Miami Legal Business Development | Branding | Law Firm Coaching | Paula Black

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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.

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You may be able to explain your points of differentiation, but that won’t help you in a short exchange! Have your “commercial” ready and opportunity will find you.

This week we asked: Do you have an elevator speech?

1. Yes - 45%

2. No - 55%

My Thoughts:  Only 45% of you said yes. So what makes a great elevator speech and how do you go about preparing yours?

1. Be clear and concise. Stay away from industry specific language or intricate explanations-when you only have a minute it's a waste of your time.
2. Use powerful and exciting language. If you're not excited about what you do, why should anyone else be?
3. Give them a visual. Have a great story that illustrates what you do? Tell it! Giving people a visual to remember will help them be clear about your work when you walk away.
4. Have more than one. Not everyone can be approached in the same way. Your elevator speech for the CEO of a company you're trying to land as a client will be drastically different than the one you use on friends and family who want a better idea of what you do.
5. Let it evolve. Think of your elevator speech as a draft. Try it out, see what works and tweak it.
6. Practice, practice, practice. The only way to perfect your speech is to try it out. Test it out on everyone... your secretary, your partners, your significant other. Ask them for their input, they may have suggestions you haven't thought of.

Always focus on the goal: what do you want to come from the pitch? You want to pique their curiosity; you want them to hand over their card and ask for a call; and you want to feel comfortable picking up the phone and making that call. Keep that in mind while writing, practicing and putting it to use. Remember to have a great hook, be clear but specific and always confident. Though it may seem uncomfortable at first, the more you use and develop your elevator speech, the more second nature it will become... and the more results you'll start to see!

Similarly, it’s always good to be prepared-- a point my colleague Robert Sattin of TAGLaw makes well:

“Never go to a conference or a social event or a business meeting without knowing what you want to talk about, ‘dead air’ is not conducive to marketing. It could be a recent case or world news or something else that is somehow connected to your professional life, but find a way to start and lead a conversation with someone you will meet.”

Black Pearl: Here’s an interesting LinkedIn thread on different takes on the elevator speech. Good tips and some good humor...