The Three Moments That Define Your Client Journey
The predictable moments where clients form lasting opinions about your practice, and how to master each interaction intentionally.
Your client's entire opinion of your practice is formed during three predictable moments - and most lawyers aren’t mindful about at least two of them.
Growing a legal practice isn't always about expertise. After all, most clients can't judge the quality of your actual work.
Instead, they judge your competence based on
their experience with your practice, or
stories they've heard from others.
This disconnect explains why otherwise excellent professionals struggle to build a legal practice while others thrive by focusing on exceptional client experiences.
The Three Questions At The Heart Of All Services
In "The Service Startup", service design expert Tenny Pinheiro identified three fundamental questions at the root of every service experience:
How do customers find you?
How do customers use you?
How do customers remember you?
These questions reveal the critical moments where clients form lasting impressions.
Get these right, and clients become your best marketing asset.
Get them wrong, and even exceptional legal outcomes won't save your reputation.
Make It Easy to Choose You
Most professionals focus on being found but ignore how the finding experience converts prospects into clients.
Your service delivery starts with their first Google search, not your signed agreement.
A confusing website, delayed responses, or unclear pricing doesn't just lose prospects - it signals you don't prioritize their experience.
Design this moment with one goal: make it ridiculously easy to choose you over every other option.
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Deliver Great Service
Most lawyers think client experience means delivering perfect work.
Its's actually about how clients experience receiving your service.
Do they understand your process?
Do you communicate proactively or reactively?
Are they confident in your progress, or do they wonder if anything is happening?
Clear communication often matters more than perfect deliverables. Clients who receive regular updates feel confident even during complex projects. Predictable processes reduce anxiety and eliminate those "just checking in" interruptions.
Stay Top of Mind
Most professionals finish projects, send final bills, and move on.
No follow-up.
No connection.
No relationship beyond the transaction.
Former clients can be your referral goldmine, but only if they remember you when needs arise. Create helpful touchpoints that feel genuine: project anniversary check-ins, relevant industry updates, recognition of business milestones.
Each interaction reinforces competence while demonstrating genuine care.
Professionals who master this don't worry about marketing - their former clients do the marketing for them.
Your Next Step
These three questions reveal why successful legal practices aren't always built on legal talent, but on intentional experience design.
Start with one touchpoint. Map your current "find you" process and fix the biggest friction point this week. Then move to "use you," then "remember you."
Your clients are already forming opinions about your practice at these moments.
The question isn't whether they'll judge your experience - it's whether you'll design it intentionally or leave it to chance.