About the Book
This inspirational handbook is packed with hundreds of proven tools, tips, and techniques for increasing revenue and forging relationships with clients and colleagues that will last you a lifetime. The rainmaking secrets revealed will enable you to: Find practice niches; Apply alternative fees; Accelerate cross-selling; Categorise your key targets; Use social media effectively; Identify and build personal strengths; Deliver exceptional levels of client service; Build powerful internal and external networks; Get client meetings and maximise their effectiveness; Improve lateral success and enhance lateral integration; and Make business development a career-long, sustainable process. Secrets of the Masters features a highly regarded team of over two dozen law firm marketing and business development experts who offer their insight, experiences, and real-world tips on attracting, retaining, and growing your client base. Each chapter also includes an extensive range of business development approaches and mini case studies, along with a useful planning worksheet which prompts you to make decisions and take action. PLUS...Within the complimentary CD-Rom you'll find all the supporting worksheets and checklists featured throughout the book, along with a personal business development plan template to help you tailor your strategies. "Secrets of the Masters" is the most comprehensive, yet practical "how to" guide I've seen for developing business in the legal industry. Whether you're a young lawyer starting to build a practice and reputation, or a seasoned practitioner looking to achieve the next level of success, this book is your roadmap. Simply stated, if you heed its principles, you will make more money." - Jonathan Fitzgarrald, Chief Marketing Officer of Greenberg Glusker and author of BADfortheBRAND.com
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Finding niches and developing your strategy Defining and differentiating yourself - Who are you and what do you enjoy? Develop your niche(s) Stand out to be outstanding Develop a personal scorecard Create personal deadlines Action planning worksheet Chapter 2: Growing networks and staying memorable Introduction Identifying and categorizing your targets Getting known using media coverage Thought leadership Staying top-of-mind Techniques for staying top-of-mind Action planning worksheet Chapter 3: Getting and maximizing meetings Techniques for getting meetings Contexts for making contact Maximizing effectiveness during meetings Meeting Checklist Action planning worksheet Chapter 4: Client loyalty - Delivering exceptional client service Build long-term relationships Understand the client's business Client feedback Deliver added value Other techniques for delivering exceptional service Chapter 5: Cross-selling - Working together to get more work from existing clients Why cross-sell? Overcoming internal obstacles Identifying your best opportunities Getting meetings and maximizing effectiveness Keeping cross-services top-of-mind Cross-Serving Checklist Action planning worksheet Chapter 6: Maximizing business development for laterals Lateral challenges Internal networking Internal visibility Reaching out to existing and prospective clients Lateral integration for firm leaders Recruiting Firm roles and responsibilities Firm Checklist for Lateral Integration Action planning worksheet Chapter 7: Social networking, social media, websites and search engine optimization Benefits of social networking and media Develop a social networking plan Building effective websites SEO: Optimizing your presence on the web Keeping online activity sustainable Action planning worksheet Chapter 8: Alternative fee arrangements A different world Law firms respond to the challenge Benefits and challenges of alternative fees Examples of alternative fee arrangements Internal management to deliver value and profitability Ethical considerations Action planning worksheet Chapter 9: Sustainability techniques Personal business development plan
About the Author :
David H. Freeman, J.D., a former lawyer and now CEO of the David Freeman Consulting Group, has helped thousands of managing partners, group and department leaders, partners, counsel, and associates become better leaders and rainmakers in hundreds of law firms world-wide. For nearly two decades, he has worked with over one-third of the AmLaw 200, and in 2013, for the second consecutive year, he was recognized as the best law firm business development and coaching service provider in a National Law Journal survey. He is an internationally acclaimed speaker who presents at law firm retreats, law firm networks, international, national, and regional conferences, LMA and ALA chapter meetings, bar association meetings, and law schools. David's main areas of practice include leadership training and coaching; business development training and coaching; accelerated cross-selling; client service training and planning; retreat design, facilitation, and speaking; and business development culture assessments. He was Co-Chair of the Legal Marketing Association's 2010 Annual Conference, he has written a unique book for law firm leaders called Weekly Reminders for Revenue-Focused Leaders, and he is a co-author of Law Firm Marketing Leaders: Tips from a Collection of Experts. He also wrote an on-going leadership column for American Lawyer Media's newsletter, Marketing the Law Firm, and he has authored many other articles on the revenue-related aspects of management, leadership, service, strategy, and business development for most of the major legal publications. David also produces practical video tips focused on leadership and business development, he has developed a DVD-based personal rainmaking system for lawyers called CMOplaybook(R), and he created a business development culture assessment tool for law firms called Culture Xray(R).
Review :
"David Freeman has a deep understanding of today's competitive legal services industry, and knows how to teach busy practitioners how to compete and win. Secrets of the Masters is a robust compilation of his thinking, supplemented by the wisdom and experience of more than two dozen top-flight legal and marketing experts. I highly recommend David to any organization looking to grow its business, and believe any lawyer looking to build their practice should have a dog-eared copy of this report on their bookshelf." Peter Kellett, Chairman and CEO, Dykema "David's approach emphasizes action - and this report brings together subject experts with practical tactics that give attorneys the foundation they need to realize their potential as business developers. I value David's insight and guidance, and I'd recommend this report to anyone who wants to transform their business development culture." Betsy Beorn Spellman, CMO, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC "This report contains the kind of excellent advice David Freeman provided to us on strategic planning, and client and leadership development initiatives. It is a comprehensive treasure trove of some of the best approaches for building a practice, and I think lawyers will especially appreciate the practical case studies provided throughout this work. His call to action at the end of each chapter is the key to success. Lawyers wanting to be great rainmakers will find Secrets of the Masters an invaluable resource." Rhea F. Law, CEO and Chair of the Board, Fowler White Boggs P.A. "David worked with us on one of our practice group retreats and it was my first introduction to him. I was impressed with his broad business development knowledge but particularly with his abiltiy to generate interaction and discussion with our lawyers, so I brought him back several times to conduct additional business development training sessions. The feedback from his programs has been exceptional, and I look forward to finding more opportunities to utilize his skills in other areas of the firm." Jolene Overbeck, Chief Marketing Officer, Hogan Lovells LLP "David teaches partners that the most important part of business development is following through. David helped our laterals to understand that the best source of referrals is found in the office next door and with each one of their partners." Timothy E. Hoeffner, partner, DLA Piper LLP "Once I met David, my business development really took off. David helped me think outside the box while also focusing me on my business plan. Most importantly, he helped me set realistic short-term goals and encouragingly pushed me until I achieved them ... just three years after joining the firm, starting with virtually no clients, I became a partner with a thriving seven-figure practice. David was certainly a key player in that success." Andrew J. Lauer, Esq., former partner, Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP
