Sunday, January 22, 2017

5 Ways Developing New Legal Work Is Like Golf©

There are many striking commonalities between being a good golfer and being a good rainmaker, five of which are described below:
 
1.  Know Your Handicap(s) – 

Golf uses a handicap system that “evens out” the playing field (i.e., the golf course) for all levels of players. The better golfer you are, the lower your handicap. Handicaps start from 0 (those with zero handicaps are referred to as “scratch” golfers) to a high of around 40. Not only is it important to know your handicap, but if you want to become good at golf, it is important to establish a handicap through an accredited body like the USGA. 

Handicap(s) in business development do not even out the playing field for lawyers. Instead they create challenges and possible detriments. Whether aware of them or not, ALL lawyers have and face handicaps in every single new business development situation. The most common handicaps are the lack of knowledge or understanding of “the playing field” and “lay of the land” and the key skills needed to succeed in different opportunities and in different situations. For example, the decision-making process for selecting outside legal services within each company or entity varies considerably, so creating and using a people-map in advance can help. Other handicaps lawyers face when working to develop business include the variances any client can perceive between what one lawyer or firm brings to the table versus competing lawyers and firms. A very common yet hidden handicap is any unconscious bias that may come into play when working to develop business with a specific person or company. For example, a “GenX” general counsel may have an unconscious bias against “Baby Boomer” lawyers. 

As a lawyer wanting to be a better rainmaker, for each situation, ask yourself these questions as they apply to you: What are my handicap(s)? Which ones am I aware of? What handicap(s) might I have that I am not aware of? Using a proven rainmaking coach can help with these and many other issues, hurdles, and challenges. 

2.  Concentration –

Being “in the moment, undistracted, and focused is important for success in golf and in developing new business. A major factor in the results you will achieve in either is a direct result of the degree and level of concentration you have and maintain throughout the game of golf and/or the process of developing new legal work (which is a proven process, part science, part art). 

3.  Career-Long Skill Development

Some key skills needed to excel at golf include your swing, short game, and putting, none of which is possible to ever completely perfect (Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods - arguably the two best golfers ever - missed many putts over their careers). Few people are born as “naturals” in golf or rainmaking, and even those born as “naturals” must continue to enhance, upgrade and improve their skills over the course of their career. Embrace the fact that “perfection” is an elusive objective both in golf and in developing new legal work. No one will win them all. 

4.  Find Your Own Recipe for Success

There is no “one size fits all” or simple solution to becoming a great golfer or a great business developer. There are many paths and avenues to success. Keys to success in either are knowing your objectives (how good of a golfer/business developer do you want to work to be?); making concerted efforts toward your objectives; creating and using disciplined preparation; regularly practicing; and finding and utilizing an effective coach. 

5.  Work Smarter to Win  

In golf, depending upon how good you are and other factors, putting can be 50% or more of your strokes. Yet most golfers “warm up” or practice on the driving range, when the weakest yet most important part of the game is the “short game,” i.e., putting and chipping. At most golf courses and practice facilities, the driving range is full of people while the practice green and chipping green are empty. Why? It’s more fun to hit 300-yard drives than it is to stand on a putting green and make 3-foot putts into the exact center of the hole, making the ball roll barely over the front of the cup and drop in. That’s why a winning golfer’s maxim is "drive for show and putt for dough." 

The same is true for lawyers wanting to develop new business. Most lawyers focus the majority of their available business development time on speaking, presenting, attending conferences, and writing. Each of these activities increases visibility and may develop business, but not as productively as other means. The fact is, almost all new legal work is awarded either during or shortly after a private, one-on-one or small group meeting or conversation, yet most lawyers do not spend time focusing on improving their “sales” conversations and related approach and habits. Spending available time most productively (i.e., working smarter) is key to becoming the best rainmaker and/or golfer you can be. Great coaching can assist with these challenges. 

*The author gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions, advice and edits for this article provided by her two brothers, father, and uncle, each of whom is a “scratch golfer” and excellent business developer. 

About the Author: Julie Savarino is an attorney, rainmaker coach, and one of the world’s most highly recommended  sales” and business development coaches and consultants for lawyers and law firms. If you like this post, check out and "like" Julie’s new Facebook page @therainmakercoach where she will be posting useful and valuable "sales" and business development tips and content for lawyers, law firm marketers and law firms all year long!

