3 Key Steps to Determining If You Need Business Development Help
Your business growth and long-term value as a legal service provider rely greatly on strong business development skills. You probably already know that from the business development course you took in law school between Torts 101 and Civil Procedures, right?
No? You mean to tell me they taught you everything you need to know about providing legal services for new clients, but they didn't cover a single aspect of the business development skills you need to land those new clients?
Wow. Ok. Well, that's fine because you're probably at a big firm with an expansive business development team that handles all the market research and drums up those killer business development activities that convert your prospective clients into new clients. Still no?
Well, you are in luck because you've come to the right place. We know we probably grabbed your attention with our headline. If you are a solo practitioner or an attorney at a firm that's not quite ready for an in-house business development team, here are the 3 key factors for determining if it's time for business development help, and a solution to that problem.
1. Do you have the time to invest in business development?
You’re probably thinking, “No. Definitely not.” But are you so sure about that?
We all know that a legal professional's free time to build business development skills and connect with new clients and existing clients is dwarfed in comparison to their workload. And, we all understand that any time set aside for honing such business development skills is probably outside of the regular workday grind... and possibly even in the middle of the night.
We get it. We understand the common issue of not having the time to devote to business growth and not even knowing where to start. So what’s the solution?
Forget those unrealistic expectations of setting aside hours during the work week to be your own one-woman marketing team, and rest easy knowing there's a solution to improve your attention on business building habits that will help you build your future when it's convenient for you. How? An elite business development coach.
Working with a business development coach who knows legal as much as they do business development means assistance on demand that is completely tailored to combat your specific business development woes.
You may not have time to schedule a meeting and travel across town to team up with business development industry experts, but logging into a portal from the comfort of your own office or remote workplace doesn’t feel so daunting, right? , Imagine learning and working on your business development skills at your own pace. Think what it would be like if you weren’t locked down to a cumbersome schedule and could improve on your professional and business development skills when it’s convenient for you while also meeting those billable hour minimums.
Business development doesn’t have to be a time intensive and expensive endeavor - it just needs to be intentional and consistent, and a coach can help you nail down that practice. Build a structure and a plan that works without overwhelming or tying you down to a set schedule.
2. You’re not a business development executive and you don’t want to become one
You are an attorney. Your education and passion are geared towards serving your clients through a deep knowledge and application of the law.
But being a great lawyer doesn't always translate into being great at developing business, a key factor in your ability to maintain a successful and thriving legal career.
Just as you invested in learning the law, you need to invest in learning how to develop business for yourself.
This can go one of two ways:
You can go it alone. Working to learn by trial and error; or
You can get help. You can have expert-level business development coaching to help you achieve results faster and more strategically.
Society 54 was built by business developers who have worked in the professional services industry for more than 20 years. Our dedication to helping you reach new levels of success and sharpening those necessary soft skills is what drives us, and this business development powerhouse devoted to you is even more affordable and accessible than an in-house team.
So, you are not a business development executive, but you're brilliant enough to realize going it alone takes time (which we already established is in short supply). Plus, you realize the advantages of a strong business development strategy developed with the help of an expert coach. Let us lend our expertise in that arena to highlight your particular expertise in the law.
3. You know you need help, but can’t commit to a long-term contract
Strategic partnerships with big business development firms are great for the long-haul, but only if you can afford it. What if you can't? What if you're looking to grow your soft skills and invest in future growth with a limited scope? We've got you.
Believe it or not, elite professional coaching is designed to take you to the next level of business development strategy and give you the ability to say "sayonara" to us when you've mastered your rainmaker skills. Business development is not linear, and different approaches and programs are as varied as the practice areas in legal services.
While helping you increase your bottom line is our ultimate goal, we also strive to assist you in increasing your knowledge, your network, and your positive habits. This growth development and ability to build relationships will allow you to take your business and future business development goals to the next level in a timeline that works for your schedule AND your budget.
A successful business development strategy is attainable, intuitive, and affordable, no matter your business size or location. So, still have reasons to doubt you not only need business development support but can actually attain it? We hope not.
Continue to follow along with us on social media as we break down the business development trends, tips, and best practices that are crucial to helping legal professionals grow, and please reach out to us to find out more about our elite professional coaching services and our latest brainchild, IN3.