Larry Bodine Law Marketing Blog : Law firm marketing, legal editor, legal marketing, attorney marketing, business development, marketing consultant, legal consultant, business development

Andrea L. Meacham, Chief Content Officer of RainToday.com in Framingham, MA  (ameacham@raintoday.com and 508-405-0438) wrote a good synopsis of Monica Bay's keynote presentation at the recent Legal Sales and Service Organization's "Raindance" conference. The full article on online, but here's the part about Monica's 8 Survival Secrets for marketers.  God knows we need to know these secrets:

State of the Industry: Marketing and Business Development Secrets

In her keynote address, Bay outlined what she called "Eight Survival Secrets" for professionals responsible for growing and developing law firm clients in the current environment. Though the secrets were directed to law professionals, I see most of these concepts as being relevant for any professional service field. I thought Ms. Bay did a great job of summing up the paradigm shift in a way that pinpointed some of the toughest areas of change--in law specifically, and in business in general--so here they are (with some paraphrasing):

1. The model of law has changed from "Private Club", with firms submitting three-word invoices (For Services Rendered) to their clients, to a corporate-like business model.
2. The required attitude of law has changed from "Eat what you kill" to "Collaboration" with clients in every size of law firm.
3. The "billable hour" client relationship is changing. Though billable hours are not entirely dead, fee structures are evolving to include more of a direct tie to a service relationship. The selling structure of client projects has been impacted by clients who aren't happy with billing; clients who are asking for accountability; and other traditional corporate forces.
4. "Barbie does marketing" is no longer the case. Marketing executives in law are becoming more strategic. They are using technology. They are change agents. They are fighting to be seen as integral strategic players within legal practices that are still characterized, unfortunately, by strongly prevailing "caste" systems.
5. It's all about customer service. Firms need to value their clients and employees, and treat them with respect. Firms need to list their corporate-level, non-partner executives on their firm web sites (not currently the norm) so they can be found by the world for potential partnering and client opportunities. Firms need to change their ways from sending "For Services Rendered" bills to saying "Thank you" and "How did we do?"
6. Firms need to increase their visibility. For example, the rise of blogs is a wide-open and incredible opportunity to let internal firm stars shine... and they can't be done by committee. They must be an individual voice. But they are one example of how to put your firm on the radar of potential clients.
7. Lawyers should be fearless and admit there's much to learn about business. Rather than being afraid, intimidated, or embarrassed to reach outside their primary area of knowledge, lawyers should embrace business terms and become willing students of what it means to run your firm like a business.
8. Don't use jargon! Don't say strategic, centric, value-added, or solution. Don't talk about channels, or vertical markets. Write for your mother. Language is power. It should be used to build bridges, not walls.