“It’s like you’re watching us through a hidden camera in the office,” the lawyer said to me.

I heard it last week in San Diego at my Workshop. In fact, I heard it three times.

I’ve heard it many times before.

Lawyers tell me that they get the feeling that I’m observing them. Then they feel like I’m writing about them. They ask me how I could possibly know what’s happening in their office when I’m thousands of miles away.

Why I Like to Be a Fly on the Wall

I love that conversation.

First, it makes me feel like my work here has value. You’re benefiting from the time I’m spending on creating these articles. I’m connecting with your issues.

Second, that “fly on the wall” feeling helps me illustrate a core marketing principle. That feeling you’re getting when you read my stuff is exactly the feeling I want your prospective clients to get when they read your stuff.

• When they visit your website, they should feel like you’ve been watching them.
• When they see your ads on Google or Facebook, they should get the same feeling.
• When they read your blog posts, hear you speak at Rotary, watch your video on YouTube, or pick up a copy of your book sitting on the coffee table at their therapist’s office, they should get the same feeling.

They should feel like you’ve been watching them. They should feel like you’re speaking just to them. That’s what we’re shooting for.

Why It’s Important to Be the Fly

You see, that feeling of being watched (not in a creepy way) is a feeling of being understood. When people tell you they feel like you’ve been watching their life, they’re telling you that you understand them. We all love being understood.

When you understand them, they’re more likely to trust you.

Your credibility soars when other people feel understood. When you’re able to explain the problem better than they can explain it themselves, you have magic powers. When they know you understand them, they’re willing to accept the solution you offer.

Accept is too mild a word.

When they feel understood, they INSIST on adopting the solution you propose.

The “fly on the wall feeling” makes you credible. It builds trust. Feeling understood has a powerful impact on the likelihood that prospective clients will hire you to handle their important matter.

When you’re thinking about marketing your practice, you should start—long before you start promoting yourself—with understanding your clients’ story. What story would you tell if you were a fly on the wall in their life? How would you describe their problem even better than they can describe it themselves?

Give your prospective clients the feeling that you’ve been watching, and they’ll give you the business you deserve.