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

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Last week I met with a couple of attorneys from a small firm. We were talking about their marketing and business development efforts. And the elephant in the room was that their senior partners were not altogether supportive or comfortable with what they were doing or thinking of doing. So what should someone do in this situation?

First... you must get it very clear that a book of business is vital to YOUR practice and it is something you must develop just as you must develop into an awesome lawyer. But having said that, you are employed by a firm and you have an obligation to not only work for them but with them. Here are some ideas to gain support from your managing partner for your marketing and business development initiatives...

1. Write a marketing and business development plan... this will demonstrate that you have given it considerable thought. Each initiative should have goals and a way to measure results. How many meetings you expect to have, how many leads you expect to generate, what committee you will serve on, etc.etc.etc.

2. Remember that results should include increased credibility and visibility... it's the foundation. It can't be about landing a big client initially. 

3. Make sure your goals are somewhat aligned with the goals of the firm. Don't try and start a new practice area if that is not the goal of the firm. 

4. Don't ask for money... until you can show progress. If necessary use your own money to start with... your managing partner will be more inclined to support your efforts if you have already invested in yourself. Plenty of initiatives don't cost a dime - the investment is time.

5. And lastly... don't neglect your billable hour requirement. There is nothing that a managing partner dislikes more than someone who is not doing the job they were hired to do.

Address the elephant in the room. Don't just give up because you think the managing partner won't support you. Demonstrate your commitment and ability to understand his/her point of view. They have an obligation to the firm to keep the work flowing... so, I bet he/she will appreciate the initiative that you demonstrate. And remember you must be willing to compromise. Good luck!

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Change... yes, CHANGE. Don't they say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

The past few years have been difficult in the legal profession... what am I saying... in just about every profession! So how many of you looked at your business and made a conscious decision to CHANGE IT? No I don't mean you went with the flow or adapted as a resignation. I mean looked at things... lack of new cases, apathy of staff, slow paying clients, increased expenses, etc,etc,etc. It was easy to say... "Things will get better, I just have to survive until then."

Did you look at your client service and think about what they may want, like flat fee billing or more convenient locations? Did you look at how efficiently you could produce the work?

You may think... what is she talking about? Isn't this operations, not marketing and business development? Well my friend, the bottom-line? It is ALL marketing and business development.

1. If your fee structure is what a client wants... you get more work... that is business development.

2. If you are efficient and do the work faster and cheaper than someone else.... you get more work... that is business development.

3. If your staff is engaged and clients enjoy interacting with them... your clients send you more work... that is business development.

Here is a brilliant example of this.  A client of mine delancyhill was in The Miami Herald - Business Monday section yesterday because Marlon Hill and his partner Michelle Delancy have grabbed change with both hands.

They have positioned their firm as a cutting edge firm poised for the recovery. To do this they first questioned: How can they make the firm more accessible to their clients? How can they be more efficient and deliver a more cost effective solution to their clients? And how can our lawyers and staff find more satisfaction from there jobs AND life? So what they came up with is to rethink their approach to a traditional office... why couldn't it be a series of satellite offices that take technology to its max? Why can't we have more flexibility, (Michelle is a mother of 6... yes you got it right - 6)? The answer was YES... of course. So they gave up their traditional law office in a prestigious downtown building for 3 very nice satellite offices, central, north and south... giving their clients a choice of where they want to meet (remember: give the client what they want). Each attorney works from their home offices that are in fact very mobile... laptops and personal WiFi, (flexibility, flexibility, flexibility). Where are the files you may ask... they are in the "cloud". They are going paperless with their files on a cloud server that anyone in the firm can access at anytime.

Does this sound like CHANGE to you? I certainly hope so. I can also tell you that ultimately each and every change is a business development initiative. As a reader of my blog you know that I talk a lot about creating your points of differentiation. There is no doubt that they have created a remarkable point of differentiation.

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A couple of weeks ago I was on a panel at the University of Miami Law School, and a student emailed me asking if she could have an hour of my time to talk about my thoughts on getting a JD and MBA. We met Sunday morning for a cup of coffee. First of all, kudos to her for having the courage and self-confidence to find people in the community to meet with and seek advice. The things we discussed over coffee could apply to even a seasoned attorney.

We are never too young OR too old... to seek the advice of people more experienced in an area than we are. Most often people are happy to spend time and share their experience. I will connect this young woman with a client of mine who has an MBA and JD, as well as a former mentee, who is a brand manager in a global corporation.

Set yourself apart from the masses... that is what an MBA could do for her. Knowing the law is the foundation, but knowing how to run a business - now that is a point of differentiation. Maybe it's not feasible for you to go back and get an MBA but there are certainly plenty of courses to introduce you to the principles of business.

Find your passion and narrow your focus... this young woman loves the arts and has studied drama so she was thinking of focusing on Intellectual Property Law. Brilliant! Find something you are passionate about and leverage that passion.

I talk to too many attorneys that hate what they are doing. It's never too late to change a few things... imagine you are starting all over, like this young law student. Leverage your law degree... find your passion, focus on the things that will set you apart and seek the advice of people who have been there before you.

