Use the IRS Approach to Law Sales
When the IRS launches an audit, agents set out to identify a person or business’ overlooked assets in order to increase the amount of money they collect. Consider launching a similar (but much less dreaded) approach to your law firm sales by developing a plan to take an inventory of your existing in-house assets. Taking a closer look at the resources you currently have available is especially important when you embark on new projects.
Working with a business development consultant will help you to hone your skills, improve your marketing approach, and increase the number of sales you make. It will also help you to better identify the assets that are already available to you.
If you’re working in a small or a mid-sized firm, then you’re not the only attorney who is marketing services and focusing on making sales; have you taken the time to talk with your colleagues or to cross market with them? Identifying and sharing law marketing opportunities with your colleagues lets you learn from the techniques other lawyers are using and creates an opportunity to earn referrals.
Another asset that lawyers have within their firms that often goes untapped involves other members of the staff. Paralegals, legal secretaries, and others are often members of professional organizations. By making a connection with them, learning more about what they do, and helping them get to know more about you and the services that you offer, you’ll create the opportunity to ask them to make presentations to their professional organizations.
Also, with regard to professional organizations, don’t overlook the value of your own involvement. Instead of just attending professional or community association meetings, get on the board or on the program committee–by getting involved and networking, and you’ll create opportunities to market yourself, your practice and your firm.
Many of the sales and marketing opportunities that you’ll find fall into the category of “invisible marketing.” Invisible marketing is all about building relationships, identifying what your prospects and clients really want, creating value in meetings, and sharing your enthusiasm for your practice. Remember: if there are no obvious business development opportunities with a prospect, it’s up to you to create one and take advantage of it.
There’s a good change your law firm is sitting on unused or overlooked legal sales opportunities.. Take a page from the IRS playbook to ferret out law firm marketing opportunities, and then take full advantage of them.
