09091009 building your practice

Building Your Practice

Steve Herzberg, NRG Solutions

9th September, 2009

What do you think makes a great business developer?

Who is Steve Herzberg?

Main objectives for today

Fresh look at BD

Share my experience

3 ideas

Building your

Practice

1. It takes time , but it really does work

2. You need buy in from the senior partners

3. Lawyers want proof, evidence and data that it works

4. You have to set targets and measure performance

5. If they see the value in it ($) they’ll do it

6. The person delivering the work must have credibility

7. The better performers are the most receptive

8. Watch billable time – short / sharp coaching sessions

8 things I’ve learnt from the firms I have worked with

Great business developers

2010 billings

2009 billings

Goals + Persistence + Focus = Success

Skills

Activities

Building Your Practice on one hand

Attitude

Future

Relationships

Little things

Fear

It’s all about the little things

“How are you

bowling

comrade?”

Harvey

Mackay

Great practice buildersHave a

plan EventsAsk

interesting questions

Remember names and

details

Rapport skills

Link people

Interested in people

Manage their data

Follow up

1. How many new contacts do I want this year?

2. How many events will I attend? (and speak at)

3. How many events will I host or co host?

4. Which magazines or newspapers do I want to read?

5. Which associations / clubs should I join?

6. Allocation of time and $ to networking per month?

7. How many articles will I write and send to clients?

8. What is my referral strategy?

9. What’s my social networking strategy?

Your networking plan

1. Active members

2. Passive members

3. Blatant self promoters

Social networking

Would you like fries with that?

80% of life is just turning up

Good, better, best

Good to go

Better to

host

Best to be speak

er

3 magic questions

1. What prompted you to come along today?

2. What type of work do you do?

3. That sounds interesting, tell me, how did you get into that type of work?

The dental floss of BD

Build in a follow up system for your lawyers

1. Review meetings – once per year

2. Email, SMS or lunch – (on their birthday)

3. Newsletter

4. Articles of interest (scan, links or snail

mail)

5. Invitation to an event or seminar

6. Telephone call for a reason – advice /

coffee

7. Referral for them (or use their service)

7 options for staying in touch

1.Provide referrals to the right

people

2.Do outstanding work

3.Ask for them at the right time

Three golden referral rules

1. Who do you receive referrals

from?

2. Who do you provide them to?

3. Why aren’t you receiving more?

Referrals

Next steps

1. steve@nrgsolutions.com.au2. Free marketing audit for your

firm3. 2 for 1 offer on NRG public

courses in November: www.nrgsolutions.com.au and click on public programs. Enter the code ALPMA offer when registering

1. Assess current skills and BD gaps

2. Make the horse thirsty

3. Work from the top down – build into your

culture

4. Measure it – allocate $ per partner to

marketing

5. Lift activity first – skills second

6. Change perceptions – over time

7. Follow up, measure and develop your stars

Steps to follow at your firm

Swim with the sharks and don’t get eaten alive Harvey Mackay

The Trusted AdvisorDavid Maister

Get more referrals nowBill Cates

Stay in touch

www.nrgsolutions.com.au

steve@nrgsolutions.com.au

0421 864 288

Linkedin – Steve Herzberg

Please leave your card with me

1. For more information2. A marketing audit for your

firm3. A copy of the slides