Secrets of the Masters
Presented by:
David H. Freeman, J.D.
David Freeman Consulting Group, LLC
Laguna Beach, CA 949.715.0819
www.davidfreemanconsulting.com
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
A Personal Rainmaking System for Lawyers
Up to 28 experts on legal marketing, sales, service
Hundreds of proven tips and techniques
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
FINDING NICHES AND DEVELOPING YOUR STRATEGY
GROWING NETWORKS AND STAYING MEMORABLE
GETTING AND MAXIMIZING MEETINGS
CLIENT LOYALTY: DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL CLIENT SERVICE
CROSS-SELLING: GETTING MORE WORK FROM EXISTING CLIENTS
SOCIAL MEDIA/NETWORKS, WEB SITES, AND SEO
ALTERNATIVE FEE ARRANGEMENTS
MAXIMIZING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR LATERALS
MAXIMIZING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR LATERALS (LEADERSHIP)
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Building Niches & Developing Strategy
Ross H. Fishman, Esq., CEO, Fishman Marketing Inc.
Mary Kimber, Chief Marketing Officer, Holme Roberts & Owen
James Stapleton, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer,
Littler Mendelson
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Hard to “market to all of America”
Get well-known by the right people
Build on strengths (meetings, on-site visits,
articles, speeches, emails and alerts)
Objective measures of progress
Interest, special expertise, personal passion
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Personal Brand
(Internal and External)
Relationships
Legal skill/results
Industry expertise
Business acumen
Thought leader
Innovative
Quality of service
Deliver value
Integrity
Cost-effective
Geography
Personality
Race/nationality
Gender
Religion
Political affiliation
Pro bono
Community Service
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Growing Networks & Staying Memorable
Bruce Allen, former Senior Business Development Manager, Allen
Matkins
James Durham, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer,
McGuire Woods
John Hellerman, Partner and Co-Founder, Hellerman Baretz
Communications
Catherine Alman MacDonagh, J.D., Pres. & Founder, Legal Sales and
Service Organization, former Director of BD, Day, Berry & Howard
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
“We’re Number 2!!!”
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Assess a person’s economic
value
“Collect” high value people
Build personal relationships
Categorize and grow different
networks
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Networks
Lawyers
Internal Network
Professionals
& Staff
+
External Network
Existing
Clients
Former
Clients
Referrals &
Alumni
Prospective
Clients
Family & Friends
Passion
Career/Information
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Ongoing Contact
52% stop after 1st rejection
95% stop after the 4th rejection
Need 8 rejections to get a sale!
Chet Holmes
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Hockey players score 9% – 12% of
the times they shoot
Takes 8 to 11 shots to score
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Staying Memorable
Annual feedback/planning discussions
Audits/review documents
“Magic of being on-site”: Visits, “Lunch & Learn”
Join clients for strategic planning sessions
Speaking, conferences, organizations
Invite as speaker, interview for articles
Articles, newsletters, alerts, updates, newsworthy events
Social events, community organizations, start a group
Telephone calls, email, regular mail, meals
Social networking
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Getting & Maximizing Meetings
Kevin McMurdo, Chief Marketing Officer, Perkins Coie
Adam Severson, Director of Business Development, Faegre & Benson
Lisa Simon, Chief Marketing Officer, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
“Most Effective Tactic”
“… Arranging
business
development
appointments with
clients and
prospects”
Source: Increasing Marketing Effectiveness at Professional Firms
conducted by Expertise Marketing and LawMarketing.com in 2006
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Contexts for Getting Meetings
Current Events
“I saw something in the news …”
Review
E-discovery procedures, manuals, contracts, documents
Practice-focused
Learn how they plan to handle specific legal issues
Court records re: complaint filed
Matter management
New approaches, project management processes
Present results of research/other similar matters
Value-based fee structures
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Contexts for Getting Meetings
Goals
6 - 12 month plans
Annual feedback/strategic planning sessions
Colleague
Interview for an article or speech, invite to co-present
Join a group
Client service
In-house presentations/visits = “Magic of being on-site”
Introduce to others in the firm
Social events
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Meeting Strategy
Assess
Prepare
Needs
Questions plan
Next steps
Debrief
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Probing Questions
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Next steps
• Action
• Commitment
• Time
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
“Where do we go from here?”
