“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin


The theme of this series has been preparedness – specifically for questions that might be posed by prospective clients when you meet them in the RED ZONE. Being prepared for any question will allow you to better serve the client and close the deal. Not only are you going the extra mile, but also providing yourself with the best opportunity to successfully close more business.
While questions about the prospect’s business, your firm, and the future are critical to successful business development, there are some things to remember about corporate in-house counsel in this economic climate:

• General counsel positions have become more tenuous.
• Shareholder pressures on corporate value have increased.
• New product or service costs have grown.
• Board of directors have refocused in-house counsel’s roles toward preventative law challenges.
• Sarbanes-Oxley has created liability for general counsel that many do not want to bear or simply cannot.
• CEOs are increasing pressure on in-house counsel.

While the economy isn’t making work any easier for anyone, understanding pressures and challenges is key to developing a highly-targeted pitch for any client – new or long-standing. The right business development training can go a long way in improving your sales techniques and skills. Being prepared is the soundest way to put your best foot forward and close the deal.

While the past and present are important to prospects, the future is the key. Through answering the client’s questions about them and your firm, they’ll get a good idea as to your commitment to the engagement and abilities to serve their needs. The next set of questions you should be prepared for are about the future and what will happen next:

• Can you describe the risks I’m taking if I hire you and your law firm?
• How can I measure your results?
• As you think about staffing, who are the attorneys you will assign to the project?
• What are your expectations about winning versus settling?
• Tell me three reasons why you are the best choice for us?
• How can you protect us during e-discovery?

These are the tougher, harder-hitting questions that require more effort in developing succinct answers. While what you do is important, what you will do is more important – especially to the client. Laying out a roadmap will instill a sense of direction while building a foundation for future work. In doing so, you’ll get closer to the closing the sale by leaving a solid impression.


In the next post, we’ll discuss what exactly you need to know about the corporate world and the pressures your legal clients are possibly facing.

In the last post, we discussed the importance of preparing your team of attorneys for a pitch by researching the prospective client and being able to pose questions to showcase your knowledge and commitment. The next step in effective law firm business development is being able to answer specific questions about your firm. Clients are interested in determining how compatible your law firm would be with their business and how well you would be able to work together.


Be prepared to answer the following in a meeting with a prospective client:

• How do you typically provide information to your clients?
• How can you support us in our dealings with the executives or board of directors?
• Have you ever done proactive and preventative work?
• How do you bill?
• Can you provide litigation public relations and crisis communications for us?

While you may already have answers to these questions, reviewing them with your legal team for consistency and updates is good practice. In your answers, it’s important to be forthright. Your answers should assure them of your abilities and dedication to the work. By taking these steps to prepare for the RED ZONE you’ll be one step closer to closing the deal.


In the next post, we’ll be discussing the questions the legal sales prospect might have regarding the future and your abilities to guide them through it.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Seneca, Roman philosopher


In law firm business development, when preparing for a prospective client meeting, it’s important to not only prepare your pitch, but also to prepare your answers. Doing your homework on the client is the most important research you can do before you’re in the RED ZONE, ready to make a pitch. When you show up to the meeting, being able to show them you’ve done research about their company will show your interest, dedication, and work ethic.


When you walk into that prospective client meeting, be prepared to answer the following:

• Do you know what’s happening in our marketplace?
• Do you understand the pressure we’re under?
• What do you know about our competitors and their products?
• Do you understand how we communicate internally?

Answering these simple questions will make a significant difference to your prospect. While your effort will impress the prospect, the research isn’t just for them. Ultimately, it’s important to know the answers to these questions because it will help you better develop a plan for that client. This will foster profitable business development and ensure more closing success.


In our next post, we’ll be discussing the questions your prospect might have about your firm and how it works.