Producing Breakthroughs in Client Development

A few ways to enhance these skills are to tape your conversations, take communication courses, use an executive coach or consultant, take Dale Carnegie courses and ask your family, friends and peers to critique you.

People often without realizing it interpret their conversations in self-defeating ways. It is crucial to recognize that there are often several possible interpretations of what people are saying and doing.

Last year, an attorney complained that a certain client of his was no longer interested in doing business with him because he suddenly stopped returning his calls. I pointed out that he was assuming this meant disinterest; it turned out the client was away on business for two weeks.

In general, people are not negative. If a prospect truly chooses not to do business with your firm now, it doesn't mean he or she will not engage you later. They might also refer people to you if given the chance to know you better. Beware of negative assumptions; they can cost you money.

Service

Rainmakers give top-level service. They know that their ability to retain clients and to increase their referrals relies heavily on giving exceptional service. They do not assume what their clients want from them; they make it their business to find out and surpass those expectations. This is a habit they cultivate irrespective of the type of practice they have.

A small company deserves the same care as a large company. A true rainmaker treats all clients with a high degree of respect and attention. Rainmakers are true friends; they know their clients well enough to help in other areas of their lives. They don't focus solely on selling legal services.

Several months ago, I suggested to a litigator that he get to know a particular client better. They became close friends. When the client's son's baseball team needed equipment, my client's firm donated it. Needless to say, my client got many referrals, as well as the good feeling of having helped.

Community Service

Rainmakers have more than a sincere commitment to their communities. They often participate in a variety of important causes. They enjoy giving to others and interacting with like-minded people. This supports their magnetism and their ability to attract clients.

Abundant Thinking

Rainmakers are people who are clear that they deserve money and that it's abundantly available to them and others. They recognize the wealth around them and identify with it. They have good feelings toward money and all the good that can be done with it.

Listing your positive and negative thoughts about money is useful in recognizing your attitudes about money. Discussing financial attitudes with the wealthy is useful as well. People who believe they don't deserve more money, on a conscious or subconscious level, generally don't go after it effectively.

Market Beliefs

Rainmakers are lawyers who are always open to new possibilities to expand their growth. They know that money or business can come to them from a variety of sources. They are flexible and believe that opportunities abound. They are open to expanding into new specialties, new geographical areas and new alliances.

They consider different possibilities and look at the reasons they can do business in those areas. It may be important to look at the negatives while considering the positives. But it is critically important to recognize if you are someone who all too often allows the negatives to dominate your decisions, actions or inaction.

Being Appropriate

Rainmakers, by and large, are people of high integrity and honesty. They are devoted to their families, friends and co-workers. They live their lives with self-respect and are, in general, not dysfunctional. I'm not saying they are perfect.

Being deadly honest with oneself is not easy. My recommendation is that those who want to improve on this critical factor start to do a self-inventory. Ask yourself if you are being honest about your health and any addictions or family matters. Ask those who know you best about personal issues.

If you need therapy or other help, get it. If you need to clear up something at work, do so. When I started consulting, I met a couple who had a small tax and financial planning business. They complained of zero growth despite much effort.

The fact was that they were overspending in their business and in their personal lives. When I helped them to reverse this behavior, more business came in. It wasn't an accident.

Teamwork

Rainmakers don't operate in a vacuum. They are helping others at their firm and elsewhere. They know that opportunities abound within and without the firm. Too often people on a team are not aligned to their colleagues or to the mission of their firm.

Personal Development

Probably the most critical factor in becoming a rainmaker is one's willingness to be coached. Without a high level of commitment to being coached, progress in developing all the necessary skills is not likely.

It is useful to ask yourself honestly if you are someone who readily seeks advice, values it and uses it. Ask others how they view you. Many people in your life have valuable information about you including family, friends, co-workers, clients and even ex-relatives. They can tell you a lot about how you may be seen in a networking situation, in the service you render, your leadership skills and in many other areas.

In developing the necessary skills, I recommend seeking the services of public relations consultants, marketing consultants, business consultants and sales consultants. Training is also available through various sales training organizations. No one has all the answers. We need others. Being coachable is the key to success.

Closing Comments

There is no limit to the amount of revenue you can bring into your firm. As far as I can see, the limitations are all self-imposed and can be overcome with effort, an open mind, constructive advice and the will to do so. You don't have to be a victim of circumstances.

So-called good excuses such as time, money, age, competition and staff issues mask cynicism, apathy and resignation. They are all self-generated conditions. You don't have to let these things get in your way. Anyone can be an exceptional business developer.

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Arnold Keiser is a client development consultant with Search International in Marlton, New Jersey. This article also appeared in the New Jersey Law Journal, an ALM sibling of this newsletter.