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Author: Allan Colman

Business Unusual — Do You Really Have a Brand?

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Brand, Business Strategy, Marketing Partners.

To determine if your firm will have “business unusual”, ask your colleagues if you really have a “brand.”  There are 12 components to accelerating revenue growth and the first is your firm’s brand.  Learn if it has any traction at all by asking each professional the following questions:

  1. What industries/groups use your services now?
  2. Which do you enjoy working with?
  3. What % of your new business are from referrals and repeat clients?
  4. Do you still use an old bio?
  5. What are the only services you can offer to clients?
  6. How would you describe your current stage of revenue growth?
  7. If you were to ask, what would clients say about the value you bring to the table?
  8. External perceptions of the firm?  of you?
  9. Describe your firm’s culture

If you have true brand identity, you and the firm will have longevity!

Prevent Laterals – A Major 2018 Business Goal

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Business Strategy, Client Retention, Leadership.

Preventing laterals should be a major business goal for all law firms in 2018.  The survey we conducted did not receive enough responses to be publishable.  BUT, other than retaining clients and new client acquisition – duh!-, preventing laterals needs to be emphasized.

In today’s highly competitive market for gaining new business with in-house counsel, your attorneys with a significant book of business are prime targets.  Talk with them, make sure they are getting all of the support they say they need,   Understand they are indeed receiving calls from recruiters and many are already holding exploratory meetings.

Where firms make retaining laterals their number 1 business goal for 2018, retaining clients and new client acquisition will be following.

Why Clients Fire You

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Business Strategy, Managing Partners, New Business Development.

“Why clients fire you” is the title of an article written by our own Valerie Goodman back in May, 2016.  At a recent conference I was asked if I could repeat it for an unusual way to kick-off 2018.  It should be one of the first questions law firm management should be asking now.

In the Closers Group experience, lack of attention to client retention is a primary reason clients fire you.  When it comes to attorney marketing and business development the first step is to value and properly serve the clients you’ve worked so hard to get in the first place.  It is one of the simplest ways to accelerate business, wouldn’t you agree?

In Jay Abraham’s “Getting Everything You Can From Everything You’ve Got”, he cites many reasons why clients have become dissatisfied and have left even long standing relationships.  Think about clients who have left your firm.  Can you attribute any one of these reasons as a possible cause?  Our Client Satisfaction Survey found the following answers:

  • Lack of contact
  • Decisions made without authorization
  • Non-responsive
  • Failure to respond
  • Cost increases with no notification
  • Their internal situation changes.

Your new mantra should be CLARIFY – FOCUS – EXECUTE.

Survey: What Is Your Firm’s #1 Business Goal in 2018?

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Business Strategy.

For our first 2018 U.S. and Canada LAW FIRM PRIORITIES SURVEY, please answer this 1 question. We will provide the results to our readers.[vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][rs_space height=”50px”][vc_row cover=”no” fluid=”yes” padding=”pt-70 pb-70 pt-xs-50 pb-xs-50″ bgcolor=”#eaeaea”][vc_column width=”1/6″][rs_space height=”10px”][vc_column width=”2/3″]To talk for a few minutes about how the trends for 2018 might impact your firm, or a 30 minute assessment of your firm’s positioning, please contact us (if you prefer to call…).

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If You Chase 2 Rabbits, You Will Not Catch Either One !

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Business Development, Business Strategy, Managing Partners, Marketing for Law Firms.

In our business development advisories and workshops, we provide an alternative to this Russian Proverb, “If you chase 2 rabbits, you will not catch either one.”‘

You must know:

  • Six critical elements of exceptional leadership;
  • How to create sustainable revenue growth;
  • What it takes to build a strategic, competitive advantage;
  • Define and use your identity capital;
  • Improve your value and client experience;
  • Ensure your systems capture leadership’s Growth Objectives.

For a free, 30 minute consultation, contact us below:

“Chase Relationships, Not Work!”

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Uncategorized.

“Chase relationships, not work” is a direct quote from a Lendingham Chalmers LLP. attorney. She recognizes that a large percent of new work comes from clients and referrals, some say as much as 50% per year. So build away!

You may ask what are the basic elements of building and keeping a relationship?

* Understand their business;

* Who are their top competitors?

* What new products or services are in development?

*Are there internal pressures your client must overcome?

*Think business value — their value needed.

So beyond knowing a birthday, their kids sports, their favorite vacation spot, build the business relationship with knowledge of their business – it is key to them.  For more, read Own the Zone,  available on our website.

Eat Lunch With the New Kids – New Business Development

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Asking for Business, Attorney Marketing, Marketing for Law Firms.

More new business development clues from 55Words, “eat lunch with the new kids.”  Begin building relationships with the newer members of your firm, making them feel welcome and comfortable asking you for advice.

Other important clues include:

  •  Never eat lunch at your desk, if you can avoid it.
  • Know at least one good joke.
  • If you offer to help, don’t quit until the job is done.
  • And, the best way to get on your feet is to get off your ass!

Use this 3 post series to provide clarity, focus and execution for your new business developers.

Never Park In Front of a Bar

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Attorney Marketing, Business Development, Conversion Rate Optimization.

“Never park in front of a bar” is one of the “55 Wise Words” for successful marketing.  You are urged to go deep to understand the message.  This is the first in a series which will contain several of the wise words.  We use them with our marketing and business development advisory and success training, especially with 4-6 year Associates.

  • Never cancel dinner plans by text message!
  • Don’t knock it ’til you try it.
  • There are plenty of ways to enter a pool.  The stairs are not one of them.

Stay tuned for more!!

Have You Read the Millennial Dictionary?

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Have you read the Millennial Dictionary?  Did you even know one existed?  In order to help you understand and work with them,  here are a few new additions to our vocabulary:

  • Trolls
  • Thirsty
  • Xennials
  • Salty
  • Swerve
  • Sorry, not sorry
  • Bounce
  • Because duh!
  • Yaaas
  • Adulting

For more on millennials in the workplace, contact us.