5 BD essentials every lawyer should know
If you’re serious about getting into BD and doing more with less then these concepts are non-negotiable. 1. Marketing works when it demonstrates, not when it asserts. The best type of marketing is based on demonstrating the value or benefits of what you do, rather than simply making claims or assertions about it. Cut back on the advertising (and perhaps ease off on the self-congratulatory LinkedIn posts!), and use case studies and testimonials to demonstrate how you’ve helped clients instead. Or better yet, give away some content of real value. Trust me, your leads and prospects will thank you. 2. The ‘raspberry jam rule’ – the wider you spread it, the thinner it gets. If you’re dipping your toe in every type of marketing and BD activity, the chances are you’re a) spreading yourself too thinly, b) never quite seeing anything through to the end, and c) you’re not seeing any results. Hone in on what you enjoy, what you’re good at or what’s delivered results in the past and stick with it. Get better at it. Get faster at it. Quality over quantity. every. single. time. 3. When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one. It’s all about the niche – focus on a specific target audience to achieve a stronger impact. The raspberry jam analogy applies here too – the broader your audience, the weaker the impact of your message. The more alternatives there are to you or your firm, the harder you’ll have to compete to be seen and heard (let alone considered a specialist) and the less power you’ll have to command a premium. Establish yourself as the go-to person for that particular field, go deeper with your industry knowledge, and stand yourself out from the crowd. 4. Business development is not about closing a sale, but opening a relationship. It’s not your job to convince or persuade a prospective client to hire you. Selling is about determining a fit between the buyer’s need and the seller’s supply (aka you and your services). The sooner you move away from the idea of stereotypical ‘selling’ and think of it as building a genuine relationship, and being able to solve a problem or address a need, the more likely someone is to buy from you. 5. You cannot be in business without embracing selling. This isn’t really a concept as such, but it needed to be said: Your services alone will not sell themselves. Don’t make the mistake of thinking ‘if I build it, they’ll come’. You could be waiting a long time. As unnatural as it may feel, without making sales and revenue growth a priority, you will not be able to build a practice successfully. Bonus: If you want a profile, then focus on Marketing; if you want more clients, then focus on BD. (If you want more on this we wrote a whole essay here! It’s an important one).
3 ‘silent killers’ in client relationships
Managing client relationships isn’t easy if you’re a lawyer. You train for years to become a technician of the law (as Sarah so aptly puts it!), and then suddenly, you’re given a handful of client relationships to manage, with little training, and you’re expected to: Keep the client happy Cross-sell them into the rest of the business, and Increase your own practice area’s fees at the same time. For multiple clients. Throw into the mix difficult clients, the ever-changing legal landscape and something which very few lawyers talk about: Fear of getting it wrong and an overwhelming need for perfection. It’s a recipe for disaster. Here are three ‘silent killers’ in client relationships that, if you let creep in, could signal the end of a relationship. That top-drawer client service you’ve been lavishing your client with is only applicable during transactions. If you take your foot off the gas the moment the transaction is done and let the relationship languish, you’re headed for trouble. Build relationships where there isn’t a business need and you’ll reap rewards. You’ve never put the client through any form of client listening exercise or programme If you don’t know what your client thinks about the service you’re offering, you’re putting yourself at risk. Feel the fear and do it anyway – not addressing any potential issues just builds resentment. You’re not able to anticipate your client’s needs because you don’t know them well enough In today’s era clients want a hyper-personalised service – they want you to be proactive, do their future gazing for them, and be able to provide them with value that they didn’t realise they needed. This is only possible through a deep understanding of your clients and their business objectives. We’ve got plenty more where that came from. Would you like a free client relationship checklist? We’re thinking about creating a sustainable client relationship checklist: What to do and when so opportunities aren’t missed, and more importantly, the warning signs that your relationship is in trouble. If you’re a lawyer managing client relationships and want to grow them sustainably, hit reply via the blue box and say YES. Yes, I want the checklist If there’s enough demand here and on LinkedIn, we’ll build it and share it with you directly⚡
Legal BD: Why doing a good job isn’t good enough
In today’s legal landscape, merely doing a good job is no longer sufficient. Clients are more discerning than ever before, seeking value and expertise beyond the basics of legal services. Gemma recently sat down with legal copywriting expert, Becky Whittaker to delve into why exceeding expectations is crucial in today’s legal industry. Clients now expect their legal team to go above and beyond, providing not just excellent legal work, but also strategic advice, exceptional client service, and innovative solutions to their problems. Doing so builds trust, fosters long-term relationships, and sets firms apart in a competitive market. Gemma highlights common mistakes firms and lawyers make in their legal BD and marketing efforts, stressing the importance of avoiding a cookie-cutter approach and sharing actionable tips on how lawyers can elevate their BD efforts, emphasising the need for authentic engagement, compelling storytelling, and consistent nurturing of client relationships. Key takeaways from their discussion include: Going the Extra Mile: Clients expect more than just good legal work; they want strategic guidance and personalised solutions tailored to their needs. Avoiding Common Pitfalls: By understanding and sidestepping common mistakes in legal BD and marketing, firms can better position themselves for success. Levelling Up BD Efforts: Implementing best practices in client relationship management and marketing can help firms reach their legal BD goals effectively. Breaking the Cycle: Instead of getting caught in an endless loop of legal BD activities, focus on targeted approaches that yield meaningful results. Creating Value: Effective marketing for law firms involves showcasing expertise, building trust, and demonstrating tangible value to clients. While doing a good job lays the foundation, it’s the extra effort and strategic approach that truly set legal professionals apart in today’s competitive market. By embracing innovation, prioritising client relationships, and refining legal BD strategies, firms can not only meet but exceed client expectations, driving success and growth in the legal industry.
