It’s no great surprise to any one of us that attorneys can be a tough crowd, especially when it comes to marketing and business development initiatives. Walking into a room full of partners can be daunting in and of itself; we all want to make sure we communicate efficiently and effectively and hope that our presentations leave an impression that will beget cooperation (and, ideally, excitement) about our projects going forward.
Years ago, as I prepared (nervously) for my first big presentation to the firm pitching an upcoming initiative, my marketing partner advised me, “Your content is on point, but remember that they are coming into this with no background on what we’ve spent so much time formulating. So, remember to tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em, then tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what you just told ‘em.” While I thought this was an incredibly insightful and eloquent verse at the time, it turns out that Aristotle actually penned the advice originally, and it has since stood the test of time. Here’s what he meant:
- Tell them what you will tell them. Why are you making this presentation in the first place? Remember not only to outline clearly what will be covered in your presentation, but also why it is relevant to the attorneys (or, better yet, how it will help them gain business/save time/network better/communicate more efficiently with their clients). Your audience will tune in based on their perceived level of benefit from gaining the information. You may know why the content is important, but it’s imperative that they understand this as well.
- Tell them. This part is variable in structure, and it is important to know your audience and what will resonate best with them; remember to make logical points and not jump to complicated explanations until the basics have been covered. Point out the benefits to the initiative multiple times throughout your dialogue. It’s been proven time and time again that while statistics are helpful, examples and stories that play to people’s emotions or case studies that showcase another firm’s successes make people more likely to remember them. Don’t be afraid to use some (well-placed) humor, or a tangible follow-up item (a book to recommend on the subject, a link to an infographic that illustrates one of your points, or an article to read for further information that you can circulate afterwards).
- Tell them what you just told them. This is where you reiterate your most prominent points. Remind the attorneys why the initiative will provide benefit to their practice, and to the firm’s overarching strategy. If you are a senior member of your team, remind the attorneys why the marketing department thinks this is a valuable investment of time (both their own and the attorneys’). Try borrowing from the military in asking for a “brief back,” or inviting someone in the audience to tell you what you just told them (or, if this is uncomfortable, ask someone offline after the presentation has ended). This is a great way to both hear your points summed up differently, as well as to ensure that you made your points concisely and clearly, which may indicate if future follow-up is necessary.
As marketers, we are often inherently more creative and less risk-adverse than our attorneys; if you remember that your attorneys need to hear new information in a way that they can process it and absorb it, you will find presentations to be far less daunting and more effective in the long run.
By Jenna K. Schiappacasse, Director of Marketing at Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP, for the July/August 2015 issue of the Capital Ideas Newsletter.