 


 

Monday, January 16, 2017

Top 5 New Business Development Tactics for Lawyers in 2017©

 

1.      From your firm’s time and billing system, request your client list by total, cumulative number of billable hours by year for last three years (preferable in Excel or Word so you can take notes or edit as desired).
2.     Carve out time to review and analyze the list.
3.     Think about your clients overall and individually and ask yourself such questions as:
a.     Which clients have I not been in touch with recently? Consider contacting them to wish them a New Year and ask what’s new, what’s planned for 2017, etc.
b.     Which clients did I/we not do any work for in 2016? If you have not been in touch with them recently, do so.
c.      Which clients came to you from a referral (from outside your firm or within)? Have you touched base with that referral source to thank them, ask what’s new, and have a discussion about what you can refer to them (as appropriate).
4.      Review your potential client list (if you have one). Check LinkedIn to see whom you or your connections know. Request the same from the person who manages your in-house marketing CRM system. If you have not requested a conflict report (or have not done so in the last three months, request one). If you do not have a potential/target/desired client list, create one.
5.      If you do not use a great rainmaker coach, consider hiring one. Or, ask your in-house marketing/business development staff members to schedule a half-hour, proactive coaching meeting either weekly, monthly, or quarterly with you as desired. 

If you like this blog post, check out and "like" my new Facebook page @therainmakercoach where I will be posting useful and valuable "sales" and business development tips and content for lawyers, law firm marketers and law firms all year long!
About the Author: Julie Savarino is an attorney, rainmaker coach, and one of the world’s most highly recommended “sales” and business development coaches and consultants for lawyers and law firms.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Will the 2017 “Shiny Penny(ies)” Develop New Work for Lawyers and Law Firms?

Law firm leaders, lawyers, marketing and business development staff members should be beware of the “shiny penny syndrome” to which many human beings inadvertently fall victim. The “shiny penny syndrome” manifests itself within the unconscious brain whereby human beings are often attracted to the latest trend, gimmick, gadget, i.e. the "shiny penny". Then, the majority of their time and attention is focused on the latest "shiny penny" until a newer, shinier penny comes along and first penny is largely or completely forgotten about.

The “shiny penny syndrome” plays out regularly within most law firms. For example, a few years ago when social media came into its own, many lawyers (who by nature are generally introverted) started spending the majority of their limited, non-billable marketing/business development time engaged in social media, simply because for most lawyers being on the computer is more comfortable to them than communicating directly with people. For a few lawyers, social media works to get new business, but not for the majority.

No matter what the latest trend or development is – the fact remains that the vast majority of new business that any lawyer or law firm gets comes as a direct result of a one-to-one or small group conversation or meeting with a client, prospect or referral source. So, in-person, live conversation and follow-up skills, and having a related strategy is still what works best to develop new legal work. But what about the latest and greatest “shiny penny”? Every January, there are several “trends in law firm marketing/business development” type reports that are published for law firms. In this rapidly changing legal environment, it is critical to review these to stay up-to-date on trends and developments. This year’s hottest trends and developments include: automation, process and project improvement, video, other social media developments, and others. Links to several 2017 trend reports are listed below.

But, before jumping full-bore into the latest trend, consider – how well does your law firm do the basics regarding business development and marketing? Prove-to-work basics include: using individual attorney business development plans and an associated process; having a proactive and skilled in-house (or outside) business development staff and coach; and most importantly – how well does the firm encourage, develop, prepare for, and fuel the success of one-to-one and/or small group meetings between the firm’s lawyers, clients, prospects, referral sources? If going after the latest trend or development takes significant time, focus and attention away from these basics, you may want to consider re-evaluating how your firm may implement the latest trend(s) and development(s). About the Author: Julie Savarino is an attorney, rainmaker coach, and one of the world’s most highly recommended "sales" and business development coaches and consultants for lawyers and law firms.

Links to some 2017 law firm marketing and business development trend reports:

http://www.americanbar.org/publications/law_practice_home/law_practice_archive/lpm_magazine_articles_v32_is6_an2.html
http://abovethelaw.com/2016/12/staying-competitive-law-firm-trends-for-2016-and-what-we-might-see-in-2017
http://www.bticonsulting.com/themadclientist
http://www.jdsupra.com/topics/lmamkt
http://www.legalmarketing.org/p/bl/et/blogid=400
https://www.attorneyatwork.com/10-things-that-should-be-on-law-firms-radar-in-2017
https://goblackfin.com/law-firm-marketing-trends/

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Attending the 2017 Marketing Partner Forum Jan.25-27?

As a leading Rainmaker Coach and creator of The Ultimate Business Development Tool Kit©, my company is sponsoring the 2017 Marketing Partner Forum being held later this month! I very much look forward to seeing everyone and re-connecting, sixteen years after I sold this Forum and twenty-four years since I created it. If you are planning to attend, please stop our exhibit booth to putt and win! I look forward to seeing you!