Thursday, May 8th, 2008
In this crazy world of competing deadlines, priorities, sound bites and instant communication technology it sometimes seems harder than ever to nurture the important relationships in our lives. We are all under such pressure to perform and to achieve there is little time left in the day to reach out and show someone that we care. For a list of tips on how to keep in touch with the important people in our lives check out my article on Slaw.ca this week. And please, if you have some additional tips to share with the readers post a comment here or on the Slaw site.
Posted in Client Relations, Marketing, Solo and Small Firms | Permalink | No Comments »
Saturday, March 29th, 2008
Part Two
I first blogged on this topic in December. Today I will continue where I left off and provide my top ten list of steps for launching a successful associate marketing and business development training program:
- Segment your training to target lawyers of a particular year of call, or practice area, so that the curriculum content is appropriate to their skill and knowledge level and can be put into immediate practice.
- Conduct strength assessments with the associates taking part in the training program. These assessments provide a measure of where they are starting from, help frame the business development process, and serve as a point of departure for developing their personal business plans.
- Launch the training program with a Mindset component. Mindset means aligning the business development approach to the strengths and values of the participants, framing business development in the context of career success, and clearing up any misconceptions about what business development is all about.
- In keeping with the active learning emphasis, hold monthly meetings, with actionable homework and feedback components.
- Connect the content of the monthly training sessions to each associate’s goals and business plan.
- Use the training program and homework items to support associates in developing the habit of integrating regular business development activities into their weekly schedule.
- Track results.
- Small groups provide the opportunity for discussion. Each training component is followed by an action item. For example, after the networking session the associates each attend a networking event. Following the event they prepare a brief memo on what worked, what didn’t, what contacts they made, how they will follow-up. At the next training session the first minutes of the class are then spent reviewing the group members’ experience of the networking event.
- Integrate partner experiences into the program through holding partner panels, or collecting business development stories from the partners for inclusion in the training sessions.
- Integrate client experiences into the program through holding client panels, sharing client survey results, or by creating opportunities for the participants to speak with clients of the firm.
Just like learning to improve a golf stoke, lawyers can best develop business development skills through putting knowledge into practice and receiving feedback on performance. Training programs require more than just the seminar component. They require action assignments and the opportunity to debrief with colleagues and a coach or mentor after the event.
Developing a successful business development training program takes time and effort, but the rewards are substantial:
• A training program with measurable ROI
• A team of lawyers who all business develop
• Increased retention of associates
Done right, programs that teach the participants new business development skills, encourage new behaviours and have measurable goals and results will have a fundamental impact on profitability and retention.
For further reading on this topic don’t miss the Hildebrant Article: Masterclass: Adopting A Business-Development Attitude: A Shared Responsibility
Posted in Business Development, Marketing, Training and Retention | Permalink | No Comments »Monday, October 15th, 2007
Clients want lawyers with niche expertise.
At a client panel I took part in last month one of the big themes that emerged was that clients want to hire a lawyer who “gets them” – who has a depth and breadth of knowledge of their industry, their profession, their business, or in essence their issues.
So a great way to build your practice is to focus on developing some niche expertise and getting known for it. The question for a lot of lawyers is how do I find my niche?
Kevin O’Keefe of Lexblog has a helpful post on finding your blog niche (which was inspired by a freelance writer’s post on finding your writing niche). In addition to his handy niche questions I have a few to add of my own:
Think about your background. What jobs did you do before becoming a lawyer? What degrees do you have? Does your family run a business? I was working with one client who casually mentioned his parents, his uncles, and his brother were all in the same type of manufacturing business and that he had worked for them before becoming a lawyer – that became his niche.
Kevin says “find what inspires you.” I agree. What is it that fascinates you? How might you draw the connection with your legal practice? Here in British Columbia one lucky lawyer dominates the ski hill business and another has secured the winery niche. There must be some nice perks with clients like those.
Another question to consider is what kind of clients do you like working with most? What do they have in common?
Ultimately finding your niche is about discovering what you like best about your legal practice and getting more of it. And for associates it’s an effective strategy for gaining ground rapidly, raising your profile, and securing your own clients.
Posted in Client Relations, Marketing | Permalink | No Comments »
Thursday, May 31st, 2007
I was chatting with a lawyer friend over breakfast this morning and she recalled for me, with a shudder, a business development torture session from her days as a first year securities lawyer. She was told to attend a basketball game with a group of stockbrokers. “I can’t stand basketball, and the stockbrokers were appalling. I couldn’t understand why I was there. All I got out of the experience was being asked out on a date that I didn’t want to go on.”
What was wrong with this picture?
