Miami Legal Business Development | Branding | Lawyer Coaching | Paula Black

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 As I wrote about earlier this week I spoke at the Broward County Bar Association and I Google everyone who was in attendance. The biggest issue I always find is that few lawyers have any substance on the first page of google. I will likely find their address and phone number since there are always several directories; maybe I'll find their website and bio. But... few, very few... have content that shows a prospective client HOW they think. The way to do that is what I talk about a lot... articles, blogs and books!

It just so happens that today I received a call from the managing partner of a law firm in Western Canada, who said...

" I read your books, blog, articles and website and I like how you think."

If I could have recorded his comment I would have! It was a perfect illustration of how important substantive content is to business development. This potential client already knows that we think alike. AND it's proof that a small boutique firm, in a place called Coconut Grove, Florida, can reach a global audience and standout with substantive content.

So... who is your audience and what could they learn from YOU? There are plenty of people OUT of your jurisdiction that may have legal issues IN your jurisdiction. Shouldn't they call YOU first? How do you make that happen? You need to put plenty of substantive content on the internet... that's how! Articles, blogs and books.

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I am giving a speech this week to the Broward County Bar Association and the Association of Legal Administrators. The topic? A Book of Business is... Power.

The speech will focus on business development skills and tactics that create a solid foundation for a lawyer's practice. In today's economy EVERY lawyer is faced with the responsibility to bring in new clients and grow the case loads of the ones they have... these are no longer "optional" skills.

The sad reality is that 80% of the attendees will leave the room and do nothing. They'll think about it... maybe... but they will never get into action... action that makes a difference in their practice. However... 20% of them will get into action and they will make a commitment to building a book of business.

So... I ask YOU... You read my blog that is full of business development strategies...  what side of that percentage are YOU on? The 80 or the 20? Do you read... and never get into action? Today is the day to get into action. Be the 20% that is committed to building a book of business... as you have heard... it is POWER!

What are your goals?To grow your firm? To start your own firm? Be a judge? Have the flexibility to start a family? Whatever your goals are, a book of business is power. It gives you options and you can write your own ticket.

Today, I challenge you. You are the best lawyer you can be... why not be the best business developer you can be!

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Today I was talking to my friend and colleague Aviva Cuyler at JD Supra, we are collaborating on several projects. Why? Because I think they are outstanding at what they do. I think my clients can achieve great business development results by using them AND they are a pleasure to work with. If I sound like a Raving Fan... that's because... I am!

Raving Fans  was the 1990's bible on customer service and can be even more important today because with the power of the internet, one can spread the word like wild fire. Imagine how different your practice would be if you had ten more Raving Fans. Just ten. Ten people who's mission was to tell the world about you. Those ten people would tell ten people, and those would tell ten more, and so on and so on.

Is it possible in the legal world? Of course it is! It's about being remarkable at what you do AND during the process your client is DELIGHTED. I should add, that they can be delighted even if the final results you were looking for were not achieved... it's about their experience.

However, that is not how it generally goes. It's more like... do a good job and hope clients tell their friends and colleagues.

So, ask yourself... which one are you? Are you good or remarkable? Are your clients satisfied or delighted?

As a raving fan of JD Supra, I can tell you they are remarkable and I am delighted... so ten of you please tell ten others and so on and so on...

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 As lawyers your stock in trade is the written word... in the eyes of the law. That is your training. However when it comes to marketing and business development it doesn't always come so easily. We have to view the information from the point of view of the audience. When I do it I close my eyes and imagine that I am Jane Smith or John Doe and try to imagine what questions they would have when they read this information. Sometime it's a big... HUH! 

Elevator Speech - Have you ever told an acquaintance what area of the law that you practice and they look at you like you are from another planet? Your elevator speech... in no more that 50 words (which is about 30 seconds) needs to RELATE to the life of the person you are talking to... answer the "what's in it for me" question.

Websites - Are there people that go to your website and STILL don't know what you do and didn't see the articles posted or the button that takes them to your blog? It's usually because we organized it by the information WE WANT them to know... not by the information THEY WANT to know. 

Clear communication is one of the most difficult challenges we humans have... just ask your significant other! Without it life is chaotic and business is impossible to develop.

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Yesterday, I gave a speech on personal branding and as part of what I do for this presentation... I googled everyone in the room. It's eye opening for the people in the audience that seldom do it. How much of that first page is YOU? This is important to know since anyone that wants to check you out will google you... so what will they find? One women in the audience found out she died last year and someone else won a coloring contest... of course that was not them. But your prospective clients can't be sure and besides do you want them to have to sift through all of that? I don't think so.

