Preparing for Things That Go Bump in the Night

In life, there are no guarantees. In my role as a business development consultant, I'm often asked about the likelihood of success for various attorney sales approaches. Rather than offering a definitive answer, I often draw on Jay Abraham's responses to hypotheticals:

• Will everything work out as well as we expect it to? Hardly.
• Will some of the things we hope for not happen or turn out worse than we expect them to? Undoubtedly.
• Will there be some things that turn out better than expected? Probably.
• Are there more opportunities that will be uncovered as things progress? Again, probably.

The final question that is often posed offers a bit more flexibility: Will you do everything in your power to make the result of this business development opportunity an outstanding success? If your answer is yes, the response is “Absolutely.”

Law firm marketing is no different than any other service or task. Put the effort in. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. And then work, work, work until you see the results.

Mind Mapping

Jay Abraham has been called “America's number one marketing wizard” enough times that it's the tagline used on the “About” page of his website. He's seen as a genius at getting down to basics and, having worked with him in the past, I check in periodically to see what's new.

Often, there are treasures to be found. A great example is the mind map developed by Greg White of Phoenix Information Solutions in Melbourne, Australia. This tool provides a graphical representation of Jay's key sales consulting services (for lawyers and other professionals) that were included in his book Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got.

The concepts presented in the book and on the mind map are all used in one way or another in our legal marketing training sessions and workshops. For example, our training emphasizes thinking long term. When it comes to approaching a new prospect or a long-term client, we encourage the lawyers we're working with to:

• Understand the prospects' and clients' needs and internal pressures
• Become a trusted adviser, and
• Protect the prospects' and clients' interests

When we work with our clients, we follow Jay Abraham's “Strategy of Preeminence.” As a law firm marketing and business development consultant, we aim to become a valued friend, to offer rewarding solutions that are profitable for everyone involved ' and we encourage the lawyers we work with to approach their prospects and clients in the same way.

Client Retention

Another element of long-term thinking that we often discuss is client retention. It is a key element of long- term revenue creation. Jay Abraham has pointed to three primary reasons why clients leave long- term relationships:

• Lack of contact leads to their forgetting about the relationship.
• Their situation changes.
• They become dissatisfied.

Clearly, the first of these is the easiest to overcome ' and we encourage the lawyers and marketing teams we work with to develop and take advantage of a contact system. Your clients won't forget about you when you stay in touch: Let your clients know what you and your firm are currently engaged in; send them articles or reviews of legal decisions that they may be interested in; ask your clients to join you on a conference panel.

Make sure you are communicating the status and next steps of your work on a regular basis and stay on top of changes your clients are experiencing as well. Ask them about other challenges that they are facing and offer your assistance. Be aware of your relationships, and keep on the lookout for subtle changes.

While client dissatisfaction is never comfortable to deal with, it's something you should be aware of long before a client disengages. Even if it seems insignificant, when even the smallest issues arise during an engagement, deal with it immediately. Especially if they have been a long-term client, take action and win them back. According to Abraham, 80% of these relationships can be recovered with instant actions ' in fact, you may find that they become your best clients.

New Client Development

A great law firm business development tactic is to introduce your clients to your firm's other clients. Another great tactic: Ask your clients to introduce you to their suppliers, supports, advisers, and the individuals they go to as experts. In other words, in order to meet new prospects and develop new client relationships, work with your clients to “host” meetings with non-competing and complementary prospects. This is the foundation for Jay Abraham's host-beneficiary approach.

Earlier in this article, we mentioned the importance of becoming your clients' trusted adviser. And we briefly touched on the importance of client relationships and client retention. Most recently, we talked about asking for referrals. New client development with the host-beneficiary approach builds on these steps.

If you have become your clients' trusted adviser and have established the good will that comes from a successful business relationship, they will return the favor ' when you ask for referrals ' by introducing you to other in-house counsel and their clients. The good will and solid relationships that they have will work in your favor. It will provide you with the opportunity to, as Abraham suggests, make their clients your prospects.

Combat Coaching?

At the Closers Group, we talk a lot about our RED ZONE approach to business development. We focus on the importance of having your strategies and tactics practiced and ready so that, when you meet face to face with your prospects, you'll be ready to close the sale. Jay Abraham, who we've been talking about in our recent posts, has offered a similar extremely effective program that he called “Competitive Combat Coaching.” It's considered to be a more aggressive and productive way of looking at growing law firm successes, and builds even more on his 2000 book Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got.

Every firm and organization has a number of tools that they aren't using effectively. The more that you look at your own organization ' with or without the help of a business development consultant ' the more you're going to find:

• Underperforming assets;
• Overlooked opportunities;
• Hidden assets;
• Under-valued relationships; and
• Under-utilized collaboration opportunities.

As the competition for legal services intensifies and client budgets fight to stay stable as time goes on, doesn't it make sense to look within your organization and build on what you already have? The cost is low ' and the effort can make your legal marketing far more effective. In our Rapid Assessment work with clients, these are among the first tactics we use to strengthen law firm business development efforts.

Conclusion

When you're fighting for new client engagements in the RED ZONE, it's important to recognize that you are participating in a form of sophisticated combat. Draw on your training and strengths and you'll be prepared to engage and win new business.

Allan Colman is the CEO of the Closers Group, a business development advisory and consulting firm. Contact him at 310-225-3904 or at [email protected].

