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5 More Quotes on Why Attorneys Won't Do Business Development

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Asking for Business, Attorney Marketing, Law Firm Leadership, Law Firm Marketing, Managing Partners, Marketing for Law Firms, Marketing Partners, Practice Group Leaders.

5 More Quotes on Why Attorneys Won’t Do Business Development

In the last 4 posts, we’ve listed 20 quotes from lawyers on why they won’t, don’t, or can’t develop new business. The next 5 don’t get any better.

21. Honestly, I don’t know how to begin. — this lawyer had been practicing for 10 years; do I need to say more?

22. I failed on one proposal before; why try again. — What a future this one has!

23. I can’t do it but I’ll hire someone. — A few firms have had success adding professional business sales executives.

24. If I can’t figure out what my current client needs, how can I sell her more work? — change professions.

25. There’s no time to send an article to my clients. — One of the major problems we find in our business development coaching and advising programs, is that all-too many attorneys do not have or do not update a contact list. It can become the easiest way in the world to stay in touch 3-4 times a year with clients, prospects, contacts and colleagues. Once in place, it takes literally 5 minutes to send.

We’re getting closer to the 34th excuse for not marketing. Anyone want to guess what it is?

Business Development Means "Keep the End in Mind"

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

This is the second and last commentary on clarifying the differences between marketing and business development.

Marketing supports the possible. Business development targets, pursues and closes prospect targets. A traditional law firm marketing department is designed to assist in keeping its firm’s image and reputation in the corporate eye, provide support for outreach and RFP responses, conduct intelligence-gathering, create media profiles, etc.

The really good firms are fortunate to have some of their staff with longer-range “marketer” capabilities; that is taking a view of the desired end result, landing new work and incorporating these goals in their support.

Business development, if properly implemented and managed, should focus on, and take advantage of,client targets already on the minds and lists of the firm’s professionals and partners. Financial and management consulting firms remain salutary models for law firms as historically they have been much more focused on specific deliverables and closings.

They take to hear the axiom, “Always keep the end in mind.”

Are You Winning More or Losing More New Business?

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

In our work with clients, we find they often do not take the time to evaluate what works and what doesn’t work in their prospecting, pitch and proposal meetings. Take time to consider the following:

1. Is your proposal/presentation materials format fresh and updated?
2. Have you tested different conversion approaches?
3. How carefully, and updated are the actual “talking points” and “pain points” the client is worried about?
4. Do you and your teams practice the meeting pitches prior to and conduct a post mortem after a meeting?
5. Are you sending the right team composition to the prospecting meetings?

Additional questions will follow in our next blog.

Go to our services page at www.closersgroup.com for more details.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BEST PRACTICES, II.

Written by Allan Colman on . Posted in Asking for Business, Law Firm Marketing, Marketing for Law Firms, Marketing Partners, Practice Group Leaders.

As discussed in the previous blog, pro-active organization and accountability are keys to converting your best practices into new business. Following are 4 additional tasks that complete the first steps you need to take.

5. Populate the business development program with targeting and pursuit efforts by specific practice group, sub-groups, offices, individuals — one step at a time, at first, and finally, wherever there are lawyers who really want to be engaged.

6. Assure that business development training sessions are practical, not theoretical.

7. Keep the firm ahead of economic and industry trends and build this knowledge into every client contact.

8. Make decisions on under-performing activities by either abandoning them or improving your approach in each case.

Remember, the best way to land a target is to act and pursue. If you miss, you learn. Then try again.

Do Not Stop at "NO"

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

Even if a proposal for new business has been rejected, continue the pursuit with the same prospect or client. MAXIMIZING REJECTION is a concept that recognizes the potential customer has a lot invested in you by the nature of the time and study they put in during the selection process.

Stay in touch; send them updates; ask them to be on conference panels with you; remind them how much you can contribute to their business.

Keep yourself in that “CLOSING ZONE,” creating more scoring opportunities for the future.
This is the 14th step in Chapter 1 of www.ownthezonebook.com.

6 More Quick Hits for New Business Development

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

In a recent blog we discussed what we recommend for clients who want immediate targeting, managing, contacting, meeting, training and evaluation. Here are 6 more “quick hits”:

G. Establish time-lines with individualized sequences of approach, support needed, results and evaluation including meeting deadlines and providing firm management with Success Reports.

H. Pre-test strategy and upcoming actions.

I. Evaluate contact results and follow up on a regularly scheduled basis.

J. Train and support assigned marketing staff.

K. Begin new engagements.

L. VIP, track results, challenges, etc. to get ready for Phase II.

Prospecting With Your Clients

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

If you have become your client’s trusted advisor and have established the good will that comes from successful business relationship, they will return the favor when you ask for referrals by introducing you to other clients. The good will and solid relationships that they have will work in your favor. It will provide you with the opportunity to make their clients your prospects.

Part II. – Prepare For Things That Go Bump in the Night

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

The tactics presented in OWN THE ZONE are all used one way or another in our business development training sessions and workshops. For example, our training emphasizes thinking long term. When it comes to approaching a new prospect or a long term client, we encourage our clients to:

* UNDERSTAND the prospects’ and clients’ needs and internal pressures;
* BECOME a trusted adviser, and
* PROTECT the prospects’ and clients’ interests.

Become a valued business partner and friend, offer rewarding solutions that are profitable for all involved. It’s how we work with our clients and how we encourage them to approach their prospects and clients in the same way.

Things That Go Bump In the Night – II.

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

Continuing with this series of “prepare, prepare, prepare,” from our book, OWN THE ZONE, our client training and advising focuses on thinking long term. When it comes to approaching a new prospect or long-term client for business development opportunities, we encourage you to:

UNDERSTAND the prospects’ and clients’ needs and internal pressures;

BECOME a trusted advisor, and

PROTECT the prospects’ and clients’ interests.

These are key elements of Jay Abraham’s “Strategy of preeminence.”