5 lessons for new and junior partners
Stepping into the role of a partner in a law firm can feel like diving into uncharted waters. Many junior partners find themselves lacking the necessary business development training, leaving them scrambling to find their footing. With the weight of expectation on their shoulders, the pressure to win new work on top of everything else can be totally overwhelming. If you’re a new or aspiring partner, here are five straightforward pointers to help you navigate this journey and succeed in your role.
Directories: Six easy ways to boost your peer and market feedback throughout the year
With the Legal 500 submissions done and dusted (🎉), it’s always remarkable how much effort goes into them (and we see A LOT of submissions) – and regardless of how organised you are, it always feels like a sprint to the finish line. We can all breathe a sigh of relief that the 2024 directories process is almost finished (don’t forget the interviews and that you can provide updates to the researcher if you need to). After such an intensive process, it might not come as a relief to be given yet another directories-related task but bear with us on this one. If you can put in some legwork throughout the year building your profile and network (which also doubles up as some great BD activity – win-win ✅ ), making sure that you have that elusive peer and market feedback nailed for the next round may feel a little less stressful. Check out our latest article, which is part of the Directories 101 three-part series in case you missed it, for six things you can do to help boost your profile throughout the year – because, let’s be honest, the next round always arrives sooner than you’d like.
Directories 101: Six easy ways to boost your peer and market feedback throughout the year
Your directory submissions, whether Legal500 or Chambers comprise three important elements: the submission itself, the client and peer or market feedback. Most firms invest the majority of their time into the submission itself as it requires the most effort – getting the work highlights together and crafting compelling bios – and the next thing is the client referees. Peer and market feedback is often not thought about at all, yet it’s a really helpful part of the process to help researchers understand more about your competitors and intermediaries you work with, which in turn, helps showcase your relationships and demonstrate the level at which your firm is operating. In fact, those who have interviewed with a researcher will notice that 90% of the call is aimed at getting market feedback. What most firms don’t realise, is that there are things you can do throughout the year that will boost your peer or market feedback for the next round as well as your firm profile and client relationships. Here are six of those activities that you should be doing to boost your peer and market feedback throughout the year: 1. Warming up your clients Okay, so this one doesn’t strictly relate to peer feedback but your clients may be listed by other firms as referees. The goal is to leave such a positive impression that when asked by a researcher, “Are there any other firms you’d recommend?” your name is the first to come to their minds. So, keeping in touch with your clients and making sure they are happy are still considerations when it comes to feedback – as well as being essential to your BD efforts in general of course. A client who receives excellent service and a check-in call every two months is more likely to act as a referee and provide positive feedback (whether you or your competitor nominated them) than someone who hasn’t been in touch for months. Incorporate this into your process, and it will alleviate some of the stress during the submission process. 2. Write articles Researchers look beyond your submission when researching your firm, looking at things like your website and online presence (see below), and evaluating your online activities to gauge your expertise in the field. By consistently producing well-researched and relevant articles, you are demonstrating to the researcher (and the wider market) that you are an expert in your field and that your firm is an authoritative and knowledgeable player in the industry. 3. Boost your market feedback with LinkedIn Similarly, LinkedIn is a fantastic way to bolster the market profile of your firm, and is a brilliant space to showcase its activities through the company page, providing insights into the teams, and the sectors it’s active in. However, the impact goes beyond the firm, with LinkedIn also being a great opportunity for individual lawyers who are looking to be ranked in the upcoming submission. Personal brand counts for a lot nowadays. By sharing updates, and articles, and offering insightful commentary on your specialism, you are demonstrating your expertise to the researcher beyond the word count of the submission. 4. Update your website bio Your website is one of the first places your researcher will look when looking into the firm and your leading individuals. The website serves as a digital showcase, offering a comprehensive view of your firm’s capabilities. The individual and team bios provide an excellent opportunity to include additional information that might not find its way into directory submissions. Incorporating awards, qualifications, and notable successes in the relevant profiles adds credibility and reinforces the expertise of your team. In the eyes of researchers, an up-to-date website profvides a clear view of the firm’s achievements and strengths, which may not feature in the submission but is still valuable to understanding the firm’s positioning. Pro tip: Schedule a bi-yearly meeting with your BD team to make sure the sector information, team and individual bios on your website are regularly updated (and time this in line with the research period!). Most firms link to website bios in their submissions if you’re listed or nominated as a leading individual – ensure it doesn’t let you down. 5. Be proactive and present in your industry Identifying and maintaining connections with your peers, intermediaries, and clients is a strategic move that can contribute to a successful submission round. Remember, the researchers speak to your client referees and other partners at your competitors (your peers). Attending conferences, and seminars, and joining professional associations and committees provide a platform to become known to your peers and establish a visible presence within your industry and adds to your market profile. It’s all about being at the forefront of their minds when a researcher asks about you, directly or indirectly. 