Chris Mullins is a sales and marketing expert and the founder of The Intake Academy™. For more than 25 years, through her proprietary and guided training and programs, Chris, along with her team, have helped hundreds of law firms around the country convert more prospects into profitable clients. In her work, she covers every aspect of what any lawyer needs to do to ensure that phone calls – the first touchpoint with clients – convert to become profitable clients. Chris delivers the information with energy and passion along with a “no holds barred” approach.
Listen to this informative Publish. Promote. Profit. episode with Chris Mullins about using a book to help law firms become profitable.
Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week’s show:
– Why giving your book to new and perspective clients can help your business.
– How you shouldn’t hold anything back when showing your clients what the problem is and how to fix it.
– Why it’s important to find your niche and then cater to it.
– How you don’t have to make your book perfect if you include the right content.
– Why you should have a book and use it to land new clients.
Connect with Chris:
Links Mentioned:
intakeacademy.com
Guest Contact Info:
LinkedIn
Linkedin.com/in/chrisullingsphonesalesdoctor
Rob Kosberg:
Hey, welcome everybody. It’s Rob back with another episode and amazing guest for the Publish. Promote. Profit Podcast. I have Chris Mullins today. Chris is the bestselling author of Law Firm Conversions. I bet you can guess what Chris does. She does law firm marketing. She’s the founder of the Intake Academy for more than 25 years. Through her proprietary and guided training, Chris and her team have helped hundreds of law firms around the country convert more prospects into profitable clients. And of course, Chris is going to be speaking today about how she uses her book. I also want to learn a little bit more about this Phone Sales Doctor thing. Chris has been known as the Phone Sales Doctor for 25 years. So, Chris, thanks for being on the podcast. Great to have you with us today.
Chris Mullins:
Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you.
Rob Kosberg:
So, tell me a little bit about how long you’ve had your book, what inspired you to write your book? Obviously your book is geared towards attracting more clients and we’ll get into that, but why write the book in the first place? Tell us a little bit about the book itself.
Chris Mullins:
Well, I have, I think it’s maybe four different books now. I wrote my first book for the dental medical field. I was working with a doctor that has a big case marketing, implant dentistry marketing firm and we wrote a book together. It was basically my idea. He wrote half the book, I wrote the other half of the book and that was probably 10 or so years ago.
Rob Kosberg:
What was the point of that book? I assume that you wanted to write that book and you wanted to partner with that provider, because you guys were going to use the book in some fashion to attract clients. How did you do that with that book?
Chris Mullins:
I mean, so basically with the book we would, and this is really with any book, give it to new clients, give it to prospective clients, send it to gurus. A guru to me is an influencer from a particular market area that maybe you want to do business with. So, we would provide them to influencers and do a lot of interviews and that sort of thing. I mean, the main reason really was to claim celebrity status.
I mean, that’s really the main thing all the time. I wanted to claim celebrity status in the dental niche. I was doing it for a little while, a little bit here and there with legal and then legal exploded, so I just stayed with legal.
Rob Kosberg:
Let’s talk about legal. Give me your process map for a new client that comes to you. I assume again, that this is probably what you wrote in the book, but I imagine you have a number of steps that you take people through as far as helping them to figure out what holes they have in their law firm marketing, et cetera. Take me through that.
Chris Mullins:
Yeah. Folks would opt in to our web of site, intakeacademy.com. They would get a free copy of the book to download and then they get a free mystery call. We will do a mystery call of their office and pretend to be prospective client. Then, we’ll do an evaluation consultation with the managing partner, only the managing partner.
Rob Kosberg:
I bet it’s horrifying.
Chris Mullins:
It’s worth and horrifying. I just got an email this morning from a firm and he just sent me a bunch of call recordings. It was at one o’clock in the morning that he sent this email and he proceeded to tell me how sick to his stomach he is from the calls. And so, it can be very horrifying, but you got to do it. So, you’ll get like an evaluation consultation. You get the book, and we just have all these different steps where you opt-in and you get exposure to Chris Mullins in the Intake Academy. Also, you get our newsletters.
Rob Kosberg:
That’s a free newsletter and free sign up and that kind of thing?
Chris Mullins:
Free newsletter. Yeah. Free newsletter.
Rob Kosberg:
Begins to drip on them and get them to know you a little bit better. Obviously your book is either sitting on their desk or in their inbox or that kind of thing as well.
Chris Mullins:
Exactly and then we’ll also do expert interviews and conferences, teleconferences. We build it around the book, so we want you to show up, we want you to show up with your book. If you don’t have the book, you can rush to the website and download it, and then we talk about the book and different pages in the book and that sort of thing.
Rob Kosberg:
Something I’m interested about, because I think I haven’t heard too many people talk about the process you just shared about the mystery calling and that sort of thing, which I think is an absolute brilliant strategy because I’m sure it’s horrifying. I’m sure if someone calls my office, it is horrifying as Dan Kennedy used to say, it’s the anti-sales department.
So, when you get on with the managing partner and you start reviewing that call, what percentage of those calls turn into clients for you? I’m assuming it has to be fairly high.
