Are you reactionary or responsible?

/0 Comments/in , /by

After I finished writing last week’s article on the relationship between the generative power of language and your business development activity, I found several other articles discussing a similar topic. I highly recommend you check Michael Hyatt’s 3 Ways You’re Giving Up Power with Your Words: How the Way You Speak Can Sabotage Your Success. Hyatt’s discussion of how words like “I’ll try” give us an automatic escape from whatever you say you want to do:

 

“When we agree to a commitment by saying, “I’ll try” or “I’ll give it my best shot,” we’re saying the opposite. At least that’s what people usually hear.

The problem is that it not only undermines our credibility, it also lowers the chance we’ll make good on the commitment because it’s a subtle denial of our own agency.”

After you’ve read Hyatt’s post, check out this one from Seth Godin. Godin’s upshot:

“When you decide to set the agenda and when you take control over your time and your effort, the responsibility for what happens next belongs to you.”

And that’s why you must take an entrepreneurial approach to your practice. Change is going to come, and you can be reactionary or responsible. The choice is yours, but only one of those options will lead you to success.

Take an entrepreneurial approach to your practice.

/0 Comments/in , /by

One of the keys to building a successful law practice is adopting an entrepreneurial approach, regardless of your practice setting. In other words, whether you’re a sole practitioner or the newest hire in a gigantic firm (or anywhere in between), you must recognize that you “own” your practice, and you must act accordingly. That means:

  • You take responsibility for building your book of business. You actively work to avoid relying on doing or inheriting work for someone else’s client
  • You take responsibility for your career advancement. You determine what additional skills and experience you need to grow as a practitioner and you make it your business to acquire that.
  • You take responsibility for the experience that your clients have with you. You decide (perhaps in concert with others on your team, if appropriate) how quickly you respond to client inquiries, how and when you proactively provide updates about client matters, to what degree you lead and collaborate with clients, and so on. You consistently look for ways to build value for your clients.
  • You take responsibility for making necessary adjustments based on changing circumstances. You watch for trends in law, in business, and in the economy, and you work to adapt your practice to navigate those trends and to help your clients do the same.
  • You take responsibility for your satisfaction in practice. You know that there’s no reason and no value to staying in a practice or a job you dislike. You understand that you won’t love every moment of your work. You stay attentive to be sure the positive moments significantly outweigh the negative, and if you find that untrue, you make the necessary changes.

If you need to develop the entrepreneurial mindset, let’s talk.

If you have the entrepreneurial mindset, read this article by Jonathan Fields, a former practicing lawyer who’s now an author, entrepreneur, and producer of Good Life Project. Titled Why Do So Many Entrepreneurs Hate Their Lives, this article will get you thinking about who you are and how you bring that to your practice. Even if you’re happy with your practice, I guarantee that this article will give you important food for thought. As Fields writes, when you consider the questions posed in the article, “you’ll start to cultivate the level of self-knowledge needed to build something that not only makes money and serves a need, but also serves you and the life you seek to create.” Read it (and do the work) now.

It isn’t what you said, it’s how you said it.

/0 Comments/in , , /by

I confess: I’m one of the thousands and thousands of people who are thrilled that Netflix is finally streaming Friends. The early seasons were especially clever, taking all kinds of language out of context for comedic effect. (Stick with me, I do have a business development point here!) In one episode, Chandler accuses Joey of becoming too feminine thanks to the influence of his new female roommate, which makes Joey pout. Chandler asks what he said wrong, and Joey answers, “It isn’t what you said, it’s how you said it.” (And thousands groaned, having heard exactly that charge somewhere along the line from a significant other.)

Somewhere through life experience, we’ve all learned the lesson that language can make a neutral concept unpleasant or aggressive. As a middle school teacher put it, “Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don’t say it mean.” Language has power, so we know to choose words carefully to avoid tainting a message with unintended connotations.

How often do you pay attention to the language you use to describe business development?

