District), Maywood (4th District), Bridgeview (5th District) and Markham (6th District). If you live in the suburbs, your case may be heard your local district courthouse, but many claims are still heard at the Daley Center, in particular most of those involving over $100,000.

It is best to hire an attorney who has experience both with your specific legal issue and familiarity with the courthouse where your case has been filed. In addition to understanding your case, this type of lawyer may know some of the judges and attorneys who you will be dealing with during your lawsuit. This lawyer will be best equipped to present your case in a way that gives you the best chance of winning.

Payment
Lawyers in Cook County vary widely in the amount and types of fees that they charge for their services. Some lawyers work on contingency which means you don’t have to pay any fee to the lawyer unless he or she gets a financial award or settlement for you. The lawyer will then earn a percentage of the monetary amount, often 30%. Certain areas of law are not allowed to be taken on contingency, though, such as criminal and divorce cases. Lawyers working on these cases will probably charge a retainer, which is the fee to officially hire the lawyer. You will most likely also pay an hourly rate for the time the lawyer spends working on your case, although sometimes you can negotiate to pay a flat fee for all of the legal work up front. The amount of the retainer and hourly fee will depend on the law firm the lawyer works for and what type of case you have.

Personal Injury
Most lawsuits arising out of accidents, like car accidents or slip-and-fall cases, are personal injury suits. These cases are also known as tort cases. Tort cases are assigned to two Divisions in Cook County, Law Division and Civil Division. Tort cases for more than $30,000 are assigned to the Law Division and are usually heard at the Daley Center, although smaller cases may be heard in the suburban District courthouses. Smaller cases are assigned to the Civil Division. These smaller cases usually end up in arbitration where the parties try to reach an agreement that works for both sides.

Criminal
In criminal cases, you will always be opposing the government in your case, and you may face jail time if you lose. Criminal cases are heard in all 6 of the Cook County District courthouses, and in additional Cook County courthouses as well. For instance, most felony cases (like murder or weapons charges) occur at the courthouse located at 26th Street & California. These cases are the most serious and most likely to result in jail time. Lesser criminal charges are typically held in the nearest District courthouse. As with all practice areas, it is very important to hire an attorney who has won cases involving the same crime you are charged with in Cook County, in order to try to avoid penalties.

Medical Malpractice
Almost all medical malpractice cases in Cook County are filed at the Daley Center. Most Cook County attorneys that specialize in medical malpractice are located in Chicago as a result, but will work with individuals from throughout Illinois.

Worker’s Compensation
All workers’ compensation claims are heard at the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission which is located in the Thompson Center. The Thompson Center is located in downtown Chicago, near the Daley Center. This is true if you are injured on the job in Cook County, or you are injured working outside Cook County but your company is based here or you were hired here. Again, most lawyers in this area practice out of Chicago due to its proximity to the Thompson Center, but they will work will all clients who need their services.

Divorce and Family Law
Divorce cases can be heard at the courthouses in Chicago, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Markham and Maywood. However, the Daley center is the main divorce courthouse and hears the most cases. The location of the divorce proceedings is determined by the person who originally files the case; however the other party can apply to have the case transferred to another courthouse. Divorce and family law attorneys are located throughout Cook County.

Probate
All Cook County probate (will, trust and estate issues) are heard at the Daley Center, this includes people who were residents of Cook County when they passed away, even if their family members don’t live in the area.

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The Legal Explanation of Child Abuse

June 8th, 2011

A Child Abuse offense is legally defined as the general mishandling – through unlawful wrongdoing, unethical activity, or neglect – with regard to a child or minor; child abuse can range in the severity of the offense, in addition to the events undertaken by the respective offender:

Child abuse can be psychological, physical, emotional, and sexual in nature; it can mirror any type of abuse directed at an adult – yet, due to the nature of the age(s) of the victim(s), punishment for convicted child abusers are typically severe

Although Child Abuse is classified as abuse directed towards a minor, the severity of child abuse convictions and punishment can rely heavily on the respective age of the victim in question, a child abuse violation varies upon individual intent, criminal record, criminal history, and the age(s) of the alleged victim(s)