Chris Mullins:
Yeah. It’s 90%. 90% and the people that don’t, they’re not ready to make the change and it’s difficult for them to change the staff.
Rob Kosberg:
Right, which is what they need to do often?
Chris Mullins:
Yeah. They do because like Dan Kennedy always says, you don’t want the inmates running the asylum.
Rob Kosberg:
That’s great. Two Dan Kennedy quotes within 30 seconds. I love it.
Chris Mullins:
Yeah, that’s right. I met Dan, Dan is the one that got me started in everything. I used to go to the basement of his house in Ohio. The mastermind meetings with Joe Polish and everyone else.
Rob Kosberg:
Wow. That’s amazing. Well, I started a little bit later with Dan. Dan also got me started. I owned a mortgage and real estate related companies and was looking to transition out of that and this was like 2007, 2008, maybe 2006, actually. Yeah, very, very cool. I mean, I figured there was some history there, a law firm marketing and whatnot. Awesome.
90% close rate, that is tremendous. I mean, for those that are listening, that is a wonderful strategy if you’re working B2B just to help… As Frank Kern, let’s have a Frank Kern quote, as Frank Kern would say, show them you can help them by actually helping them, which is what you’re doing. You’re actually showing them what the problem is, probably more bare and apparent than they have ever experienced before. Then, let them know, “Hey, this is what we fix or this is part of what we fix,” so brilliant.
Chris Mullins:
The most important thing is give them everything, don’t hold back. Some gurus will say, “Hold back a little bit.” You don’t need to hold back. Just give it to them. They’re not going to turn around and go fix it. They just got too much on their plate. Just give it to them, be honest. Do a good job and you will close them.
Rob Kosberg:
Is that where the Phone Sales Doctor comes in? Is that where that name got coined or somewhere else?
Chris Mullins:
Yeah, back in Dan’s basement, I learned with all the different folks that were in the mastermind meetings, which route I wanted to go, and I knew it was sales and phone was primary, so there was no sense in reinventing the wheel. But I had to find my lane and then stay in my lane.
I learned that it was going to be attorneys and then I just claimed my status. I would just sit tall or stand tall and just say, “I’m Chris Mullins, the Phone Sales Doctor,” constantly, constantly, constantly, constantly and shake people’s hands. Then, Dan would say, “Chris Mullins on the stage,” so you just have to say it and be it and lean forward.
Rob Kosberg:
Yeah. Love it. Love it. I would assume that you either heard directly from Dan to write a book or you simply by osmosis saw Dan writing all of his books and all that he talked. Dan actually suggested I write my first book as well. Is that where it originated for you and obviously the celebrity status and thought leadership is clear, but what’s the origination of it?
Chris Mullins:
Yeah. I just learned through Dan and all his books. Good enough is good enough, so I didn’t make it be a big issue. I just went ahead and did it and self-published and that was it.
Rob Kosberg:
Let’s change gears. Let’s talk about your book and how you’re using it if we could, Chris. I mean, you mentioned sending it to prospects and that kind of thing, but talk me through the actual process of using it and any cool stories of… I think we spoke for a few minutes beforehand. You said, “Hey, I land high ticket clients with it,” and I don’t know what a high ticket client means to you, but I’m assuming it’s five figures plus. So, talk me through how you land high ticket clients with your book.
Chris Mullins:
Well, I mean, the main thing is, I make sure that everything in the book is giving them everything. I mean, I have a lot of nuggets in it, maybe every other page there’s a nugget in there of go to X website and opt-in here. Learn the secret sauce of closing sales, learn the secret sauce of retraining your team without having to replace your team. But honestly, I really tell them everything in the book, I’m just doing the nuggets to get them to opt-in to build my list.
That’s my purpose of that. The book, I mean, I do it very, very easily. I just record it and I get it transcribed by someone I’ve used for years. Then, I go to 48 Hours Books and I have somebody that puts it together for me and that’s really it. I don’t worry about making it perfect. Then, I take my book and I use that one book for training material, for consultation material. I use it for newsletters. I just repurpose it. I use it to write other books and just repurpose it and just the new and improved and add a couple more extra chapters and a different title and a different cover. I mean, I use it for a lot of different uses. I use it for PowerPoint presentations. I use it for everything.
Rob Kosberg:
I always say, the two biggest mistakes people can make about a book are, number one, not having a book and number two, not using the book that they have because so many clients that we’ve done books for, they’re satisfied that the book is now complete and they expect it to just work by itself, which it can a little bit, but you have to use your book. Of course, you’re finding 100 different ways to use it, which congratulations on that.
Chris Mullins:
Yeah, and one of the other things that you want to do is, when you’re speaking is just have the book put in all the registration bags for free, so everybody gets it. The people that you’re speaking for, they’ll love it and it doesn’t cost that much money, just have it put in there. If you just keep doing that over and over and over again, you’d be shocked.
People sitting in the audience say, “I’ve got your book,” so I strongly recommend that you do that. One of the other things that I do too at conferences is, before I start speaking, I will tell everybody in the audience, I’ll stack of books up there just in case somebody came in and they didn’t get it in their bag or something, or they wanted an extra one. So, I’ll stand at the front of the room and I’ll tell everybody, “Okay, so before I end this conference, this speaking engagement, I want everybody to come up to the front of the room that’s interested in getting an additional copy of my book. I will give it to you only if you give me your cell number and all of your contact information. Then, you will get an extra copy of my book and I will sign it for you right here on the spot.” You just have to be patient and wait.
