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

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Do you really want to head into 2012 doing business as usual? REALLY? I think NOT!

I'm on the faculty of The Managing Partner Forum, presented by John Remsen, and earlier this month the Fall Leadership Conference was held in Chicago. There were some great morsels to ponder and spark conversation.

Brian Burke, former Managing Partner at Baker Daniels suggested that as Managing Partners you need to think more like a CEO and less like a lawyer. Hmmm...

"Lawyers are trained to help clients and be right ALL the time... in business you have to learn to be sort-of-right. Business initiatives are more about progress.

Lawyers are trained to look at precedence. Who else has done this? In business sometimes it's more about leading and blazing new trails."

I think every lawyer... Managing Partner or not... could benefit from this thinking and approach the law as a lawyer and the business of law as a CEO. This could make a huge difference in your business development progress in 2012... don't you think?

Black Pearl: If you haven't read it... Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... And Others Don't, by Jim Collins. You will be inspired.

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Happy Thanksgiving! I always post on Thursdays and I almost took the day off today, but decided that it would be a missed opportunity. This is an opportunity to reflect back on an incredible year that I have experienced and to take a moment to breathe in the gratitude. 

Success can be measured in a multitude of ways... little steps and giant steps. They are both signs of progress and we need to acknowledge them. Often times we only see success as the finish line... and that is not always the end-all. Here are a few things to think about that my clients, friends, colleagues and yes, I experienced and can take a moment to feel gratitude for.

Thank You for the COURAGE

I have several clients and friends that had the courage to go out on their own to do what they know how to do... their way! 

Two clients stepped out onto thin ice and with courage became more knowledgeable in an area that they had a passion for. Today they are both recognized experts in their specialty, way beyond their expectations because they had courage.

Thank You for the FAITH

More than I can count... clients and friends have rediscovered their strengths, talents and uniqueness they have to offer others. We can be thankful for the added confidence that faith brings.

And still others were encouraged simply because a friend or colleague had FAITH in their ability.

Thank You for the ADMIRATION

How many times have we thought about how admirable someone was... this year I heard it from many. Partners that spoke so highly of one another that it was no wonder that they had been partners for years.

And others who looked to meet with people in their communities to say " admire how you do what you do and could use your "... how flattering.

Thank You for the PASSION

When you find passion it is truly a gift. Passion for your work is the fuel that can drive you and the power that can sustain you. I was the fortunate one to watch people around me find their passion. What a gift that was!

Thank You for your FRIENDSHIP

The other day I had a conversation about the nature of friendship... we concluded that it is unconditional. Wouldn't you agree? To all those I call my friend... THANK YOU!

I don't know who said this but it is so appropriate... "Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." 

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Are there areas in which you could use a little boost in expertise? Now is the time to take inventory and an honest look at your skills. If there is knowledge that could make you more competitive OR skills that could make you more effective... then get the training. Here are a few ideas...

1. Additional accreditation

2. Additional legal knowledge

3. Business operation skills

4. Business development skills

5. Media training

6. Public speaking skills 

There is nothing like proficiency to boost confidence. Knowledge and practice will get you there.

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Where are you going to place your focus in 2012? What could you accomplish if you focused... focused... focused! Here are 5 initiatives... imagine how they could impact your practice. 

1. Meet with a Raving Fan, one per month... these are people who know you, trust you and want to see you succeed. Ask them to help you by making introductions, etc.

2. This year pick 12 relationships to concentrate on... how will you stay top of mind? The relationship could be with individuals or an organization... the goal is to be consistently visible.

3. Create marketing and business development partnerships... a team approach will multiply your efforts. Find individuals or firms that have complimentary practices and similar target markets. 

4. Become more well known within a referral source's firm... spread the word. Get your referral source to introduce you to their colleagues within their firm.

5. TARGET your focus... an industry... a region... a company... a Bar Association... and so on.

It's a matter of FOCUS and COMMITMENT. I guarantee that if you put these 5 initiatives into your daily routine and DO SOMETHING EVERY SINGLE DAY... you WILL see results. (I have a client that has been meeting with Raving Fans and it never fails... he gets a case every time! What could YOU accomplish?)

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In today's competitive legal environment I think many lawyers are looking at a client and the legal matter they bring to the firm in the here and now. "How many hours can I bill on this matter and I'll think about tomorrow... tomorrow." That is a very short-sided position to take. Conventional wisdom in marketing says that it takes 7-9 times more money to acquire a new client than to hold on to what you already have. So I ask you my friend... What are you going to do in 2012 to make sure you hold on to the clients you have?

YES... it goes without saying you must do good legal work. Now, having said that... what are you doing to nurture the RELATIONSHIP and ensure that work continues to flow from this client? The thing I want you to think about is your client's EXPERIENCE! What is it like doing business with you and your staff?

Your interaction by phone? Is the person that answers the phone pleasant and eager to help in anyway possible OR are they annoyed by the interruption and can't be bothered to help? When you are on the phone do you listen... no, I mean REALLY LISTEN? 

Your correspondence by email? Do you take the time to have a little personal conversation before you get down to business OR is it strictly business? 

How do you build loyalty? Do you help your client with issues that you don't charge for OR are you always on the clock?

How well do you understand their business? Do you genuinely understand OR only enough to deal with the legal matter? Are you INVESTING the time OR do you expect to bill for the time it takes to really gain an understanding of their business?

Do you manage their expectations? Do you under promise and over deliver OR is it the other way around?

