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Every lawyer can sell...
The old notion that some lawyers are natural "rain makers" and that others will never be able to sell is completely unsupported by the evidence. This myth can deny a firm immense fee opportunities. More importantly, it can waste valuable human talent.
The truth is that every lawyer can learn the concepts and tools that produce marketing and sales success. The key is to apply those skills in the way that best fits the individual's personality, preferences, and experience.
... but most lawyers lack the basic skills and tools that they need.
Most lawyers become partners without the basic skills and tools that they need to fulfill a partner's marketing responsibilities. This is frequently the major reason why a lawyer's profitability and financial contribution to the firm can actually decrease during the first one or two years after becoming a partner. They know how to bill work, but they don't know how to sell it.
Marketing and Sales Skills for Lawyers was designed by a psychologist, a lawyer, and an economist especially and exclusively for law firms. It is a 60-day developmental program that helps each lawyer to identify his or her natural strengths and challenges in marketing.
The Walker Clark marketing and sales skills conference
Walker Clark does not present off-the-shelf "workshops." Instead, we facilitate custom-designed structured business meetings that are built around and seek to accomplish defined business goals for the firm and for each person who attends.
We typically prepare and facilitate a two-day marketing and sales skills conference. Our first session uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator -- the most widely used and reliable personality instrument in the business world -- to help each lawyer learn more about his or her psychological preferences and type. We explore how these shape marketing and client relations functions in a successful legal practice. The session ends with the introduction of case studies and practical applications that allow participants to exercise their new or enhanced skills the very next business day.
The second session takes place between two to four weeks later. It builds on the material from the first session and the participants' experiences with the case studies and the practical applications to their real-life practice. It also investigates in greater detail the nuances of the sales process in professional services and introduces strategies and techniques for each lawyer to develop his or her own marketing and sales plan, complete with performance goals and measurements.
Who should participate?
Marketing and Sales Skills for Lawyers is designed for law firm associates, especially those who are within three years of eligibility for partnership. It is also a very worthwhile for partners, regardless of seniority, who want to sharpen their marketing and sales skills.
Firms frequently include non-lawyer fee earners, managers, and even support staff. In some practice areas -- especially those serving individual clients rather than companies -- non-lawyers can be a powerful force to build client satisfaction and the firm's reputation.
We custom-design the program to respond to the experience, seniority, practice specialties, and client base of the participants.
Next steps
To learn more about how Marketing Leadership can improve your firm's performance, or to request a proposal for your firm, please contact us by e-mail or by telephone at 1.239.466.8370.
