Personal contacts: the foundation of every successful legal business development plan
I clerked for a federal judge in my first job after law school. Among the many lessons Judge Forrester taught me was to look for the existence of a “Q” case, the source from which the rest of the precedents would flow. In practice, I learned that some questions require the thorough search that would […]
Creating and Harnessing Momentum in Business Development
When an attorney is focused on business development and is implementing consistently a strategic plan designed to reach clearly identified goals, magic happens. Often it’s magic that brings in new business, and for practices with longer sales cycles, it’s magic that first brings in connections and opportunities that eventually lead to new business. The magic […]
What are you thinking?
How do you regard business development activity? Do you believe you can succeed? Is the wolf at the door, waiting to devour your practice if you fail? Is bringing in new business a “nice to have” activity, or is it a critical stepping stone for you? Are your clients fortunate to have you on their side? […]
Do you feel pressure about business development?
“Pressure is what you feel when you don’t know what you are doing.” Peyton Manning This quote stopped me in my tracks. My first inclination was to disagree, because I sometimes feel pressure because of a deadline or because of the importance of some activity, even though I know what I’m doing. Digging a bit […]
How college football offers lessons in business development.
I love college football. There’s something about the rivalry, the enthusiasm of players (most of whom have to know they’re playing for the love of the game, not for a shot at the pros), and the strategy that’s great fun to watch. Football also offers lessons for business development, as I noticed recently. A few […]
How to avoid amassing untouched stacks of business cards that you should use for follow-up (but probably won’t)
Here’s how it happens… You get back to your office, having met some interesting new contacts, armed with their business cards and good intentions of following up. You take those cards, maybe flip through them to remind yourself of who’s most interesting, and then you put them somewhere safe, so you won’t forget. My “safe […]
Evaluate the cost/benefit ratio before agreeing to write or speak.
Before you decide to speak or to write an article concerning your area of practice, you must ensure that your time will be well invested. Ask yourself the following questions: Will this reach the right audience? Writing for or speaking to the wrong audience (meaning, an audience composed of people whom you do not serve) […]