These simple things could make the difference between a "one matter" client and a client with a continual flow of work... because the experience is as pleasant as possible and you are considered a TRUSTED ADVISOR. Shouldn't the life of a client be YOURS? It can... if you are the provider of VALUE and an outstanding legal experience.

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Your personal brand... as Kevin O'Keefe, suggests... Will save you as a lawyer. Most lawyers can't conceive of themselves as a brand. But, let me tell you... YOU already have a personal brand! And I guarantee... 99.9% never give it a thought. What does your personal brand represent to the world? Is it substantive?

Why should you want to intentionally build a personal brand? It differentiates you... you can stand out from the crowd. It helps you be remarkable, YES...  worth making a remark about.

If your personal brand is outstanding... you just might hear... "You had me at hello!" In order to accomplish that you MUST have a strong online presence. It is no longer acceptable to simply have a good local reputation since when you are recommended to others they WILL Google you. So what will they find? Are you proud of the content that shows up on the 1st page of Google? If not download my FREE E-Book... Be a Celebrity in Your Own World. It's a 4-part strategy:

1. Write articles... post them on article directories and start with JDSupra.

2. Give speeches... repurpose your articles for speeches. 

3. Participate in social media... write a blog. There is no better way to solidify your personal brand than a blog. 

4. Write a book... it can build your credibility in the strongest way.

NOW...  here's the Harvard Business Review and Dorie Clark's, How to Become a Thought Leader in Six Steps. In a nutshell...

"1. Create a robust online presence. Blogs are particularly good because they showcase your knowledge - and search engines prize the frequent stream of fresh content.

2. Flaunt high-quality affiliations... If you've got well-known connections, flaunt them and leverage them.  

3. Give public speeches. Given the terror that public speaking instills in most people, your street cred will automatically skyrocket when you take the stage.

4. Appear on TV. Make it a point to build relationships with TV producers - you can often follow them on Twitter and strike up a conversation.

5. Win some awards. Identify the awards that matter in your industry, monitor the deadlines, and make it happen.

6. Publish a book... There is no more definitive proof of thought leadership than authoring a good book on a chosen subject."

A powerful personal brand will establish credibility, differentiate you from your competition, and ultimately make it easier to attract new business. The steps we've covered here will get you started in the right direction... so get going!

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In this business of LAW there is no stronger business development tool than BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. Few would argue with that!

I had the privilege to be a speaker at the Spain-Florida Law Firms Forum. It was a two-day conference organized by the Embassy of Spain - Trade Commission. They invited 15 firms from all over Spain to meet and collaborate with 30 firms from South Florida. The opportunities are endless...

Spanish clients could invest in the affordable Florida Real Estate markets.

Miami could be the entry point to Latin America and the Caribbean for the Spanish firms and their clients.

Florida firms could assist Spanish firms and their clients entering the US market.

Just to name a few. Yes, that was the intent of the Forum... to find ways to build business between Spain and South Florida. After all that is the job of a Trade Commission... right?

Well, there was another benefit that wasn't as obvious... the bond that was forged with the group of 15 Spanish firms. I witnessed it build over the two days I was with them, (lunch and dinner... not to mention South Beach until 1:00 in the morning!) They were from all across Spain... north, south, east and west. They represented the entire country. They each gave a 3-minute speech about their firm intended for the Florida firms but, in doing so they became knowledgeable about each others practice and started to think about ways they could help one another in Spain. They became supportive of one another because they had a common interest... develop business! 

Sometimes there are opportunities we overlook that are right in our backyard or under our nose. The most fruitful among them will be the ones where you have a common focus... business development. You don't need to wait to be invited to an event organized by a Trade Commission... create your own group. Find firms of similar size with different but compatible practice areas to forge a business development partnership. Learn what kinds of cases are ideal for their practice... and they learn yours. You have now multiplied your business development possibilities.

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Have you ever had a client that was upset, but you had a hunch, that there was more to the issue than met the eye? It was like a little voice in your head that said "this doesn't make sense", but you were busy and just did what they asked. I'd like to share this story with you.

I sell my books on Amazon and received an email through the proper channels, from an attorney who had purchased one of my books. In the email she complained that she just received my book and was upset that a good portion of the pages only had a handful of words on them and she wanted to return the book.

Well... if you have ever seen any of my books you would know that indeed there are pages with BIG powerful messages of few words. She is absolutely right... no argument there. However, I suspect that... her frustration is something other than... few words on the page. I figured that she is searching for the silver bullet to her business development frustrations and she wants it NOW!

So, I wrote her a handwritten note telling her that I'm sorry the book wasn't what she was looking for and that we would be happy to refund her money... in addition I would like to offer her a one-hour complimentary coaching session to explore what might be of help to her business development efforts.

I received the nicest email in return... She was blown away that her email was actually read by the author of the book she purchased and said thank you for such a generous offer. We set a date for the coaching session.

What a session it was! Yes... as suspected there was much underlying the frustration that was coming through the Amazon email. She talked about a few situations in her firm which I knew, since I had been on their website and was familiar with the people and the practice areas. Not even 25 minutes into the call... she said, "I need to work with you and you obviously do your homework!" We talked some more and as the hour came to an end she had become a client with our next appointment five days later. I was right... there WAS urgency in that first email.

I could have done exactly what she asked... return the book. And rationalized that SHE just didn't GET IT! But, instead I found it a challenge... could I get at the REAL frustration? My reward... I have a new client and I have to say... we're going to have fun figuring out how to grow her practice!

So... next time you have an upset client or colleague, I challenge you to look beyond the words, get at the core of the frustration... and see if you can't turn it around. You just may end up with more work and a deeper connection to that person. And after all... isn't that what business development is all about?