Bianca Duffield with The Association Law Firm in Orlando was the 2015 LMASE Regional Conference Scholarship recipient. This is the second in a series of three articles Bianca has authored regarding her experience at the LMA Annual Conference in 2015.
The first article I wrote for the key takeaways from the LMASE Regional Conference focused on the value of this group and discussions on change management. While I believe that most members would also find those topics agreeable and noteworthy, what people really want to read about is what useful thing I learned and how it could immediately benefit their own Firm. Although I found the entire conference to be valuable in one way or another, I can also say that there was one specific breakout presentation that outdid the others. When you spend an hour in a packed ballroom, writing down every single word that comes out of a speaker's mouth, and still find yourself wishing there was more to include - THAT's when you know that you have struck legal marketing gold!
I was initially torn between what topic to choose at the breakout session, but I settled on "Helping Attorneys "Pitch" to Win". Within the first 90 seconds, the speakers started schooling the entire audience on ways to effectively assist lawyers as they pitch to new business prospects. Although marketing and business development may seem related to sales in most ways, most people who do not have direct sales experience lack a certain level of effectiveness in running a sales meeting (myself included). Not only did the speakers address key trends to follow, but they also went through detailed lists for how to prepare, run, and assist to close 'pitch' meetings. Trends like breaking free of the "sea of sameness" by leaving a mark, following the 'Platinum Rule' (different from the Golden Rule), and breaking down the conversation progression (relationship building conversations vs. Discovery conversations) were discussed and reinforced with great examples.
Everyone would have benefitted from the presentation, whether it was new information or a refresher for seasoned professionals. Although there was a plethora of information that I took from this session, I will conclude with what I learned on the "6 Qualifiers" to manage for an attorney pitch:
1) Problem - determine the client's need
2) Solution - aka the "fit"; the person must believe you have a plausible, credible solution
3) Urgency - problem to be solved now
4) Access - to the "decision maker" and/or involvement in the process
5) Expectations - (rarely asked, happily answered) regarding the needed amount of time, the approach, resources, etc....
6) Budget - existing, limitations, or ways to access it