6. Proactively warming up peers and intermediaries While attending events, and engaging with your peers on LinkedIn is a great way to boost your peer feedback throughout the year, feel free to be more direct with it too. Don’t have time or the budget to do the circuit? A successful partner we work with actively reaches out to friendly competitors and intermediaries, demonstrating the power of proactively building positive relationships within the industry. If you have a great relationship with a few of your peers, why not reach out to them directly and ask them to put in a good word for you? BONUS TIP: Get bragging! Something that law firms are consistently not great at is bragging about their achievements. Being prepared to boast more about your firm is a fantastic way to boost peer feedback. It’s not uncommon for exceptional firms with impressive clients and matters to fall short in rankings due to a lack of market feedback or visibility. The correlation between market visibility and ranking outcomes underscores the importance of actively showcasing your firm’s accomplishments. Make sure you are sharing your success stories, notable cases, and significant milestones – shout about how great you are throughout the year! The success of your legal
Why follow-up is often more important than the activity itself
If we could train lawyers on one thing, it would be the importance of following up (and being unashamed about it). It’s so often overlooked in favour of the next opportunity, usually before the lawyer has capitalised on the first opportunity, and if left unchecked, it will result in BD burnout (and not a lot of work). An example: You meet an interesting person at an industry event. You hit it off and agree to follow up in due course about some of the things you discussed – they had a specific issue that falls right in your wheelhouse. You mark the event as a success – it generated at least one opportunity. A few days later, you send a tailored email referencing some of the things you discussed and suggesting a call to work out how you might be able to help. You don’t hear back. You feel uncomfortable and wonder whether you had your wires crossed; maybe they weren’t really interested in your services? Maybe they looked you up and weren’t impressed by your website profile? Maybe they no longer have an issue and don’t need your support. You leave it, thinking, ‘If they’re interested, they’ll get in touch’. The chances are they won’t get back in touch. Because they’re busy, not because they’re not interested, don’t need your services or weren’t impressed by you. Think of how many times you’ve forgotten to respond to a loved one or a close friend – the most important people in your world. It’s only natural that potential clients are equally as busy and distracted. A wise person once said to me: ‘we are shepherds of the whole process’. Follow-up is a bit like a muscle that needs to be worked before it becomes accustomed to certain exercises – the more you do it, the more natural it will feel. It will likely feel uncomfortable at first, as if you are bothering the other person, but trust me when I say this is how business is done. How to nail your follow-up: The easiest solution is to book in the next interaction before the first one is finished. Agree on when you’ll speak next and send the appointment straight afterwards. If not: Add the contact on LinkedIn if you haven’t already with a personal message Diarise to get back in touch after your first contact, a maximum of 7 days later Set aside a couple of hours – email, send a message on LinkedIn or pick up the phone If you’re feeling particularly uncomfortable, spend some of that time researching the contact’s industry and come up with something in your armoury e.g. a useful report (I particularly like to use LinkedIn for this – using it to source something to reference such as ‘I saw you were at [x] last week, I couldn’t make it’ etc) Do this at least one or two more times, leaving more time in between each follow-up I usually recommend three follow-ups, more if one was sent during half term/summer/Christmas It’s as simple as that. Instead of focusing on your own narrative or limiting beliefs, send that follow-up – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I often say to the partners and associates that I’m working with that I’d rather them do one thing well with strategic follow-up than five things without any follow-up; it’s where the magic happens ✨
Why follow-up is often more important than the activity itself
