<i>Leadership</i>: Law Firm Marketing and Sales Leadership

Helping a firm's marketing and sales team to perform at its peak is part of the role of an effective firm leader. There are two key areas where firm leadership may play an important role.

First, as firms move to a more client-centric, service-oriented culture, the sales director position is becoming an increasingly important role. This change of focus within the marketing and business development team does not mean that marketing doesn't matter; it means that all the great marketing support will be better leveraged by seasoned sales professionals who have experience turning activities into revenue-generating opportunities. The bigger challenge we see is for law firm leaders to understand the connection and to strongly support both areas of the firm. In some cases, CMOs and Directors who lead these teams are being pushed aside by law firm leaders who believe these individuals have served their purpose in firms ' and that now a skilled sales professional needs to run the show. We say, “hold on!” There are some key elements leaders would do best to understand to help define who the right fit is for the leadership role.

Separate Teams

Specifically, for a larger firm, having a separate sales team in addition to the marketing team can make good sense. Few great sales professionals have the patience to be “managed” by a marketing professional unless that individual is an outstanding manager of people. Conversely, many experts in sales are soloists and while they are highly skilled at converting contacts into cash, they may be challenged by producing good written materials, managing a team and overseeing what may be to them, “mundane” areas, like the website; marketing communications, events, etc. So a team is the best solution and someone who has strong management skills, good writing skills and is a team player. Regardless of whether that individual has a marketing or a sales background, the management skills and ability to lead a team of strong-minded marketing and sales individuals is critical.

Second, law firm leaders are wise to be cognizant of the sales and marketing group to insure the group is operating at its highest and best potential and the leaders in both areas are focused on the right activities versus at each other.

How to Succeed

Some quick tips for law firm leaders to help marketing and business development departments to succeed include:

• Be clear about the significant volume of activity which the Department manages and where possible, help to prioritize projects.
• Be clear to partners and other legal professionals about the priorities for the Department and inform them about the key initiatives the Department is managing.
• Trust your marketing and business development professionals ' have their backs. Marketing/BD are often the fall people for partners who waste their time with random acts of marketing and BD. Not all partners or opportunities are created equal!
• Assign an Executive Committee member to be a liaison between the Department and the firm to support the marketing/BD team.
• Underscore the importance of the lawyers' role in keeping their own information up to date. It's not the marketing/BD team's responsibility to ensure that every lawyer's contacts information is up to date, nor is it their responsibility to keep bios updated. They are there to be supportive but lawyers must be held accountable for their own contacts, bios (they are the products) and RFPs. The BD team will provide guidance and input as necessary and shepherd these processes but ultimately leadership is responsible for insuring the lawyers help to make their efforts as successful as possible.

When it's time to change leadership for the marketing/BD team, don't wait until it's too late and everyone is disenfranchised with the leader. Make decisions quickly and remember the individual(s) who get you from A to B are not always the right people to get you from B to C. That does not mean they are failures; it means it's time for a change.

Encourage a proactive approach. One hopes that your marketing/BD team leaders are proactive; but in case they are not, encourage them to be so.

Remember, these individuals are marketing and sales professionals often with a solid track record of success and a strong educational background in their field. Seeking their advice as professionals will go a long way toward their success, and the success of the firm and thus the leaders.

Silvia Coulter, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is a Principal with LawVision Group and leads the firm's Business Development Practice. She works with firms to assist with client retention, client growth and new business strategy. She may be reached at [email protected].

Helping a firm's marketing and sales team to perform at its peak is part of the role of an effective firm leader. There are two key areas where firm leadership may play an important role.

First, as firms move to a more client-centric, service-oriented culture, the sales director position is becoming an increasingly important role. This change of focus within the marketing and business development team does not mean that marketing doesn't matter; it means that all the great marketing support will be better leveraged by seasoned sales professionals who have experience turning activities into revenue-generating opportunities. The bigger challenge we see is for law firm leaders to understand the connection and to strongly support both areas of the firm. In some cases, CMOs and Directors who lead these teams are being pushed aside by law firm leaders who believe these individuals have served their purpose in firms ' and that now a skilled sales professional needs to run the show. We say, “hold on!” There are some key elements leaders would do best to understand to help define who the right fit is for the leadership role.

Separate Teams

Specifically, for a larger firm, having a separate sales team in addition to the marketing team can make good sense. Few great sales professionals have the patience to be “managed” by a marketing professional unless that individual is an outstanding manager of people. Conversely, many experts in sales are soloists and while they are highly skilled at converting contacts into cash, they may be challenged by producing good written materials, managing a team and overseeing what may be to them, “mundane” areas, like the website; marketing communications, events, etc. So a team is the best solution and someone who has strong management skills, good writing skills and is a team player. Regardless of whether that individual has a marketing or a sales background, the management skills and ability to lead a team of strong-minded marketing and sales individuals is critical.

Second, law firm leaders are wise to be cognizant of the sales and marketing group to insure the group is operating at its highest and best potential and the leaders in both areas are focused on the right activities versus at each other.

How to Succeed

Some quick tips for law firm leaders to help marketing and business development departments to succeed include:

• Be clear about the significant volume of activity which the Department manages and where possible, help to prioritize projects.
• Be clear to partners and other legal professionals about the priorities for the Department and inform them about the key initiatives the Department is managing.
• Trust your marketing and business development professionals ' have their backs. Marketing/BD are often the fall people for partners who waste their time with random acts of marketing and BD. Not all partners or opportunities are created equal!
• Assign an Executive Committee member to be a liaison between the Department and the firm to support the marketing/BD team.
• Underscore the importance of the lawyers' role in keeping their own information up to date. It's not the marketing/BD team's responsibility to ensure that every lawyer's contacts information is up to date, nor is it their responsibility to keep bios updated. They are there to be supportive but lawyers must be held accountable for their own contacts, bios (they are the products) and RFPs. The BD team will provide guidance and input as necessary and shepherd these processes but ultimately leadership is responsible for insuring the lawyers help to make their efforts as successful as possible.

When it's time to change leadership for the marketing/BD team, don't wait until it's too late and everyone is disenfranchised with the leader. Make decisions quickly and remember the individual(s) who get you from A to B are not always the right people to get you from B to C. That does not mean they are failures; it means it's time for a change.

Encourage a proactive approach. One hopes that your marketing/BD team leaders are proactive; but in case they are not, encourage them to be so.

Remember, these individuals are marketing and sales professionals often with a solid track record of success and a strong educational background in their field. Seeking their advice as professionals will go a long way toward their success, and the success of the firm and thus the leaders.

Silvia Coulter, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is a Principal with LawVision Group and leads the firm's Business Development Practice. She works with firms to assist with client retention, client growth and new business strategy. She may be reached at [email protected].