Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

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

Marketing the Law FirmKickerFeaturesTopicsLaw Firm ManagementSectionsNewsLJN Newsletters

Sales Speak: Closing Business: Four Stages of a Business Relationship

By Silvia L. Coulter and Jim Cranston

A number of scholars have studied relationship development and the science/psychology around building relationships. Whether the perspective is from a psychology viewpoint that uses tools like Myers Briggs and others; or from a business science viewpoint about various stages of relationship development, relationships matter and they take time to develop. Certainly, knowing one's style or preference is helpful, since that has an impact on others' styles and preferences. The relationship will either be a miss or a go. This article looks at a perspective on four stages of relationship-building, and provides some insight into each.

Just knowing people is not enough in today's competitive legal market. It may have worked 10 years ago, but not today. We often hear attorneys say, “She'll definitely call me if she ever has a legal need”; or, “I play golf with him every week, he will certainly call me if he needs help”; or, “I talk with this client a lot ' we have a number of active matters.” Assuming that a client or friend will know to pick up the phone and call you when a need arises is wishful thinking.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
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.

Judge Rules Shaquille O'Neal Will Face Securities Lawsuit for Promotion, Sale of NFTs Image

A federal district court in Miami, FL, has ruled that former National Basketball Association star Shaquille O'Neal will have to face a lawsuit over his promotion of unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency tokens and that he was a "seller" of these unregistered securities.

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.

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?

Coverage Issues Stemming from Dry Cleaner Contamination Suits Image

In recent years, there has been a growing number of dry cleaners claiming to be "organic," "green," or "eco-friendly." While that may be true with respect to some, many dry cleaners continue to use a cleaning method involving the use of a solvent called perchloroethylene, commonly known as perc. And, there seems to be an increasing number of lawsuits stemming from environmental problems associated with historic dry cleaning operations utilizing this chemical.