A Proactive Marketing Strategy

have long espoused that major clients should each receive a free on-site half or full day visit each year by their relationship partner.  The purpose is to gather strategic intelligence which will enable you to better anticipate their needs, understand their concerns, examine their risks and opportunities, and generally just learn more about how their business operates.  While at first it seems to be a money-losing proposition, those who have taken this approach have quickly discovered it is not.  It shows the client in no uncertain terms that the firm is vested in understanding their business, and becoming a partner in helping them achieve success.  It shows the client that the firm is willing to invest its time in order to serve their needs better.

One strategic advantage is getting to know additional key players in the organization who may not play a role in assigning legal work.  Chances are good that some day your contact may move up or out, and one of these other key players may move into your contact’s slot.  What better way to ensure you ride out the transition smoothly without losing the client?  Even better, perhaps one of them may move to another company, and have an opportunity to send work your way.  After all, you paid attention to them when they weren’t a source of business!  And they know you understand their needs and concerns.

Typically, the firm walks away with some new matters to handle on the day of the site visit, or receives them within a few days afterwards.  So although the investment of time appears to be lost revenues, it is usually quickly recaptured with additional work that might not have arrived otherwise.

Today I read with interest that fellow consultant and blogger Jordan Furlong has taken this idea to another level, and I am intrigued and in total agreement.  Wish I’d thought of it first!  In a blog post, Jordan suggests that the attorney create an Annual Report for the client.  Another solid proactive strategy to let the client know you’re not just passively content to handle a transaction here and there.  I can pretty much guarantee that the firm which embraces this strategy will reap significant rewards.  Read the post for his description of what the Annual Report should include.

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Tools for Longer Tweets

Are you one of those people who cannot confine your Tweets to 140 characters?  Heck, I can’t even say my own name in 140 or less characters Fortunately, now there are tools which enable you to post longer Tweets.  Check out the post entitled “6 Tools That Allow You To Write Longer Twitter Tweets” which appeared on the makeuseof.com blog.

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Social Media — Do You Get It?

Slowly but surely, the light bulb is coming on for some attorneys.  But still, most just don’t “get” what this stuff is all about.  Do you care what Ellen Degeneris had for breakfast?  Probably not.  But this new communication protocol can enable you to establish relationships with people you would never get to know otherwise.  And let’s face it, whether you’re looking to find a job or develop referral sources or become acquainted with new prospects, you’ll be smart to take advantage of whatever methodologies exist to get you closer to reaching your goals.

I came across a short but very insightful article entitled “Moving from Social Networking to Handshakes” which was written by Tom Ksobiech, the Assistant Dean for Career Services at the University of Alabama School of  Law.  I encourage you to read it.  Especially if you are one of those people who doesn’t yet quite get how one translates typing on the computer, netbook or smartphone to building real relationships.  Then take another look at LinkedIn and FaceBook.   The former, especially, can be a great resource for strategic intelligence in terms of identifying, targeting and pursuing  prospective clients.

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Make the News: Help a Reporter Out

Do you ever read an article and wonder how the attorneys or other people quoted in it get found by the reporters?  Are they friends with the reporter?  Are they on some special database of experts?  Maybe, but more likely they have responded to a reporter query from “Help A Reporter Out” (HARO), or another free query list. 

When you sign up for HARO: http://helpareporter.com/  (and there is no reason that you should not sign up for HARO), you’ll get 3 emails a day with 20 or so queries from reporters on all sorts of subjects.  If one applies to you (or a client of yours, who might want to be in a story), you respond to the reporter;  if the querying reporter decides to use you, you’ll be contacted.   Be sure to respond on-topic, and tell the reporter why you are the perfect person for their story.

Another free, but smaller, service is ReportersSource: http://www.reporterssource.com/. 

If you are on Twitter, you can follow these people for late-breaking and urgent requests for sources:

@skydiver (HARO) (www.twitter.com/skydiver) 

@ReportersSource (www.twitter.com/ReportersSource)

@ProfNet (www.twitter.com/ProfNet)

@SCGLPRNetwork (Sun Communications Group Legal PR Network) (www.twitter.com/SCGLPRNetwork) 

As Peter Shankman, the founder of HARO says, “Get sourced, get quoted, get famous!”

Special thanks for this blog post go out to Jared D. Correia, Esq., Law Practice Management Advisor, and to the Massachusetts Bar Association’s EJournal email newsletter, a publication of their Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) as well as to  author/ attorney Leanna Hamill.

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Ulanoff Prediction: Death of the Free Web

You may recognize the name:  Lance Ulanoff.  He is Editor in Chief and VP of Content for PC Magazine Network, and has over 20 years journalism experience, the last 16 of which he has spent in the computer technology publishing industry.   If you have a moment, read his thought-provoking article “Is the Free Web About to Expire?” which appears in the May 13, 2009 issue of  PCMag.com.  If you’re going to cast your line into the web waters, this article will either give you pause, or increase your sense of urgency, or both.

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Our New President Is Creating Work for Some Attorneys

Labor law has been relatively quiet for many years.  Many lawyers saw the handwriting on the wall as labor unions started to wane in strength and influence.  Many switched over to employment law, seeing it as the next looming area ahead.  And they were not wrong.  No siree.  But with the signing of three new Pro-Labor Executive Orders, Labor Law may be making a rapid comeback as well.

Congratulations to Philadelphia-based Fox Rothschild, LLP  for getting the first Client Alert in my hands regarding the Executive Orders President Obama signed into law on January 30, 2009.  Although they apply to federal contractors, they are sure to generate a fair amount of work, as the practicality and cost of implementation, and the results,  conflict unintentionally with the intent to level the playing field for labor organization and the easier implementation of the intent of the NLRA mandates.  As Fox Rothchild points out in the alert, these new Orders go far beyond the current NLRA requirements.

