It’s so easy. You hit the summer period, immediately take your foot off the gas in terms of BD and vow to pick it all back up again in September. The problem with this approach is twofold: 1) if, like us, your practice quietens down, then you’ve missed out on an opportunity to do some solid BD, and more importantly, 2) you might be setting yourself up for a difficult Autumn if you haven’t already built your pipeline.
Having been there already my advice would be to do a few small things well, so you’ve sown the seeds ahead of the September rush (and you can still enjoy the sunshine).
Here are 6 simple things you can do to keep things moving over summer, which won’t eat into your time:
- Test the waters with LinkedIn: If you haven’t already gotten into the swing of posting regularly on LinkedIn, then summer is the best time to hone your skills. It’s quieter, and so there should be less pressure to get it perfect. The most important thing is just to start.
Read our interview with Sarah Ouis, LinkedIn legal guru here
- Check in with clients: Summer is an excellent time to reconnect with clients (including lapsed ones). Schedule informal catch-up meetings or calls to see how they’re doing and if there’s anything you can assist them with. This shows your ongoing commitment to their needs and helps keep you top of mind. If you don’t know what’s coming up for them in Autumn then now is the time to ask.
- Focus on cross-selling and referrals: As it’s quieter for most people, this is a great time to chat with your colleagues and intermediaries about cross-selling and referral opportunities. Discuss potential clients or cases where you can offer additional services. It’s amazing what work you can generate from a few Teams calls.
Read our interview with Charlie Lawson, expert unnatural networker, here
- Review your BD and content plans: Take advantage of the summer slowdown to review and update your BD and content plans (if you have them, if not, create them). Be honest about what has worked so far this year and what hasn’t. What you enjoyed and what you didn’t. Tweak your strategies accordingly to align with your goals for the remainder of the year.
Read our interview with Kerry Jones, executive coach, on goal setting, here
- Get prepped for the legal directories season: No one we know actually does this, and we’re not sure why. Summer is the perfect time to start preparing for the legal directory submissions. The deadline will come around quicker than you expect and it’s often a painful and time-consuming process. Gather your best case studies, key achievements or names of your happiest clients. Early preparation ensures that you’re not scrambling at the last minute and can present the strongest possible case for your inclusion.
Read our interview with Simon Christian and Al Marsh, Chambers editors, here
- Apply the DCM Insights activator research to your practice: This research was revelatory, and as a result, lots of firms are changing their BD training. If you haven’t already worked out which personality type you are and how you’re going to become an activator then start with this article: https://trifecta-gfc.ck.page/posts/build-a-solid-personal-brand-and-a-client-following-with-these-tips
