In Black And White : Legal Marketing Strategies & Insights : Paula Black & Associates : Law Firm Marketing, Branding and Positioning

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Finding a mentor is a great step in your marketing and business development journey, but some attorneys need more than just a daily email. For those looking to place a major focus on developing that area of their career, a marketing coach or consultant can be a great investment. A coach/consultant can step in and not only help you write a marketing and business development plan, but help you determine your strengths and weaknesses and keep you on track. But first, what’s your take?

Question of the week: What do you know about the advantages of a professional marketing consultant?

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For some of you, the help you need may be right in your backyard. Many firms (even small to mid-size firms) are hiring in-house marketing help these days in the form of a marketing or communications director. By bringing in a professional whose sole purpose is to market the firm—and the lawyers—firm leaders give a clear signal that business development is big business. But some lawyers are hesitant to use this resource, most of the time because they don’t know how. But before we get to that…

Question of the week: Is your firm dedicated to marketing?

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If you want results you have to make the effort...and sometimes that means asking for help.

This week we asked: Are you applying the help and guidance of professionals when it comes to legal marketing and business development?

Yes - 27%

No - 25%

Sometimes - 48%

My Thoughts: The good news is that over half of you are applying the advice you’ve been given by professionals to your daily business development efforts. I’m guessing that the other 25% of you either have not sought advice outside of this blog, or have not found it applicable to your everyday life.

For the next few weeks we’re going to examine just how to work with marketing and business development professionals. We’ll look at how to find a mentor, how to work with both in-house and outside consultants, how to find the right person for your goals and just what you can learn from them. I’ll also share a few of the hardest lessons I’ve learned myself in the 15-plus years I’ve worked with attorneys and law firms. Because sometimes you can’t do it alone.

Before you dismiss business development as unimportant, consider these words from Robert Bryan Barnes of Rogers Townsend & Thomas: 

"Successful business development is the most important distinguishing factor in your career.  Nearly every lawyer with a license can turn out adequate work."

Black Pearl: For guidance in selecting a legal marketing consultant, start with my article entitled How To Choose A Legal Marketing Consultant.

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Can you believe it... we're halfway through the year.  Are you one of those lawyers that are still talking about 2010 being the year that you will work on business development?

This week we asked: What are you going to do with a few extra minutes?

1. Create a plan - 38%

2. Create a plan AND work the plan - 30%

3. Look for an iced cappuccino - 32%

My Thoughts: 68% of you said you will create the plan with 30% making the commitment to WORK it... good for you!

It's easy to let a few minutes slip away... here and there. Before you know it... it's an hour... then a day... then a month... it adds up. If I had a dime for every time a lawyer told me he/she doesn't have time I would be sitting in the south of France with a glass of wine, NOT sitting at my desk writing this blog. When a lawyer tells me they don't have time... what they are really saying -  I DON'T WANT TO DO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT... I HATE IT.... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.  Now be honest... what are YOU really saying?

1. You don't want to do it? You decide... do you want a job or a career?
2. You hate it? Get over it... and find a way to develop business in a way that and you like.
3. You don't know what to do? You learned how to be a lawyer didn't you? Start learning!

"I don't have time" is a story we tell ourselves. If we keep saying it... it will be the truth. What do you want your truth to be?

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden had this to say about the importance of taking that first step:

"The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move!"

Black Pearl: If you're ready to start developing your marketing plan but don't know how to begin, start by reading my article entitled Every Attorney Needs A Marketing Plan: 7 Easy Steps.

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You can’t have a brand without visibility. It’s rocket fuel for your marketing and business development efforts. We’ve discussed the importance of Google (if you haven’t yet, go Google yourself... you may be surprised what potential clients will see first), but there are many other options to increasing your visibility… and credibility.

Question of the week: What are you doing to increase your visibility?  

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This Thanksgiving week, we will not have a poll question nor will we be posting on Thursday. But just because we are on holiday doesn’t mean our minds have to be... we can still think.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, while you socialize, relax and, of course, eat, don’t forget to keep legal marketing and business development at top (ok, maybe not top) of mind. In fact, this weekend presents a great opportunity for serious legal marketers, such as yourself, to think about a few things that may just help your efforts in the coming months.

So, have a wonderful holiday and consider the following:

1. Do your friends and family truly understand what you do and how it benefits others? Ask them. You might be surprised. (Remember, they could be a referral source.)
2. Are you doing enough to let your clients know how thankful you are for their business? Send them an email and express your gratitude.
3. On that subject... as you know, I am not a fan of Christmas cards, since you can’t standout amongst the crowd. So, plan on New Year’s cards or gifts. Now is the time to think about what that could be.
4. What was your greatest marketing success this year? How can you build on that for the next year and make it even more profitable?

Sometimes we are so caught up in the demands of current business that we just don’t get time to think about what we are doing to develop future business. Take this holiday weekend as an opportunity to reflect on your legal marketing efforts... the results of which will surely give you something to be thankful for in 2010.

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The question we are considering this week is: Are you focused on asking questions?

Results

1. I never ask questions. – 20%
2. I ask questions when I remember to. – 0%
3. I have a list of questions in my head that I ask. – 80%
4. I have a list written down that I take to every business development meeting. – 0%

Thanks to everyone who participated in this week's poll...

My Thoughts - A clear split...  80% of you are actively getting clients to talk, and you have the questions in your head. It takes just a few seconds to THINK about questions before you go into a meeting, so why are 20% of you not bothering to do it? Quite frankly most people LOVE to talk about themselves, it's an easy conversation to get started.

Doug Waldorf  from Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt thinks about it this way...

" Ask questions and remember to listen more then you talk. Ask clients about industry trends, the impacts of political and regulatory changes and other matters relating to their business. Everyone likes to share their opinions and be heard, so ask and then follow-up. Show your interest!"

Black Pearl - A little something to think about: Scott Gibson, the managing partner at Gibson, Ferrin & Riggs writes a blog titled BiziBoom. I ran across his post Think Like a Client - Cold, Warm, Hot where he explores the value of listening to your prospect. He received a comment from Gerry Riskin, who adds an interesting perspective... check it out.