Alignment. Business development is effective when the lawyer’s goals, values, interests, and strengths are in alignment with the business development activity. In my friend’s case there was no fit beyond the fact that she was a securities lawyer and those were securities clients. This was a case of the classic rainmaker turn off.
One associates basketball horror story would be another’s great night at the game.
Sometimes you get just one chance.
So often when we are introducing marketing and business development to associates we really only get one chance. As soon as you make the mistake of sending the wrong person to the basketball game you are sending a powerful message to that lawyer. The message they get is:
“Business development is a painful and useless activity.”
“This is not me.”
“I don’t do this.”
Business development becomes something other people do.
Values are important. I have found that the clearest statements on personal values come from lawyers when you are trying to get them to do some “business development” activity that is in conflict with their values.
For example, one associate told me he couldn’t stand going to a particular industry networking event. There always seemed to be more lawyers than potential clients and it appeared to him that the non-lawyers in the room were surrounded by a pack of lawyers with carefully prepared elevator speeches and business cards at the ready.
So does this mean this associate is not a rainmaker? Does it mean that he is going to have to get over his inhibitions and jump into the fray?
No. In further conversation it became apparent that he values relationships. He values sincerity. He is truly interested in the industry and is interested in getting meaningfully involved. It’s simply a question of developing opportunities for him to meet with people from the industry that support his own further education and give him a chance to interact with the potential clients in a different setting. We found just the thing for him but as it is still in progress I can’t reveal more!
All of this is to say that there are many different paths to business development.
One partner I know in Victoria got involved in a cooperative daycare program when she had her first child. She got to know all the parents, contributed her one day a week at the centre, and no surprise, the parents who chose to trust their children to her care naturally decided to trust her to handle their legal affairs as well.
There are as many unique paths to developing business as there are individuals. The key is to support lawyers in building an approach to business development that aligns with their own goals, distinct skills, interests, and values.
Ban meaningless acts of business development. If it turns your stomach or makes your skin crawl you know that it is not for you. Instead, discover what is for you, and set it in motion.
Posted in Business Development, Marketing, Thought provoking ideas, Training and Retention | Permalink | No Comments »Friday, May 18th, 2007
This spring I was invited to contribute to the ABA Law Practice Magazine’s April/May issue: “First Years: What every associate needs to know.”
The issue arrived in my mail last month and is now live on the web. Have a look. It’s a great guide for new associates to making the most of the first years and establishing a foundation for their legal practice.
My article is all about what new associates should know about marketing. I was directed to answer the question – what do managing partners wish their associates knew about marketing? I interviewed a number of managing partners and practice group leaders to find out what was most on their minds. Here’s what they had to say:
Understand that Law Firms Are Businesses
Invest Early and Frequently
Invest Non-billable Time with Existing Clients
Talk Less and Listen More
Develop a Meaningful Introduction
Learn How to Close the Deal
Find your Personal Style
Associates, if you want to end up with a practice you enjoy and clients you like, it is critical that you learn to chart your own course. Marketing can help you do that. It is your time to discover the kind of work and clients you find the most interesting. It is also time to explore the kind of marketing and business development activities that you like best. It might be writing articles or maintaining a blog. It could be you have a flair for presenting. Find out what works best for you while advancing you toward your goals, and do it. Don’t wait until you have some free time. Weave a little marketing into everyday. Keep your own professional goals moving forward.
Posted in Business Development, Goals, Marketing | Permalink | No Comments »Sunday, April 8th, 2007
Just a heads up to all of you in British Columbia. The CBA and the LMA have joined forces to stage a second legal marketing bootcamp taking place in Victoria on April 20, 2007.
Here’s what some of the participants of Bootcamp 2006 had to say:
“[Boot Camp] was very informative and more importantly relevant. The speakers that attended did an excellent job. . . I would recommend the Marketing Boot Camp to anyone who is serious about wanting to learn about professionally marketing legal services.” David H. Pihl, Q.C. Pihl & Associates Law Corporation, Kelowna, BC
“This course gives you the knowledge and tools to start building your own identity and future without hiring expensive consultants.” Randall Walford, Walford & Associates, Kimberley, BC
“The speakers were entertaining and had useful information. I came away from the day with new ideas and a reminder of how to involve each member of the firm in marketing efforts.” Kerry L. Simmons, Cardinal Law, Victoria, BC
This is a great opportunity for any lawyers or administrators who are interested in learning more about marketing, or getting set to develop personal, practice group, or firm marketing plans. There’s still time to sign up.
Click here to read more about this event and to register.
Posted in Marketing | Permalink | No Comments »
