When it comes to business development, it’s the same old story.  Law school trained you to think like a lawyer and then you focused on becoming a great lawyer, but no one ever trained you how to be a rainmaker.  While there is always some uncertainty and fear, most lawyers want to be effective at business development, yet most face the same challenges:  (1) No time; (2) No business development skills; and/or (3) No real commitment to business development as a valuable use of time (particularly compared to billable hours).

The reality for all lawyers is that business development skills, efforts and results are as important as any substantive legal skills.  Business Results for Lawyers is a series of four workshops that provides participants with the four keys to business development success. 

v Think Like A Rainmaker – Everyone wants to jump right into the “how tos” of business development, but they are doomed to fail if they do not first change how they think about business development.  This first workshop session challenges the lawyers’ and the law firm’s approach to practicing law and to business development, and begins the process of developing a “rainmaker mentality” in the firm and with each lawyer.

v What’s So Special About You? – Two of the biggest business development challenges for most lawyers are differentiation and a lack of focus.  Focus, differentiation and targeting are critical steps in growing any business, including law firms, and this second workshop walks the lawyers and the law firm through a process to begin developing these vital steps to success.

v What Do I Do Now? – Even the most focused and targeted lawyer or law firm will struggle and generally fail if they don’t know what to do to bring in new business, whether from existing clients or new clients.  “Ready, set, go” does not work when it comes to business development, especially given the critical role of relationship building.  Business development results require that lawyers and law firms proceed with a plan and a purpose and that they acquire the skills that will allow them to achieve the results that they seek.

v Where Am I Going? – We all know that goals and written commitments are essential ingredients for success in any business, but lawyers often overlook these critical elements.  Ultimately, the goal is results, and written goals and commitments are vital to achieving those results.  Written goals and plans raise the performance bar for everyone and provide the necessary accountability to enhance the business development results. 

Business Results for Lawyers walks the lawyers and the law firm through these critical steps of developing a rainmaker mentality, identifying existing and potential niches and targets, acquiring and enhancing the necessary business development skills and developing individual business development plans and goals for each lawyer.  At the end of the program every lawyer leaves with a focus on business development efforts, with ideas for new niches and targets for them and the firm to pursue, with the business development skills and ideas they need to produce results and with a plan and goals to guide their efforts and to enhance their results.

Business Results for Lawyers is an intense business development program that can be delivered to groups of 2 to 20 lawyers.  Delivered in an interactive, workshop format, Business Results for Lawyers can be offered to partners, associates or a combination of both.  It is a 16 hour program that is typically conducted in four segments (approximately 4 hours each) over a 4-12 week period.  For more information regarding the Business Results for Lawyers program (including program fees), Contact Us.  For a one page overview of Think Again's programs for lawyers and law firms, Click Here.