Black Pearl: Seth Godin talks about following your heart, stepping up to the plate and doing it YOUR way. Don't wait to be called upon... you'll love this!

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Last week I was in Tallahassee at the 2011 Women's Leadership Summit presented by Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL). What a thought provoking conference. The president, Gigi Rollini and her team did a great job. I was a discussion leader on Self-Marketing & Networking and I had the opportunity to attend other discussions. What I thought was very interesting were the topics of work life balance and creating a workplace that works. All the tips pointed to getting your life under control and saving time.

There were many great tips and here are just a few...

1. Make LIFE goals... take the time to consider what you really want out of life. As they say "this is not a dress rehearsal." Focus on your life goals and you will be able to make better daily choices.

2. Choose what you sign up to do, carefully... is it aligned with your goals. If not, don't do it.

3. Meal planning... takes the stress out of evenings. And we make healthier choices when we plan.

4. Hire help... from kid shuttles to weekend chores. If your nights and weekends are spent enjoying your family and friends instead of doing chores, how rich could your life be?

5. Hire quality people on your team... that way everyone is focused on getting the job done right the first time.

Thank you to... Judge Nina Ashenafi-Richardson, Judge June McKinney, Kimberly Driggers, Kelly Overstreet Johnson, Melanie Hines, and Catherine Lannon.

The BIG take away is this: do what you have to do to get your life under control... the little things are just as important as the big ones. 

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 Yesterday, I gave one of my seminars at the Dade County Bar Association... Grow Your Practice - Common Sense Strategies. It is one of the most enjoyable things I do. Why? I enjoy it because I spend nearly 5 hours with 10 lawyers who are eager to learn about ways to grow their practice. And those 10 lawyers get to know each other... you see, we only allow one lawyer per practice area and they become a "referral source" for one another. I encourage them to form a mastermind group that meets every other month and someone in the group usually takes the lead to organize it. I have one group that has been meeting for over a year and the benefits are numerous...

1. They get to know each other's practices so that the referrals they make are appropriate.

2. They celebrate each other's success and provide encouragement to keep marketing.

3. They brainstorm when someone encounters a challenge.

4. They invite each other to events, so they don't have to do it alone.

5. They become FRIENDS as well as colleagues.

You could form your own group. Invite lawyers from different practice areas and set an agenda for the meetings and share... the good, the bad and the ugly! Everyone will benefit.

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Expectations and results . How do you define them when you are embarking on a marketing and business development initiative? It's not easy because the tendency is to define results as cases in the door. That is like judging success only by a million dollar check. And we both know that is unrealistic. 

I work with several clients on creating blogs and here is what I tell them to think about as their initial expectations and results...

1. Find a niche and write compelling posts... people will find you.

2. Be conversational and informative... people will want to return time and time again.

3. Post frequently on "Hot Topics"... Google will find you.

4. Be consistent and reliable... the press will recognize you.

5. Be patient... you build it and they will come.

CASE IN POINT

My client Miami attorney Rosa Schecter of Eckstsein Schecter Law saw her blog results hitting number one in a Google search (above big names such as ABC News and Bloomberg) on a recent hot topic after only one month of being live. Her blog, Florida Commercial News, which covers "Land, Development, Building and Business," in Florida, has also been picked up by Google under a general "commercial real estate Florida" search and turned up on page one (again beating big names) under the hot topic of home owners suing to get their foreclosed homes back. And last week Rosa got an email from a reporter at the Wall Street Journal requesting comment.

I call those RESULTS! Wouldn't YOU? Have they turned into a case? No... not yet. But everything is falling into place so cases can't be far behind.

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This week I participated in a networking event at the University of Miami School of Law. They called it "Know-How to Network" and invited eight lawyers, a Judge and me to mingle with an intimate group of 20 students at a cocktail party designed to give the students an opportunity to experience a networking event first hand. After the cocktail hour we debriefed... giving the students feedback, insights and advice. There were lessons that even seasoned lawyers could benefit from:

1. Think in advance... have ideas for conversation ready to go. They could range from current events to hobbies not just about law.

2. Focus on only meeting 2-3 new people. You are not there to collect business cards. You are there to set the stage to build new relationships. Listen and be engaging!

3. Dress appropriately. Be memorable for the right reasons... not for spiked hair, a beard, cleavage, or too much make-up. This is a business development event... look like you mean business.

4. Keep eating AND drinking to a minimum. You don't want to have a mouth full of food at the very moment the person you want to meet is walking in your direction. Booze... it goes without saying... keep your wits about you. This IS business.

5. Remember ... this is an opportunity to reinforce your personal brand. What do you want to be known for? A confident person who looks people in the eye,  a handshake that says "I am glad to met you", a person who genuinely listens and a conversationalist that is interesting.

Keeping these 5 simple strategies in mind the next time you are invited to a networking event will make your job much easier and maybe even FUN. Now, wouldn't that be nice.

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Relationship marketing is great client service to the degree that they give you more and more work... or a referral source is so pleased that they sent YOU the referral, they send more and more. Sounds simple doesn't it? It is simple IF you are conscious of what and why you are nurturing the relationships. Here are 5 things to stay focused on...

