Associate Marketing Mentor

Meet Jennifer Zimmerman 2005 Associate Marketing All Star

2005 Associate Marketing All Stars

Jennifer Zimmerman of Rhoads & Sinon LLP

Building A Team Of Marketing Allies To Help Women Entrepreneurs Succeed

By Michael Cummings and Larry Bodine

Instructors: Web Seminar: Becoming An Associate Marketing All Star In 2006, February 9th: 1:00 PM Eastern
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/WebseminarAssociatesA4.htm

Author (Michael): Best Practices In Building Your Professional Network For Attorneys
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/networking_book.html

Over the past year, I (Michael) have done of a lot of business development training and retreat speaking for law firms. Last summer, Jennifer attended a marketing retreat for her firm that I presented. Based on interviewing her, learning more about her personal marketing initiatives and listening to the questions she asked, she truly stood out as a great example for other associates.

Although she is only a fourth year associate, Jennifer demonstrates the entrepreneurial mindset as well as the marketing and sales savvy of a veteran rainmaker.  Here is why: the ultimate secret to personal marketing success is to focus on a niche, find a business “pain” and heal it. This is exactly what Jennifer is doing at Rhoads & Sinon LLP (a 50+ attorney firm located in Harrisburg, PA.).

As a result of her active participation in the business community, Jennifer realized that more and more successful business women were leaving the corporate world and starting new businesses (in fact at record numbers -- a rate of 10-11 times that of men). "As new entrepreneurs, these women faced a host of legal, accounting, financial planning, insurance and other business start-up issues. Most businesses fail in the first year due to poor planning -– and women, in particular, were less likely to be attentive to the formal planning and paperwork discipline required for a successful business launch."

Moreover, there was not a natural place for these women to go in order to get the full range of business help they needed. She here is what Jennifer did.

1) Organized a team of allies to serve women business leaders:  "As a young associate, I knew that I needed a) some veteran professional women who could both mentor me and provide credibility to our joint business development programs; b) colleagues at the firm who were motivated to market and brought additional capabilities and in-depth expertise and c) support from marketing experts." Here is what Jennifer did to get this venture off of the ground:

• Secured allies inside the firm: First, Jennifer approached her mentor at the firm -- Donna Clark. She worked with Jennifer representing creditors’ rights in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings involving nationwide corporations.  In addition, they both provided advice in business planning, including advising businesses in corporate formation, drafting lease agreements, as well as advising businesses on employment issues. Donna got on board with the idea, provided the senior level credibility and helped to get the firm’s backing for this venture. In addition, a fellow associate -- Joanne E. Book -– committed to the marketing initiative as well. As a member of the Firm’s trusts/estates and litigation practice groups. Joanne brought a wealth of relevant expertise for the women business leaders and an eagerness to make this program happen. Most importantly, Donna, Jennifer and Joanne began to operate as a business development team.

• Forged a marketing alliance with a financial planning firm: The Rhoads-Sinon team knew some prominent businesswomen from a fast-growing and well-established local financial planning firm. "These women were highly-motivated marketers and brought needed expertise and capabilities.  And they were able to leverage the programs and marketing support of their firm and business partners" (e.g insurance companies, mutual funds providers, etc). Similar to our Rhoads & Sinon team, these financial planners included a senior businesswomen and one of her junior colleagues as well as an behavioral and organizational specialist (PHD). Beyond their expertise and resources, this firm could take the lead in doing some forms of marketing that we could not based on their experience.

2) Developed a group game plan and contract of action: "For this program to work we had to practice what we preached to clients. We began to treat this initiative like our own little business venture. So, we set goals in terms of number of clients that we aspired to attract and introductions we would make for one another. We agreed that we would focus mainly on attracting a select set of very successful female business leaders -– and attempt to get 10-30 attendees at each event. We scheduled out 5-6 programs for the year, identified dates and topics, made team assignments and developed work plans and time lines. Finally, we committed to make personal mailings, calls and contacts to ensure that the programs were well attended by the right kind of women business leaders."

3) Executed an internal and external marketing plan: "As a team, we know that we needed the support of our firm and colleagues to make this work. And we had to be diligent and disciplined in our marketing". So, the team of allies:

• Secured the support of the Firm’s Executive Committee: Donna and the owner of the financial planning firm pitched the plan to the EC of Rhoads-Sinon (along with the joint team).  As a result, the firm agreed to provide origination credit, branded the effort with the Firm name, provided budget and devoted the support of the Firm’s Marketing Department.

• Adopted an aggressive, ongoing marketing program with a personal touch: "For example, this year we developed a combined list of women business owners. We sent approximately 700 personal Christmas cards with a save the date refrigerator magnet with all the programs detailed for 2006".

This approach that Jennifer followed is a best practice that other associates can emulate and tailor to their own practice focus. So, let’s take a look at the accomplishments that Jennifer and the team produced, how she made time for marketing as an associate and what advice she has for associates who aspire to do more proactive marketing in 2006.

Accomplishments: Here are three brief examples the results of this marketing program:
• Landed new clients for the firm:  "As a result of these programs, we have added 1-2 new clients each year which is a pretty good result in the start up phase. We expect even better results in 2006".
• Increased visibility and word of mouth advertising:  Our firm and capabilities are now known to an attractive market niche where we had little historic presence.
• Colleagues are referring business women clients and contacts to our programs:  "More and more of my colleagues are sending people to our programs. This serves to highlight and enhance the value of the firm's overall relationship with women business leaders by providing resources, contacts and fellowship."
• Serving as the only associate on the Firm’s Marketing Committee: "I am able to serve the firm by seeing how marketing programs can contribute even more to the future success of Rhoads & Sinon".

Making time for business development: As associates, we all have to achieve our productivity goals and chargeable hours. But, business development is vital as well. So, don’t let your billing requirements be an excuse. Here is what Jennifer suggests:
• Just do it!: Make up your mind and commit to personal marketing. If you believe it is important to build your book of business as it truly is to your professional career, then you will find the time to do it.
• Leverage the marketing coordinator of the firm: Our marketing coordinator has been great. She has taken on a lot of the burden off of us.
• Be selective:  If you are going to do more business development, then you have to do less of something else. Be pretty ruthless about eliminating activities that have no business development value.
• Spread the work around the team:  One of the great advantages of the team marketing approach is that we each have roles and responsibilities. It makes it easier to get things done when it doesn’t all fall on you.

Jennifer’s advice for associates who aspire to do more business development:  Find your own personal marketing mission and program that you will own in 2006. Here are some tips she has for you based on her own experience:
• Get a mentors and market together: I was fortunate to have the credibility from Donna and the senior woman from EPG. And they both taught me how to market and convert business.
• Find a niche that matters to you: Over the years, I have served as Co-Vice Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession and been a member of Junior League. So, I have a deep interest in helping women to succeed in the business world – especially those transitioning into being entrepreneurs.
• Expect some natural, initial resistance: Don’t worry if you run across some initial skepticism or if colleagues don’t immediately warm up to your idea. Keep refining it and press on.
• Be a cross marketer:  Know your firm’s breadth of service capabilities. You will be in a better position to spot an opportunity and get the potential client to the person best positioned to help them.
• Recruit your team: Either get on an established marketing team or create your own. Your chances for success are better with a mix of talents and a shared workload. It also makes it easier to stay motivated and accountable if others are counting on you.

