Media & Communications Corner: <b>Who Are They Going to Call? Someone They Know</b>

When "sales" was still just a five-letter word in law firms, lawyers found some comfort in the basics of marketing. They could get the name of the firm "out there" without actually having to do much themselves. <br/>In the last 5 years, though, firms have increasingly looked at activities such as media relations, seminars, brochures and Web development as low return activities. Business development, in contrast, seemingly offers a much higher return on investment by focusing the money on the prospects most likely to buy. As a logical extension, a number of firms have shifted their marketing budget largely to business development activities. And, even from the point of view of a strict marketer, this is not all bad.