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June 2024 The Contractor’s Advantage
HarrisonLawGroup.com (410) 832-0000 jwyatt@harrisonlawgroup.com
THE POWER OF LEVERAGE Tactics to Ensure a Favorable Legal Outcome
As is true with many things, one of the keys to achieving the best possible legal outcome in litigation is applying proper leverage. A great example is a recent case in which our firm represented the plaintiff, the property developer behind a large townhome development. The root of the case was the townhomes’ foundations, which had been improperly constructed. Without costly repairs, the houses would be at risk of collapsing . The five defendants being sued were the engineers and contractors who designed these ill-constructed townhomes. Extensive Mediation Because settling is often less risky and expensive than a trial, many cases go to mediation in the weeks leading up to court. Mediation usually lasts one day, but in this case, we actually spent two days in mediation. Despite this extra time spent negotiating, we could not come to terms with all five defendants. One holdout was not offering a reasonable amount of money to settle the case — in fact, it wasn’t even close to what our client had in mind. When you have represented the number of clients I have, you begin to understand who is truly culpable in these cases. It was obvious from the case details that this holdout was largely responsible for the enormous damages my client suffered. Applying Leverage As we had not reached a settlement during mediation, the trial was set to begin about three weeks later. You have to
follow a myriad of rules in preparation for a trial. To get over the finish line in this case, we started by sending over all the pre-trial requirements. The morning after mediation, we sent over reams of exhibits and information to demonstrate to the defendants that we were far more prepared for trial than they were. Additionally, we began to subpoena witnesses for the upcoming trial, letting the defendants know this was going to trial, and they were ill-prepared to take us on.
“The morning after mediation, we sent over reams of exhibits and information to demonstrate to the defendants that we were far more prepared for trial than they were.”
Second Thoughts After seeing the weight of evidence we had against them and that the full brunt of it would be used against them in court, the other side began to see we had the goods and that their risk was far greater than ours. The defendants saw reason and began to relent. However, we could still not settle with the holdout to satisfy my client. In order to get them to realize the error of their ways, we prepared a settlement with the other four defendants in this case. This is a rare step to take, but we could make it work. If those four accepted the settlement and the holdout did not, they would be the only ones on trial, and the full weight of exhibits and witness testimony would be leveraged against them and them alone. I sent the holdout an email informing them the other defendants in this case had agreed on a settlement and that they were the only one who would be going to trial. We had 237 trial exhibits ready to go, and over 15 witnesses had been subpoenaed. Finally, they realized they were outmatched and unprepared and agreed to settle.
If you have any questions, Harrison Law Group is here to help. Call (410) 832-0000 to schedule a consultation.
-Jeremy Wyatt
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THE POWER OF PERSUASION Masterful Tactics and Costly Mistakes for Deal Closers
Mistakes Avoid cliches and problematic phrases. Salespeople toss around common phrases and
As a sales associate or sales manager, it is a great feeling when a client agrees to a face-to-face meeting to discuss your product or service. While this initial success is exciting, it is not the end of the road. Don’t celebrate prematurely — your real challenge has just begun. Familiarize yourself with these tactics and common mistakes to ensure your meeting goes smoothly and concludes with a positive outcome.
pitches all the time, both in the office and in movies, commercials, and TV shows. Despite their prevalence, many are counterproductive when used in meetings and can actually undermine trust between a salesperson and their client. One example is introducing a new topic by saying “to be honest” or “to be frank”; these phrases may unintentionally signal that your preceding information was less than genuine. Likewise, saying “trust me” will only make them do the opposite. Speak clearly, and avoid overplayed phrases and cliches to improve your odds of success. No one likes homework. While giving your client a meeting agenda can be a kind and professional gesture, handing them documents equivalent in length and
Tactics Establish the client’s goals and priorities.
Your client is meeting with you for a reason: They are interested in your services. Rather than diving right into your pitch, try to understand your client’s point of view and desired outcome. Developing a rapport and speaking to them as equals can win their respect and improve your chances of closing. Respect their time and prepare accordingly. Start and end your meeting on time. Your client will have planned their time around the meeting, and
complexity to a college dissertation will only confuse and bore them. If they are interested in additional information,
you should do the same. If you notice you are over your scheduled time, consider cutting your pitch short and ending the meeting on a respectful note. Additionally, start your meeting with strategic engagement and introduce your most important and persuasive points first. Soften contract language. Reviewing a contract, and especially signing one, can be intimidating. Instead of introducing the paperwork as a “contract,” pose it as an “agreement” or simply as “paperwork.” It is less intimidating for a client to sign “paperwork” rather than a “contract,” although they are effectively the same thing.
they will ask, or you can steer the conversation in a way that introduces it organically.
