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Author: Allan Colman

Branding: “If You Chase 2 Rabbits, You Will Not Catch Either One”

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

Branding is the first of 12 Essential Practices (36ixty) we use to help companies accelerate revenue. It combines your purpose, vision, mission and values all into a strategy and implementation tactics. This becomes your brand.

3 Initial Steps to Branding

In my role as a Senior Business Accelerator Advisor with 36ixty, we find 3 steps to help clients become the best at one thing. This is critical in building the recognition coming from a brand.

Step #1 – M

Get your message right. Clarity addresses questions such as why do we exist? Who are we serving? How do we behave? What values will we adhere to? What is it that we actually do?

Step #2 – A

Leverage the appropriate amplifiers. Once you get the message right, this is where you use all the marketing tools available, from social media, to press releases, to advertising, to collateral, to speeches, etc.

Step #3 – P

Persevere. Over time you need to be seen as credible, expert and a master.

 

There is a Russian proverb which clarifies this approach, “If you chase 2 rabbits, you will not catch either one.”

 

Essential Branding Questions

Answering the following questions will help get you your brand:

  • What do you do when providing your product or service that is different than what everyone else does?
  • Why do your clients/customers return to you and your product/services?
  • When people refer business to you, what do they tell others about you? (Ask if you don’t know)
  • What skills to you have that people find interesting and helpful?

 

As the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos said, “Your brand is what stays in a room after you leave the room.”

 

Are Managing Partners Really “Leaders”? (Part 2 of 2)

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Allan Colman, Business Development, Law Firm Leadership, Leadership, Managing Partners, Practice Group Leaders. 1 Comment on Are Managing Partners Really “Leaders”? (Part 2 of 2)

Following are 2 more questions asked by Nick Gaffney in the panel discussion for the December 14th issue of the ABA’s LAW PRACTICE TODAY. My responses follow.

HOW CAN LAW FIRM LEADERS TRAIN YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO EFFECTIVELY LEAD TO ENSURE FIRM LONGEVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY? WOULD FIRMS BENEFIT FROM INSTITUTING MENTOR PROGRAMS TO CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES EARLY ON IN YOUNG LAWYERS’ CAREERS?

The most effective training should involve a comprehensive professional development program, in including client management, relationship building, business development, understanding business financing, etc. And it should be set up in increments based upon years of practice by each attorney. The firm should also pay close attention to identifying future leaders and at some point, assign mentors to them. But the mentor role must be clearly defined and a contract made between the mentor and mentee.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO BALANCE THE RESPONSIBILITIES INHERENT IN LAW FIRM LEADERSHIP WITH MAINTAINING A HEAVY WORKLOAD? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A LAW FIRM LEADER?

The answer to this gets back to the question of firm size. With smaller firms, the administration, personnel and management tasks tent to be less interruptive. As in any organization, the larger it gets the more bureaucratic it becomes. Bringing in a sophisticated administrative officer, designating key leadership responsibilities to members of management or executive committee, and holding them all accountable for results will enable the leader to maintain key client relationships, become a recognized figure-head in the local business community, and set an example as part of their legacy.

www.closersgroup.com/blog

Crm Concept

You can read the initial post here.

Are Managing Partners Really “Leaders”? (Part 1 of 2)

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Allan Colman, Attorney Marketing, Business Development, Law Firm Leadership, Leadership, Managing Partners, Marketing Partners, Practice Group Leaders. 1 Comment on Are Managing Partners Really “Leaders”? (Part 1 of 2)

Based on an article in ABA’s LAW PRACTICE TODAY, (Dec. 14, 2015) moderated by Nicholas Gaffney, a member of the Law Practice Today editorial board and a veteran public relations practitioner. He asked 6 “legal field veterans” their perspectives on the multi-faceted nature of law firm leaders. My responses to his questions follow.

HOW DO THESE INDIVIDUALS BECOME BETTER LEADERS IN THEIR FIRMS?

