Legal Business Development: How Do I Choose The Right Differentiators?
A reader recently sent in a question following this article about finding ways to stand out from other practitioners in your field. After outlining several potential points of differentiation, this general litigator asked, “I just can’t figure out how to make myself stand out in a town with thousands of attorneys. I write, I speak, […]
If Bruce Lee Says It…
Further to last week’s post on the value of taking small, consistent steps toward your business development objectives, here’s a quote from Bruce Lee. It’s true in physical training, and it’s true for business development. Make it a consistent week.
Little Hinges Swing Big Doors
I was listening to a podcast recently when I heard a phrase that’s stuck with me since: little hinges swing big doors. We can use that phrase in a number of ways for business development, but let’s focus on one of the most common blocks lawyers hit: being “too busy” for business development activity. If […]
Long Run Business Development Efforts That Will Pay Off Over Time.
Over the years, I’ve noticed that some lawyers are making mistakes that will undermine their business development efforts. These are short-sighted decisions that may seem smart in the short run but will cause great damage over time. Marketing Don’t #1: “It’s all about me” newsletters. A lawyer I don’t know subscribed me to his mailing list, using […]
Internal Networking Tips (Especially For Lawyers New To a Firm)
Every lawyer must be able to bring in at least enough work to support his or her own practice. Of course, with rare exceptions, no one springs into business development fully formed. It’s a process that takes both time to perform and time for the results to appear. Successful BD requires effort and skill. Every lawyer […]
Failing To See Options
Let’s start today’s newsletter with a little joke. During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director how she decides whether a patient should be institutionalized. “Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or […]
New Lawyer Skill Focus: How To Deliver Bad News
This is one of the most challenging communications issues that new lawyers face — really, that any of us face. Something has gone wrong, there’s an adverse ruling, or someone made a mistake. How do you deliver that news?Whether you need to inform the client or a more senior lawyer, the process is largely the […]