Unless they have been hiding under a rock for the last decade, most lawyers understand that investing time in strategic business development and marketing activities is a stepping stone to greater compensation and a more fulfilling practice.
With the demands of the billable hour and trying to balance a personal life, we see many of our clients fall short on investing adequate amounts of time to realistically produce desired results.
Undeniably, quantity does not necessarily equate to quality in terms of marketing. Lawyers should focus their time on engaging in effective marketing activities such as high impact face-to-face interactions over the often “scattershot” approach.
Below are 5 specific steps you can take to increase the quality of your marketing time.
1. Focus on activities you enjoy. Marketing opportunities abound so identify activities that you enjoy and are passionate about, then jump into them wholeheartedly. You are most likely to remain committed to a pursuit if you are truly interested. The trick is to carefully identify the activity then create a plan on how to leverage it for business development purposes in addition to adding quality to your life.
2. Leverage your present activities. I am often amused when I hear a lawyer emphatically state “I tried giving presentations, but they really didn’t work.” As with so many things, one gets out of it as much as is invested. If you are merely “showing up” and not thoughtfully investing yourself, then you may want to re-evaluate your motivation and/or consider changing course.
3. Develop a marketing mindset. In all aspects of your life, be cognizant of the marketing opportunities around you. For the effective rainmaker, there is no such thing as “off the clock”. Opportunities abound, if your radar is up.
4. Engage in laser-like marketing. Many lawyers do not have any focus or plan to the activities in which they engage. One month they may attend a young professionals’ business event and then not go again for 3-4 months. To be most effective, lawyers should identify a few strategic marketing activities and then consistently and persistently engage. Whenever possible, face-to-face interactions trump most else.
5. Combine the lawyer-marketer. One of the best ways for lawyers to boost their marketing activities is to integrate “business” into your “family” time, on occasion. Invite a high level contact and his date for an evening at The Kimmel Center with you and your date. Don’t be shy about entertaining at your home.
To learn the requisite concrete habits you must develop to become the rainmaker you are meant to be, click the buton below for a free download of Top Habits of Successful Rainmakers. Do it today!