A “respected” law firm leader needs three skills: the ability to listen, the readiness to make decisions; and — one that is most often missing — holding people accountable for implementing the decisions. In addition, thinking about what their legacy will be for the firm must be clear, concise and often courageous.

ARE DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STYLES NECESSARY FOR DIFFERENT-SIZE FIRMS? WHAT ABOUT IN DIFFERENT PRACTICE AREAS?

Heading a practice area is often a non-position. All too many firms designate someone to lead a group, provide no support or direction, and expect results. But for those who actively work to improve the services provided by the practice group, and work at cross marketing with other specialties, the results can be powerful.

More questions and answers in the next post.

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What To Do With Erratic Marketing Performance

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Business Development, Law Firm Marketing, Marketing Partners.

If your practice groups or offices have inconsistent or erratic performance in developing new business, “light a fire” under them. Start with a few insightful questions that should get them moving.

  • Is there a contact and follow-up system being used by all?
  • Are they using the firm brand and core messaging? Does the firm even have them?
  • Are pitch performances practiced or inconsistent? Are they being reviewed and updated?
  • When is the last time their proposal format and content was updated?
  • Are they multiplying or repurposing the use of presentations, articles, PowerPoints, social media?
  • And do they really know what your competitors are doing?

 

Improving Business Development Performance

Business development performance is simple to evaluate and improve. Questions like these get the ball rolling and will help in getting them “out there face-to-face.”

 

For 2016 – Business Development "Gut Check"

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Attorney Marketing, Business Development, Law Firm Marketing, Marketing Partners, Practice Group Leaders.

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Successful Performing Assets

As we move closer to 2016, your first quarter action program needs to be in place. By taking the last few “Business Development Gut Check” Posts, and adding the following question to the list, your answers should be incorporated into action:

Are successful performing assets being readied for redeployment?

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Business Development “Gut Check”

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Attorney Marketing, Business Development, Law Firm Marketing, Law Firms, Marketing Partners.

Is Your Business Development Suffering?

Thomson Reuters Legal Solutions Blog
November 6, 2015

For law firms struggling with growing new business, there is a learning curve marketing leaders (both attorneys and professionals) need to lead. It is not magic at all. Rather, experience shows that a group of common problems lead to a lack of new business growth. Your answers to the following dilemmas will guide you to more revenue, more clients and more open doors.

  • Are the number of new engagements per client dropping?
  • How many long-term clients are no longer using your firm?
  • Is there an absence of cross marketing?
  • Do you have “underutilized assets” such as internal marketing, sharing of published articles and speeches with all attorneys?

Identifying Business Development Opportunities

This post will add a new dilemma daily to provide a comprehensive list of questions that will certainly help you identify and solve business growth obstacles and opportunities.

 

Provokers Pt. III. — Can They Really Close New Business?

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Attorney Marketing, Business Development, Law Firm Marketing, Marketing Partners, Practice Group Leaders.

Closing New Business

From Allan Colman, Business Development Accelerator, Speaker and Author – Clients average a 60% increase in new business in 6 months.

Third and last in this series on questions to provoke firm leadership into actively building and closing new business includes the following questions:

  • Has lack of follow up lost engagements? How many and how often?
  • Are your attorneys, accountants, etc. trained to overcome objections during the selling process?
  • Do they understand what are the greatest needs of clients and prospects?
  • Can your professionals close?

 

Your thoughts, ideas, comments are welcome.

Business Development Leaders — Have You Been Provoked? Pt. II.

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

Business Development Leaders – Have You Been Provoked? Pt. II.

From Allan Colman, Business Development Accelerator, Speaker and Author – Clients average a 60% increase in new business in 6 months.

Continuing with the series begun last week, these questions are meant to “provoke” business development  leaders and professionals to ask and answer these questions. You will find your true business development successes — or improvements needed!

  • Can you raise your firm’s profile with no “out-of-pocket” expenses?
  • Are your marketing and business development staff being trained for a continuum? a long range pipeline of new business?
  • What, if any, IT and Finance metrics are being used to plan future growth?

 

More provoking questions to come. What can you add to this growing list? I will include them in the upcoming series.