Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

WHAT DID NOT WORK II.

By Allan Colman, Managing Director, the Closers Group: [email protected]
November 19, 2007

WHAT DID NOT WORK II.This is the second in a series of comments on why in-house counsel rejected law firm business development efforts. Attorneys marketing must consider a wider range of sales considerations than typically brought to the table. Following are more examples of what I have heard counsel discuss law firm marketing presentations:1. Make sure everyone on your team sits facing the inside counsel. Don't insult them by looking out the window or keeping your back to someone.2. If you buy a table for a dinner as requested by in-house counsel, do not make the mistake of not showing up or sending the wrong people to the event. Filling seats is not what counsel had in mind when they invited you to attend a fund raising event for their favorite charity. 3. Make sure you know how many people the client will have present for your legal services presentation and don't overload the table. Bringing a swarm of attorneys to a sales pitch will raise numerous concerns in the in-house counsels' minds including, “If they bring this many to a meeting, how many are going to be billing me if I retain them?”

WHAT DID NOT WORK II.This is the second in a series of comments on why in-house counsel rejected law firm business development efforts. Attorneys marketing must consider a wider range of sales considerations than typically brought to the table. Following are more examples of what I have heard counsel discuss law firm marketing presentations:1. Make sure everyone on your team sits facing the inside counsel. Don't insult them by looking out the window or keeping your back to someone.2. If you buy a table for a dinner as requested by in-house counsel, do not make the mistake of not showing up or sending the wrong people to the event. Filling seats is not what counsel had in mind when they invited you to attend a fund raising event for their favorite charity. 3. Make sure you know how many people the client will have present for your legal services presentation and don't overload the table. Bringing a swarm of attorneys to a sales pitch will raise numerous concerns in the in-house counsels' minds including, “If they bring this many to a meeting, how many are going to be billing me if I retain them?”

Read These Next
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners Image

Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.