How to ‘make it rain’ in 2012

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Want to be a rainmaker in a dry economy?

Try some of the tips offered by legal marketing expert and editor-in-chief of Lawyers.com Larry Bodine at a recent webinar sponsored by The Business Development Symposium, an Encino, Calif., firm that specializes in helping lawyers find clients.

• Face time is essential

Don’t waste time on yellow pages advertising or making cold calls, Bodine said. Instead, get face-to-face with potential clients.

“The best way to engage in a business development conversation is to ask questions,” Bodine said. “No one cares where you went to law school. Brochures, flyers, newsletters – leave all that back at the office.”

Instead, be prepared with three or four good questions to ask about the potential client’s business.

• Make time

Bodine dismissed the common excuse that lawyers “don’t have time” for business development.

“Mix it into your current activities,” he suggested. If you plan to stop at Starbucks for a latte in the morning, call a referral source and ask him or her to meet you.

Try to reserve one day a week to go out to lunch with an existing or potential client, Bodine said. And once a month, attend a trade association meeting.

• Spend time with clients

What’s one key way to strengthen client relationships? Call on your clients, Bodine said.

“Go to their premises and meet them face to face.”

To alleviate concerns that a client might think you have nothing better to do with your time, explain that it is your policy to visit all clients.

“Say that you need to see the factory or the offices to better understand the business and better serve the client,” Bodine said.

• Ask and you shall receive

Don’t hesitate to ask clients for referrals.

There are two “magic moments” to ask for a referral, Bodine said: at the initial client interview and at the end of the matter. In the first interview, ask clients if they will pass your information along to friends and colleagues if they are satisfied with your work. And in the “post-victory glow” after a matter is complete, remind the client to share your name.

• Be a joiner

Joining a trade association group or civic organization can be a great way to generate business. But don’t join dozens of groups and be a chair warmer, Bodine said. Strategize and select one or two organizations where you can make an impression. Attend every meeting and become a regular.

Become involved by joining a committee, writing for the newsletter or offering to speak.