One of my clients (let’s call her Renée) had a major disappointment recently. She had been courting a potential client (let’s call it ABC Corp.) for quite some time, and all the signs indicated that she would be tapped to handle a major piece of litigation. And then, instead of returning the engagement letter, ABC […]
As you’re no doubt aware, on Monday (the 17th), the U.S. observed its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a holiday intended to encourage Americans to serve their communities in honor of Dr. King’s legacy. What you may not know is that Monday was also Blue Monday, the date on which it’s said that post-holiday […]
You’ve probably recognized by now that social media activity can be useful for business development purposes… but you may not have figured out exactly how to make that happen for you. All too often lawyers tell me that they’re working hard but not seeing any meaningful results from their social media activity. It’s frustrating and […]
Happy New Year! January always feels like a fresh start to me, just like September does, after so many years of school. I love to harness the power of possibility that comes with a fresh start. Every January, I choose one activity that I’d like to make a habit or incorporate more fully into my […]
If you haven’t already done so, I invite you to make a decision (not a resolution) about how you will engage in and with business development activity going forward. Your consistent commitment makes the difference between a decision and a garden-variety resolution (which, statistically speaking, has a 25% chance of being broken within the first […]
You probably have a list of tasks you must accomplish before the end of the year. Wrapping up some billable work, making a few final holiday get-togethers, perhaps a few last-ditch but gentle calls to encourage clients to pay their invoices before year’s end. Adding these two year-end tasks will significantly benefit you as you start […]
When confronted with a new, daunting challenge, many of us have a tendency to say we’ll try. In the business development context, that might show up as, “Oh, I hate networking, but I know I need to meet new people, so I’m going to try attending the monthly entrepreneur’s meetup.” Or “I know I need […]
There’s no doubt that price is a factor in most buying decisions. However, price is not the only factor, and it doesn’t have to be the most important factor. Consider this: If you want to command a higher fee, deliver extraordinary quality, convenience, service, and value. How to do that is a long conversation. […]
Relationship development is a key part of any business development initiative. That’s why we put so much effort into meeting new people, getting to know them, and following up with them over time. But how do you gather and track the relevant must-know information about your contacts? Enter the CRM: the Client (or Customer) Relationship […]
Corporations have known the importance of branding for years, and their brands sometimes take on a life of their own. Take Southwest, for example. NYSE stock symbol: LUV. Founded on exhibiting care for employees and customers, the Southwest brand is about being nice, straightforward, and creative. (See more about that and why it matters for […]