Client Development Send In The Artillery To Get More Opportunities To Meet With Potential Clients

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers Client Development: Send in the artillery to get more opportunities to meet with potential clients Michael Blachly is the Director of Client Development at Looper Reed & McGraw, PC. He is a great friend with super ideas for helping the Looper Reed & McGraw lawyers. I asked Mike to share some thoughts with you. Bios don’t really matter. Writing articles is a waste. What is the point of a brochure? In the end, legal client development is all about personal relationships and face-to-face meetings. Right? Well the answer is yes and no. It is very true that a vast majority of business comes from personal relationships and face-to-face meeting. So why do we create a firm website, encougage lawyers to blog, do PR and advertising, and create firm brochures? Look at client development from a military viewpoint. When we stormed the beach at Normandy, how did we attack? Did we just send our troops straight into the heavily protected nest the Germans had setup? No, we first shelled the beach with artillery from our ships. History has shown that a ground invasion was always preceded by large-scale artillery shelling whether from ships, mortars, the air, or even catapults and archers. Client development resources are best used to soften the grounds to make it easier for you to get the opportunity to meet with a potential new client. Bios help potential clients and referral sources learn about your background and experience. Writing articles and blogs raises your visibility and credibility to potential clients. Brochures help promote the firm and conveys  a level of prestige. Speeches put you in front of your clients and potentials client  as an expert. Social media allows you to keep connected to weak ties over a long period of time as well as develop a personal relationship with them. Are all of these necessary to close the deal and obtain the client? No, but they sure can help and make it more likely your efforts will succeed. Are you taking advantage of the resources you have available to help get you the opportunity to meet with potential clients? I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.