Jennifer’s goals for 2006: In addition to the marketing program reviewed above. Jennifer’s goal is to continue to grow her expertise in representing creditors in bankruptcy matters and internally market her capabilities in this area. “Donna recently left the firm for another nice opportunity with a trade association. So, I am taking on her workload along with me previous base of work. I want my colleagues to know and respect my expertise in my core practice area.  I want them to feel completely comfortable in cross marketing and cross selling with me. And I also want them to be thoroughly confident in making introductions for me to their clients and contacts".

Lessons you can learn from Jennifer: Like most successful entrepreneurs, Jennifer embraces three principles that underlie her success.

First, you can’t succeed alone; so be a team player. To succeed, you need a team of like-minded marketers with complementary strengths and distinct roles. In addition, make sure that your team and your firm receives the benefit of your marketing as well as yourself.

Second, treat business development with the same project management rigor and time management discipline that you bring to client engagements.

Finally, just do it. There are always barriers and competing pressures that make business development difficult. But, in the final analysis, it is up to you to build your practice and make your own way in the profession.  So, think and act like an entrepreneur and find a way that you too can just do it in 2006.

copyright 2006. SAGE PDI, Inc. and Law Marketing All rights reserved.

Meet Adam August: A 2005 Associate Marketing All Star

2005 Associate Marketing All Stars

Adam August of Holland & Knight

The Power Of The Personal Touch and A Helping Hand

By Michael Cummings and Larry Bodine

Instructors: Web seminar: Becoming An Associate Marketing All Star In 2006, Feb. 9th 1:00 PM Eastern
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/WebseminarAssociatesA4.htm

Author (Michael): Best Practices In Building Your Professional Network For Attorneys
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/networking_book.html

Adam’s network is already paying dividends for both him and his firm. And he has been building and cultivating this network from the first day that he became a practicing attorney.

“When I first joined my firm, the partner who I was working with gave me the following strong advice (note: both Adam and this partner joined Holland & Knight a couple of years back). He told me that I would only be as valuable to my firm as my book of business. And that I should start by building relationships right now. He suggested that I start by connecting with my peers that I both went to law school with as well as peer-level people at my clients and in the business community. As both these people and I progress in our careers over the years, they will ultimately be in a position to send me clients and work. This has proven to true.

So, that is exactly what I did. I targeted the people who I thought would be successful – the future movers and shakers. And I got to know what they were doing, what business challenges or problems that they were facing and how I could help them. So, for example, if I run across an article or meet somebody who can help them, I immediately send them an e-mail or make a quick call. By being helpful and taking the initiative, I become an important part of their network and they find ways to reciprocate.

I think that many attorneys feel that if you are a great technician that you will ultimately be a success. That is not true in my eyes today … my partner was right. You are only as valuable as your book of business.”

Even though Adam has been a practicing attorney for only 5 years, he already has the mindset and business development habits of a seasoned rainmaker. He realizes that he is in the relationship business. And the secret to successfully building a vital and potent network is 1) actively seeking out ways to help others 2) keeping in touch constantly and 3) finding ways to connect people together for their mutual benefit.

His accomplishments: Here are a couple of representative accomplishments that Adam has achieved for Holland & Knight:

• He cross-sold and landed a client for his firm: I heard that our firm recruited an expert in the area of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). I sent a note to one of my contacts who called up immediately and said that FCPA was a major issue for their company. It turns out that the firm expert was in town to do a talk. So, I invited the contact to the talk and introduced him to the expert. On the basis of his introduction, they hired us to do this FCPA work for them.
• Was instrumental to the expansion of the relationship with a large public client: Our firm was looking to expand their relationship with a publicly held company in Northern Virginia. As part of this process, the client asked their auditor, Deloitte and Touche about our firm. Turns out that the partner knew me personally and provided a strong recommendation for both the firm and me. As a result, we have expanded the relationship,
• Increased the profile of his practice group in the business community: Along with a partner, Adam wrote an article for the Washington Business Journal: Don't Let Chapters 7, 11 Be Your Unlucky Numbers that increased the visibility and profile of his group locally. In addition, he ran a CLE program for the Association of Corporate Counsel that put his firm front and center with a roomful of potential clients at leading companies.

Adam’s goals for 2006: When asked about his goals, Adam quickly listed off four objectives that he will pursue in 2006:

• Land new clients and originate work: I want to be personally responsible for getting 5 new clients this year.
• Become an active and visible leader in 2 associations with strong business development potential: I have identified the Association For Corporate Growth and The Lawyer Affinity Network of the Jewish Federation as target organizations. I don’t want to just go to meetings either. I want to be a major and visible player in these groups by seeking office and putting on programs/events.
• Continue to be a “go-to” resource inside the firm: I try to never say no when a partner or colleague asks for my help. By helping out partners in my group, I get to see a lot of opportunities and meet more people. When a colleague needs a form or document, I always try to help them out. This encourages them to help me when I need it in return.
• Work on high profile cases: I want to do good work and be in demand. And I want to work on the high profile transactions that get me noticed in the firm. To do this, I have to deliver superior value on the matters I work on. Partners notice this and seek me out to work on their matters.

Building his personal reputation both inside and outside of the firm:

• Within the firm I put a premium on internal marketing. For example, I make sure that I contribute to the firm’s internal marketing programs. And, whenever our office puts on a breakfast seminar, I always invite 25-30 of my contacts and make it a point to actively support these events in the pre-seminar networking time. The firm also supports me by making budgets available to me for activities that I want to pursue or to reimburse for networking and marketing lunches or sporting events.
• In his practice group: Again, I try to be available for any marketing and selling job that comes along. As a result, my partners are more understanding when I have to leave for a networking or marketing event – and they know what I am up to.
• Keeping his network informed: I always let people know what I am working on as well as any relevant capabilities that the firm might have for them. But, I always do this from the standpoint of how these capabilities may be of value to that specific person and their business circumstances.

The importance of allies:  Adam is proactively building a team of professional allies who will co-market him to their clients and contacts.

• Teaming with an ally: I met an investment banker at an event and we hit it off. So, we got together and made a co-marketing pact. Basically, we committed to one another to be our best referral source in the years ahead. We do what we can for one another now in terms of introductions and deal flow. But, this will form the foundation for doing a lot more in the future.
• Leveraging firm events to connect allies with one another: I always make sure that I invite 25-30 contacts to firm events and ask them to bring along their clients or colleagues. At a minimum, this gives me a chance to introduce my contacts to one another to see if they can help each other out.

Finding the time: Adam faces the same time and billability pressures that other associates do. Here is how he manages to make time for marketing:

• Make business development part of your life: I try to make networking a natural extension of everything that I do – whether playing on a softball team or taking my kids to school. You never know who you will meet.
• Work with the firm’s marketing experts: My marketing department has been enormously supportive. I had a chance to write an article for the Washington Business Journal – and they helped me to get it out. Also, they received a request for a speaker from the Association Of Corporate Counsel and got me on the program.
• Be organized: Organizing my contacts and files makes it easy for me to connect and follow through with people.
• Build network building explicitly into your schedule: One thing I do is to block out all of my lunches and breakfasts and devote this time to networking and marketing. You have to eat anyway. So, why not make the best business development use of this time.