If we could train lawyers on one thing, it would be the importance of following up (and being unashamed about it). It’s so often overlooked in favour of the next opportunity, usually before the lawyer has capitalised on the first opportunity, and if left unchecked, it will result in BD burnout (and not a lot of work). An example: You meet an interesting person at an industry event. You hit it off and agree to follow up in due course about some of the things you discussed – they had a specific issue that falls right in your wheelhouse. You mark the event as a success – it generated at least one opportunity. A few days later, you send a tailored email referencing some of the things you discussed and suggesting a call to work out how you might be able to help. You don’t hear back. You feel uncomfortable and wonder whether you had your wires crossed; maybe they weren’t really interested in your services? Maybe they looked you up and weren’t impressed by your website profile? Maybe they no longer have an issue and don’t need your support. You leave it, thinking, ‘If they’re interested, they’ll get in touch’. The chances are they won’t get back in touch. Because they’re busy, not because they’re not interested, don’t need your services or weren’t impressed by you. Think of how many times you’ve forgotten to respond to a loved one or a close friend – the most important people in your world. It’s only natural that potential clients are equally as busy and distracted. A wise person once said to me: ‘we are shepherds of the whole process’. Follow-up is a bit like a muscle that needs to be worked before it becomes accustomed to certain exercises – the more you do it, the more natural it will feel. It will likely feel uncomfortable at first, as if you are bothering the other person, but trust me when I say this is how business is done. How to nail your follow-up: The easiest solution is to book in the next interaction before the first one is finished. Agree on when you’ll speak next and send the appointment straight afterwards. If not: Add the contact on LinkedIn if you haven’t already with a personal message Diarise to get back in touch after your first contact, a maximum of 7 days later Set aside a couple of hours – email, send a message on LinkedIn or pick up the phone If you’re feeling particularly uncomfortable, spend some of that time researching the contact’s industry and come up with something in your armoury e.g. a useful report (I particularly like to use LinkedIn for this – using it to source something to reference such as ‘I saw you were at [x] last week, I couldn’t make it’ etc) Do this at least one or two more times, leaving more time in between each follow-up I usually recommend three follow-ups, more if one was sent during half term/summer/Christmas It’s as simple as that. Instead of focusing on your own narrative or limiting beliefs, send that follow-up – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I often say to the partners and associates that I’m working with that I’d rather them do one thing well with strategic follow-up than five things without any follow-up; it’s where the magic happens ✨
Strategy means saying no
“Strategy is deciding whose business you are going to turn away.” “If you never say “no,” you will just be one more undifferentiated firm, trying to do a little bit of everything and…will almost certainly be superb at none of them.” This week we’re talking about the “Strategy means saying no” article by David Maister. It’s an oldie but a goodie, and is still as spot on today, as it was when it was written. You can read the full article here – it’s brilliant. But here’s our take. Most law firms want to have that thing they’re known for, in fact, it’s essential in today’s super competitive market. Maister suggests that to achieve this, you can’t (and shouldn’t!) try to be good at everything at the same time. It means deciding what you want to be known for and what type of clients you want to be working for creating an actionable strategy around this. The article suggests that saying “no” to some opportunities that don’t fit your focus is okay. More than that, it’s encouraged. It might seem hard, especially when you’re starting or if someone offers you a lot of money, but it’s crucial for building a strong and unique reputation. How does this translate to you? It’s about understanding that being really good at something specific is better than trying to do everything for everyone. It’s about finding your competitive edge in a seriously competitive landscape. It’s about not taking on every enquiry that comes in, rather focus on those that relate to your niche and keeping track of how well you’re sticking to your plan. It’s about making sure everyone in the firm understands and supports the strategy. It’s also about building a brand. Practical pointers Embrace your niche: Choose a niche, a focus area, and/or a target client and actively seek opportunities that align with it. Choose relevant events: Choose a few conferences or seminars that are relevant to your focus and prepare for them. Write and speak strategically: Grab opportunities to write articles or speak at events about your focus area and avoid unrelated topics. Optimise your LinkedIn profile: Build a focused network related to your expertise, engage in relevant conversations and post regularly. Be selective in your connections to build a network aligned with your expertise. Practice mindful networking: Attend events purposefully, avoiding excess networking for the sake of it. Decline unaligned work (if you can) and start referring: Politely say “no” to work outside your expertise, maintaining focus on your strategy. Have someone else in mind to refer the work to internally (though we know there isn’t always a choice in the matter!).
What does it mean to be a ‘thought leader’?
Thought leaders are the go-to sources for fresh research and insights, reinforcing their sector leadership. It’s about being the first firm the company thinks of when they have an issue, about returning to you repeatedly, and referring you to others because they know you’re the best in the business. Establishing yourself as a thought leader is a fantastic way to demonstrate your legal and commercial expertise, and build your personal brand, while attracting exciting opportunities and work – which is essential to career progression. It’s not something that happens overnight, it’s built over the course of a career. For associates, it’s about putting in the groundwork now so you can capitalise over the next few years. For more senior lawyers, it’s about making the most of your expertise and network to win more work.