In my 30 years in this business, I have found that lawyers are pretty good at planning marketing activities. With guidance, even in the early days, some were enthusiastic about putting a plan together. Maybe it was the challenge, possibly, as time went on, more attorneys recognize the need for developing business, as they realize
Marketing Plans
Everything You Need to Guarantee Referrals
By Tom Kane on
Well, that might be an overstatement; but a three-part series by Mary Lokensgard on Attorney at Work presents a good outline of an effective referral system to follow. If you do so there is a good chance that you will be guaranteed referrals. They are not automatic and they require work, but if you’re serious…
Maxims for Legal Marketing Success
By Tom Kane on
There is a lot of advice out there on how to succeed at legal marketing. Success does not depend on your efforts being complicated or difficult. It just needs to be realistic and sensible. Consultant Bob Denney does that by offering his 20 legal marketing maxims on Attorney at Work that brings us back to…
Marketing Plans: At Least Do a Simple One
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips
Okay, we’re two months into the new year. Do you think it’s too late to do a marketing plan for 2015? Wrong answer. It is never too late to plan. To paraphrase the Cheshire cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, if you don’t know where you’re going (i.e. no plan), any road will take…
How To Get New Business NOW!
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips
I was intrigued by post I ran across on Attorney at Work in which several marketing consultants offered their views on what was advertised as the “the best way to get paying client work right NOW.” Although there were many good business development tips provided, I was disappointed somewhat because only one consultant, Gerry Riskin…
Forget About Marketing Plans
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips
It may not seem fair that lawyers must be both salespeople and producers of the legal product, but that is the nature of professional services. More lawyers today buy into the need to contribute to their own survival. Of course, they are the ones motivated to develop business. Those who aren’t need only to have…
10 Ways to Get Your Business Development Efforts Working
By Tom Kane on
Read a post on the Cordell Parvin Blog about the reasons your client development efforts may not be working. I’ve heard lawyers complain over the years how they are doing “stuff,”, but nothing seems to happen.
I’ll put a different twist on Parvin’s post by suggesting ten tips (using his thoughts) you can use…
Partners: Develop business or Start Looking for Another Job
By Tom Kane on
I’m serious! The world has changed. In my 27 years as a legal marketer and in-house in several firms, I have never seen the situation more serious in terms of lawyers being de-equitized or flat-out fired for not bringing in business. Back in the nineties I was with law firms that quietly – very quietly…
Take Time Over the Holidays to Prepare for 2014
By Tom Kane on
Posted in Marketing Plans, Marketing Tips
This is the time of year to especially enjoy family and friends. However, set aside some time over the holidays to plan some goals for your law practice in 2014. Don’t wait until January.
Sally Schmidt has an article on today’s Attorney at Work that outlines some 2014 goals and strategies that may just help…
Involve Marketing in Mergers and Lateral Hires
By Tom Kane on
It always amazed me when I was in-house in the 90’s and 2000’s that most firms did not involve marketing when engaged in discussions relating to mergers and/or hiring laterals. It seemed to most marketers I knew that it was only logical to at least be involved in the interview process of key players. The…