Legal Marketing

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Anyone can become a successful business developer. Even a rainmaker.

I say this without reservation…knowing many will disagree.

Like Mindy did.

She was upfront, telling me the first time we sat down to discuss growing her practice that she just didn’t have the right personality.

“Networking events are worse than a root canal,” she told me. “And when it comes to talking someone into hiring me…I am not a salesperson.”

Mindy had bought into the idea that you’re either a born rainmaker, or you’re not.Continue Reading If You Feel Like You Have To Become A Different Person To Succeed At Business Development, You’re Doing It Wrong

Wherever business development initiatives aren’t delivering ROI in the form of increased revenue, the problem often boils down to missing the target more often than not.

It is easy to do.

An entire industry has a vested interest in convincing you that getting your name out there amounts to smart business development. Once you make this leap it is tempting to buy the ads, sign up for the sponsorships, get the copy points and colors just right on your website, catalogue every capability…and then wait for the market to beat a path to your door.

If neither time or budget is an issue, and assuming your visibility campaign in some way differentiates you from everyone else — this might work.

But odds are you’ll over spend, waste time and miss connecting with any real targets.Continue Reading When BizDev Efforts Fail To Increase Revenue, You Have An Aim Problem

  1. Can you name the target(s) key to your success?
  2. Do you know and understand the core concerns of your target(s)?
  3. Do you have a clear solution/answer for these concerns?
  4. How will you create visibility, deliver value and build trust with your target?

Whether you are marketing a professional service, selling a product or seeking support for a cause, four questions provide the framework for increasing revenue.Continue Reading Four Steps That Will Increase Revenue

If business development efforts are consistently slow-going, there’s a good chance the issue is related to smart targeting. Specifically…the lack thereof.

Here’s a quick exercise. Pull out your business development plan and check for two things:

  • that name of an individual is connected to each action item in the plan — company names and industries don’t count;
  • each action item is relevant to getting you face-to-face with either individuals who will advance your pursuit OR with a hiring authorization.

If you’re light on the first, and/or there’s a lot of activity that doesn’t eventually map to a decision maker, we may have identified the problem: your plan isn’t target-driven…which means you’re stuck hoping your efforts connect. Continue Reading If You Want To Jumpstart Business Development, Here’s Where To Start

The life expectancy of “no-one-saw-this-coming” as an explanation for stalled business development is going to run out soon. Or at least, wear thin.

So for everyone who still has a practice to grow, here is a 4-step plan for the last 4 months of a year none of us saw coming. Buckle up…we’ll make it a speed round (because time is wasting).Continue Reading A 4-Step BizDev Plan For The Last 4 Months of This Year