I think everyone remembers the nursery story about Goldilocks. But if you’ll humour me, and for those who are unfamiliar – I’ll give you a quick refresher.
There is a little girl named Goldilocks, who, walking in the forest – comes across a house. Knocking on the door and receiving no reply, she walks in.
On the table in the kitchen are 3 bowls of porridge and having worked up a hunger from her forest walk, Goldilocks decides to try some.
The 1st bowl is too hot! So, she moves on to the 2nd which is too cold! Then, she tries the 3rd bowl – which is just right!
Short story shorter, Goldilocks also tries three chairs, and eventually three beds – finding that each time, the 3rd option she tried was perfect.
Having fallen asleep after a long day’s worth of trespassing and theft(!) – Goldilocks is woken by three bears who are wondering what she is doing in their house and runs away (presumably never answering for her crimes).
Come to think of it, I am not sure what the original intended moral of the tale is... Though, I suppose it does instil an appreciation of the rule of 3, and how that is something that is intrinsically satisfying.
Finding the sweet spot
So, what does this have to do with… anything, you ask?
What we’re talking about here is finding that sweet spot.
It’s the thing that fits our needs best, rather than the most expensive vs. cheap, the most comprehensive vs. basic – or whatever the comparison may be.
I think we all have those moments where we find ourselves dowsing – a bit like Goldilocks – for the thing that is just right for us.
It might be the accommodation you’re after for a trip away.
It might be the right Xmas presents for beloved family and peers (yes, it is that time of year again, people!)
Or it could be… you guessed it, the legal team who helps your business develop and defend your unique market proposition.
Bit of a tenuous link – I know. But you’ll have to forgive me as it was the best fitting analogy I could come up with!
Getting it just right
“Fit” is something that we think about a lot here at Virtuoso Legal.
The legal industry is an exciting space full of organisations of all different sizes, costs, and capabilities. There are lots of options out there, and they come in all different shapes and sizes.
Something we’re also highly aware of is that trust is fundamental to legal services.
Simply put, people trust their legal team to look after their business, and in the case of what we do, the ideas that make them a unique proposition in the marketplace.
The question is, ultimately, who do you trust?
Do you put your big idea/brand/distinctiveness in the hands of:
A small, “cheap and cheerful” entity who don’t necessarily have the knowledge or expertise to hand that they need to achieve your objectives
An admittedly formidable global entity, but to whom you are another (perhaps comparably) insignificant number on a fee sheet – rather than a business full of people
These are admittedly stereotypes and at two extremes of the spectrum. There are global firms that have a personal touch, and there are very small teams that are highly competent and commercial.
But you get what I mean.
But on the whole, do you feel you could trust either to act wholeheartedly in your best interests?
It really depends on what kind of organisation you are and where you see the value in legal services.
Getting it just right
Without going too much down the business development rabbit hole – designing our services to be client-first has been a real game changer for us.
What this means is to act on client feedback (both good and bad), and to shape the way that we appear and talk to people to ensure we are that Goldilocks option for people.
Most of the time, what this involves is speaking to people directly and demonstrating that we understand where they’re coming from and that their commercial goals come first.
The same might be the case for you.
If it’s something you’re interested in exploring, I would be more than happy to speak with you and I am sure that Dr Martin would be too.
Remember:
Take a look at the industry, what are the polarities that people find themselves choosing between?
What are the particular value and pain points at the different ends of the scale?
What would a best “fit” look like, if it was created for your target client or customer?
What have clients or customers say about your goods or services in the past – does this confirm or deny your theory?
Act and test out your findings not only in the way you talk to others but also in how you deliver your goods and services
Profit!
In our case, we go out of our way (as previously described) to understand all our clients’ goals in a deep and commercially meaningful way. Our handle on IP law as a specialist practice is a means to achieving this objective – and moreover, once the initial task is complete we are more than happy to go the extra mile to help businesses continue to take that next step.
When it comes to litigation this can result in some brilliant tactics and strategies (if I do say so myself!) which are often informed by getting what the client needs commercially, as opposed to simply running the rails of a dispute to its default conclusion.
It makes you think!
It also makes our clients very happy. I will leave you with a recent testimonial to that effect:
“Had a case whereby my work was used on a large global organisation without permission, so needed specialist legal advice to try to get what's owed to me. Whilst the whole process to get to settlement agreements took some time (expected in these sorts of matters), I was kept informed throughout via email. We also had Zoom video calls during milestones or key updates which were very useful as I am not physically near the Virtuoso offices. Always nice to see who you are dealing with.”
As always do get in touch if you would like to speak about anything IP – we are ready to help and I guarantee that you will always be better off having spoken to us.
