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Creating a Cross-Selling CultureShift®

David H. Freeman, J.D. Founder, Law Firm CultureShift®

CEO, David Freeman Consulting Group



Increase Share of Wallet

“The typical law firm has about 23% of the business they could be getting from a top client.”

“New business is sitting there, right in front of

you... . You can go from capturing 23% to 75% of the work available to you.”

“Mad Clientist” Blog post, BTI Consulting , Wellesley MA

1445 Respondents

Average score for all statements = 3.34

Cross- … Selling

Referring

Connecting

Protecting

Serving


Increase amount of client feedback Better client service

Serve the best interests of the client Increase client retention and loyalty

Enhance communication between groups Higher performing teams

Deepen understanding of other lawyers’ services Know, like and trust

Improve lawyer retention Context to ask for new business Greater personal accountability

Proactive leadership

Cross-Serving Cascade


Obstacles to Cross-Serving •  Trust •  Inertia/Habits/Time •  Internal and external communication •  Identifying best opportunities •  Replacing existing relationships •  Understanding others’ skills •  Understanding client needs •  Understanding our lawyer’s needs •  Capacity •  Credit and compensation •  Lack of comfort/skill •  Lack of planning •  Accountability, follow-through and tracking


Name 2 – 3 of your biggest cross-serving obstacles


Cross-Serving Culture Shift

Unleash, direct and sustain cross-serving efforts


“I can’t because …” “It won’t work because …”

“I tried this once before and it didn’t work.” “The comp system doesn’t reward me for this.”

“My firm doesn’t …” “My partners won’t …”

“It’s not in our culture to …” “That’s not how we do things around here.”

“The market is bad.” “All the good clients are taken.”


Increase Engagement

Find/create windows of opportunity Find high level pain/needs Build the business case

Start with the coalition of the willing Access their inner entrepreneur

Align personal needs with group goals Make it their idea

Gain permission (e.g. collaborative planning)

Compensation

Assign deputies


Discuss your most effective techniques for increasing

engagement


Develop High Performance Organizational Habits:

Activate Key Accelerators


Activate the Accelerators The Client Feedback Accelerator The Key Client and Industry Team Accelerator The Exceptional Client Service Accelerator The Internal Cross-Connections Accelerator The Internal Giving Accelerator The Internal Approach Accelerator The Client Contact Accelerator The Technology Accelerator The Compensation Accelerator The Key Measures Accelerator The Internal Communication/PR/Education Accelerator The Accountability Accelerator The Leadership Mega-Accelerator


Client Feedback Accelerator Focus on your best targets

Go three levels deep

Understand firm capabilities

Create a replicable process

Develop an action plan

Establish “Watcher” systems

Client/Industry Team Accelerator •  Identify targets •  Team dynamics •  Team standards •  Team roles •  Client feedback •  Exceptional service •  Share knowledge •  Cross-selling •  Market visibility •  Educate client •  Deep client/industry

knowledge •  Proper measures •  Tracking and reporting

High Performing Teams Project Aristotle - Google initiative on how to create perfect teams

Understand and Influence Group Norms

“Traditions, behavioral standards and unwritten rules that govern how we function when we gather”

The Key Factor = Psychological Safety A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking

Team members treat each other well

Most critical norms = communication and empathy High social sensitivity to feelings and needs

Members listen to each other Speak in roughly the same proportion Create interpersonal, human bonds

Smarter Faster Better, by Charles Duhigg


Trust & Loyalty

Add Value Highly Responsive

Know Their Business Be Proactive

Manage The Relationship

Exceptional Client Service Accelerator


Cross-Connections Accelerator Know, like, trust

(Effective) internal presentations Connect the right lawyers Connect the right groups

Connect the right practice leaders Connect client & industry team leaders

Connect offices

Approaching/Giving Accelerators Build the business case

•  Make it easy

•  Give before receive

•  Find high priority client needs

•  Look good to the client

•  Manage service and credit expectations

•  Probing questions

•  “Gifts”


Client Contact Accelerator

Soften the ground Build relationships in advance of need

Look for openings/contexts for contact

Meeting preparation and execution

Ongoing follow-up


Key Measures Accelerator Client feedback

Meetings between complementary lawyers

Client teams formed/meetings

Extraordinary client service

On-site visits

Introduce other lawyers to clients

Ongoing follow-up with top prospects

Number of practice groups used


Internal Communication Accelerator

Reminders, PR, Education

Consistent and persistent

Internal newsletters, group meetings, teams, retreats, one-on-one, teams

Compensation

Highlight “Champions”


Leadership Mega-Accelerator

Manage the culture shift Hold people accountable Gain permission Assign deputies Establish Watchers Managing Partner as the ultimate Watcher

Unleash, direct and sustain cross-serving efforts


Prioritize Your Accelerators The Client Feedback Accelerator The Key Client and Industry Team Accelerator The Exceptional Client Service Accelerator The Internal Cross-Connections Accelerator The Internal Giving Accelerator The Internal Approach Accelerator The Client Contact Accelerator The Technology Accelerator The Compensation Accelerator The Key Measures Accelerator The Internal Communication/PR/Education Accelerator The Accountability Accelerator The Leadership Mega-Accelerator


Creating a Cross-Serving CultureShift®

David H. Freeman, J.D. Founder, Law Firm CultureShift®

CEO, David Freeman Consulting Group


creating a cross-selling cultureshift - legal sales9) freeman.pdf creating a cross-selling...

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