I help law firms optimize their PR and marketing, and lawyers build profitable legal practices | Coach, Consultant, Trainer, Author (and former practicing lawyer) | President Harrington Communications
A spin on Jim Rohn's advice that "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with": Your business development results are the average of the key contacts you invest the most effort into. There are a few things to think about here: 1. Quality over quantity: Business development involves one-to-one interactions with individuals. This requires time—business development doesn't scale the way marketing does. You need to be strategic about who you invest time in, and continually try to elevate the quality of your key contacts. 2. Hub and spoke: One of the best ways to elevate the quality of your network is to cultivate high-quality key contacts. If you cultivate a relationship with one ideal client or referral source contact (the hub), odds are they will have other high-quality contacts in their networks (the spokes). In short, one high-quality contact can typically introduce you to many others. 3. Ask for introductions: In my experience, the overwhelming majority of people are helpful and generous. They want to help people they have good relationships with. Don't be afraid to ask your high-quality contacts for introductions to people they know - it's one of the best ways to elevate the quality of your network. If your business development results are below-average, it may be because you're casting too wide a net and have too many loose relationships. Try focusing more time and effort on a smaller number of people and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by your less-is-more approach.
Yes! I think so many lawyers get in trouble because they think they need to have a million relationships. NO! I grew my business quickly (as a lawyer and then again in my coaching/consulting practice) by focusing on key relationships and asking for introductions. And when I say key relationships, I mean: with people who I enjoyed being around and had a natural values-fit with. Don't waste time on people or work you don't like. Not only does this work but it works to help you build a practice you're much more likely to enjoy.
All goes back to the basic: we are what we repeatedly do. Filtering everything through a lense like that leads to clarity.
💯 Less-is-more AND something-is-better-than-nothing. Do one thing every day. It's remarkable how easily days and weeks can slip by without meaningful business development activity.
Great points, Jay Harrington ! To add to this - develop a playbook. Thinking of what to talk about each time you ring a prospect or a client can take up too much bandwidth. It helps to have a set of questions ready to go.
Jay, yes, the majority of people want to help. You just need the courage to ask!
Lawyer Wellbeing Advocate | Corporate Litigator | Ambitious Woman | Tennis Player | Southerner
2moMost people are generous--and like the whole point of your post, you only need a few. Those few will connect you with their networks and then you can run with it form there.