Lessons that you can learn from Adam: Beyond the lessons above, there are four underlying themes in Adam’s story.  First of all, think and act like an entrepreneur even if you are an associate at a large firm. It is up to you to create your future success, establish your network and build your professional reputation – it is not up to the firm. Two, see all the natural network building activities that you run across and make the most of them. Three, look to give and not to get. In the final analysis, this is the secret to building mutually beneficial relationships. Finally, be a true partner in helping others to grow their practice. If you follow this path, you will end up with the book of business that will make you an indispensable asset to your firm.

copyright 2006. SAGE PDI, Inc. and Law Marketing All rights reserved.

Why You Need a Mentor

Larry Bodine and Michael Cummings explain in this podcast why an associate needs a mentor to be successful at business development.

Click http://recordings.infiniteconferencing.com/pmforum_012506.html
to listen to or download this short podcast.

For an associate to become a rainmaker, he or she needs someone to be personally invested to see that you succeed. They introduce you to clients, debrief you after meetings and teach you how to present. But you need to pick the right person, and Larry and Mike identify who that is.

Mike concludes by giving you the 5 things you need to do to become a successful rainmaker in 2006.

Meet Robin S. Lazarow: 2005 Associate Marketing All Star

2005 Associate Marketing All Stars

Robin S. Lazarow of Mirick O’Connell

Building A Prominent Professional Reputation That Attracts Clients In Record Time

By Michael Cummings
630-572-4798 mcummings@sageprofessional.com

Instructor: Becoming An Associate Marketing All Star In 2006, Feb. 9th Web Seminar at 1:00 Eastern
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/WebseminarAssociatesA4.htm

Author: Best Practices In Building Your Professional Network For Attorneys
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/networking_book.html

After practicing law in New Jersey for more than a decade, Robin decided to move to the Boston area in 2000. She joined Mirick O’Connell -- a full-service business law firm with offices in Westborough, Worcester and Boston, Massachusetts (60 attorneys).

As you’ll see, Robin has quickly established a prominent position in the business community. She is marketing herself and the firm through regular public speaking events for local business groups, publishing topical articles related to her employee benefit law specialty and becoming a visible leader of the right kind of business organizations. She has even appeared on local television discussing the business impact of several employee benefit law related developments in Massachusetts.

Today, Robin chairs the Firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice Group. She serves as ERISA counsel for local, regional and nationally based employers, insurance consulting firms and plan administrators.  And Robin advises executives and professionals on the legal requirements of establishing and maintaining retirement plans, deferred compensation plans and welfare benefit plans

She is also a prominent leader in 2 organizations that have a wealth of business development promise:
• Robin is the founder and President of the Massachusetts Metrowest Chapter of WEB, Inc. (Worldwide Employee Benefits Network), and she had previously served on the National Board.
• Her firm recently opened an office in Westborough MA.— along the 495 corridor which is a fast growing region. And Robin has been named to the Board of the Regional Chamber of Commerce.

How has Robin achieved this prominence as an employee benefit law specialist nationally – while maintaining her base of chargeable work? Here are 5 lessons that associates can learn from Robin’s experience.

Lesson 1: The Importance Of Finding a Mentor
“Early in my career, I worked with a partner who marketed 24/7/365. I started by helping to write his articles and speeches. And, over time, I learned how to do the same types of marketing myself (with his encouragement and coaching). Also, when I joined my current firm, the head of my practice group was quite supportive of my marketing initiatives.  He helped me to get the firm support that I needed in terms of budget, time and help of a well-established Marketing Department. So, my advice to associates is to get a mentor who can both give you advice and encouragement as well as clear the way for you inside your firm. Also get to know what programs your Marketing Department has to offer and customize these programs to fit your need.

Lesson 2: How To Build Your Reputation Through Public Speaking and Publishing
”I try to find something that is either a current hot issue or an impending change/trend that would grab an audience’s attention. And I focus on the business implications and tradeoffs rather than legal minutia. I prepare my speeches so they appeal to senior business executives or human resource directors because they are most likely to be the buyer of my services”
• Be topical: Make sure that you are focused on something that is a hot, newsworthy topic. In my field, it might be HIPPA or 409A. Be forward looking as much as you can. For example, Sweeping Changes for Deferred Compensation Plans or What Do Same-sex Marriages Mean for Private Employers in Massachusetts  were some past examples of topics I targeted
• Be practical: I try to get some practical ideas and advice that the audiences can use like 2005 Year End Employee Benefits Checklist or IRS and Treasury Issue Initial Guidance on Deferred Compensation Plans
• Work with allies: Some of my best results have come from providing updates to the clients of insurance companies and other allies that I work with.
• Pick a topic and promote it multiple ways: I try to take one topic and turn it into a speech, article, post it on our web-site and mail/e-mail out to contacts and clients.

Lesson 3: Join and Work The Right Organizations
“Associations can either be a blessing or a curse. Joining the right organizations and committing to becoming an active, visible presence can be the best business development that you can do. But, it is easy to waste time with associations or organizations with little payoff.”
• Seek board level presence: I want to be among the leaders of these groups because these are the people who I want to attract as clients and referral sources.
• Make sure that your ideal clients are prime members: I have to be in front of senior executives and human resource professionals in order to get business.
• Set “give up” goals: To become as active and visible as I want to be in the Marlborough ‘s Chamber of Commerce Board for example, I will have to resign from 1 or 2 very worthwhile organizations like the Girl Scouts Council.

Lesson 4: Leverage The Web
Make sure that your marketing plan has a web-based component.
• Be visible on the firm Web site: Robin’s presence on the firm web-site helps to position her as a firm thought leader and active marketer. For example, her appointment to the Chamber Board of Directors is announced on the firm’s home page and a collection of her articles are readily available.

Lesson 5: Follow Up And Convert Business
Money is power in this profession. Let’s face it. The people at the top of the profession are the ones who bring in a lot of business.  From my standpoint, I always strive to show the ROI that the firm receives based on the marketing I do. But, in 2006, I want to focus on becoming even more efficient at follow up and closing business”
• Focus on a target “hit” list: I want to define a set of target clients and prospects that I focus on as top priorities. I want to ensure that I am following up and making things happen at these specific accounts.
• Do more internal marketing and team selling: My top priority for the upcoming year is to do team selling with my colleagues at the firm – to introduce the firm’s employee benefit capabilities to their client base and contacts.
• Be even diligent about post-speaking follow up: Nothing happens from your speaking engagements unless you follow up with people who have expressed an interest. So, for example, when I do a program for an insurance consulting firm or local chamber of commerce, I need to make sure that there is a follow up plan in place to convert business.

Lessons that you can learn from Robin  Above, I have covered the 5 vital lessons that you can take away from Robin’s experience as an associate marketing success. But there are 4 underlying themes that cut across all of these lessons. First, business development is a skill that you can learn. Robin would be the first to admit that she is not a natural born speaker or promoter, but she learned how to excel and feels comfortable doing it now. Second, find leverage. Robin takes a topic and finds all the different ways and venues to get her message out. Also, be selective and prune away activities to make time for higher and better uses of your time. And, finally, it is up to you to own your professional reputation – shape and broadcast your professional capabilities by marketing and networking. Don’t expect your reputation to spread without your own hard work.

copyright 2006. SAGE PDI, Inc and Law Marketing. All rights reserved.