1. Remember you are always marketing. Yes, that's right, we sometimes get caught up in the moment of an issue and say or do things that we wouldn't if we were trying to land a new matter. Well guess what? You are trying to land a new matter, so act accordingly.

2. Everyone says they are responsive, but are they really? You be! Make a 4-hour-rule and stick to it. Every client and referral source gets a response within 4 hours. Over time your clients and referral sources will know you mean it.

3. How can you be of further assistance. Another practice area, a bit of information, a kind gesture... be of assistance EVEN if it is non-billable. It will pay-off in the long run.

4. Listen... I mean REALLY listen. People rarely feel listened to. Give your clients and referral sources the gift of listening genuinely.

5. Remember, it take 7 times more money and time to get a new client or referral source than to satisfy the ones you already have.

Stay focused. Existing clients and referral sources are low-hanging fruit waiting for you to pick... and you get more bang for your buck. So I ask you... how much of your marketing and business development time are you going to devote to relationship marketing?

Black Pearl: Here is blog post on the things relationship marketing is NOT -  Copyblogger. I think you will find it informative and amusing.

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 " Don't Ever Be Late. Ever."

FINALLY it is the subject of conversation! Thank you Tom Kane for your post yesterday. He writes...

"Okay, sometimes you can’t help it. Unfortunately, with some people it is just a bad habit. From a lawyer marketing standpoint – in the case of this bad behavior – it is dumb marketing. Oh yeah, did I also say it is rude.

Whether you are perennially late to a client meeting, or court, or a deposition, a negotiation, or a bar luncheon, etc., you are sending the wrong message, which likely includes:

• My time is more valuable than yours;

• You’re not important enough for me to be on time – you are not the President or the Pope for goodness sake;

• Didn’t mean to be late, but I’m not organized today (as in make sure to hire me, so I can prove how disorganized I can be on your next legal matter); and

• Even though I’m suppose to be a professional, I’m not able to “get it together and act like one.”

"Those points were raised by Otto Sorts (who apparently is an anonymous friend of Merrilyn Tarlton)  in posts on both Attorney at Work and HeyYouKidsGetOffMyLaw. He reminds us that bad habits can be overcome. Accordingly, if you are interested in gaining new clients and matters, you just may want to impress your clients, referral sources and prospects by showing them respect by being on time."

THIS is personal branding my friend! If this is you and you were a product, you need to be "re-called". Many lawyers think that their EXCELLENT work is all that matters... absolutely not! I wrote in an earlier post...

Take a moment to reflect...

Are you a listener or do you talk too much?

Are you energetic or passive?

Are you punctual or are you habitually late?

Are you open-minded or are you argumentative?

Are you focused or scattered?

Are you in control or are you always behind?

Are you kind or are you dismissive?

Are you decisive or are you wishy-washy?

Are you a approachable or are you a sour-puss?

Are you a resource of information or do you horde information?

These are traits that are visible to the world and reflect who you are… your brand personality. Identify the traits that best describe you… be honest. I would suspect that you are not particularly proud of some of them… right? (We all have them.)

So now let’s answer the questions… What do you want to be known for? What do you want to do about the things you’re not so proud of? Can you adapt a new way of being? Do you WANT to?

If you have the desire and the commitment… 2011 can be the year you move to a whole new level of how you project your personal brand and how the world responds to you. Be the person you want to be… your personal brand is the most powerful tool you have. It can enhance your legal skills or undermine them. It’s your choice. Create a personal brand that you are proud to step into each and every day. And when you get off track… pull yourself together and get back on track.

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 Yes... I am a Raving Fan of the movies. So Oscar night is "not-to-miss" television for me. There are two reasons I am a fan. The first I discovered 26 years ago when I started my business. I was in such overwhelm all the time and could not disconnect and think of anything else... it was as though I could not turn my brain off. UNTIL, I was in a dark theater. I could be taken away by the big screen and totally escape into the story. It gave me a welcomed diversion.

The second is the story; the insight and inspiration. The King's Speech was no exception. How many of us can relate. Short comings that get in the way of our success.  That seemingly insurmountable task that immobilizes us. It happens to all of us at some time or another. What we do about it is the difference between moving forward to success OR being one of the masses that stay stuck. Here are a few insights and inspirations I got from The King's Speech...

•  Don't be afraid to show your vulnerability. Most people want to see you succeed. We often think the world is waiting to criticize us -  but on the contrary, most people love to root for the underdog, the one that is putting forth effort. Effort that comes from the heart. 

• When called upon... take it on! Grab the responsibility with both hands and show that YOU are the person they can rely on. Make the speech, write the article, give the presentation... step up!

• Seek help. Find an expert that will help you deal with your short comings. A speech coach, a marketing and business development coach, find your guru to show you the way.

So next time you are in need of a break from your own mind, enter a dark theater and escape into a world that just may inspire you. It doesn't always have to be uplifting, it just has to make you think!

Black Pearl: Colin Firth delivered the best speech of the evening. Enjoy!