September is here and with it that back-to-school/ new year feel as lots of people return from their breaks and get back to their desks.
Its head down until the next break at the end of year. (I tried to avoid mention of Christmas in September!!)
This month: Focus on Business Development
Love it or hate it business development (BD) is a key part of being a solicitor. Gone are the days of watching the work roll in, the expectation in any role is that you will be part of the BD endeavours of the team and perhaps lead the charge on some projects, or even be the one setting strategy for the team.
Increasingly it is an area that firms recognise as crucial (and some do provide good training) but still, far too many look to solicitors to ‘do some BD’ with no real guidance on what to do, or why or how!
So this month a few tips. If you are new to a role, or new to BD, how can you start?
Internal focus:Talk to your colleagues –
o Understand what they do,
o Who are their main clients?
o What do those clients ask them for?How does that tally with your own work?
o Are there stages during/ after their involvement where you could target those clients?
o Are there additional services that bundle nicely with those already being supplied that you can offer?o Are there parts of your own work where your colleagues input would be valued by clients to give a broader support?
Are there joint marketing initiatives that you could conduct with your colleagues to strengthen the reach into the market for both of you?
Internal processes
o What does the client get when they contact your firm – does the phone get answered, does it ring or go to answer phone?
o Are those handling the initial enquiries trained in what your can do, what you can offer clients, and how to describe that service?
o Are enquiries received on email or through the website given a timely, useful and relevant response?
So far, none of this has involved public speaking, going to a lunch or ‘selling’; anyone anything! It’s just making sure that there is some joined up thinking across your team. Step one is to maximise the contacts that you already have.
There is so much to learn on the BD side and it is not something that you can just ‘pick up’ as you go along. It is a skill, and a highly sought after skill!
Invest in yourself to make the most of the time left this year by arming yourself with knowledge that will help you every step of your career.
We have an amazing deal with Scott Simmons, an ex solicitor turned BD expert. You can book onto his online BD Breakthrough Blueprint™ training programme at a discounted rate. Usually £495 we can give you a £50 discount. Put this knowledge into action and who knows what this year and the future could hold for you!
You can also see him in action in our chat on ‘How to be an Indispensable Lawyer’ where you can get a free taste of the value he can offer.
Take a look here to find our more and register for this great offer. BD is one skill that universally in law can lift your career prospects.
