Continuing with the Top 10 Reasons to Hire Allan Colman, featured in the June 8th editionof PROLOG,
6. Allan builds client trust by teaching them to drive others in a respectful but goal-achieving manner.
5. He recognizes the key to success is accountability for achieving ROI.
You will never guess what the #1 reason is.!!
From PROLOG, June 8th, :
8. Allan does not settle for his clients to make an impact; he expects them to make an impact now.
7. He is committed, creative, passionate and drives performance.
More from the Top ten tomorrow.
In a recent article on the PRLOG, it listed the top ten reasons to hire Allan.
#10. Allan Builds Future Leaders
#9. He teaches tactics, not theory.
For the remaining top 10, go to www.prlog.org/12463692
PROBLEM: We missed it! [ new filings, new legislation, etc.]
RESPONSE: Don’t dwell on any one matter or even on any whole genus of legal business. Look to the pipeline to deliver a stream of alternative possibilities, some of which may not yet be on your radar screen.
RESULT: you’ll need to start making decisions about which kind of business to go after, and which to let some other law firm go after. That’s a great problem to have..
“OPPORTUNITIES ARE LIKE BUSSES – YOU MISS ONE, ANOTHER WILL COME ALONG.” Sir Richard Branson
PROBLEM: Our practice group has no business development budget.
RESPONSE: Of course it does. You’re already spending money on business development at one or more ends of the spectrum. You simply need to collect that data and find out what you’re already spending. That’s your budget.
RESULT: Getting a hold on your current actual spending will allow you to focus resources where they will clearly do the most good.
FOCUS THE SPEND!
PROBLEM: Our firm has great attorneys but our revenue is flat.
RESPONSE: Organize and attack. Indoctrinate the lawyers in a basic Business Development truism: that clients and prospects don’t care about how great the attorneys are. They assume that to be the case. They care about what those great attorneys can do for them.
RESULT: The effect of such and enhanced client service mentality will — not only unearth new prospects — but develop mew business from existing clients.
PROBLEM: “Our firm has no business development pipeline.”
RESPONSE: Don’t let this cause paralysis. Take a tough, hard look at where clients fell by the wayside, what results are speeches and articles bringing, and are your lawyers really cross marketing, and direct marketing?
RESULT: This type of crisis should spell OPPORTUNITY. Take your assessment and ensure that your attorneys and marketing professionals jump into the Business Development fray with a series of specific 3 month action plans.
GET FACE-TO-FACE!
PROBLEM: I just lost my largest client.
RESPONSE: Manage your speakers, greeters, authors, communicators, trainers, marketers, etc.
RESULT: Properly assigned with concretely defined roles, the firm’s staff will become a kind of conveyor belt, with all their designated tasks funneling toward the actual sales moment. The pipeline thereby remains engineered to support the one final moment – closing new business – that justifies its existence in the first place. BUILD THAT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE!
3 More Business Development Best Practices
Finishing this series on the top “best practices” for new business development:
7. Position your firm to be ahead of economic and industry trends. And make sure the proposals and pitches build this knowledge into every client contact.
8. Guide decisions on underperforming activities. Have the courage to analyze, abandon them, or improve the approach. But do look closely at success/investment.
9. Double your efforts to respond to and overcome inhibitors to new business development. In too many firms, compensation, individual capability and discipline, operational structure and reporting block incentivizing the professionals.
If you have other best practices, please add them at www.closersgroup.com/blog.
Yes, these best practices for new business really do work.
4. regularly review unsuccessful business development efforts in regularly scheduled “post mortem” meetings. At the same time examine and validate the steps that have led to successful new business acquisition.
5. Fortify the business development program with targeting and pursuit efforts by specific practice groups, niche groups, offices and individuals. Take one step at a time and concentrate on those attorney marketing individuals who really want to develop new business.
6. Assure that your talent/skills building sessions are practical and tactical. Theory rarely motivates your marketers.
More next time.