Meet Marc Weintraub: A 2005 Associate Marketing All Star

Marc Weintraub of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Combining Personal Interests and Business Development Success In His Adopted Hometown of Charleston

By Michael Cummings
mcummings@sageprofessional.com, 630-572-4798

Instructor: Becoming An Associate Marketing All Star In 2006
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/WebseminarAssociatesA4.htm

Author: Best Practices In Building Your Professional Network For Attorneys
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/networking_book.html

Marc is a newly promoted partner at Steptoe & Johnson – located in their Charleston West Virginia office (60+ attorneys). Roughly five years ago, he joined the firm and moved to Charleston after spending most of his life in New York City. Outside of his wife’s family he didn’t know a soul in Charleston when he first arrived.

But today, he serves on the City Council and produces new clients as well additional revenue for his firm. And most importantly, he is having fun, “Business development gives me a chance to meet people, get to know them and have fun with them.” I may not be able to talk with them about what’s on TV –like 24 or Arrested Development --because my wife and I have given up watching TV. But I do get a chance to talk about the things that interest both my wife and me the most – namely what’s going on in our community and new developments in the  local business arena”.

His accomplishments: Like most associates on the rise, Marc was already acting and producing results like a partner before he was promoted. Here are some examples of what he has done to merit the distinction as an Associate Marketing All Star:

• He took the lead role in landing a large new business client for the firm --Sogefi S.p.A., an Italian auto parts manufacturer who wanted to site a new manufacturing facility in West Virginia. He assisted Sogefi in building,financing and leasing a facility that created 150 new jobs in West Virginia
• He is member of Charleston City Council representing the City’s historic and revitalized East End. He is the Chairman of the Urban Renewal Committee and is Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Planning. “My role in the community puts me in regular contact with top political and business leaders. I got started in this role simply because we were trying to get grant dollars for our community and build a new ballpark in the neighborhood. I was also working on some matters for the mayor – when our councilman moved away. The mayor appointed me to this vacant position and then  I got elected on my own
• He testified in front of the State legislature on issues related to Economic Development and made a strong contact with a leading real estate developer in the state
• He is a  current adjunct professor for West Virginia University’s Executive MBA program
• He has established a potent network of allies in the banking, insurance and construction industries

Marc’s goals for 2006: Marc has set very clear and precise activity-based objectives for himself. “Our firm has some metrics-based goals for all of us. But, in 2006, I want to focus on three activities where I see a direct linkage to getting new business"

•  Work with our top business producers at Steptoe & Johnson: I want to focus on cross marketing and team selling with some of the top partners here. My goal is to set up and orchestrate 10 meetings with top clients and prospects in 2006.
• Become an active and visible leader in an emerging industry association: I want to be in front of people who run emerging and fast growing businesses. I’m targeting the International Biometric Industry Group which has a large and growing presence in West Virginia.
• Establish and maintain my base of business relationships: I see this as the most important part of my to-do list. I have to stay in touch and keep current with these people or these relationships can get stale or stagnant. It is a daily top priority.”

How his firm (and family) supports him: “At my initial interview with the law firms that I was considering, I asked each of them what role they expected their associates to play in business development. Unlike other firms, Steptoe & Johnson told me that they expected associates to play an active role and the firm will support the initiatives that associates pursue. Here is how Marc gets the support that he needs:

•  He has a mentor: This partner has been invaluable in helping me to navigate the internal politics that all firms have. When I made partner, the first personal thank you note I sent was to this person”
• They reward him … I have qualified for extra-ordinary bonuses from the firm for my marketing accomplishments and efforts even when my chargeable hours were down.
• And provide him the support of marketing and selling experts … Betsy Spellman and our client services team have been great at both providing ideas and giving me hands on help – I consider them my friends
• His wife is part of his marketing and selling team: My wife and I decided that we should become involved in the community … and she knows that sometimes that means that I get home at 10:00 PM on some nights. We also jointly decided to give up watching TV which frees us up for more productive pursuits

His advice for associates who want to excel at business development: I absolutely agree that your ability to market, sell and manage relationships is central and will determine your success as an attorney.

• Be engaged and outgoing at events: When I first joined the firm, I would always make a point to introduce myself to senior executives of clients that who were attending. It demonstrated to the partners that I could handle myself in these types of conversations.
• Establish and grow peer to peer business relationships: Make sure that you target and grow your relationships with people at a similar level at your clients and professional ally organizations. For example, I started to build a relationship with a banker when we were both new. We found ways to co-market and trade work and referrals back and forth. And over time, our ability to help each other grew. Now, he has been promoted to the # 3 position in this leading bank and we are in an even better position to help each other out.
• Have fun: Marc became prominent in the community based on his interest in revitalizing his own neighborhood. So find a personal interest and create a business development connection. Marc enjoys the opportunity to meet new people, get to know them and establish a relationship. He has fun AND sells work.

Lessons that you can learn from Marc: First of all, Marc shows that with a determined and consistent plan -- and a daily commitment to building relationships -- you can go from a stranger to a community leader as well as a business producer in record time. But, don’t be shy or passive. It takes a decision to step forward and seize the business development initiative in every circumstance – don’t wait for somebody to give it to you. Third, realize that you have to BE a partner in order to make partner. This means that you have to show that you can get, grow and keep your own base of clients to get promoted. Most of all, like Marc, combine your personal interest, hobbies and passions with a business development purpose – so that business development is productive, career enhancing and fun!.

copyright 2006. SAGE PDI, Inc. and Law Marketing. All rights reserved.
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What Young Attorneys Can Do NOW To Be A Marketing All Star In 2006

What Young Attorneys Can Do NOW To Build Their Business Development Skills
By Michael Cummings and Barry Schneider
SAGE PDI, Inc.
(SAGE Professional/SAGE Law Marketing)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from our guide to the best practices in marketing and networking, Best Practices in Building Your Personal Network - for Attorneys (http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/networking_book).
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This is a true story. Beth is an experienced associate with a large firm in Chicago. Recently she met with a senior rainmaker in her firm named Rachel.

Being a career savvy attorney, Beth could see that business development prowess was essential to becoming a top attorney in the profession. But she was puzzled...

• How do I start to do business development as a more junior person in the firm?
• What skills and capabilities should I be developing NOW to make partner in the firm?
• What is my role in business development?

Here is the advice that Rachel the rainmaker gave Beth. "Beth, I realized early in my career that you have to demonstrate that you have the capability to grow a practice before you ever become a partner. I was taught by my mentor that I wasn't really in the law business; instead I was in the relationship building business."

So your job early in your career is to build your network of professional relationships that will make you a success, including clients, colleagues, allies inside the firm, professionals in related fields and luminaries in your intended practice specialty.

The First Step To Becoming a Rainmaker Is To Build Your Personal Network of Professional Relationships

It is undeniable. Your future success will be determined by the quality of your professional network of contacts and relationships. And it is the ability to cultivate and transform these contacts into a practice-building set of allies that will make the difference for young attorneys in their careers.

Avoiding the Mistakes Young Attorneys Make in Personal Marketing

The purpose of this article is to: 1) Highlight some crippling network-building mistakes that young attorneys make; and 2) Provide some practical tips on how to get better results...the kind of advice that Rachel would give.