“I have a person in my firm who does just that type of
work. Should we get the two of you together?”
“We’d like the opportunity to work with you and your firm
on this matter. Is there a way that can happen?”
“Do you have a preferred list of law firms you use for
your matters, and is there a way we can get on that list?”
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Delivering Exceptional Client Service
Jan Anne Dubin, MBA, former Director of Client Relations, DLA Piper,
former N. A. Director of Business Development, Baker & McKenzie
Alvidas Jasin, Client Relationship Executive, Ropes & Gray
Adam Stock, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Allen Matkins
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Customized for each client
True, personal relationships
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Five Pillars of Client Service
Trust & Loyalty
Know Their
Business
Highly
Responsive
Add Value
Be Proactive
Manage The
Relationship
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Client Feedback
Manage expectations pre-matter
Regular visits
Client service teams
Probing questions
Don’t sell!
Check-in during major matters
End of matter reviews
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Loyal Clients
Average 19.5% rate premiums
33% - 35% more revenue
The BTI Consulting Group · Wellesley, MA 02481
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Cross-Selling
Jonathan Fitzgarrald, Director of Marketing, Greenberg Glusker
Deborah Grabein, Director of Marketing, Andrews Kurth
David Woods, Director of Marketing and Client Services, Kelley, Drye &
Warren
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Obstacles to Cross-Selling
Internal and external communication
Trust
Understanding client needs
Understand our lawyer’s needs
Credit
Lack of comfort/skill
Accountability, follow-through, and tracking
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Cross-Selling Best Practices
Driven by recipient
Business case
Build relationships
Firm-wide
Individual
Cross-selling matrix
Revenue, percentage, geography, industry
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Cross-Selling Best Practices
Build relationships with clients in advance
Prepare “high value” questions
Next steps
Another meeting
Sample
Stay top-of-mind
Within the firm
To potential clients
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Social Media/Networking/Web Sites & SEO
Darryl Cross, VP Performance Development, LexisNexis
Russell Lawson, Marketing Director, Sands Anderson
Heather Morse, Director of Marketing, Barger & Wolen
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Ask clients what they read
Watch for updates and changes in status
Clearly define your positioning
Analyze key words and phrases
Automate and organize information
Not a substitute for personal relationships
Web sites:
Successes, client language, fresh content, educate, links,
Google Analytics
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Alternative Fee Arrangements
Jose´ Cunningham, MBA, Chief Marketing and Business Development
Officer, Crowell & Moring
Michael Roster, Steering Committee Chair for ACC Value Challenge;
former Managing Partner Morrison & Foerster’s LA office
Kristin Sudholz, Chief Value Officer, Drinker Biddle & Reath
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
AFA’s
Move from price to value
Blended models
Based on expressed needs of the client
ACC Value Challenge
Internal legal project management
Partner with good clients
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Maximizing BD for Laterals
Catherine Bishop, former Chief Marketing Officer, Blank Rome
Joe Calve, Chief Marketing Officer, Morrison & Foerster
Anne Malloy Tucker, Chief Marketing Officer, Goodwin Procter
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Maximizing BD for Laterals: Leadership Module
Marijane Benner Browne, Director of Lateral Partner Recruiting,
Ropes & Gray LLP
Natasha Innocenti, Partner & Office Practice Leader of Partner Practice
Group in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Major, Lindsey & Africa
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Deliver extraordinary service
Build internal relationships
Checklists
Partner with Marketing/BD department
Develop and communicate an internal
brand
Develop the story for external contacts
Introduce legacy lawyers to their
contacts
Leadership roles & responsibilities
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Strengthen Internal Relationships
Help other lawyers
Give before receive
“Gifts”
Teach (group, one-on-one)
Develop key relationships
Conduct joint marketing
Attend group meetings
Support cross-group initiatives
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Making BD Sustainable
Personal BD habits
Push-pull
Schedule set times
Buddy systems
Mentoring
Accountability groups
Practice assistants
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
“Business Development is a
Contact Sport”
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved
Staying Top-of-Mind
© 2010 David Freeman Consulting Group LLC, All Rights Reserved