Page 44 - MASTER COPY LEADERS BOOK 9editedJKK (24)_Neat
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Leaders in Legal Business
So who do these firms hire if they are hiring sales people? Do they have to have a law degree? Do clients
actually like being approached by a “non-practicing lawyer”? The answers vary depending on which firm is asked.
Generally speaking, the critical skill is sales. One must possess the necessary selling skills a) to be effective at
selling legal services and b) to “partner” with highly skilled lawyers who may already be good at building
relationships. Some firms believe it is necessary to have a law degree for two reasons: first, to add credibility to
the individual in the eyes of the lawyers with whom she/he is working, and second, their knowledge of the legal
services (albeit they will also need general knowledge across the spectrum of services). We do not think it is
critical to have a law degree in order to be successful at selling legal services. What is important, however, is that
the firm is comfortable with this role and the individual; whatever will work best for the firm is what should guide
the decision about who to hire.
Sales, Business Development, and Coaching Resources
Products for tracking progress with sales include client relationship management tools such as
SalesForce.com. The user interface has been greatly enhanced by a company from Australia, and more
information may be found at their website, oneplacecrm.com. Interaction, a relationship management tool sold
by LexisNexis, was the front-runner for quite some time and remains popular, particularly with the larger firms.
More information can be found at their website, www.lexisnexis.com/intelligence/interaction. Another popular
relationship management/sales tracking tool is ContactEase, which is offered by Cole Valley. Their software has
been the favorite of mid-size firms for more than 20 years. More information may be found at
www.colevalley.com. Some firms find it useful to use a simple spreadsheet to track sales performance of
individuals, practices, offices, or the firm. These tools help individual lawyers with their sales efforts by providing
a format to keep track of the best revenue-generating pursuits.
Lawyer coaching resources include LawVision Group, which has four well-established, experienced
coaches, all of whom have been inside law firms and in sales. For more information about their services, visit
www.lawvisiongroup.com. An online resource for coaching that has a technology element to it may be found at
either the Ackert Advisory, www.ackertadvisory.com, or Rainmaker Virtual Training,
www.rainmakervt.com/#virtual-training. These companies provide online coaching tools that aid in the
development of good sales habits through an effective interactive, online approach.
There are some organizations that also have useful resources and conferences. The Legal Sales and
Service Organization was founded to provide resources and a forum for members of law firms who focus on sales.
Their annual meeting, called the RainDance Conference, brings together members in the legal profession whose
job it is to oversee the sales and business development efforts at their firms. More information may be found on
their website, www.legalsales.org. The Legal Marketing Association also provides tools and resources for sales
and marketing members at firms. The association’s focus is broader since it includes in large part sales and public
relations and technology; their annual conference combines all the specialties along the spectrum from marketing
to sales. More information is available on their website, www.legalmarketing.org.
These resources and many others allow law firms to change with the times and increase their client list
while simultaneously controlling their expenses, which will let them flourish in this fast-paced and unforgiving
business environment.
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So who do these firms hire if they are hiring sales people? Do they have to have a law degree? Do clients
actually like being approached by a “non-practicing lawyer”? The answers vary depending on which firm is asked.
Generally speaking, the critical skill is sales. One must possess the necessary selling skills a) to be effective at
selling legal services and b) to “partner” with highly skilled lawyers who may already be good at building
relationships. Some firms believe it is necessary to have a law degree for two reasons: first, to add credibility to
the individual in the eyes of the lawyers with whom she/he is working, and second, their knowledge of the legal
services (albeit they will also need general knowledge across the spectrum of services). We do not think it is
critical to have a law degree in order to be successful at selling legal services. What is important, however, is that
the firm is comfortable with this role and the individual; whatever will work best for the firm is what should guide
the decision about who to hire.
Sales, Business Development, and Coaching Resources
Products for tracking progress with sales include client relationship management tools such as
SalesForce.com. The user interface has been greatly enhanced by a company from Australia, and more
information may be found at their website, oneplacecrm.com. Interaction, a relationship management tool sold
by LexisNexis, was the front-runner for quite some time and remains popular, particularly with the larger firms.
More information can be found at their website, www.lexisnexis.com/intelligence/interaction. Another popular
relationship management/sales tracking tool is ContactEase, which is offered by Cole Valley. Their software has
been the favorite of mid-size firms for more than 20 years. More information may be found at
www.colevalley.com. Some firms find it useful to use a simple spreadsheet to track sales performance of
individuals, practices, offices, or the firm. These tools help individual lawyers with their sales efforts by providing
a format to keep track of the best revenue-generating pursuits.
Lawyer coaching resources include LawVision Group, which has four well-established, experienced
coaches, all of whom have been inside law firms and in sales. For more information about their services, visit
www.lawvisiongroup.com. An online resource for coaching that has a technology element to it may be found at
either the Ackert Advisory, www.ackertadvisory.com, or Rainmaker Virtual Training,
www.rainmakervt.com/#virtual-training. These companies provide online coaching tools that aid in the
development of good sales habits through an effective interactive, online approach.
There are some organizations that also have useful resources and conferences. The Legal Sales and
Service Organization was founded to provide resources and a forum for members of law firms who focus on sales.
Their annual meeting, called the RainDance Conference, brings together members in the legal profession whose
job it is to oversee the sales and business development efforts at their firms. More information may be found on
their website, www.legalsales.org. The Legal Marketing Association also provides tools and resources for sales
and marketing members at firms. The association’s focus is broader since it includes in large part sales and public
relations and technology; their annual conference combines all the specialties along the spectrum from marketing
to sales. More information is available on their website, www.legalmarketing.org.
These resources and many others allow law firms to change with the times and increase their client list
while simultaneously controlling their expenses, which will let them flourish in this fast-paced and unforgiving
business environment.
37