Mistake # 1 - Random networking: Wasting time networking in the wrong places and in the wrong way

Problem: Most professionals think of networking as meeting as many new contacts (i.e. strangers) as possible and trading business cards. All the time, their mindset is on what can this person do for "me". And this self-centered attitude permeates their interaction with potential referral sources. They also do not "qualify" contacts on their ability and willingness to help them.

Solution:  Start by networking with people you already know, working from your inner circle outwards. Be VERY selective beyond this group. Only spend time and invest energy in connecting with people or spending time with groups who can get you the "ideal" clients or allies you desire. Have a "giving" mindset: your goal is to build a mutually beneficial business relationship, rather than add to your business card inventory.

Mistake # 2 - Networking myopia: A self-limiting view of networking

Problem: Doing networking is seen as an activity. For example, I am going to an association meeting or luncheon to "network".

Solution: The right way to think about networking is as follows: Networking is building relationships with ANYONE who can help you to grow your practice. Using this definition, you are already networking all the time. When you are working with clients, meeting with your colleagues or mentors at your own firm or attending an alumni event. The key is to recognize that you are constantly network-building: inventory & prioritize these business contacts and develop an express action plan to cultivate these relationships.

Mistake # 3 - Settling for referrals: Getting "cold calls" with a name attached.

Problem:  A referral is defined as a contact telling you to call someone they know and "mention my name" when you call. Now, getting a referral to a potential new client or ally can't hurt, but it is not the best you can do. The person doesn't know you, don't understand why you would be of value to them nor are they prepared for your call.

Solution: Ask your contact to first call to introduce you to the future client. In this way, they "pre-sell" and endorse you to the prospective client as well as prepare them for your call.

Mistake # 4 - "Solo" networking: Marketing yourself by yourself

Problem: Professionals look self-centeredly to build THEIR personal network with people who can help them to build their OWN practice.

Solution: Instead, team up with a few like-minded professionals and build your combined relationships. Look to trade and inter-connect your web of relationships together. Add collective value by introducing people to one another, even if there is no direct business benefit to you.  Find people with "power networks" like the head of an associations and go to see them as a team.

Mistake # 5 --No allies: Settling for "shallow" networking relationships

Problem: Professionals often look to network with MORE and MORE people.

Solution: Instead, the best business generators look to forge highly committed alliances with FEWER & BETTER referral sources. Build a small, elite team of professional business partners. Continually market together on a cooperative business. See your business contacts as de-facto partners in growing each others' business.

Learning To Build Your Network Is Your # 1 Business Development Priority

You will only go as far in your career as your network and alliances take you. Treat your network as an asset, plan to cultivate it daily and learn the skills you need to master network building.
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Sincerely

Michael G. Cummings
SAGE PDI, Inc.
37w222 Rt 64 # 173
St. Charles, IL 60175
telephone: 630-572-4798

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About the authors of Best Practices in Building Your Personal Network - for Attorneys:
(NOTE: To get a free 40 page chapter on building relationships from the book , click "Preview the Book" at: www.sagelawmarketing.com/networking_book)

For the past 20 years, Allan Boress, Michael Cummings and Barry Schneider have worked with industry leading professional firms as trainers, coaches and business development consultants. They have built the entrepreneurial skills of thousands of professionals at hundreds of firms, including personal marketing, building a network of allies and cultivating relationships with customers. They are award winning instructors, best selling authors and world class public speakers for both associations and in-house. To contact us email: mcummings@sageprofessional.com or call 630-572-6798.

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Becoming a Marketing All-Star in 2006 -- for Associates

Sign up for this live program today:

PRESENTED BY: Professional Business Development Institute 
SPEAKER(S): Michael Cummings and Larry Bodine 
DATE: February 9th, 2006; NOON - 01:30 PM Central time
LOCATION: on the Web
MORE INFO: CONTACT: Michael Cummings; (Tel) (312) 543-7617, (Fax) 630.282.0472 or  mikesage@sbcglobal.net
http://www.sagelawmarketing.com/WebseminarAssociatesA4.htm 

Learn how other Associates have succeeded and how to make these proven methods work for you this year. In this session, we will profile several Associate Marketing All-Stars, review the lessons learned from these cases, and specify how you and your fellow Associates can achieve similar successes in 2006. Thousands of Associates attended our first three seminars...We invite you to join us to gain the critical business development skills in our next one. Don't let your office miss out!

Click here for more information.

Young Professionals: Cultivate the Habits of Friendship

We bring you this edit article by David Maister, a well known author, lecturer and consultant on business development:

Most young professionals realize early in their careers that, at some point, skill in generating business will be an important determinant of their success. However, many believe that, in the early stages of their career, they do not have much opportunity to develop these skills.

This could not be further from the truth. The way most clients choose among professionals is identical to the way people choose their friends. At the point of selecting a professional to work with, clients go with providers who can:

(a) Make them feel at ease
(b) Make them feel comfortable sharing their fears and concerns
(c) Can be trusted to look after them as well as their transaction and
(d) Are dependably on their side.

If you have an active social circle and people like being with you in your personal life, the odds are that you will have a significant advantage in learning the skills and habits of business development. If, on the other hand, you’re a social recluse personally, you will find it more difficult to get clients to see you as the trusted advisor they wish to work with.

Two key points must be stressed. First, none of this means that you can be anything less than excellent technically. The issue is not whether you are competent or trustworthy, but whether or not you are both. Second, it is not necessary (or even always advisable) to actually make your clients your best friends. Friendship skills, while useful in both personal and professional life, can be put to different purposes. But first you have to develop them.

Making friends

I had to learn these lessons the hard way. For years, I have worked for clients who have been gracious enough to invite me to dinner the evening before or after my work with them. They weren't trying to get more work out of me; they just wanted to be sociable. However, after a long day's work, the prospect of still being "on duty" has not been attractive to me. It's not that I don't like my clients, but that I prefer to unwind by being alone. I'm not that sociable by nature. (I don't drink, I don't like sports. I like the Bee Gees. You get the idea.).

This is something I now regret. I have missed a lot of opportunities to form relationships with interesting people, and I know it would have helped me a lot professionally to make the gesture occasionally. I know I missed something important due to my social habits.

A talent for friendship

There are people in this world who have a talent for friendship. My (late and very lamented) friend Roger Bennett, with whom I went to Harvard Business School, was so good at friendship that, in his 40s he was still in regular touch with people he went to school with at age 12, with people from all walks of life, tastes, social standing, income levels and preferences.

Roger could talk sports with some people, switch to an intellectual discussion of philosophy with others, share cooking tips with a third group. Lots of people considered Roger their best friend, and few people did not enjoy his company.

Yet he was never anything but himself. He was not a chameleon, acting differently just to blend in. He fit in everywhere because he was interested in a broad range of things.

The actress Angelina Jolie was interviewed on television and asked if she had to like the characters she was portraying in order to act them well. Her answer was brilliant. She said something like: "You can’t love everything about everyone. But there must be something there. The key is to find that one small slice of overlap between you and them, and focus intensely on that overlap, ignoring everything else." I don’t know about acting, but that sounds like a perfect recipe for human relationships to me.

