What is the difference between lawyers who are successful and those who aren’t? More often than not it comes down to the fact that successful lawyers have mastered the art of rainmaking, marketing and client development skills, while those who are unsuccessful have not.

It’s a fact that professional people, including attorneys, must market to survive. If you are in private practice, you are in a business and live on sales. If you can’t or won’t learn to market then perhaps you should consider finding a job with a corporation or the government where marketing is not required. Of course, junior associates at large firms don’t market much but later, on the way up the ladder, they are expected to bring in clients. At the partner level your job security depends on your client list and the receivables you can bring in each year. If you are a partner and considering leaving your firm, the first question the prospective firm or the headhunter will ask is: How much do you have in portable business?

Did you take a marketing class in law school? I never did, none was offered. Yet we are expected to bring in business.

How do you do it?

Learn the general principles of marketing

Customize them to fit you personally and your particular law practice.

Create a written marketing plan.

Follow the marketing plan consistently. A poor marketing plan followed consistently will outperform the best marketing plan followed inconsistently

The most important things to understand are:

1. Where you are in marketing your law practice. If you are with a firm, what amount of business could you take with you if you left?

2. What marketing tools you should use. Whether it is networking, speaking, writing articles, joining professional associations... the tools you use to develop law clients should fit you. If the fit isn't right, it is very hard to be consistent.

3. You must have a detailed written marketing plan. In preparing the plan you need to be clear about your ideal law practice; what percent of money do you expect and what percent of your time you want to devote to each practice area. You also need clarity about who is your ideal client. Be specific.

4. You must follow your marketing plan consistently. Client development needs to become a habit; an integral part of your law practice.

Develop your marketing skills, learn to be a Rainmaker; it’s the best career insurance you can have.

How I Can Help

Coaching for Lawyers offers coaching to help you learn marketing principles, determine which marketing tools best suit you and your practice area. Then we apply them to your unique law practice, develop a written marketing plan and follow through. We initially spend time together preparing a marketing plan. Then, through weekly coaching sessions, we work through any problems you encounter, help establish the marketing habit and hold you accountable to your marketing commitment. If you want to improve your marketing skills and bring in more clients, call me. If coaching isn’t for you, I can recommend a couple of marketing books that are helpful for attorneys.