Emails do not end in handshakes is a critical observation lawyers need to heed when on a new business development campaign. My article in the March issue of Marketing the Law Firm is aimed at encouraging business people to head across the pond for a good old-fashioned face-to-face meeting. Their message is spot on for attorneys who rely too often on email exchanges as a prime method of growing new business. For the complete article, http://www.ljnonline.com.
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.
We are often called law firm marketing mentors and tormentors since we find the most important element of good business development is accountability. Our Lead Tracker system keeps our clients on their marketing trail with suspects, prospects and clients. It is this message that is a critical part of our new, world’s first law firm marketing coloring book, The New Colors of Law Firm Marketing.
It is a new way to educate attorneys on new business development. The book combines quotes we have hear over the years from attorneys and marketing professionals along with cartoons to illustrate the points. We then add tactics to overcome the obstacles and take advantage of opportunities.
To download a complimentary copy of The New Colors of Law Firm Marketing go to http://allancolman.com/newcolors/.
“Hysterical and fun way to teach lawyers business development.” Allard Winterink, Editor of Legal Business World.
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.
Download a free copy at http://allancolman.com/newcolors/.
SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
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. [email protected] or [email protected].
It’s not your kids coloring book.
In a few days, you can download or purchase
THE NEW COLORS OF LAW FIRM MARKETING –
the world’s very first law firm marketing coloring book.
Are you ready to learn marketing from a whole new perspective?
Has your marketing approach been rejected and client retention faltering?? In fact, a frequent comment we hear from in-house counsel is that lawyers “just show up and offer legal advice. They don’t listen.” In fact, in our 2014 survey of counsel in the U.S. and Canada, “they don’t listen to us” is one of the 2 top reasons for terminating a long term relationship.
The art of listening should permeate sales training (yes “sales” training), be part of every marketing plan and be a strategy to use during every concerted business development opportunity. Listening and responding to a client’s or prospect’s needs are imperative if you want to win or keep a client. An early IBM sales rule was to get your client talking at least 60% of the time.
“Do you know their pain?” should be the first question you ask before preparing for a meeting. Then walk them through the problem, offer examples of how you solved similar issues, and make your answers[your values] their needs.
We have identified Grapes of Wrath complaints about marketers from in-house counsel,” We were outnumbered and out-talked.” Pick which ever grape fits your business development style:
* Sending too many people to a meeting;
* Offering to handle what we already have;
* Not being prepared for the meeting;
* Lack of business etiquette, i.e. taking calls
* At a meeting, talking among yourselves, not the client/prospect.
Remember what Jeff Bezos of Amazon says, “Your brand is what stays in the room after you leave the room!”
This is one badass excuse for not marketing – “It’s been six months since I won that big case for my client. Why hasn’t SHE called ME?”
I heard that quote directly from an attorney. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO WIN ! It never occurred to him to continue the relationship, offer to share the trial tactics with her in-house law department, co-author an article within the client’s industry publication, or invite the teams to a celebratory dinner. Do you get the message here?
“I always miss the new litigation” is one of the most self-sabotaging excuses for not marketing that I have heard from attorneys. It is easy to solve. You and your practice group attorneys need to monitor court decisions, pending legislation, and new litigation theories. Lawyer marketing means keeping your clients and prospects ahead of economic and industry trends. Invite the marketing and library professionals to engage. Assign your law firm practice group members to tracking journals, organizations, and media and report.
As Sir Richard Branson is fond of saying, “Opportunities are like buses. If you miss one, another will be coming along.” [If you keep your eyes open.]
How often have you heard this excuse for not marketing, “If I made 3 calls a day, I’d run out of people to call in 2 weeks?” Too many lawyers spend so much of their time working for one client that they spend almost no time building client succession planning, moving suspects to prospects and prospects to clients.
Firm leaders need to focus on ensuring that closing skills and marketing begin with the first contact and involve following up, building relationships, understanding a prospects business, brainstorming and offering ideas.
View this as a firm underutilized asset and get them going.