Notice, it’s not about pretending. It’s about actually working hard to find the area of mutual interest or common ground, whatever that might be. People can get very lazy at this, or unpracticed in doing it with politeness and sincerity.

Ask questions

For example, if I am in the wrong mood, I can find table talk at a dinner party to be an effort. I say to the person my left "And what are your hobbies?" "Oh," he or she might reply, "I love mountain climbing."

At this point I have to fight an overwhelming desire to turn immediately the person on my right side to save me from having to ask a follow up question with the first person. Mountain climbing! Ye gods, this is going to be a long night!

Other people can and do immediately think of three or four follow-up questions ("Where do you go? Do you climb alone? What got you started in this?") and can keep posing additional questions all evening long.

By the end of dinner, their table companion, who has done nothing but talk about himself or herself the whole time has come to think of the questioner as an enjoyable person to be around. He or she will look forward to meeting again.

Put the person at ease

So it is with business development and client relations. The most trusted advisors in every profession are not those who have a ready answer for every client problem, but those who can, through questions and conversational style, put the other person at ease, make them want to tell you about themselves and engage in a dialogue.

And just as in personal life, it is done not by trying to be impressive, but by learning how to show a genuine interest in other people and keep them talking, not primarily doing the talking yourself.

Surprisingly, it also turns out that you are also more likely to build a bond with someone by letting them help you than being too keen to try and help them. You will accomplish more by saying to potential clients "I’m not sure I understand why you are doing things the way you do, could you explain it to me?" than you will by saying "If you’ll just shut up and listen, I’ll tell you the right answer to your problem." As professionals, we sometimes think that, to be impressive, we must demonstrate our competence by never revealing our weaknesses or areas of ignorance. This belief is incorrect. One of the ways you build friendships is to let people help you. Developing the self-control to do it that way is a lifelong learning process!

Start as you mean to begin

When I was young I thought that the way you made friends was by turning yourself into an interesting person. Eventually, I learned the truth: You don’t make people want to spend time with you because they feel good about you. You do it by making them feel good about themselves when they are with you. For example,

Do people feel comfortable around you? (No, she’s always trying to be the center of attention.)

Do they enjoy themselves when they are with you? (No, he’s always trying to win arguments and prevail.)

Do they feel they can let their guard down and tell you how they really feel and what they are really worried about (No, because when I do people are always trying to take advantage of me. I don’t trust them to be really interested in me.)

It turns out to be the same in business development. The key to getting hired is not convincing the client things about you ("I’m terrific, trust me!") but being convincing that you will look after them. It’s also worth pointing out that, with people, you get points for trying. It's like a romantic relationship. You don't have to be perfect. Your partner just wants to see that you're sincerely trying to do the right thing. Your motives are more important than your abilities.

Friendship attitudes and behaviors

Abilities, however, do count and that’s where getting started early matters. For example, to be seen as considerate you have to be able to remember to follow up with things that people told you about their lives last time you met, thus proving that you listened and paid attention. The classic example of this in business is to send along a newspaper clipping or article that you find that responds to something the other person made reference to.

To achieve the desired effect, this must not come across as, and must not be, a formulaic gesture. You don’t "cheapen the currency" by doing it all the time, and you must ensure that the clipping or article actually is useful so that you are not immediately seen to be making phony gestures.

It also helps to follow up with questions about what you were told last time you met, as long as you are skilled in phrasing your query ("How did it all work out with that guy you met?") so that it comes across as concern and not as overly intrusive. They are not inherent talents, but habits of social intercourse. Habits that can only be developed with practice.

Social courtesy works in personal and business life. It is remarkably powerful to call clients after a business meeting to say something like: "I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the opportunity to work with you. Thanks! See you next time, as planned." Such a call can go a long way to making the other person realize that you do not just see him or her as a "business contact," but as a person with whom you want a friendly relationship. Not everyone will reciprocate, but the majority of people will.

If you do not develop the habit early in life, the act of making such a telephone call after a meeting could feel awkward and you will either leave it out or do it poorly, not quite creating the casual, comfortable "just a quick call between us friends" atmosphere that you wish to create.

For example, my old friend Roger was very good at working at staying in touch with everyone. He didn’t need an excuse to telephone. He would just pick up the phone to ask how everything was going. He did that to all his business clients as well as his friends. To him, there was no difference, and one context was no more difficult or embarrassing than the other. It was just the way he dealt with people.

In almost every society, ancient and modern, the cultural norm is to build friendships over food and drink. There is no more culturally accepted way to develop a friendship than to share a meal. You want to be good at business development later in your career? Start inviting the people that you meet in the course of your work (whether they are powerful client executives, administrative assistants or anyone else) for coffee, lunch, a drink. Ask them about their work lives and their personal lives.

Do it as an exercise in developing your "curiosity muscles.

Do it as an exercise in asking good follow up questions about what people tell you.

Do it to develop your ability to understand other people who are not like you.

Do it now.

If your reaction is that doing so will not pay off for you immediately and therefore is not worth doing now, then you are missing the whole point about human relationships and you are going to be very bad at getting people to entrust you with their business. If you only do things when it pays off for you in the short term, your attitude will be readily transparent. People will see that you view them "instrumentally," interested in them only to the extent that you can get what you want. And if they detect this in you, they will give you what you want less often. The key to business development success is making people believe that you are truly interested in a two-way relationship, and that you are willing to earn and deserve your relationship. You must first make deposits in the "trusting relationship bank" if you wish to make withdrawals later.

One of the most important habits of friendship is taking the initiative and doing the inviting, not just waiting to be invited. Do you remember that from adolescence? The way you get people to ask you out for a drink is to ask them out for a drink first. If it feels uncomfortable the first time, and an act of tremendous courage, well, it is. We all need to get to the stage that we can talk to someone we’re interested in (a client or a romantic prospect) without being frozen into inaction by our hopes and fears. The guidelines are well known. Keep it casual, keep it small, take it a step at a time, but get out there and start meeting people.

More friendship habits

People good at friendship work hard at developing joint habits and routines, whether it’s as simple as discussing "last night’s game" or going to the same place each time for a cup of coffee.

Good friends go out of their way to celebrate each others’ small triumphs and make it their business to be there in times of need for their friends. They stay alert for any opportunity to help, in ways big or small, without keeping track of who has done how much for whom. That’s exactly what happens in effective business development. Clearly, there is more to say about friendship skills, but my purpose here is not to report everything you have to learn. Goodness knows, I have only learned a little of what I should have. The key lesson is that it is learnable. You don’t have to be a natural to get better at this. And, for goodness sake, start earlier than I did!

Best Practices in Building Your Professional Alliances - for Associates

PRESENTED BY: SAGE PDI/SAGE Law Marketing & the LawMarketing Portal
SPEAKERS: Michael Cummings and Larry Bodine
DATE: December 14th, 2005; 12PM - 1:30 PM
LOCATION: starts at NOON CENTRAL TIME, on the Web
MORE INFO: (Tel) 1-630-572-4798 or Event Website

Prepare yourself! Take your next step forward to building a practice with our Best Practices Web Seminar. Gather with others in your office...any number can attend in the room where you connect to the site and the call — at the same low price.