Take a moment to google yourself. Are you on the 1st page? Is the content substantive? Are you proud of it? Does it add to your credibility? If the answer is NO to any of the questions, you can do something about it. Consider writing a blog and articles on a consistent basis. This is the best way to dominate your name on google. Before I started writing articles and blogging I had 20% of the first page of google. One entry was my website and the other was Amazon where my books are sold. But now? I have 90% of the first page of google and that is out of 9.2 million entries. Yes... 9.2 million. There are a lot of Paula Blacks. And in addition, the shoe industry names their shoe styles with women's names and they often use the name Paula and you guessed it... they ALL come in black! Who can compete with women's shoes? I did! I dominate my name on the 1st page of google. Do YOU?

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 Today someone asked me if my seminar was going to be on marketing or business development and I thought how odd to make the distinction. To me marketing IS business development. Yes, there may be those among you that would say marketing is running an ad or sending a newsletter and business development is giving speeches and good client relations. Well… that may be true however in reality they are one in the same. You tell me, are these marketing or business development? 

1. The art of building client relationships that build trust - do you follow up; are you truly accessible; ultimately are your clients so satisfied that they will refer you business?

2. Defining your niche - You can't be everything to all people; when a practice area is mentioned do your referral sources immediately think of you or are you a "jack-of-all-trades" so they never think of you?

3. Learning never ends - What skills do you want to invest in that will make you more attractive to potential clients and referral sources; such as; being a "certified expert"... that tells them that you are a "cut above" the rest.

4. How to use articles and speeches to build your credibility and visibility - it is not a one time activity it is a focused strategy that builds over time; become known for the knowledge and skills you have; articles and speeches SHOW your knowledge and skills in a way that no ad could ever do.

“A rose by any other name…”

These are business development skills that create a solid foundation for a lawyer's practice. In this new economy every lawyer is faced with the responsibility to bring in new clients and growing the ones they have... these are no longer "optional" skills… no matter what you call it!

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You can plan and work and push as hard as you want, but if you don’t have a personal brand that shines through you’ll never get to the top.

On Tuesday I mentioned Seth Godin’s great post from last week, celebrating the life and lessons of fitness guru Jack LaLanne. But what does it have to do with you? Let’s take a look…

“He bootstrapped himself. A scrawny little kid at 15, he decided to change who he was and how he was perceived, and then he did. The deciding was as important as the doing.”

Jack Lalanne saw a direction and moved forward not with what he WAS but with what he WANTED to be. The same applies to clients. Go after the clients you WANT, not the clients you happen to have.

“He went to the edges. He didn't merely open a small gym… he created the entire idea of a health club, including the juice bar. He did this 70 years ago.”

The message? Think big. Don’t limit yourself to being featured in a local Superlawyers edition. Go after national media. Don’t just write one little article and post it online. Figure out how to turn those ideas into a speech, a seminar, and an e-book.

“ …most of what Jack had to offer he offered for free. He understood the value of attention.”

As I tell my clients all the time. Free isn’t a four letter word. Give clients something for nothing once in a while, it will not only build on your relationship but will give them ammunition to refer out your services.

“He was willing to avoid prime time. Jack never had a variety show on CBS. He was able to change the culture from the fringes of TV.”

You don’t always have to play in the big pond. Find your audience and cater to them, wherever they are. Be an expert in your own world and don’t worry about competing with the big guys.

“He stuck with the brand. He didn't worry about it getting stale or having to reinvent it into something fresh. Jack stood for something, which is rare, and he was smart enough to keep standing for it.”

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Commit to your brand (both firm and personal) and own it. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Black Pearl: One final link on this subject. Here’s an Inc. slideshow about LaLanne that I thought was fun and inspiring. Hope you enjoy it…
 

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As most of you who follow my blog know, I’m a big fan of Seth Godin and regularly find inspiration in his thoughts and ideas. Last week I received a great post from his blog (which, as I suggest you all do, I subscribe to) about the life of a unique and similarly inspirational marketer: Jack LaLanne (more about that post later). After reading his post, I did a quick search on the Internet and found many, many references to lessons we can all learn from the life of this legendary public figure. Here are some I thought I would share.

1. Use it or lose it.
2. Make a personal connection.
3. It’s never too late.
4. Do, don’t stew. 

As for Seth’s 8 lessons? Come back on Thursday and we’ll take a closer look.