Authenticity key to building business

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By Bettina Rutherford
Dolan Newswires

If you’ve made a resolution to focus on business development in the coming year, you may be asking: “Where do I start?”

It’s often been said that people do business with people they know, like and trust. That’s equally true in a legal-services setting. That triumvirate of personality attributes can collectively be seen as your professional reputation and should be carefully constructed and deliberately managed over time.

Therefore, the first step in any business development planning process must be to assess your current professional reputation to determine whether or not it is contributing positively to your long-term goals. If not, or if you are just beginning to think about how to build a book of business, the question may well be: “How do I get people to know, like and trust me?”

Getting to know you

In order to be on the radar of potential clients who require your services, it stands to reason that you first need to become known to the decision-makers. The good news is that since the buying cycle for legal services is comparatively long, there is plenty of opportunity to do so.

While not every tactic works for everyone, find the one or two that work for you and commit to them for the long haul. Maybe it’s writing articles for an industry magazine, attending conferences or trade shows to become expert in a particular sector, networking at the myriad industry/professional/alumni/social functions available in any given week, or speaking at seminars.

Think about your online presence as well. Start a blog; host a webcast; consider Tweeting; or “connect” with others on LinkedIn, Google+ or other social networks and really leverage those connections.

Whatever your choice, demonstrate professionalism and position yourself as an authority in your area of practice. Regular interaction with your target audience will allow them to get to know who you are and keep you top of mind.

You like me, you really like me

Once your prospects get to know you, they have to like more than just what you can offer them; they also must like the person behind it. Clients don’t buy services. They buy people. And when the perceived quality of legal services is equal, it’s all the more important to make that personal connection.

People want to do business with those they can relate to, but be careful not to fall into the trap of being all things to all people. If you’re a Celtics fan for a prospect in Boston but bad-mouth the team to your target in Miami, your disingenuousness will be felt by both and you’ll end up with neither.

Don’t be afraid to put a stake in the ground. Above all, people relate to authenticity.

Take a genuine interest in the other person’s life. Ask for his opinion about something important to you, and, of course, make him feel good. While it’s unrealistic to expect everyone in your target group to really like you, it is important to build strong personal and professional relationships.

How can I trust you? 
The ultimate purchase of legal services goes well beyond the personal relationship. Trust is the cornerstone of converting that relationship into new business and includes more than just bonding over a game of golf; it includes a real demonstration of value.

The best way to establish trust is by showing prospective clients that you have taken the time to develop a finely tuned understanding of their business, the challenges facing their industry and their particular needs. Conversations shouldn’t center around you and a laundry list of benefits your firm can offer. Rather, ask the right questions to uncover a prospect’s specific challenges and value-drivers.

Do your homework, offer insights and use your deep understanding of their business to offer solutions they may not have thought of. While the old adage “the customer is always right” might fit into a retail relationship, it behooves you not to simply acquiesce to your prospective clients’ wishes if, in fact, there is a better solution. Show them you can add value.

If it seems like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, just remember to take small bites. Start with a three-month plan of achievable goals and continue from there. Building your reputation in order to build your business involves time and effort. Beginning to put the pieces into place now will ensure success, not only in 2012, but for years to come.

Bettina Rutherford is the marketing director at Campbell Trial Lawyers in Boston. She can be contacted at [email protected].