The First Steps in Building Your Winning Personal Marketing Plan for 2006:

• Are you building the professional alliances you need to succeed in today’s legal profession?
• Are you marketing yourself inside your own firm to attract the partner and team support that you need to be successful?
• Are your clients acting as your personal sales force and personal marketing coaches?
• Are you teaming up with professionals in related fields who can introduce you to new clients and help you to build your professional reputation?

Prepare yourself! Take your next step forward to building a practice with...

Our Best Practices Web Seminar, Wednesday, December 14th, 2005; 1 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern time. Gather with others in your office...any number can attend in the room where you connect to the site and the call — at the same low price.

To register: Click here to register online by credit card; or register by mail with check in advance using this Order Form (PDF); or call us at 1-630-572-4798.

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Responses to our first web seminar in this series:

"...a fantastic seminar. I have had extremely positive feedback from a number of our lawyers including our Managing Partner...We expect to follow up with SAGE for another seminar." - Multiple-office Law Firm

"I wanted to let you know that I thought last week's webinar was extremely well-done and well-received by the attorneys in my Firm. The 20 associates in attendance said that they found the information useful and "use-able". In fact, we are planning a follow-up seminar next week to review some of the points you covered and to start critiquing peoples' 30-second commercials. I've also had requests to meet with folks one-on-one to help them develop a plan to begin to implement some of the ideas you discussed. For us, that's real progress. - Marketing Director, Washington DC Law Firm

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How Does an Associate Develop the Alliance Building Skills You Need to Succeed? You can’t succeed on your own. You need to recruit, build and work with a committed team of professional allies — including the partners and colleagues inside your own firm, clients, as well as allies in related professional fields. Even as a younger attorney, your first job is to find the people who know your talents and the results you produce for your clients, then ask them for their help, and find mutually beneficial ways to work together. Creating these types of professional relationships is the foundation of your ability to build a thriving practice in the years ahead. Don’t be fooled. Doing high quality, technically superb legal work is only a start. To build a top notch practice for yourself requires even more: getting mentored and coached by rainmaking partners; motivating your colleagues to find opportunities for you; inspiring clients to deliver introductions for you; and recruiting the right professional allies to build your reputation through word-of-mouth marketing. Start now to put your personal marketing team in place to succeed in 2006. Without a plan and commitment to building your skills, it won't happen. Independent marketing experts, Michael Cummings of SAGE PDI, Inc. (SAGE Professional/SAGE Law Marketing) and Larry Bodine of The Law Marketing Portal, present a LIVE Web Seminar on how to become an alliance-building expert and enjoy the benefits of being one. Attendees at this live Web broadcast will get honest advice from two independent experts. Building your practice will be your responsibility...not the firm's or its partners. There are no magic bullets like advertising or public relations. Instead, learn the practical, proven and enduring lessons of the best business generators — regardless of their profession. Tools and technology can't take the place of being a true entrepreneur. Put your success under your own control. Sadly, many young attorneys believe they can "wait" to build these skills until they become a partner. Our strong advice is to build these skills NOW — so that you are poised to become a top-producing partner — and be well positioned for long term success. Invest in The Skills You Need to Succeed in the Legal Profession Web seminars are a highly effective and cost-saving way to gain the full benefits of our years of experience...and the lessons of the top client relationship managers. What is a web seminar? The format allows you to remotely attend a seminar without spending the extra time and costs associated with a live, in-person presentation. You simply connect to a website to both view the slides and listen to the presentation over a group conference call. The advantages for you: Economical - The seminars cost a fraction of what you would pay for similar training at an open forum. Also, any number of people can attend in the room where you connect to the site and the call — at the same low price. So the format is perfect for a team or group of co-workers. Time-saving - You can attend no matter where you are, with no commuting or down-time. For most people, it's lunch. Reviewable - You receive all the slides of the session. If you miss a session, you can take it again at another time.

The session is designed to be direct and to-the-point, giving attendees an abundance of proven, practical ideas and suggestions to build and improve their professional alliances.

PRESENTED BY: SAGE Professional Development Institute (SAGE PDI, Inc.) & Law Marketing Portal SPEAKERS: Michael Cummings and Larry Bodine DATE: Wednesday, December 14th, 2005 1 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern time LOCATION: At your office, on the Web TO REGISTER: Click here to register online via credit card; or register by mail with check in advance using this Order Form (PDF); or call us at 1-630-572-4798.Gather with others in your office...any number can attend in the room where you connect to the site and the call — at the same low price.

Participants will learn how to act on the 10 Simple Rules for Building the Professional Alliances You Need to Succeed in 2006: Rule 1: To Get Ahead, Your First Job is to Market Yourself Inside Your Own Firm Rule 2: You Are In The Relationship Business Rule 3: Doing Good Work is Just the Start To Building Your Professional Reputation Rule 4: Find A Partner To Be Your “Rabbi” Rule 5: Become an Integral Member of an Industry or Practice Group Rule 6: Turn Your Clients into Your Personal Marketing Force Rule 7: Recruit Professionals in Related Fields to be on Your Team Rule 8: Develop a Cooperative Marketing Plan with Your Allies Rule 9: Define, Build and Manage Your Professional Reputation Rule 10: Train and Motivate Others to Help Market You

Included with your Registration: Complete set of slides used in the web seminar and these extras: SAGE PDI 2006 Personal Marketing Plan Toolkit: How to Assess Relationships and Take Action to Build Business PLUS other reading material, including the following excerpts and articles: 2 COMPLETE Chapters from our best selling guide to Networking and Building Alliances: Best Practices In Building Your Professional Network - For Attorneys. Characteristics of a Successful Rainmaker: The power of developing and maintaining high-value external relationships with clients and prospects. Winning Large Proposals: A Study in Building a Competitive Advantage The 4 Biggest Mistakes Attorneys Make In Building Alliances: What You Can Do Right to Succeed In Today’s Legal Marketplace Who Is Missing From Your Winning Personal Marketing Team? To succeed in business development, you need to build you own team of business partners. Here's how.

Don't Miss Out. Register today! Cost: Early registrant discount (thru November 30th): $250 per connection Regular price (December 1 and later): $300 per connection Click here to register online:Or register by mail with check in advance using this Order Form (PDF). Or call: (630) 572-4798 Registration fee includes: one telephone connection, one internet connection, one set of handout materials and unlimited participant attendance at your site. Registrants are free to make unlimited copies of the handout materials for their own internal use.

About the Leaders:

Larry Bodine is an industry leading advisor in the marketing of professional services, with extensive experience in the legal profession, and a prolific author. He is the director of The Law Marketing Portal, the number one web destination for business development articles, resources and tools in the marketing of legal services. Since 2000 Larry has also been a strategic marketing consultant. He advises professional firms and businesses across the country on marketing strategy, individual sales plans and Web sites. Typical assignments include developing a firmwide marketing strategy, meeting with partners to compose individual marketing plans and using technology to market a law firm. He is the former Director of Communications of Sidley, Austin Brown & Wood, where he served for eight years. He also has 15 years' experience as a journalist, serving as Editor and Publisher of the American Bar Association Journal, the National Law Journal, Lawyers Alert (renamed Lawyers Weekly) and other news publications. Larry practiced law in Madison, Wisconsin and is a cum laude graduate of both Seton Hall University (J.D., 1981) and Amherst College (B.A., 1972).

