March Event Recap: Selling within the "Red Zone:" The Art and Science of Closing
Most lawyers reject the concept and imperative of “selling” to build a practice. Dr. Allan Colman, CEO of The Closers Group, works directly with lawyers across the country to show them how to overcome their resistance and to find success in their business development efforts by helping them to generate business rapidly.
He joined the LMA MPC March monthly luncheon to impart his words of wisdom on how to “sell in the Red Zone” and the lessons all legal marketing professionals and lawyers can learn from these principles.
Fundamental to all business development is the mandate that one should not ever overlook anyone when considering from what sources business may emanate. From the lowest ranking employee to the CEO of a multi-national corporation, valuable connections originate from sometimes the most unlikely sources and a savvy business developer will keep that in mind in her daily interactions with others.
Getting into the Red Zone, attorneys should build more business development activities into their every day practice. We like to term that developing the “marketing mindset”.
An important principle to keep in mind is that “email does not end in handshakes” and that individuals should not hide behind their desks but rather should make every effort to engage qualified prospects face-to-face as much as is reasonably possible.
Four Steps to the Red Zone:
- Find Them. Business originates from only three sources: existing business, referrals, and prospects. It is imperative to know who “they” know, read what “they” read, and go where “they” go when endeavoring to develop a book of business. 50% of a lawyer’s business should come from existing clients and referrals. Paramount to realize this goal is to develop systems to deliver infallible and extraordinary client service. Do not be tentative in directly asking for referrals. Most people want to help, so help them help you build a solid practice.
- Meet Them. Attorneys need to be guided and encouraged to “go where ‘they’ go” and to take targeted steps to get in front of targeted prospects. Trade/industry groups are a phenomenal place to meet qualified prospects in that they share a commonality in the industry focus. Lawyers are encouraged to research, join and then become actively involved in targeted activities to meet and cultivate relationships with those clients they desire.
- Get Them. Lawyers often need much guidance to actually ask for business. Typically, sales training is not taught in law school or in law firms ordinarily. Learning the ‘art of the ask’ is imperative to build a book. Once you understand a client’s challenges and are confident that your firm can fully handle those tasks, don’t be shy. Ask for the work. Demonstrate to your client that you and your firm have capabilities beyond the scope of your current engagement and then lay out what you can do to help them be successful.
- Keep Them. Dr. Colman pointed out that the single problem to retaining clients is building a solid client relationship. Clients want to feel that their service providers genuinely care about them and not just their business. Legal marketers are wise to remind their lawyers to stay in touch with recent clients to strengthen the relationship regardless if they are currently working together on a project. As he rightly pointed out, Dr. Colman reminded everyone that the reasons to stay in touch with clients are as close as the daily news. Pay attention to issues which may be affecting your clients’ business and help them stay abreast.
Dr. Colman informed the audience that the number one desire of in-house counsel is for their outside lawyers to understand their business and industry, and to truly approach the attorney-client relationship in a collaborative partnership manner.
A last truism that Dr. Colman ended his presentation with is that lawyers would be well advised to stop selling what they have and to focus instead on selling what clients need. After all, clients are consumers who have superiors to whom to report and appreciate individual attention just like any other consumer.
About the presenter:
Dr. Allan Colman has spent more than two decades helping law firms and professional service firms generate more revenue. He is a legal sales specialist who is known for his passion in developing pioneering strategies and for his ability to help clients generate business rapidly.