In child abuse cases involving child abuse of a sexual nature, an individual found guilty may be forced to register with a sex offender registry – mandatory therapy might be instated in the case of other types of child abuse cases

Neglect is described as delinquency with regard to the well-being and welfare of a child, which can include abandonment, disregard, and rejection – neglect can take place in conjunction to a variety of child abuse offenses

The Legal Definition of a Child

A child – whom is an individual legally classified as a minor – is defined as an individual who is prohibited from engaging in specific activity that is presumed to require a heightened sense of maturity and growth as a result of their respective age. Typically, this level of maturity and experience is considered to be a classification for legal-adulthood. A minor is prohibited from consenting to any nature of sexual activity, including intercourse, copulation, performance, or depiction.

Types of Child Abuse

The following are a variety of classifications with regard to Child Abuse:

Physical Child Abuse

The assault of a child or minor through the use of force, violence, or any other variety of physical means intended for bodily harm

Psychological or Emotional Child Abuse

The verbal or emotional debasement directed at a child or minor; although this type of child abuse can be the most difficult to define, it is nonetheless an extremely serious offense

Sexual Child Abuse

Child Pornography is the depictions of children (that are involved in illicit, lewd, inappropriate, illegal, unlawful sexual acts. Due to the age(s) of the victim(s), the notion of consent does not exist in the case of Child Pornography; this is considered to be an act of manipulation, exploitation, and the inherent corruption of a minor. Child Pornography is considered to be one of the most egregious and heinous offenses in the scope of crimes against children; those convicted of Child Pornography charges are subject to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Individuals convicted of producing, selling, owning, or purchasing child pornography will typically be required to register as sex offenders under Megan’s Law.

Child Abuse that is sexual in nature involves the participation of a sexual act with a child, whom is legally-prohibited from consenting to such an act; this form of Child Abuse is considered to be predatory and exploitative in nature resulting in mandatory registration as a sex offender within national databases or registries

Statutory Rape cases can involve consensual sexual activity. Sexual abuse that involves children is considered to be among the most heinous and egregious criminal activities that can be punished according to the fullest extent of the law; the notion of force, coercion, or manipulation is implicit in a majority of child sexual abuse cases.

Child Pornography is an act of Child Abuse that is classified as the unlawful, unethical, elicit, and degrading depiction of children and minors in a sexual nature through various forms of media

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How To Find A Business Opportunity

June 8th, 2011

A business opportunity is classified as a prospective endeavor or engagement in the realm of a business setting in which an individual might choose to participate or invest. Business opportunities can be extremely profitable for those choosing to take advantage of them. However, in other cases, business opportunities can result in the loss of monies, assets, and possessions.

Prior to engaging in a business opportunity, individuals are encouraged to conduct ample amounts of research regarding a potential business opportunity. These types of investigative measures should always be conducted prior to signing any documentation, such as agreements or contracts.

Types of Business Opportunities

The number and availability of business opportunities mirror the number and availability of businesses that exist. That being said, many entrepreneurs and venture capitalists maintain that business opportunities exist in a perpetual state, crediting inventiveness, business savvy, instinct, and opportunity with much of their success. The following are some examples of the most popular business opportunities that have been birthed in the last decade:

· Online business opportunities have increased in popularity due to the indispensability of the internet and electronic commerce (E-commerce). However, unless online business opportunities, or online businesses, are accredited, recognized as lawful, and officiated, individuals are encouraged to avoid engagement with any get rich quick schemes or scams.

Due to the fact that no definitive regulation of the internet exists, online companies have mastered a variety of methodologies that allow them to pose as reputable companies. Conversely, legitimate and valuable business opportunities exist on a large scale, as well.

· Investment opportunities are a popular type of business opportunities, which cater to individuals who regard themselves as venture capitalists and/or investors. An investment opportunity allows for the prospect of an individual to invest monies into an idea or preexisting company with the hopes that upon the success of their investment, the profit return will be substantial. However, although legitimate opportunities exist, fraudulent operations are quite common both online and in live business settings.

