A book of business gives you power, clout and… a seat at the table. If you want to be a partner in any law firm, big or small, you must have a book of business. It’s as simple as that! I recently read an article from Altman Weil by James Cotterman… Who Should Be Partner … Continue Reading
I don’t know a lawyer that isn’t trying to squeeze more out of every single day… maximum productivity. We would all like to find a silver bullet… the answer to the demanding obligations we have in our lives. Jeff Haden contributor to Inc. Magazine wrote… 14 Simple Ways to Get Considerably More Done. It’s an … Continue Reading
Have you ever left a meeting with a smile and thought…”I really like that person?” Chances are the person was witty or even downright funny. Or have you been in an extremely tense meeting and someone cracked a joke and all of a sudden the tension was broken? Humor can be a valuable tool when … Continue Reading
If you are a frequent reader of my blog you know that I have a motto for business development… Do Something Every Single Day! Creating a business development habit is key to building a book of business. But along with that we must look at the habits that we have acquired along the way that … Continue Reading
Few would argue that the core of legal business development is… relationships. How you build them, nurture them and value them is the difference between lawyers who are serious about building a successful practice and others who just give it lip service. Inc. Magazine contributor Minda Zetlin looks inside the success of Mobile Deluxe, a … Continue Reading
GCs are using social media to hire law firms. Could it be? The answer is YES according to John Cory, the founder of GreenTarget. The big takeaway is… blogs are a credible source of information, and Linkedin is a place to connect and create relationships. If you are focused on General Counsel, take the time … Continue Reading
Are you a team player or do you prefer to fly solo? If you are building a practice you need to think twice about that answer. Even if you are a solo practitioner you need to have a “team players” mentality. On the site Business Insiders, contributor Vivian Glang writes, The way you interact and … Continue Reading
When you read the headline… 6 Habits of Remarkably Likable People, did you think… “Oh, that’s me!” or did you think… “I wish that were me?” If you thought the latter, read on. Inc. Magazines contributor Jeff Haden explains something about remarkably likable people… “They’re charming. They’re genuine. And they can make an entire room … Continue Reading
Building strong relationships requires that we open up. Show our vulnerability, our imperfections and truly connect with people, because as we know people hire lawyers they know and trust. Fast Company’s contributor Drake Baer in his article… Empathy Equals Scary Vulnerability -And It’s Totally Necessary For Success, wrote… Sociologist/badass Brené Brown defines vulnerability as uncertainty, … Continue Reading
NO! It’s generally a devastating word to hear. Well, maybe that’s bit dramatic. But, when you have made a proposal and it is not accepted the question is “what can you learn from this?” I was working with a client today who had just received a NO on a big RFP… request for proposal. She … Continue Reading
Building a network of referral sources isn’t easy. In fact it’s harder than passing the bar. Why would I say that? Because I see it every day… lawyers, bright and knowledgeable in their practice areas, that have few relationships that send them work. So the logical conclusion… it must be harder than passing the bar! Wouldn’t … Continue Reading
On Saturday I attended one of those Galas that every Bar Association puts on. They are an opportunity to get dressed up, dance a little, socialize and yes… network. Your firm buys a table and you fill it with your colleagues and their wives… and you mingle. OR do you? Saturday night 40% of the … Continue Reading
Are you open, generous and connected? That is a loaded question for a lawyer. I bet most of you are thinking… “That depends.” When it comes to business development the answer should be… absolutely! That is because you never know where your next client could come from, a referral from an existing client, a friend … Continue Reading
Men are From Mars; Women are From Venus. When that book came out in 1992 it was quite revolutionary… Men and women think differently. In wasn’t news to any couple on the planet, but now we had the evidence… and new ways to manage those differences. Networking is an area that those differences can mean … Continue Reading
“It was urgent! Didn’t you get the email?” We have all gotten this kind of email. When we do we panic… which one of these 243 emails I have received in the past 24 hours is it? We sort and find it. It wasn’t marked urgent, but then again even if it had been marked … Continue Reading
I worked with a client the other day to figure out what strategy she should put into place to maximize the 60 business cards she picked up during a 2-day conference that was truly filled with people who are her target market. First and foremost it’s about building relationships, so where do we begin? The … Continue Reading
The universe is talking to me. In my email this morning there were three messages all addressing the same concept… how are you talking to your clients. No, the headlines didn’t all come right out and say it, although one did. Cordel Parvin’s What Should You Never Say To A Client? Seth Godin’s, The Only Purpose Of Customer … Continue Reading
I work a lot with lawyers who are building a team or wanting to be part of a team. So when I read Seth Godin’s blog post I thought… “But of course!” He writes… The easiest way to get people to do what you want them to do… is to start with people who want what … Continue Reading
Be more interested then interesting and you will be surprised at the doors that open. Scott Dinsmore, contributor to Forbes Magazine, wrote…The Seven Pillars of Connecting With Absolutely Anyone. It is the result of studying what exactly set people apart. His finding are simple and just about any lawyer can do them… come to think of … Continue Reading
This week I had the good fortune to visit with my friend Kevin McKeown, the President of Lexblog in Seattle. We had a 3 hour breakfast… it was one of those meetings you don’t want to end! We exchanged more ideas in 3 hours then most people share in a year. What fun! One of the … Continue Reading
The other day I received a phone call from a colleague I hadn’t talked to in a few years. We had a nice time getting caught up and at the end of the conversation he said… “Paula, thank you for picking up the phone.” I asked… What do you mean? He said, “NOBODY picks up … Continue Reading
What does it take for someone to hear you? When you are developing business it takes a lot. How can a potential referral source send you business if he can’t remember your practice area? Most lawyers think you just have to tell someone the practice area you are in once and they will remember it… not … Continue Reading
Lawyers who reject the necessity of networking to one’s career and book of business may forever be dependent on others to feed them. There are many lawyers who bury themselves in work and sometimes busy work just to avoid not having to attend a networking event. Does this sound familiar? Well… I have good news … Continue Reading
Yes… who are you? We don’t think about this question often. The answer is the essence of your personal brand. But… most lawyers tend to think the answer is simple. You are a lawyer and your practice area is XYZ. But is that WHO you are to clients and colleagues… really? Last week Seth Godin wrote … Continue Reading