Are you keeping a close eye on Washington?  I’m not talking about politics here, not really.  What I’m referring to are the chances that you will see some serious change initiatives designed to impact various industries, and all in relatively short order.  Some will make it through intact.  Some will languish and die.  And some will be very different when finally signed than originally conceptualized.  One thing is for sure, all of the change, and even the attempted change, will create opportunity for those of you who are watching, preparing, and able to swim fast enough to catch the new wave of work and surf in on it.  So get your antenna up and look for opportunities.

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Client Business Development — A New Marketplace

Just at a time when firms are fiercely competing for highly desirable business clients, comes a whole new realm offering additional business development opportunities. Will you be on the radar screen for these prospects?

Who are the mysterious new prospects to whom I refer? I’m talking about those who increasingly participate in a rapidly expanding online virtual reality world. Participants in virtual reality design a unique online persona, called an Avatar, which becomes the online resident of the virtual world.

Second Life is probably the best known virtual world. It is a 3D online digital world imagined and created by its residents. In Second Life, through interactive computer simulation, participants act through their Avatars and can see, hear and work with simulated objects in a computer-generated environment.

Second Life boasts over 9 million participants from around the globe. Participants are governed by the Terms of Service for this virtual world, which specifically allow Second Life users to retain all intellectual property rights in the digital content they create or own in Second Life. While Second Life is a virtual world, participants conduct transactions in this space cumulatively involving more than $1 million per day. That’s a lot of virtual bucks.

In a very interesting article in Findlaw, Eric Sinrod, a partner in the San Francisco office of Duane Morris LLP, discusses a real-world complaint which has been filed, and arises out of a dispute regarding behavior conducted in the virtual reality.

Interested in hanging out your law firm shingle in virtual terra firma? You can find a review of the various virtual worlds available, make your pick, and then establish your Avatar. Who knows, it may actually lead to real-world clients.

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Lessons for Managing Partners

How does a managing partner learn to be a great managing partner? How does he or she even know what makes a managing partner good at what they do? Is there a road map or book of directions to follow? Most importantly, where do you find inspiration to up your game?

If you are a managing partner of a large firm of 50, 75, or 100 or more lawyers, there are a couple of annual conferences you can attend to find out. These conferences are hosted by well-known international and national consulting firms. The quality of any one of these conferences is consistently high. The cost is exceptionally high. But where the future success of the firm is concerned, the price is no meaningful obstacle.

The only problem is that the solutions presented at these conferences may not be useful for your firm if it is not “BigFirm.” Such was the sage advice of Michael W. King, Esquire, the long-term managing partner of Stock and Leader in York, PA. Following his attendance at the inaugural What You Didn’t Learn in Law School Conference, he wrote, “My administrator and I enjoyed and learned from the conference. It was particularly helpful to be surrounded by other firms of roughly our size. Many of the programs I’ve attended are dominated by the 100+ lawyer firms, and while the issues are the same, the solutions are usually not.”

There’s an old saying that success is one part perspiration, and one part inspiration. Where does a managing partner go to find that inspiration? Following her attendance at the inaugural What You Didn’t Learn in Law School Conference, Joni Berner, Esquire, the managing partner of Berner & Klaw in Philadelphia, PA, wrote, “I started writing this email in my head when I was driving home Saturday afternoon. The conference was fabulous. The content was interesting, well-paced, organized and informative. More than that, however, something about the process set loose my imagination about the present and future course of my firm, and I am exhilarated. I finally feel like I know what I’m supposed to be doing — and, it’s not just stamping out today’s fire or announcing great ideas ‘we should do’ with little or no follow up.”

I founded the Managing Partner Development Institute to provide educational and other resources to managing partners of small and mid-sized firms. Tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of the silent majority of firms which have been ignored for too long. Our second conference is fast approaching. It will be held at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center on January 11th and 12th. If you’re from a small or mid-size firm, don’t miss it! My partners and I promise that it will provide an invaluable road map to success in your role as managing partner, and for your firm, all with a heavy dose of inspiration.

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Our Love – Hate Relationship with Email

Not since the fax machine has anything had such an impact on law firm operations as email has. Yet, despite the ubiquitous role of email at law firms, it is not a perfect relationship by any means. Email is an imperfect medium at best, and is prone to creating problems if not handled carefully. In fact, just about as soon as there was email, people were getting fired for using it incorrectly. In an article entitled “Our Love / Hate Relationship with Email,” which was recently posted to the web site of Freedman Consulting, the author explores the pros and cons on this medium, and offers a solid tip on where to find email etiquette training.

All attorneys and staff should read this article.

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Learning How: Breaking the Ice

Do you consider yourself shy? Do you fade into the background in a crowded room? Do you experience a brain freeze similar to a deer in the headlights when called upon to make small talk one on one? In an article entitled “Breaking the Ice” which was recently posted to the web site of Freedman Consulting, the author makes a startling revelation about her personal struggles in this area, and offers some suggestions.

The author has also ordered a number of relatively inexpensive books which may prove helpful:

How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success In Relationships

The Art of Mingling: Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time

The Pocket Guide to Making Successful Small Talk: How to Talk to Anyone Anytime Anywhere About Anything

Fine Art of Small Talk, The How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills — and Leave a Positive Impression!

Since publishing the article, the author has received many emails from readers with other solid tips. She expects to write another article including them and tips from the above-listed books in the future.

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