Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

It's Not Business Development Or Marketing. It's Business Development And Marketing

By Meg Pritchard
July 01, 2024

At a recent social event I attended, I met a lawyer — let's call him Mark. When Mark heard that I run a content marketing agency focusing on legal services, he chuckled and said, "I bet you run into a lot of lawyers who think they know how to do marketing better than you do." Before I could assure him that this was rarely a problem and that I very much enjoyed working with lawyers and law firms, Mark leaned in close to tell me that, in his opinion, "most law firms are doing it wrong" and "should be focusing on business development rather than marketing." After imparting this piece of wisdom, he sat back with a satisfied smile.

As ironic as the scenario might have been, Mark's suggestion started me thinking.

The idea that marketing and business development are separate, siloed functions, or that they exist in an either-or relationship with each other, is not an uncommon one, especially for lawyers who may only get an occasional peek into what their firm's marketing and business development professionals spend their days working on. Understanding how marketing and business development work together can also be challenging in part because these two functions tend not to have simple definitions or clear-cut scopes, in either general business parlance or legal services marketing.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Top 5 Strategies for Managing the End-of-Year Collections Frenzy Image

End of year collections are crucial for law firms because they allow them to maximize their revenue for the year, impacting profitability, partner distributions and bonus calculations by ensuring outstanding invoices are paid before the year closes, which is especially important for meeting financial targets and managing cash flow throughout the firm.

The Self-Service Buyer Is On the Rise Image

Law firms and companies in the professional services space must recognize that clients are conducting extensive online research before making contact. Prospective buyers are no longer waiting for meetings with partners or business development professionals to understand the firm's offerings. Instead, they are seeking out information on their own, and they want to do it quickly and efficiently.

Should Large Law Firms Penalize RTO Rebels or Explore Alternatives? Image

Through a balanced approach that combines incentives with accountability, firms can navigate the complexities of returning to the office while maintaining productivity and morale.

Sink or Swim: The Evolving State of Law Firm Administrative Support Image

The paradigm of legal administrative support within law firms has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last decade. But this begs the question: are the changes to administrative support successful, and do law firms feel they are sufficiently prepared to meet future business needs?

Tax Treatment of Judgments and Settlements Image

Counsel should include in its analysis of a case the taxability of the anticipated and sought after damages as the tax effect could be substantial.