Over the weekend, I led a workshop for a small group of lawyers who’ve been tapped as high-potential leaders within their firm. I started the workshop, as I often do, by asking what feels uncomfortable about business development, and one answer guided a large part of our conversation:

I don’t like having to sell myself.

That comment kicked off a conversation that can’t be replicated in a short article, but…

Consider:

  • Do you feel like you have to “sell yourself” to build your practice? How does that feel? Does it change your perspective on your task to think of it as selling your services, helping someone to find a solution to a problem, securing new work, or in some other words?
  • How do you feel about networking? How do you feel about meeting new people, making new connections, or talking with people about things that interest you?
  • Do you enjoy following up with a new contact? What about keeping conversation going or checking in?
  • What comes up when you think about having a sales conversation? Is it different if you think about offering to help solve a problem, asking for the business, or suggesting next steps?

Language is generative, and the words you choose carry a certain power or energy. Choose your words so that you don’t get stuck in a particular way of thinking. Substituting selling your services for selling yourself won’t magically transform your business development activity or results, but I guarantee you’ll approach the job differently if you can make that shift. (And if that’s a change you need to make, read the book Selling the Invisible, starting with my review.)

Craft a more persuasive message

/0 Comments/in , /by

Regardless of your area of practice, you almost certainly spend a big chunk of your time persuading someone to do something. In addition to persuading a decision maker (a court or opposing party, perhaps), during the course of a day you probably attempt to persuade colleagues about a plan of action (or a destination for lunch), administrators about research or other assistance, and so on. Great. Let’s assume that persuasion is among your top skills.

I’ve observed that the skill sometimes falls by the wayside, however, when it comes to business development. I recently talked with a client (a successful litigator) who told me how difficult he finds it to strike the right balance in talking with a prospective client. How much is too much, how little is too little, and what should the content be?

I ran across a nice article this week that will help: How Doctors (or Anyone) Can Craft a More Persuasive Message. The article centers on the distinction between the message and the messenger, which is certainly critical, but it also offers three simple factors that you can use to form a more persuasive message.

  1. Expertise. Convey your expertise using “authority cues.” For a doctor, those cues might include a display of medical diplomas or the choice to wear a stethoscope. How does your office cue the perception that you are an authority in your field? What about your presence? Pay attention to both where you choose to have a conversation with a prospective client and how you present yourself.
  2. Trustworthiness. Generally speaking, you won’t be able to present an approach as a 100% ironclad certainty. The article suggests sequencing your message by sharing uncertainty just before delivering your strongest argument. How else might you convey that you’re trustworthy? For a potential client, think about the message you send when you’re on time for an appointment (or not), when you’re able to talk easily about your client’s business and/or legal situation (or not), and when you exhibit strong leadership presence (or not).
  3. Similarity. How can you signal that you and your prospective client are similar, without undermining your expertise? Language is important here: using legal terms of art with sophisticated legal consumers, for example, and more ordinary language with those less accustomed to addressing the legal issues at hand. You might also seek ways to demonstrate shared business values as well as other sources of common ground.

Read the article for insight on how you might communicate more persuasively. And where you have a choice in forming a team approach to a business pitch, consider especially the article’s question about who’s likely to be the most effective messenger.

Should you join the ABA?

/0 Comments/in , /by

The ABA is offering a free trial membership, including membership in one substantive Section, if you join by January 31.  Whether you’re looking to develop your substantive skills, to add another activity to your bio sketch, or to build new relationships, the ABA offers tremendous benefit. I’ve been active since I was in law school, holding a variety of leadership positions, and it’s been an unequivocally good experience. If you aren’t a member, check out the offer. (And if you’re wondering, no, there’s no benefit to me if you join.)

If you’re wondering why bar association membership might be beneficial for you and how to go about getting the maximum benefit, check out this blog post from 2008. It’s one of my most popular articles.

