Sincere thanks to the Eastern Canada LMA Chapter for inviting me to present “The New Colors Of Law Firm Marketing” coloring book to its annual meeting on November 21st. I am looking forward to seeing many friends and colleagues. For more information, send me a text at 310-508-8600.
[/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][rs_space height=”16px”]When it comes to growth in law firms, there are really only 3 sources of new business. They are:
Clients
Referrals
Prospects
A law firm should derive at least 50% of its new business every year coming from clients and referrals. This new business indicates a client’s recognition of high quality work and on-going awareness of relationship building.
It also results in more work from recent and past clients and demonstrates their willingness to refer business and contacts. While many firms focus on generating new clients, we urge our clients to strive for the 50% factor that most tend to overlook: past clients.
If you’re unsure of how to start, consider 3 important questions:
1. Who do I need to reconnect with?
2. How many client retention meetings can I set this month? And with whom?
3. What upcoming events can I attend and invite clients to join?
At the Closers Group, we help law firms close more new business rapidly using a variety of business development tactics just like these.[rs_space height=”16px”]
The Big Bad Wolf has been knocking at law firm doors for several years while lawyers are overlooking the six ways to accelerate new revenue. But let’s remember that Little Red Riding Hood feared the wolf at first. Then she walloped him. Future rainmakers can also kick the wolf of decreasing revenue by following some tried and true strategies.
In this ever-changing environment, as more pressure is placed on attorneys at all levels to grow new business, there is a lack of experience in searching for new clients, prospects and suspects. As well, in-house counsel have been forced by their boards and executives to get tougher and more demanding, and rightly so. More than one has stated that law firms have generally assumed that long-term relationships do not require additionally highlighted service levels.
It is here that Little Red Riding Hood can do some serious clawing. New opportunities are being created every day simply because competitors are falling down on the client-retention-job. Now, today, at this very moment are the times to market by overcoming client resistance and offering an innovative carrot or two.[rs_space height=”20px”][rs_buttons btn_icon=”yes” icon=”fa fa-download” btn_size=”btn-medium” btn_link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fallancolman.com%2Fwp2016%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F08%2FOC-Lawyer-July-2017-Little-Red-Riding-Hood-Reprint.pdf|title:Download%20Article|target:%20_blank|” btn_text=”Download Article” border_color=”#dddddd” text_color=”#ffffff” icon_color=”#ffffff” background_color=”#81d742″ border_color_hover=”#81d742″ text_color_hover=”#81d742″ background_color_hover=”#ffffff”][rs_space height=”50px”]
Yesterday, it was a pleasure to participate in the first in-person book review of The New Colors of Law Firm Marketing with the LMA San Diego Roundtable. The discussions were lively and open to suggestions and strategies from all of the members. And presenting the world’s first law firm marketing book in the Pechakucha format proved to be a great way to start the program.
Thank you San Diegans. Look forward to presenting to the Orange County LMA next week.
The Closers Group wants your firm to try out a powerful, entertaining way to boost new business from your firm’s attorneys, our PECHAKUCHA! In our keynote presentations and workshops, the first 6 minutes and 40 seconds are dedicated to highlighting 20 cartoons about marketing and business development. And they are combined with the latest observations and tactics to grow new business now.
The world’s first law firm marketing coloring book, THE NEW COLORS OF LAW FIRM MARKETING (on Amazon, etc.) assists in overcoming the ever increasing pressures on attorneys to grow more revenue. Yet, at the same time, many resist efforts by marketing professionals to assist.
This is an entirely new and humorous approach to educate your group on marketing, business development and business generation. AND, you an even color in the book. To learn more about trying Pechakucha, go to CONTACT.
If you have been challenged to bring in new business, why do attorneys need to wait for the Marketing Department? Ultimately, the onus is on the sales team to bring in (and often to keep) the business. Marketing should support those goals with collaterals, media and public relations activities and by identifying seminars and workshops that help facilitate network development.
Once you have the information and sales training, plan a strategy to pursue the business and hone in on your “closing” skills. Maximize your conversion rates!
“Marketing Should Not be Left to the Marketing Department.” – David Packard. His message means that everyone should be marketing, the marketing department, legal assistants, paralegals, accounting AND attorneys. Business development is chasing suspects and prospects, business generation means “closing” the deals.
Only a few copies of the world’s first law firm marketing coloring book, THE NEW COLORS OF LAW FIRM MARKETING, are left on Amazon. Before we order a second printing, reply through LinkedIn and we’ll send you a complimentary copy — including crayons!
Legal Business World’s feature on marketing focused on our new law firm marketing coloring book, The New Colors of Law Firm Marketing. Calling it “Husterical and fun way to teach lawyers business development,” Editor Allard Winterink featured it as the law firm marketing piece of the month.
Topics included:
* Convert your values to their needs;
* Everyone needs to have the same elevator message;
* ABR – Always build relationships;
* Rainmaking need not start outside the firm;
* Value creates a dynamic optimally suited to “Closing”.
And there is even an opportunity to draw your own cartoon based on comments lawyers have made including “I’m afraid of the process”; “I won’t cross sell”; “I’m not compensated” etc. Turn to page 45 http://www.legalbusinessworld.nl
A current movie marketing campaign says “Cookies are for Closers ” but we hasten to add they are not for attorney marketing. Experienced marketers know that closing new business, or asking for the business, is several steps removed from beginning a relationship. And during the courting period convincingly demonstrating the value you and your firm bring to a prospect is critical.
THE VERY EXPECTATION OF VALUE CREATES A DYNAMIC THAT’S OPTIMALLY CONDUCIVE TO CLOSING!
When was the last time you asked your clients for their business? You were certainly not giving them cookies. Consider this, asking for more work on a semi-regular basis is a solid client retention tactic that could lead to bottom line dividends. ASK FOR THE WORK.
Try to avoid what Hollywood calls “typecasting.” Demonstrate that your firm has capabilities beyond the scope of your current assignments, emphasize the value you bring, and then detail how you can help clearly and concisely. Then there will be no need for cookies.
The New Colors of Law Firm Marketing is the world’s first law firm marketing coloring book focusing on marketing and business development. Humorous quotes heard over the years from attorneys and in-house counsel about law firm marketing and business development have been converted into cartoons to illustrate the points. Tactics are then presented to overcome the problem and teach new ways to bring in new clients.
Both entertaining and educational, New Colors provides worksheet pages to hone in on specific business development goals.
“Hysterical and fun way to educate attorneys on marketing and business development.” Allard Winterink, Editor of Legal Business World.
The coloring book is the foundation for law firm marketing seminars and workshops. Contact us to schedule keynotes and seminars for your firm retreats bar associations and practice group association conferences. acolman@closersgroup.com or fmims@closersgroup.com.