Smart, Practical Shifts to Strengthen Your BD Culture
I recently attended Rain Dance, LSSO’s an annual gathering of legal sales and business development professionals focused on driving growth in law firms. What I appreciated most about this conference is that it wasn’t just theory, we spoke a lot about what works in practice. Below are a few takeaways that stood out to me as especially actionable for firms looking to build a more intentional business development culture.
Redefine KPIs. Not every lawyer needs “land three new clients” as a goal. Sometimes progress looks like adding three new contacts to the pipeline. KPIs should meet people where they are and reflect that growth.
Create program alumni. If you’ve run a BD training program (or are planning to) keep the momentum going by creating an alumni group. Let them continue connecting, sharing wins, and reinforcing good habits.
Make cross-selling easier. Use existing firm assets (like event tickets or other client entertainment opportunities) to encourage collaboration. If someone wants to invite a client to use the firm’s box seats, ask them to invite go-to contacts from three other practices.
Check your lateral’s cultural fit. Want to know how a new lateral will really mesh with the team? Ask the receptionist how the check-in went. How someone treats staff is usually a pretty good proxy for how they'll show up internally.
Be strategic, even without a written plan. Strategy doesn’t have to be formal to be effective. Try asking: “What’s one or two ways we could increase revenue this year?” at your next practice group meeting. The right questions can unlock priorities.
Everyone should have a short list. Maybe it’s a few colleagues they trust for cross-selling, a list of law school friends to stay in touch with, or top clients they want to nurture. The point is business development starts with focus.
Client teams without the client? If your attorneys aren’t ready to formally involve clients in team initiatives, you can still get started. Call it strategic account management, a coordinated approach, or a cross-business unit team. The name matters less than the intention.
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