Finally, if ABA membership isn’t right for you, consider whether another group might be. Perhaps a bar association or industry group heavily populated by lawyers that focuses on your practice area (AIPLA, for example) would be a better match.

Bribe your way to success

/0 Comments/in , /by

Clients often tell me that they don’t feel motivated to do business development work. Although I understand on one level, it surprises me every time simply because I don’t believe that any successful person relies on motivation to succeed.

Motivation is a transient emotion that typically doesn’t last through the tough, make-or-break spots. I often wasn’t motivated to study during law school–or college or high school–but I did it anyway because I knew that studying was necessary to reach my objectives. I don’t remember ever being motivated to brush my teeth (except when I purchased my nifty Sonicare toothbrush, and that novelty passed quickly) but I do it at least twice a day because I value my teeth.

Undertaking business development activity falls into a similar category: motivation is a nice bonus, not sufficient fuel to get it done. Ideally, some activities are such a good fit for you that you enjoy them, or at least you don’t mind them. Others you may dread. And that’s where bribing your way to success comes in.

A recent Harvard Business Review Blog describes four kinds of rewards to help you complete tasks you dread. The categories are:

1. Regenerative: a reward that recharges your body and brain
2. Productive: the reward of work you enjoy
3. Concurrent: a reward that you enjoy while doing the dreaded task, likely one that doesn’t require a lot of concentration
4. Cumulative: a fund you pay into when you complete a large and dreaded project
Read the blog post to get ideas about rewards in each category, and then create your own list of compelling rewards. Bribe yourself to complete business development tasks you don’t enjoy, and each bribe will help you to build the practice you want.

Your 2015 marketing must-do

/0 Comments/in , /by

By now, you’ve probably accepted the reality that you must market your practice, and that you must do so consistently. But the bulk of your time goes into practicing law rather than marketing your practice, so you need to use your time as effectively as possible. You can’t afford to waste time.

And that leads to the “must do” marketing activity for 2015:

 

I don’t really like watching videos, and I certainly don’t like shooting or sharing videos of me. But the statistics are hard to ignore. Video is important and will become even more so over time. Ignore the product demonstration benefits (since lawyers don’t really do that), but if nothing else, consider this: when you have videos available, your potential clients and referrals sources get to “meet” you before you ever speak. It allows people to get a sense of who you are, how you talk, whether you’re approachable, and so much more that can never be conveyed in text.

 

Video is not the silver bullet to marketing your practice, but your approach is incomplete if you exclude video.

A few ideas about how you might use video:

  • Report on a trend you’ve noticed. Video is especially nice here because it’s conversational.
  • Discuss a recent development. You may find it quicker and easier to talk about the development rather than to write it, and if you’re engaged, it’s more likely to draw in your viewer.
  • Talk about issues your clients face. Don’t step over the line into giving advice, but video is a nice way to connect with an audience and let them know you understand.
  • Offer resources. A litigator might prepare a “how to prepare for your deposition” video that may allay a client’s discomfort. If you recommend the same service providers or tools over and over to your clients (for inventors, perhaps), a quick video will let you give more information and color than text.
  • Introduce yourself. Notice that this is last on the list. A video that’s about your target client and what that client needs will outperform a video that’s about you. That doesn’t mean an “about us” style video (or webpage) is unimportant, but clients and referral sources will want to know how you can help first.

A few ideas on where you might incorporate videos into your marketing:

  • On website pages specific to a practice area, to talk about the issues that your clients face.
  • On a resources page on your website
  • On the a “recent news” page on your website
  • On your website’s about page, to describe yourself, your practice, etc.
  • On your blog, to discuss recent updates or to spot trends for your readers.
  • In a comment you share on someone else’s blog, to support or amplify your comment
  • In client newsletter or alerts, to share insight in a conversational way
  • On your LinkedIn profile, to bring your profile to life and distinguish you from others who don’t use video
  • On YouTube—you do know that Google owns YouTube, right?
  • On Facebook, if your market is there and if you’re jumping through the requisite Facebook marketing hoops. There’s good evidence that Facebook is now outperforming YouTube for video.
  • In emails to clients, if you know your clients appreciate video.