Michael G. Cummings is the managing principal of SAGE PDI, Inc. (SAGE Professional/SAGE Law Marketing), based in St. Charles, IL. He has been a marketing strategy and business development consultant for over 20 years. Michael is co-author of a new book (2004) with Allan Boress – The Best Practices of Legal Marketing. Prior to establishing SAGE, Michael was a partner at Mercer Management Consulting - a leading business design consulting firm. At Mercer, he was responsible for new business development, managing client relationships and delivering business design engagements in the communications, information and industrial industries He was an account leader of Mercer’s top account: IBM. Using his account planning, relationship management and selling skills, Michael helped Mercer to create over 300 senior executive relationships and a sustained base of business. He also led account teams aimed at expanding relationships with Motorola, Siemens and NCR. Early in his career, Michael was a member of the team that established the marketing function at Andersen Worldwide (Arthur Andersen & Accenture).

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You will learn everything you need to know about building the professional alliances you need NOW and in the future...with this Best Practices web seminar. To register: Click here, or register by mail with check in advance using this Order Form (PDF), or call us at (630) 572-4798.

Overcoming 8 Marketing Pitfalls

By Michael G. Cummings (mikesage@sbcglobal.net), a principal with SAGE Professional/SAGE Law Marketing. An award-winning speaker, he is a veteran business development expert for the legal and other professions and coauthor of the book Best Practices in Building Your Personal Network for Attorneys (2004).

What separates a great rainmaker from the average lawyer? The top business producers in the legal profession see themselves as entrepreneurs. They have a personal business strategy, a targeted marketing plan and a focused client development program--just like successful entrepreneurs in other fields. In contrast, the average lawyer lacks a clear and disciplined plan for bringing in more, and better, business. Would you like to make 2006 a record-breaking year? Then shift your marketing mind-set from average to exceptional by learning to think like an entrepreneur. To get you going, here are pointers on how to rebound from common marketing pitfalls that hold many lawyers back.

Mistake 1: Being Generic. If you look, act and sound just like the competition, you have a problem. Solve it by setting a goal to become a celebrated expert in your chosen niche. Develop a profile of your ideal clients in as much detail as possible, and make the prospects that fit that profile your top marketing priority. Next, examine how your experience and capabilities make you a unique, highly qualified business advisor to these clients. Then distill that expertise into your 30-second "commercial;' describing how you can help solve your ideal clients' difficulties. For example, "I'm Jill Jones, and I'm in the business of helping senior citizens to organize their estates and achieve a secure retirement:'

Mistake 2: Taking the Crown Jewels for Granted. Would your top clients say your value to them increased during the past year? Do you even know who your top clients are? Create a database of all your clients from the past two years. Rank them in terms of current and future revenue potential. Those in the top 10 to 20 percent are your "crown jewels"; those in the next 30 to 40 percent are "high priority"; and the remainder are your "normal" clients. Once you've identified the crown jewels, develop an action plan for deepening your relationship with each one on an ongoing basis. Personally connect with those in the high-priority category on a monthly or quarterly basis, meeting for lunch or breakfast, sending articles with a handwritten note, or conducting "how-to" business meetings.

Mistake 3: Failing to Turn Clients into Your Sales Force. Do you expect referrals from clients without encouragement from you? Think of your key clients as your best sources of referrals. Let them know how much you genuinely appreciate it when they spread the good word about your services. Tell them the type of person you are interested in meeting. Don't be shy about asking for introductions, especially after a successful engagement.

Mistake 4: Failing to Upgrade Your Client Base. What low-value clients or prospects should you think about giving up? How much time could you save to invest for greater benefit if you chose to forego certain types of matters? Set some "give-up" goals. Define the type of prospects that you will not pursue going forward and eliminate the dollars and personal time you spend on them. Shift your time and energy to pursuing ideal clients, even if you have to take a short-term cash flow hit.

Mistake 5: Spinning Your Wheels. How much time do you waste on marketing activities that don't generate quality work? Stop squandering effort and develop two core areas. The first is network building--that is, getting your clients and professional allies to work with you and for you. Take a course in how to network and then develop a specific plan for the coming year. Where do your target clients congregate? Who knows them, and how can these people help you reach your ideal clients? Second, create a direct-marketing engine that uses both tried-and-true and state-of-the-art methods for making weekly and monthly contacts with clients and prospects--from personal notes and phone calls to e-mail blasts, articles and newsletters. The key is to make personal marketing a routine, disciplined practice. Set a minimum daily and weekly requirement for both direct and indirect marketing actions.

Mistake 6: Practicing Groundhog Day Marketing. If you market yourself in the same way over and over again, it’s time to seek a fresh perspective. Get a "marketing buddy.” Think of somebody that you know who is good at business development--preferably someone you like and respect. Perhaps he is another professional in your office or at another firm, or someone in a related field. Ask if he or she would be willing to coach you on building business. Think about ways that you can help this person in turn. Agree to meet regularly to brainstorm on new ways to market. Train together, study how the best do it, and trade best practices. Screen options rigorously in light of your client goals. Try one new marketing method each month.

Mistake 7: Basking in Your Own importance. Do you overemphasize the benefits of your expertise and rely on detailing your expertise and track record? You need to flip your approach and focus all your marketing on the client's needs and problems instead. The best business generators know that clients buy their services to avoid or alleviate some kind of difficulty, trauma, hurt, want, fear or worry. Your goal is to identify what's troubling your clients and to convey how you can work with them to resolve their difficulties.

Mistake 8: Settling for Shallow Referral Relationships. Do you spend too much time on a handful of sources that give you a meager number of high-quality personal introductions? Or do you turn professional allies, members of your network, and influential luminaries into your personal marketing and sales force? What you want to do is cultivate business partners. Find two or three people in related fields with whom you have a good working relationship and ask them to co-market with you. Make sure they are targeting the same type of client you are. And make sure that they are good at business development. Commit to monthly meetings with each other. Create action plans and make mutual commitments to follow through. This sort of collegial commitment can go a long way toward ensuring that your marketing "plans" become realities.

Key Performance Indicators

A critical step in avoiding marketing pitfalls in the future is to assess what you've done wrong -- and right -- in the past. So take a look at the following performance indicators for your marketing efforts over the past year:

·        Building your fee and client base. Did you meet or exceed your goals for revenue and business? Why or why not? What percent of this work did you proactively create through your personal marketing program? How many new clients were ideal ones for you?

·        Increasing the vitality of relationships. How many clients hired you for additional business? How many referrals did you get from clients? How many referrals were generated from colleagues and other professionals?

·        Building your reputation. How much exposure did you have to your ideal prospects through speeches, seminars or articles? How often and how well did you showcase your capabilities to your target market?

·        Creating leads and converting business. How many highly desirable leads did you generate in the past year? What percent of these leads did you win as clients?

·        Taking consistent marketing action. Lastly, here's the big question: How many hours per week, on average, did you spend on marketing? Conversely, during how many weeks of the year did you do little or no marketing?

Think carefully about your answers. Review, learn, and plan to improve. Set goals for the coming year in terms of revenue, hours billed, number of clients, revenue by client, type of business and so forth. Keep these goals in a prominent place and measure your progress again them every week. Keep moving forward confidently in your business development efforts --just like an entrepreneur.