Business Development Team Building & Facilitation

How do you get a team to align behind a single business development vision?  How do you get them to communicate transparently in an area that is emotionally and financially fraught? This is where group facilitation can make a huge difference.  Our customized programs help your team to address the “elephant” in the room, create meaningful dialogue and strategic plans that are both inspiring and achievable.  You may schedule a phone consultation to discuss your needs using our online scheduling system or contact us for assistance.

Business Development Training for Lawyers

Our workshops can be used for internal training within law firms or other legal offices, as well as for women’s networks or other affinity groups. Each workshop is highly interactive and intended to provide a practical and entertaining learning experience. Workshops are typically one or two hours.

Seven Common Mistakes Lawyers Make When Describing Their Practices

Some people spend a lot of time networking without generating much business. Using well-designed self-introductions can dramatically increase the effectiveness of networking activities by helping lawyers authentically and succinctly communicate their strengths and specialties without seeming pushy or contrived.

This workshop includes: 

• Seven common mistakes lawyers make when describing their practices and how to correct them;

• An elevator pitch’s relationship to a typical self-introduction and how it fits into an overall business development strategy;

• Guidelines for being memorable while maintaining dignity and professionalism;  

• Techniques for identifying one’s strengths and natural selling points;

• Simple strategies for defining and describing ideal clients; and

• The chance for participants to revise, practice and refine their elevator pitches.

Get Results Now: Creating Powerful Action Plans

This workshop covers the fundamentals of business development and walks participants through simple steps so that each person can create his or her own individualized action plan.  While deep thought and a thorough analysis of one’s network and resources can be very valuable; many times, lengthy business development plans end up gathering dust rather than generating action.  This workshop, in contrast, offers an efficient way for lawyers to create a plan that gets them into action now.
This workshop includes: 

• Information regarding the efficacy of various marketing techniques;

• A simple technique for diagnosing where one is stuck in the marketing cycle and how to get unstuck;

• Effective strategies for operationalizing a yearly plan so that it stays current and relevant throughout the year;

• Guidelines for choosing which strategies and tactics best fit an individual’s strengths and preferences; and

• Over 100 effective action ideas to help lawyers connect with prospective clients.

Client Retention: Using Feedback to Achieve Excellence

Asking for feedback from existing clients in the form of one-on-one interviews is one of the best ways to deepen those relationships, better understand clients’ needs and preferences and, ultimately, retain clients over the long term.  Without truly understanding how clients see a firm or individual’s strengths and weaknesses, attorneys may waste energy and squander opportunities as they attempt to fix “issues” that don't need fixing or ignore areas where a simple tweak could yield significant results.  Nevertheless, actually asking for feedback can be very intimidating, and this workshop provides the opportunity to discuss and address concerns about asking for feedback as well as to practice doing so in a gentle and supportive environment.  Attorneys who are courageous and stretch themselves in this manner generally feel inspired and experience a new level of self-confidence and as well as a greater connection with their clients.  This workshop includes:

• Strategies for setting the stage for and enhancing the likelihood of receiving meaningful feedback;

• Frameworks for analyzing and possibly implementing ideas that come from feedback interviews;

• Specific questions to ask;

• Nine reasons that asking for feedback enhances relationships; and

• Numerous real-life examples of how simple feedback helped individuals and firms create better client relationships and achieve better business results.

Motivation, Teamwork & Creating a Strong Foundation

While the other workshops in this series are designed to help participants develop particular skills, this one is focused on generating the next level of motivation.  Inspiring visions and being part of something larger than oneself are highly motivating for most people. Thus, in this workshop, an office or practice group creates a vision for what they are committed to creating in the world. This workshop uses exercises and discussion to help people tap into their passions and write a short vision statement summarizing the group’s collective commitment, including how they wish to work together going forward. In the final segment, the group chooses clear action steps to create the next level of cooperation, mutual support and accountability. Although the team decides what actions to include, cross-selling and structures to enhance teamwork are often included. 

The Road to Mastery: Becoming an Expert Networker  

Mastery in the area of networking, like any other subject, is achieved through a combination of practice and thoughtful analysis. In the workshop, attorneys will systematically examine their networking activities thus far, and explore how to get to the next level. Participants will identify successes, explore obstacles, make decisions about moving forward, and design structures to support ongoing success. This workshop includes:

• A methodology for conducting a “network audit,” so as to evaluate one’s current networking and identify areas for further development;

• Three key qualities of an optimal network;

• Strategies for using one’s time well and avoiding time-wasters;

• Best practices for creating strong ties and productive relationships;

• Techniques for developing relationships with power players;

• Proven strategies for building visibility and credibility; and

• Techniques for prioritizing and leveraging new contacts.

Asking for Business Part 1: Initiating the Conversation 

Asking for business can be challenging, and many people struggle with this critically important aspect of business development.  Some may worry that it is too soon to ask a prospect. Others worry about how to respond to a “no” or a non-committal answer.  Many fear ruining existing social relationships by raising the possibility of working together.

This workshop includes:

• Techniques for asking friends or associates for business without harming the relationship;

• Effective methods for exploring mutually beneficial opportunities without being pushy;

• Natural ways to approach existing clients for new matters;

• Criteria for choosing the right time to transition from getting to know someone to asking for business; and

• Opportunities to practice initiating conversations asking for business, using a variety of realistic scenarios.

Asking for Business Part 2: Pitching and Closing the Deal

Once a lawyer has developed a relationship with a potential client, learned about their needs and set up a formal or informal pitch, how can he or she optimize the likelihood of success?

This workshop includes:

• Six common approaches to closing the deal and some examples of appropriate language for each;

• Effective methods for being persuasive without being pushy;

• Guidelines for having sensitive, service-oriented conversations with prospects who have financial concerns;

• Methods for having respectful, no-pressure conversations when prospective clients are deciding among firms;

• How to know when to pop the question; and

• The opportunity to practice the skills being discussed using hypothetical scenarios.

In addition to the workshops listed above, we also offer more customized business development programs to meet the needs of your firm or your practice group.

We would love to learn about your specific situation and explore how we can assist. Please either call (202) 900-9161 or fill out the "contact us” form and we will get back to your shortly.