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

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Actor Christopher Plummer achieved a dream on Sunday night... an Academy Award, for best supporting actor in Beginners, at the age of 82. When I saw him walk to the stage with the swagger of confidence, pride and sheer joy... I couldn't help but think what an incredibly fortunate man. There are some assumptions I think I can safely make...

He loves what he does... otherwise, he would have given it up years ago.

He gets to share what he loves... his expertise and wisdom with colleagues and fans... otherwise, his work wouldn't be admired and respected.

His work gets him up in the morning and gives him a zest for life that shows in his work... otherwise, he would not have done two movies of note in one year... Beginners and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

How many of you, at any age... can say the same about what you do? If not... Why?

I have several clients in their 50's and 60's... who, like Christopher Plummer, love what they do and are making sure they have a solid referral base and are generating a steady flow of clients so that they are masters of their own destiny. They get to do the work they enjoy, with clients they like and will be able to do it for as long as THEY CHOOSE to do it! That is a gift they give themselves.

So, to everyone, regardless of age... Do what you love! Share your passion with others... it will get you up in the morning with a sense of joy and desire.

Black Pearl: "Watch your thoughts... for they become words. Watch your words... for they become actions. Watch your actions... for they become your character. Watch your character for it becomes your destiny." Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

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Sometimes lawyers can be a bit smug about THEIR way of doing things... do you know what I mean? You know the type...

"I have been practicing law for over 30 years and the only way to get good clients is to be a damn good lawyer."

"It's a new world today and the only way to develop new business is social media... if you are not on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or publishing a blog you will be left out in the cold."

"I have been practicing for years and the only way that I have developed business is through relationships I have with other lawyers and my classmates from college who went into business."

"I think we have gone too far in the electronic world... I think it is impossible to develop new business without a well done brochure that outlines the firms capabilities."

"I think the only way to get new business is to get involved in organizations... and focus on industries where there a fewer lawyers."

In my opinion every one of these statements are true... with the exception of the use of words like... ONLY! Because I believe that business development power lies in the weaving of OLD world and NEW world techniques. Quite frankly... it's all about engaging people and using EVERY means possible to do that. The more options you give yourself the greater the opportunities.

1. Be a damn good lawyer. This is the heartbeat... and I would like to point out that your client service is an important component of being a damn good lawyer. Don't underestimate the power of "word of mouth referrals" because you made a client feel that he or she was in good hands.

2. Have an internet presence. In today's world this is a must. The thing to think about is... to what extent. Potential clients will Google you... what will they find? At the very least they must find your bio and information that enhances your credibility... on your website and on LinkedIn. At the other end of the spectrum would be lots of articles, a blog, books, quotes from the news media and so on. It's up to you... make it easy for people to find you. For those who say "I don't need it"... maybe not. But, you will never know what you miss because you don't have an internet presence. Are you really willing to take that chance?

3. Build relationships. It is the human condition... we prefer doing business with people we know and trust. Relationships can begin in hundreds of places. Where do you hang out? Sporting events? Your kids' school? Bar associations? Family functions? Business circles? Online or in person... wherever it is... get into relationships with people. Be interested and interesting.

4. Create powerful brochures. When you are making a presentation and can hand a potential client your well-executed, powerful brochure that speaks to your potential client... YOU are in control. Will they read it cover to cover? Probably not. The prospect will, at the very least glance at it, absorb a message or two and maybe pass it on. If you say "go to my website"... they may or may not take action... you have no control.  Do you want to risk it? Most often... you only get one opportunity.

5. Get involved in organizations. This is related to building relationships... in addition this can be a way to show your expertise, knowledge and commitment. Just being a member does not count. You MUST get involved. So don't join too many organizations, if your time is limited. If it is a bar association look for referrals by getting involved with lawyers in different practice areas then your own... it will be the most fertile ground.

It is important that lawyers do ALL of these. They work in concert with one another. Remember that there is no substitute for building a good old fashioned relationship... no matter where or how it takes place.

Black Pearl: Here are a few resources to help you out... I'm on LinkedIn - Now What???: by Jason Alba; Relationships Are Everything! Growing your business one relationship at a time: by Mark M. Maraia; Raving Fans: by Ken Blanchard.

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I have a client that asked if I wouldn't mind if we held our meeting on his new yacht, as he had to take care of a few things. WOW... 165 feet of absolute luxury! As he was giving me a tour of the four decks I stopped him to ask... "When you were a kid growing up in the Keys did you ever imagine you would own something like this?" He looked at me, smiled and said... "As a matter of fact... I did. I would tell my dad and brother that I would one day own the biggest yacht on the dock... they would laugh at me!"

How many times have you laughed at big audacious ideas?

I read The Harvard Business Review Magazine article: HBR'S List of  Audacious Ideas for solving the world's problems. What I found most fascinating were the results they featured. Think about how audacious these must have sounded in those times...

1. Eradicate smallpox

2. End war in Western Europe

3. Launch an all-sports TV network

It took audacity to think these ideas could be accomplished... but they were. And quite effectively I might add.

What could your imagination conjure up? What is outrageous, inconceivable? So why can't you do it? OK... I can hear all your evidence. What would happen if you just had blind faith? Yes! BLIND FAITH... that your dream is achievable. Remember when you were young and dared to think of becoming a lawyer? A judge? A senator? A television commentator? A gladiator for the little guy?

I was working with a client who FINALLY coughed it up... "I think I would like to become a judge." She said softly and VERY reluctantly... It turns out that she couldn't even let HERSELF think this big audacious idea. Find your big audacious idea and don't pay attention to the sneers and laughter... especially the ones in your head.

What are your business development dreams? To land that giant client? To engage that famous client? To find that multi-million dollar client? To work on a land-mark case? To write a book? To be a commentator on CNN? 

How many times have you laughed at big audacious ideas? How many of those ideas were yours? Stop laughing and doubting... and start planning and believing!

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How many times have you done something that was not successful? Many times I'm sure... like all of us. The question is... do you stop to take note of the lessons learned? Then to vow... "I'll never do THAT again." Here are some lessons that would be much easier and less costly learned from others! 

Eric Jackson contributed an article to Forbes... The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives. He shares the work of Sydney Finklelstein who wrote "Why Smart Executives Fail."  With examples like John Chambers at Cisco, Carol Bartz at Yahoo and Jerry Katzenberg at Disney... high-flying company that is for sure. Lawyers take note... there are lessons to be learned from habits one, three and seven. See if they don't sound familiar?

"Habit #1: They see themselves and their companies as dominating their environment. Warning sign: A lack of respect." We see it so often in the legal profession, where a firms seems to have a lock on a big corporate client, and they get complacent. They over bill, they have too many lawyers on the matter, they aren't as responsive as the should be... the list goes on and on. No matter how big or small a client is or how much they seem to love you... treat them as though they could walk out the door tomorrow. It will keep you on your toes.

"Habit #3: They think they have all the answers. Warning sign: A leader without followers." This is the kiss of death... lawyers who don't listen. When you really listen... and I do mean listen... not just wait to talk. You can get to the core of what your potential client is looking for and what is keeping him or her up at night. Then and only then will you be able to truly connect with your prospect. Without listening your responses can only be educated guess... unless you happen to be clairvoyant.

"Habit #7: They stubbornly rely on what worked for them in the past. Warning sign: Constantly referring to what worked in the past" Unfortunately this one is much to common in amongst lawyer. Not many have an entrepreneurial spirit. If you are one of them... I applaud you! I have the privilege to work with a high percentage of them. Think about it... out of the box thinkers are the kinds of lawyers that want to be exposed to new ideas and different ways of doing things. Find your entrepreneurial spirit... it will serve you well.

If any of this hits a bit too close to home... it's never too late to change. If you're not sure... look for the warning signs.

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"I'm not procrastinating... I'm really busy! No! Really!"

How many times have you said THAT! I know I have. We create this feverish pitch of activity trying to get everything done... but we know full well that there are things on that list we will NEVER get to... right? Some of those things don't warrant our attention... they shouldn't be on the list to begin with. But there are other things that, if we would do them would have a sizable impact on our lives. And we know it! But still we don't get to it. What is that all about? It's procrastination! We could try and analyze why... look for the underlying meaning... the emotional damage that started it... and so on and so on... but I'm with Nike... let's..."Just do it!"

OK, I know it's not that simple. So, I have some good tips for you from my friend Allison Wolf. She is a columnist at slaw. Canada's leading law blog. She was reading, The Procrastination Equation by Dr. Piers Steel... here are a few of Alison's picks...

1. "Work in focused intense sessions of 30 to 90 minutes without checking your email"... I know this is going to be hard for most of you, but give it a try.

2. "Talk to your client. If you have a client file with dust on it that is keeping you up at night then immediately after reading this article prepare what you want to tell the client about it, pick up the phone and call them." This is a version of "just do it"... need I say more?

3. "Deal with the dog file first." I love this one, the dreaded project... because if you are like me, you are generally surprised at how quickly you got it done and how long you let it nag at you. 

4. "Break complex projects into concrete next steps." This is the classic... How do you eat an elephant? One bit at a time.

5. "What gets scheduled most often gets done." Elevating a task to the level of SCHEDULE is a big deal... so again... "just do it."

Look back on a busy day and ask yourself... Was I truly busy or was I hiding from something? Be honest. Now, pick one of these five action steps and get rid of the nagging feeling and you just may catapult your business development efforts forward with great momentum. Try it!

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24 hours in a day... If I were Queen of the Universe I would change it to... 26 hours in a day! 

Well, maybe for a brief moment I can be Queen of the Universe... and expand the day to 26 hours. I'm sure you're thinking... "This woman has lost her mind!"  No. I just read an article in Fast Company, If You Want It Done Right, Don't Do It Yourself. Yes, I said DON'T do it yourself! Leah Busque points out "Time is our most limited resource, and knowing how to maximize it is imperative."

She talks about the law of comparative advantage, which "means focusing on what you are comparatively good at - and working with others to take care of the rest." Now my friends THAT can effectively increase the day to 26 hours for sure! 

Let's imagine for a second...

1. You are working on a big case that requires research that you don't have the time to do, but you have a colleague that has time, is excellent at it, and on top of it, loves doing it.

2. You love trial work but you are not very good at holding the clients hand... but your colleague is a natural.

3. You love writing articles but hate giving speeches, while your colleague gives speeches effortlessly.

Yes... you are smart and could do it all. But should you? That is the question. The answer is NO! Don't do it! Work with others to take care of the work you don't have the time for or can't do, as well as others can.

So... DO what you are comparatively good at and COLLABORATE with others to do the rest. Notice that I didn't say delegate, which is a different mindset. I'm talking about collaborating with colleagues you trust, admire and respect. That can be an enjoyable process that does not require a great deal of managing, while delegation usually does.

So as Queen of the Universe... I just added the possibility of 2 more hours to your day! Remember... time is our most precious commodity. Ask for help... your colleagues will most likely be flattered.

Black Pearl: What would the music industry be without collaboration? Think about Eric Clapton's collaboration with B.B. King, J.J. Cale, Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker or recently Winston Marsalis... to name a few. Did he focus on what he is comparatively good at and enlist others to collaborate on the rest... you bet! And the result is pure heaven! Who could be your mentor like B.B. King? Who could be you equal like Steve Winwood? Who could you influence like Winston Marsalis? Imagine how rewarding it could be!

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Beyond your wildest dreams... First... you have to dare to dream!

Sometimes there is a fine line between pain and pleasure... dreams and nightmares. We have all had that experience of not being sure. I have worked with many clients that I have coaxed out on to thin ice to find that they were quite safe being there... and now very comfortable staying there.  

What are your dreams? I have asked many a lawyer that question and I get answers like... "be a great lawyer." To me, that isn't a dream... that is reality... generally they are already a great lawyer. Could they be better? Of course.

What do you want in your life that is beyond your wildest dreams? Is it that BIG giant case? Is it to grow your practice to an unthinkable level? Is it to turn your sights on politics? Is it to leverage your legal knowledge into a business venture? Is it to use your compassion and knowledge of the law as a Judge? Is it to become the next John Grisham? All of this is possible if you dare to dream.

Sometimes when I'm working with a client I can see that there is something unspoken... lawyers resist.  You are great at presenting all the evidence as to why your dream isn't a good idea. I beg you... let go!

Seth Godin has a great take on this...

"In search of a timid trapeze artist. Good luck with that, there aren't any. 

If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long.

And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and how painful it is to try to maintain the status quo while also participating in a revolution.

Gather up as much speed as you can, find a path and let go. You can't get to the next rope if you're still holding on to this one."

Hesitation is the kiss of death. I'm sure all of you know a lawyer who has lost his or her passion. Don't let that be you. Go for it!  Explore the possibilities beyond your wildest dreams!

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What could you imagine to be the biggest and most powerful business card you can carry? I bet you thought of those giant checks that non-profits produce as a photo op with their donors... come on tell the truth! You know those checks that take 4 people to hold? Now you have the picture? Well... that's not it! 

The biggest and most powerful business card is a book... yes a book! I have been advising clients for 20 years... "Write a book, it gives you instant credibility." That statement has never been truer. With e-books and on-demand printing it makes it easier than ever to produce a book. In addition distribution is no longer a challenge, and the channels are global. If someone had told me years ago that I would sell books in Africa, Spain, Canada, Argentina or Australia... I would have thought they were smoking something. But, today it is true. The world is small when it comes to content distribution and books are no exception.

Here are six reasons lawyers should consider writing a book...

1. You will become known as an expert in your practice area... without using the word expert as some State Bars prohibit.

2. You will build credibility... without bragging. It is a way to let potential clients understand how you think.

3. It is a competitive advantage... when "you have written the book on it"... chances are the competition can't say the same.

4. It will increase your visibility... when you are distributed on Amazon, you have a global reach. And everything you do to promote the book will increase your visibility.

5. It will get you invitations to speak and be interviewed... when you speak on your practice area you are perceived as an authority.

6. Last but not least, it will make your Momma proud... just ask mine. I took her to Washington DC with me when I received the 2006 Business Breakthrough Book of the Year. It was fun and yes, she was proud.

Okay... it goes without saying that you need to write a good book that your target audience wants to read and filled with valuable information they can understand. There are a few formats that can help you create a book in no time.

1. The Question and Answer Format - What questions do clients ask you? Make a list and it will become the outline for your book.

2. The Most Common Mistakes Format - I'm sure you already have a long list of things you tell your clients...  "NEVER DO". 

3. The Collection of Stories Format - I know that some of you don't talk about your cases or transactions... you don't think others would be interested.... but I want to tell you, as I have said many times, story telling helps people remember what you do and how you do it. 

4. A Collection of Your Blog Posts or Articles Format - This one is really easy... just re-purpose your content.

This, my friends is THE biggest and most powerful business card I have... and I have THREE (working on my fourth.) Believe me if they were not powerful business development tools... do you think I would be working on my fourth? To be successful you have to invest in business development and I will tell you books are a long term investment that will pay off... if done right.