That every single, every single, every… I’m not selling a $1,000 product, I’m just giving away a book. Every time they are standing in line, the people that are running the session get upset with me because they can’t get another speaker in there because everybody is standing in line waiting to get that additional book or that book. I have people standing there helping me because I can’t do it myself and I have them helping me get that information. They can’t get the book without it.
Rob Kosberg:
It looks like you have signing injury as well. You’ve signed so many books. Do you have numbers for me? Are you tracking or have you tracked over time opt-ins that come from your book or the number of cell phone numbers and people at these events? Are we talking in the thousands, tens of thousands that kind of thing as far as the use of your book?
Chris Mullins:
Oh, I mean, I’m closely to tens of thousands. I’ve been doing this for years, and the other thing too with the book that I want to make sure to tell you is, whatever your niche is… So, I’m law firms, but my niche is intake within a law firm, that’s the beginning of my relationship with law firms and then it expands from there. But my point is that, write your book about the niche that you want to make money from, whatever it is. Don’t just say, “Law firms.” Say, “Intake.” Drill down to whatever it is and make that be the big excitement of your book. So, I have another book that it’s called Intake Specialists: The Unsung Heroes of Law Firms Worldwide. That’s a good thing to do right there. Don’t be general, drill right down to what you want.
Rob Kosberg:
Make it really, really clear who your ideal prospect is and if they’re not, if that’s not what they need help with or were looking for, then they can go somewhere else. Yeah. The more niche specific you are, fantastic. Love that. Awesome.
Chris Mullins:
The other thing too is, don’t be afraid to do it. Two things. Don’t be afraid to do it. Some people they don’t feel like they have the expertise to write a book. Well, everybody does, just use the material you already have. So whatever consulting you’re doing or training or education, just record that information even from your clients, you don’t have to say who your clients are if you don’t want to. Then, repurpose it and build a book and don’t be afraid to claim your status.
I hear a lot of professionals say, “Well, somebody else is already doing that.” It doesn’t matter if they’re already doing it, the same area as you and it doesn’t matter if they have a book there. It just matters that you have a book and how you market it. There’s plenty of business out there. Plenty of business.
Rob Kosberg:
Last question and thought, you mentioned early on about the celebrity status, you wrote your book to claim that celebrity status. Obviously you appear on podcast, I imagine other forms of media as well. Is this an active part of your personal marketing plan for your company is podcast, blogs, media in general? Can you talk about that for just a moment in relation to the celebrity status thing?
Chris Mullins:
Podcast is a big part of it and it’s the same… I mean, the place you want to start is where I started is, you want to not be afraid to find all the influencers, the celebrities in your market and build a relationship with them. So, a lot of people won’t do that because they feel like, “Well, I don’t really know them. Who am I to…” Well, just run to them.
They put their pants on the same way you do, and just run to them and build a relationship and rub shoulders with them and get to know them. Provide things to help them and do good things for them and be honest about it. You will get things in return from them, but you’ll be able to say with all honesty, “Oh, I hang out with Dan Kennedy or I work with Dan or I know Joe Polish or Lee Milteer or Bill Glazer.” You can say all the people that are in your market with honesty.
And so, that’s really the first thing, is to have the courage to do that and then to network with them and keep that relationship going and always give, give, give. If you do that, then you won’t be afraid to do anything else. If you do that, you’ll make a big difference in your business.
Rob Kosberg:
Now, just a brief follow-up question. You had mentioned about sending your books to various people like these influencers. How do you do that? Do you just email it to them? I mean, what is the introductory, what is the message like that kind of thing?
Chris Mullins:
Books go in the mail. It’s got to be a physical copy and it goes to every influencer. Then, I have a team that follows up with them to let them know that I would like to interview them. So, when I interview them from my expert interview series and I do a really good job, then they want to interview me and then they want to talk about my book. It’s just all about giving and giving and giving and it will come back to you.
Rob Kosberg:
Chris, thank you. Where can people learn a little bit more about you and either get a copy of your book or maybe get one of these scary secret intake calls?
Chris Mullins:
Well, it is uncomfortable, but I make it be educational for you, so don’t worry. You’ll be okay.
Rob Kosberg:
Yeah. I’m sorry I said scary, but you know.
Chris Mullins:
Oh no, it is scary. It is. It is scary, but you’ll be okay. You’re not alone. I’ll be right there with you. You can go to intakeacademy.com and you can actually call me directly for the mystery call part. You can call 603-249-5878, 603-249-5878 and I will speak to you.
Rob Kosberg:
An actual telephone number, that’s very Dan Kennedy-esque, a great way to end. Intakeacademy.com to learn more about you, maybe get a copy of your book, et cetera.
Chris, thanks so much for your wisdom and years of knowledge. Great hearing about Dan and your connection there, and look forward to talking to you again and hearing more about the stuff you’re working on.
