Professional Development: Building Excitement Around Business Development

Ask lawyers what they find EXCITING about selling (it is okay to use the “sales” word) and most will say winning, followed closely by developing new relationships. On the flipside, they fear rejection and failure. Add risk aversion and low resilience to the mix and business development can feel daunting.

It isn't surprising, then, that lawyers harbor overly optimistic notions that winning work can be achieved by authoring the right article, attending a networking event, presenting at the conference or having lunch with a general counsel. They want it quickly but the reality is '

• 80% of sales happen after more than five, even nine, contacts with a prospective client.
• 90% of people give up before that.
• Thus, the persistent 10% win the lion's share of new work.

Firms need to offer business development training that reflects the realities and demands of the sales cycle to better equip lawyers to successfully navigate it. The training needs to be sustained and intentional. It should not rely on random stand-alone courses or intensive three-day workshops that cram in too many sales techniques and unrealistic role plays. Lawyers need repeated opportunities to build their skills and relationships. With persistent activity, they acquire the patience and confidence necessary to become successful business developers. It is all about varied and practical bite-sized learning ' one touch point at a time.