Shameless or Smart?
A client recently used the term “shameless marketing” to describe the tactics of a successful litigator. He wanted to emulate those tactics and was exhorting his partners and associates to do so as well. Now, “shameless” is a relative term. What seems shameless to one professional may be smart to another. For example, one of […]
Motivate Young Professionals to Market
Can young professionals be taught to market even if they’re not natural rainmakers? Yes, they can – provided they are interested and motivated. After all, you don’t have to be perfect at marketing to be successful. Marketing is a numbers game, and success just depends on hitting your numbers, even if you’re going about it […]
Site Unseen: Why Revising Your Website Should Be an Absolute Priority
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Daily Journal
At a time when Web 2.0 and social media marketing are on everyone’s lips, a surprisingly large group of professionals are still far behind the times with the web’s first incarnation. They haven’t touched their website in years – or worse, they don’t have one at all. An outdated website is easily spotted because the most recent piece of “news” was posted in 2008 or much earlier.
Missing Link: You have a LinkedIn profile. Now what?
By: Sharon Berman
Published:The Los Angeles Daily Journal
If you’re like many of your peers, you know someone who already has a profile on LinkedIn, the social networking site geared toward professionals. You may even have a LinkedIn profile but are wondering how to use LinkedIn as a rainmaking tool.
The purpose of social professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, is no different than any other kind of professional networking: It’s to build long lasting relationships.
Systemize Your Marketing: With the Year Half Over, It’s Time to Get Yourself Organized
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Daily Journal
With only six months left in 2009, is it too late to maximize your business development results for this year? Not if you leverage the remaining months by becoming organized and systematic in your marketing methodology. Not only will it make a difference this year, but your efforts today will put you on track for 2010. Is there really an alternative? Continue your haphazard marketing and you’re likely to miss out on a lot of potential business.
The Lead Pipeline: Nurturing Prospective Clients Will Pay Off Later
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Daily Journal
In today’s law firm lexicon, the terms “marketing,” “business development” and, to a certain extent, “sales” are entrenched. However, an aversion to the use of “lead” and “lead generation” regarding a law firm’s business development still exists because of the perception that such terms are the calling card of a salesperson, or harken back to the days when attorney advertising was prohibited.
Nevertheless, if you’re going to generate new legal business, the first step is to establish a qualified lead – a prospective client who fits within the parameters of the services you provide.
Make Your Mark With Marketing
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Daily Journal
In today’s marketplace, having a book of business can make all the difference between making the cut and losing one’s job. Professionals who, in the past, never thought much about building their own book of business are now realizing they need to set themselves apart from the crowd or face the possibility of joining their fungible peers in the unemployment line.
A book of business is the foundation for differentiating yourself in the eyes of firm management. But the age-old question that has stymied even seasoned professionals is where to begin marketing your services. Resolving to take action is the first step, but what are the following steps that will get you where you want to go?
You Are Not Alone
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Leadership Exchange, Greater Los Angeles Chapter – Association of Legal Administrators
This rough economy has been a great equalizer for law firm marketing. Attorneys from firms of all shapes and sizes are asking what they can do in this economy to build their business and where to begin. The State Bar says that about 70% of the members work in small and solo firms, but even partners in large firms are scratching their heads about what to do.
Measuring Marketing
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Leadership Exchange, Greater Los Angeles Chapter – Association of Legal Administrators
The results of marketing and public relations are notoriously difficult to measure, particularly in the realm of professional services. One reason is that marketing these services is a long-term, relationship-building process. For example, a prospective client may hear one of your attorneys speak, then receive your email newsletter a month later, and three months after that meet with another one of your attorneys for lunch. When that prospect finally signs up for a service, perhaps a year later, what do you measure?
Cultivating the Four C’s
By: Sharon Berman
Published: The Daily Journal
Motivating law firm associate attorneys to develop new and expanded business seems to be among the most pervasive and perplexing challenges law firms face. As yet, no one has found the “magic bullet” that instantly transforms associates into rainmakers.
Some firms have been more successful than others in motivating their associates to market. Those firms that successfully motivate associates share four distinct attributes: commitment; culture; compensation; and cultivation.