Attorneys are busy. That’s why knowing how to engage in effective business development and strategic marketing is essential.
Most lawyers measure their lives in 6-minute increments. So, how can we maximize business development and marketing to fit into the .1s on your timesheet?
You plan. We introduce the lawyers in our business development coaching programs to our 5-step business development plan.
Ready? Here it is:
- Make a list of people in your network (some people call this your Centers of Influence). Prioritize those who have the highest potential to give you or send you business – or can help your career in some other way.
- Send out invites and get commitments on your calendar – whether it is a meeting in-person over coffee, a zoom lunch, or for them to be your guest at an upcoming event, get it on your calendar.
- Write down what you want to happen as a result of this meeting. Do you want to learn something new about the client’s business or referral source’s family? If it’s a senior partner, how they built their practice?
- Execute your plan at the meeting. Of course, there will be small talk – that’s how you build relationships. But, remember, the focus of this meeting is what you wrote down in Step 3.
- Follow up. Nothing in business development is once and done. If at the meeting they expressed concern over how a new labor law will impact them, send information, introduce them to a colleague, or offer a solution. Would they benefit from knowing others in your network? Make introductions! Calendar to check in with them again in a month or so. Keep the relationship warm.
Your Ideal Client
Now, every practice is different – so your step 1 may be filled with referral sources or vendors. That’s OK. It needs to be who can help you depending on who your ideal client is:
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- Doctors facing disciplinary issues
- Multigenerational businesses
- Companies seeking to expand their footprints
- Minority shareholders seeking a business divorce
- Awesome legal marketing companies
Once you have defined your ideal client, all of your business development and marketing strategies should be focused on just that. See the 5-step business development plan above.
Want to learn more, give us a call!