The most common question from professional services firms: how to win more work. The answer isn't elaborate strategy—it's removing internal blockers. Empower everyone (not just partners), streamline approvals to 48 hours, leverage credit manager insights, and test adventurous channels. Most firms don't lack strategy; they have processes that kill opportunities.
Read MoreProfessional services firms are often told that success comes from focusing on, and ‘owning’ a particular market segment. But what exactly does that mean?
Read MoreOnce upon a time, there was a time and a place for everything. Young professionals learned the ropes slowly and methodically.
Read MoreMany in-house legal teams adopt the view that they’re a law firm with the business as their sole client. I disagree with this approach entirely. Taking an ‘us and them’ stance reduces lawyers to a ‘check’ on strategy rather than being part of the strategic team.
Read MoreCall me old fashioned, but I think nothing beats referrers as a source of new work.
Read MoreThe recent report Australia: State of the Legal Market 2015 revealed just how much the legal market has changed over the past 10 years. What I’m interested in is what this change means for law firms hoping for a future.
Read MoreWhen it comes to business development, some professional services firms are their own worst enemies. They create an environment in which winning new work happens in spite of their culture rather than because of it.
Read MoreIt’s just 24 hours until the first live Bledisloe Cup decider in many years. And given that so many people on both sides of the Tasman have rugby on their minds, I thought now was a great time to think about selecting your practice’s own first XV.
Read MoreGiven the many changes to the legal industry in recent years, it's become somewhat fashionable to question the business savvy of the people leading traditional law firms. But my experience is that this thinking misses the point - at least in the main.
Read MoreWhen it comes to winning more work nothing gets professionals going more than a bit of healthy competition.
Read MoreFour corporate GCs of US Companies gave their unvarnished opinions of law firm marketing at the legal sales and service conference in Chicago. Here’s what they said …
Read MoreKnowing your share of wallet guides key account objectives…whether to grow, protect and maintain, or reduce client concentration for a resilient practice and long-term stability.
Read MoreThe new financial year is almost upon us, at least in Australia. And I’ve come up with 12 business development ideas your practice can use to make sure next financial year is a good one.
Read MoreAsking for client feedback can seem confronting. In fact, many, if not most of us, would prefer not to know at all rather than be faced with the reality that a client didn’t like our service. But there are so many reasons to ask your clients what they think of you.
Read MoreFor professional services firms, developing clients and winning more work can sometimes seem like a daunting task. So if you’re looking to kick off or refresh your business development efforts, here are 14 ideas to get you started.
Read MoreIf you want to be indispensable to your clients don’t think about trying to become their trusted adviser. Don’t think about how you can repackage your fees or offer more elaborate customer service either. Instead, think about one thing: what can you do to make things easier?
Read More“Get your Firm’s practice managers, finance and marketing specialists to work together so that pricing models and service align with your marketing and positioning messages.” This tip and 27 more from the client-side.
Read MoreRecommendations and referrals are the lifeblood of any professional services business but there’s something that can make us decidedly embarrassed about asking for them.
Read MoreIn today's AFR I was asked my opinion about the future of Australia's insurance practices. The article came in the wake of many high profile members of Sparke Helmore's insurance team defecting to Hall & Wilcox.
Read MoreI've just returned to Sydney from the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) conference in San Diego. The conference is one of the best places in the world to hear what law firms are doing to grow their businesses.
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