Closing a deal is more of an art form than a science, but that does not mean we cannot prepare ourselves and act appropriately to maximize our chances of success. We can increase our profits and convert more leads into sales by employing the appropriate methods.
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term by looking at where you want your brand to be in the next few months, a year, and beyond. Keep those goals in mind. When trying to appeal to global buyers, tailor the campaign to that demographic. What worked in one country might not work in another. Consistency Social media is a transformative and necessary tool in your marketing plan, but you will only see results if your online presence is consistent. Jordan said it took 90 days straight of posting on TikTok before she saw any momentum. You also need a consistent voice in your social media based on a deep understanding of your audience. If your primary audience is millennials, you
create a strong visual appeal. The number of posts you produce also needs to be consistent. Post on social media daily to grow your organic reach or audience views outside advertisements. Posting the right content is the only way to expand your organic reach. Production The actual production of marketing content can be the most challenging for busy company leaders. Find ways to streamline your process without sacrificing quality. Create a library of templates that fit your brand aesthetic and make it simple to create new content. Posting in real-time is challenging for hardworking teams, so batch-create and schedule posts. By scheduling content, you significantly reduce your daily time spent on social media. The greatest globally recognized brands pay attention to their analytics and constantly adjust their strategies. By creating more social media content, you can test out what works and what the market is after. Growing your brand and business beyond borders is attainable in this digitally-driven world; it’s just a matter of staying at it and keeping the goal focused on your brand awareness. If your marketing is strong enough, sales will follow.
want the language and tone to reflect theirs. The same is true for aesthetics. Posts with a cohesive feel and look will
HAVE A Laugh
Fun Facts About America’s Treasure Trove
Have you ever wondered how much money is housed at Fort Knox or who can access it? A treasure trove of interesting facts lies hidden in the billions bunker of Kentucky, but here are a few tidbits. Gold The first gold arrived via a top-secret caravan in 1937. Every bar weighs 27.5 pounds, and the fort currently holds about 147.3 million ounces of gold. By today’s standards, that’s almost $300 billion. Security Fort Knox is one of the most secure places in the country; no one person knows the whole combination number to access the gold vault. The information is split up among several different people. Franklin Roosevelt was the only U.S. president in history to inspect the vault. Other Valuables The fort has also kept other valuable, historic items safe. During WWII, the government kept the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence within its walls. The military stored morphine sulfate during the Cold War for fear they might run out of painkillers if foreign sources of opium dissipated.
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Jeremy Wyatt jwyatt@harrisonlawgroup.com HarrisonLawGroup.com (410) 832-0000
40 West Chesapeake Avenue, Ste. 600 Towson, MD 21204
Inside This Edition
1. Why Leverage Is Critical in Litigation 2. Strategies for Finalizing Sales With Finesse 3. How Much Gold Is in Fort Knox? 4. Keys to Global Marketing Success Revealed
When you’re a busy CEO trying to reach that seven-figure milestone, nothing is more crucial to globalizing your brand than envisioning your business as a marketing and sales machine. Thanks to the power of the internet, businesses can expand and reach customers worldwide. So, by intentionally crafting a global marketing strategy, you can expand your reach and achieve the sales success of your dreams. Marketing, sales, and launch management expert Savannah Jordan said she utilized four significant ideas to go from barely making rent to being CEO of her own marketing agency, WLK Marketing. These four ideas — strategy, energy, consistency, and production — can take your brand to the next level. Strategy One of the main things to remember while strategizing your marketing plan for expansion is that how many eyes you have on your brand or business is more important than how you create sales. Strive for brand awareness, where customers know your name and understand the message, products, and feelings your brand evokes. The sooner you can establish trust and a connection with your customers, the quicker they will buy from you and return. Energy Jordan says, “Show up as if you have already gone global.” Keeping an energetic momentum going is vital to effective marketing. Plan for your business’s long Transform Your Brand Into a Global Phenomenon
Creator: Emma Mullen • Credit: Emma Mullen Copyright: © 2023 Emma Mullen, all rights reserved.
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