| I keep a marketing tip sheet on the corner of my desk | | | | to speak on a topic in which you're competent but |
| at all times: 15 Secrets of Guerrilla Marketing, by Jay | | | | which is not central to your practice. While any of |
| Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing | | | | these activities will get you exposure, this group of |
| series. One of the "secrets" is especially on target for | | | | plans isn't enough to get you consistently in front of the |
| lawyers engaging in client development activities. | | | | people who need to know about you and your |
| Levinson says: | | | | practice. |
| Commitment: You should know that a mediocre | | | | One of the biggest client development mistakes I see |
| marketing program with commitment will always prove | | | | lawyers making is failing to commit to an activity. |
| more profitable than a brilliant marketing program | | | | When I talk with a potential client for rainmaking |
| without commitment. Commitment makes it happen. | | | | coaching, I often ask what activities he or she has |
| I hope it's immediately apparent to you why this is | | | | tried. I'll often hear something like this: "Well, I tried joining |
| applicable to lawyers, but just in case it isn't, consider | | | | the [fill-in-the-blank] association, but that didn't really |
| this. | | | | work for me." When I ask for more information, the |
| Suppose you're researching an area of law to get a | | | | lawyer will continue, "Yes, I went to two meetings and |
| feel for it, knowing that you're going to need to affiliate | | | | it didn't seem like I was making any headway, so I |
| with someone who's an expert in the area. Would you | | | | switched to [another group] and tried it for a couple of |
| be likely to contact someone who keeps popping up | | | | meetings, but that didn't help, so I went to [another |
| as an articles author on your topic, someone perhaps | | | | group] instead. I just don't think networking pays off for |
| with a treatise to boot, who's spoken on the issue at a | | | | me." Finding an adequate group (in which you stand to |
| number of CLE meetings? Would you be more or less | | | | meet a reasonable number of potential clients or |
| likely to contact someone whose name comes up | | | | potential referral sources) and being active in that |
| once as an author, or once as a speaker, or once as | | | | group over a several-month period will always yield |
| a member of a relevant committee? I'd be willing to | | | | better results than finding the "perfect" group and |
| bet that you'd be more eager to speak with the first | | | | attending it once or twice. |
| lawyer. | | | | Consistency demands that you evaluate your client |
| Commitment pays off because it increase the depth | | | | development plans and select a limited number of |
| of your experience and credentials in a particular area. | | | | activities that you will plan to accommodate in your |
| Whether it's writing as in the example above or in pro | | | | schedule. Then, schedule them and take part regularly. |
| bono work, doing a client development activity once is | | | | Be sure you're building a reputation that will serve you |
| unlikely to make a significant impact. But if you do it | | | | well; be sure your consistent, committed client |
| over and over, make it a regular part of your schedule, | | | | development activities are directed toward helping you |
| you will begin to gain some traction, to know people in | | | | to build that reputation. |
| the relevant area and to be known, and potentially to | | | | Sketch out the tactics you're currently using for client |
| acquire a reputation as an expert. Each of these | | | | development. How committed are you? Are you |
| attributes requires a sustained effort. | | | | overscheduled? If the same activities don't pop up on |
| As you consider your client development plans, | | | | your calendar on a regular basis, chances are good |
| consider how committed you are to the plans you've | | | | that you're not getting as much benefit as you could |
| set out. Are you stretched too thin? Do you need to | | | | from those activities. Choose one or two activities |
| let some activities go so you can work deeply in a | | | | now, and schedule yourself for those for the rest of |
| limited number of areas? Or perhaps you need to step | | | | the year. While two months isn't really long enough to |
| back even a bit further. Maybe you don't have a client | | | | evaluate whether those activities will work well for you, |
| development plan or strategy. You might make an | | | | it's a start. Make consistency a keyword for your |
| unfocused effort to attend networking meetings, to | | | | rainmaking plans. |
| agree to write an article if someone approaches you, | | | | |