The topic of commitment has been coming up over and over in the last few weeks. What’s the first thing you think when you think of commitment in the context of your practice? Without commitment in three particular areas, success is unlikely. Commitment to business development. To get consistent results in building your practice, you […]
I’ve often drawn the analogy between business development activity and going to the gym. Both require commitment, consistency, and frequent activity for optimum results. For both activities, success comes only when you step outside what’s comfortable and familiar. And building muscle is likewise spot-on for both. This summer, I’ve been swimming laps almost every morning. […]
Last week I offered an idea on how to manage business development through upcoming hectic vacation times, and boy did that strike a chord! I received a bunch of responses asking for more suggestions. And so… This week I’m reprinting a 2011 review of Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life by […]
In the northern hemisphere, we’re looking forward to summer break, while southern hemisphere dwellers are looking toward a winter break. Wherever geography may place you, at some point or points over the next couple of months, you’re probably going to be facing an even stronger than usual collision of work, personal commitments, and culture-driven expectations. […]
It’s hard to hear “no” when you’re working to increase your visibility through speaking or writing or when you’ve asked a potential client for new business. But as difficult as it is, you probably hear “no” on a regular basis. (In fact, if you don’t get turned down at least every now and again, you’re […]
Relationships are at the heart of business development. That’s true regardless of the length of your sales cycle, meaning the typical amount of time required for a potential client to move from first encountering you to hiring you. It isn’t necessary to build a deep and personal relationship in all cases, but you do have […]
How often do you think about what you’re doing? Probably more often than you should. Consider this quote: When it comes to business development (and practice in general), building good habits will help you to accomplish the tasks you want more consistently. For example, if you make it a habit to connect with a new […]
One of my favorite questions is, “What’s your agenda?” I’ve noticed, however, that we tend not to ask that question of ourselves often enough. Setting an agenda is a classic time management strategy. If you’re looking to make meetings shorter and more productive, circulate an agenda in advance and expect everyone to come prepared. If […]
When do you share your best ideas? BTI Consulting, a group known for its deep research in client satisfaction and preferences, reports that: “[j]ust over 2/3 of clients tell us the best new ideas they see coming from law firms happen during an RFP process. Somewhere among the sea of bland boilerplate submissions lies one […]
Sales. Selling. Sales pitch. How do those words come across to you? Positive, negative, or no charge at all? Studies show that a significant number of people have some bad impression about selling, though most people have no negative association with buying. (See Daniel Pink’s To Sell Is Human for more on this.) But if […]