In life, there are no guarantees. In my role as a business development consultant, I'm often asked about the likelihood of success for various attorney sales approaches. Rather than offering a definitive answer, I often draw on Jay Abraham's responses to hypotheticals:

• Will everything work out as well as we expect it to? Hardly.
• Will some of the things we hope for not happen or turn out worse than we expect them to? Undoubtedly.
• Will there be some things that turn out better than expected? Probably.
• Are there more opportunities that will be uncovered as things progress? Again, probably.

The final question that is often posed offers a bit more flexibility: Will you do everything in your power to make the result of this business development opportunity an outstanding success? If your answer is yes, the response is “Absolutely.”

Law firm marketing is no different than any other service or task. Put the effort in. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. And then work, work, work until you see the results.

Mind Mapping

Jay Abraham has been called “America's number one marketing wizard” enough times that it's the tagline used on the “About” page of his website. He's seen as a genius at getting down to basics and, having worked with him in the past, I check in periodically to see what's new.

Often, there are treasures to be found. A great example is the mind map developed by Greg White of Phoenix Information Solutions in Melbourne, Australia. This tool provides a graphical representation of Jay's key sales consulting services (for lawyers and other professionals) that were included in his book Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got.

The concepts presented in the book and on the mind map are all used in one way or another in our legal marketing training sessions and workshops. For example, our training emphasizes thinking long term. When it comes to approaching a new prospect or a long-term client, we encourage the lawyers we're working with to:

• Understand the prospects' and clients' needs and internal pressures
• Become a trusted adviser, and
• Protect the prospects' and clients' interests

When we work with our clients, we follow Jay Abraham's “Strategy of Preeminence.” As a law firm marketing and business development consultant, we aim to become a valued friend, to offer rewarding solutions that are profitable for everyone involved ' and we encourage the lawyers we work with to approach their prospects and clients in the same way.

Client Retention

Another element of long-term thinking that we often discuss is client retention. It is a key element of long- term revenue creation. Jay Abraham has pointed to three primary reasons why clients leave long- term relationships:

• Lack of contact leads to their forgetting about the relationship.
• Their situation changes.
• They become dissatisfied.

Clearly, the first of these is the easiest to overcome ' and we encourage the lawyers and marketing teams we work with to develop and take advantage of a contact system. Your clients won't forget about you when you stay in touch: Let your clients know what you and your firm are currently engaged in; send them articles or reviews of legal decisions that they may be interested in; ask your clients to join you on a conference panel.

Make sure you are communicating the status and next steps of your work on a regular basis and stay on top of changes your clients are experiencing as well. Ask them about other challenges that they are facing and offer your assistance. Be aware of your relationships, and keep on the lookout for subtle changes.

While client dissatisfaction is never comfortable to deal with, it's something you should be aware of long before a client disengages. Even if it seems insignificant, when even the smallest issues arise during an engagement, deal with it immediately. Especially if they have been a long-term client, take action and win them back. According to Abraham, 80% of these relationships can be recovered with instant actions ' in fact, you may find that they become your best clients.

New Client Development

A great law firm business development tactic is to introduce your clients to your firm's other clients. Another great tactic: Ask your clients to introduce you to their suppliers, supports, advisers, and the individuals they go to as experts. In other words, in order to meet new prospects and develop new client relationships, work with your clients to “host” meetings with non-competing and complementary prospects. This is the foundation for Jay Abraham's host-beneficiary approach.

Earlier in this article, we mentioned the importance of becoming your clients' trusted adviser. And we briefly touched on the importance of client relationships and client retention. Most recently, we talked about asking for referrals. New client development with the host-beneficiary approach builds on these steps.

If you have become your clients' trusted adviser and have established the good will that comes from a successful business relationship, they will return the favor ' when you ask for referrals ' by introducing you to other in-house counsel and their clients. The good will and solid relationships that they have will work in your favor. It will provide you with the opportunity to, as Abraham suggests, make their clients your prospects.

Combat Coaching?

At the Closers Group, we talk a lot about our RED ZONE approach to business development. We focus on the importance of having your strategies and tactics practiced and ready so that, when you meet face to face with your prospects, you'll be ready to close the sale. Jay Abraham, who we've been talking about in our recent posts, has offered a similar extremely effective program that he called “Competitive Combat Coaching.” It's considered to be a more aggressive and productive way of looking at growing law firm successes, and builds even more on his 2000 book Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got.

Every firm and organization has a number of tools that they aren't using effectively. The more that you look at your own organization ' with or without the help of a business development consultant ' the more you're going to find:

• Underperforming assets;
• Overlooked opportunities;
• Hidden assets;
• Under-valued relationships; and
• Under-utilized collaboration opportunities.

As the competition for legal services intensifies and client budgets fight to stay stable as time goes on, doesn't it make sense to look within your organization and build on what you already have? The cost is low ' and the effort can make your legal marketing far more effective. In our Rapid Assessment work with clients, these are among the first tactics we use to strengthen law firm business development efforts.

Conclusion

When you're fighting for new client engagements in the RED ZONE, it's important to recognize that you are participating in a form of sophisticated combat. Draw on your training and strengths and you'll be prepared to engage and win new business.

Allan Colman is the CEO of the Closers Group, a business development advisory and consulting firm. Contact him at 310-225-3904 or at [email protected].