If you’re ready to explore video use, consider these recommendations:

  • Have your video copy transcribed. Google can’t index the content of your video, and not everyone will want to watch a video. Having the copy right below the video gives you the benefit of both video and text.
  • Have evergreen videos professionally produced. Your “about us” video should be professionally created and edited, and that’s what you should use as your primary LinkedIn video.
  • Shoot some “recent developments” videos on the fly. If you just attended an interesting conference or a hearing and want to share some information about it on your blog or as a client alert, you can shoot a perfectly good video with your cellphone. Just be sure the sound is good and that the image is stable, and make sure your comments match the immediacy of the format. (In other words, have a conversation with the viewer rather than speaking at the viewer.)

Make 2015 the year you incorporate video into your marketing. That’s one of my goals for this year, so you can expect to see more use of video in this newsletter and elsewhere.

How do you use and/or view video for business purposes? What engages you, and what turns you off?

Avoiding 2015’s top obstacle

/0 Comments/in , /by

A client recently shared his worry about taking on new marketing approaches, which included an effort to become credibly visible in a variety of marketing channels rather than centering all of his efforts on a single marketing avenue as he had in the past. Nothing especially shocking, but my client (risk-averse, like so many lawyers) was almost paralyzed.

A recent Seth Godin blog post casts light on that client’s situation by untangling risk and uncertainty:

Uncertainty is not the same as risk… Uncertainty implies a range of possible outcomes. But a range of results, all uncertain, does not mean you are exposing yourself to risk. (Emphasis added.)

If you’ve ever found yourself hesitating on doing something new (and who hasn’t), read Godin’s full post. I suspect that you’ll come away with a different view of risk, one that will help you to avoid standing still, which is (as usual) this year’s top obstacle.

Celebrate!

/0 Comments/in , /by

 

It’s the season of celebration: Christmas almost here, Hanukkah just ending, and other special days about. Whatever you celebrate, and even if you aren’t celebrating anything, I wish you a magical season.

(Wishing for a biz dev read? Here’s one of my most popular articles in 2014.)

Year in review: what worked?

/0 Comments/in , /by

In just two weeks, 2014 will be over and done. You can still accomplish a lot if you choose, even with the intervening holidays, but there’s one must-do task to set yourself up for a strong 2015: your year in review.

Just about every successful person I know or know of considers the year-end review a critical piece of preparing for the upcoming year. There’s no single way to conduct this review, though you can get a flavor of the process through Chris Guillebeau’s Annual Review and his suggestions  on how you can perform the same process.

When it comes to marketing and business development, you can streamline the process by asking three simple questions. 

  1. What should I stop doing? What marketing initiatives flopped? What did you dislike doing? Which activities delivered results that weren’t proportional to the time (and perhaps money) investment required? These are activities you should stop doing.Just a word to the wise here: be sure that you’ve given an activity enough consistent effort to judge it fairly. If you just started working within an organization in October and you’ve only attended one meeting, you probably don’t have sufficient data to make a determination.
  2. What should I start doing? This is where you’ll revisit your business development plan. Which activities fit your marketing identity and are well calculated to reach your ideal client? Most likely, you should start implementing some subset of those activities.
  3. What should I continue doing? In other words, what worked well? Consider results in terms of building your brand, raising your profile in the marketplace, building valuable relationships, and landing new business.

 

Year’s end is an ideal time to ask yourself these questions, and the process need not be fancy. Grab a pad (whether i- or yellow) and make a few notes. Be sure you have your calendar and your business development plan at hand to jog your memory and measure your outcomes. And while you’re at it, schedule a midyear review now for late June or early July 2015.