Playing upon the humanity of many individuals, fraudulent scams are constructed with the hopes of catering to the desire to “get rich quick”. In many cases, these schemes and scams disappear with money invested, leaving the investor(s) with a financial loss.

· A franchise is a popular business opportunity that allows individuals to involve themselves with a company or business that has prior notoriety and an established reputation, such as a restaurant chain or retail store. Franchises allow for an individual to profit from preexisting success upon paying to essentially borrow the name of the business they wish to franchise. However, upon franchising a business, the individual will be required to uphold the standards and regulations that have been established by the parent company and/or business. This agreement is established and conclusive within a franchising agreement.

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Business Management Consultant

June 8th, 2011

Business management consulting is a process through which a trained professional, known as a business management consultant, will be brought into a company in order to tell the company or organization how it might better be able to organize itself in order to operate more effectively and meet the objectives it has set for itself. A business management consultant may be used when the company is first beginning to develop its organization’s goal, although business management consulting may also take place in the event the company determines that either the objectives it has set are not being met or they are not being met rapidly enough to meet its goals.

Business management consulting will attempt to instruct the business on the most effective ways in which it can achieve its stated objectives. However, a business management consultant may find him or herself in the untenable positions of having to inform the company that it has set goals which it is ill-equipped to accomplish. In this case, the business management consulting process will involve the business management consultant having to help the company or organization identify goals that it would be able to accomplish using the resources and opportunities currently available to it.

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Small Business Insurance

June 8th, 2011

1. Small business insurance refers to a coverage policy for small business owners. When an individual invests their time and capital into the creation of a small business they must be protected against cataclysmic events that if realized, would perpetuate enormous damages to the small business’ model and health.

2. The most common type of small business insurance is liability coverage. This form of small business insurance protects a small business owner from incurring fees and the loss of finances from lawsuits. In most instances, small business liability insurance will protect the business owner from all bodily injuries that occur on the owner’s property or premises. This coverage will extend to all vendors, visitors, employees, and customers who set foot on the business’ property or take part in the business’ functions.

3. Small business liability insurance is the fundamental coverage obtained by small business owners. Through the obtainment of this policy a small business owner will protect him or herself (as well as their business) against lawsuits that arise through the business’ actions whether negligent or accidental. Additionally, small business liability coverage will protect against any property damage caused by the employees of a small business.

Types of Small Business Insurance

1. In general, there are four basic types of liability insurance for small business owners. The most common form of small business insurance, General Liability Insurance, provides coverage for the aforementioned occurrences. That being said, all forms of insurance possess unique qualities; some liability coverage will include slander, libel, or protection against any infringements made on the small business’ intellectual property.

2. Another type of small business insurance is referred to as professional liability insurance. This form of coverage protects professional against personal claims that arise from errors made while performing a particular service.

3. Product liability insurance protects a small business owner if their manufactured item precipitated an accident, injury, or death.

4. The fourth most common type of small business insurance protects a small business against the actions of the employer. Employment practice liability insurance protects against wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and/or any form of discrimination. This type of insurance protects the employer against these claims made by their employees.

Small Business Insurance Legal Assistance

The procedure surrounding the implicit details and stipulations latent in small business insurance can fluctuate on an individual, case-by-case basis.A uniform procedural determination for the establishment of small business insurance without prior consideration of all assets, monies, liabilities, and general financial status occurring in conjunction with the individual in question does not exist. Furthermore, any preexisting arrangement and agreement expressly stated prior to the facilitation of small business insurance must be considered. Corporations seeking a renegotiation of current conditions in relation to small business insurance, liability projections, and commercial-case analysis are encouraged to both submit and receive all pertinent insurance documentation in contractual format(s).

Filing a small business insurance Claim

All details, records, and supplemental evidence expressly requested – or required – by any and all liability documentation and small business insurance applications should be provided in the most detailed fashion possible. Upon review of all claims and cases surrounding small business insurance claims and policies undertaken by individuals owning or employed by a specific business are gauged accordingly. In order to file a valid and salient small business insurance claim regarding matters of insurance and/or liability, businesses – and their respective representation – are encouraged to consult with legal professionals specializing in commercial law, business law, employment law, recovery, and insurance law.

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