Today, you’re in for a treat, as I’m bringing you a post from ILN marketer, Jennifer Smuts. Jenn is with the ILN’s member firm in Delaware, Connolly Gallagher, where she is their Director of Marketing & Business Development, and today, she’s talking about how the time is always right for client and new business development. She’s got some great actionable tips that you can implement right away!

***

The new year presents all of us with a renewed sense of ambition.  Outreach to existing clients to indicate where you can be a resource is invaluable.  It is also appropriate to contact the “connections” you made throughout 2017 and remind them how you could help them in 2018.

Work with your marketing and business development professional in order to effectively assist with this timely exercise.

Some ideas on where to get started …

 

  • Develop a process in order to capture your experience.  This effort can be a basic excel spreadsheet that tracks deals, litigation matters or other cases.  Think of 4-5 keys components of the deal or matter and commit to capturing the intelligence upon opening of the file or when the matter hits a certain financial threshold or whatever benchmark you set. This tracking tool will be helpful as you develop proposals, complete directory submissions or you simply want to update your bio.
  • Update your website bio.  Give it a breath of fresh air by updating representative matters that showcase your recent experience.
  • Be social.  Visit your LinkedIn profile and give it a refresh. Don’t forget to post a message to your LI community.   Whether it’s a comment on trending news or insight on an area of interest –engage!
  • Ask to see your firm’s “marketing collateral”.  Does that brochure afford your contact insight about you or the firm that they can benefit from?  If yes, spell it out for them in a handwritten note and set a date to meet in-person (or a phone call). If no, consider developing a simple customized mailer that you can use to target a segment of your client base.

Jennifer L. Smuts is the Director of Marketing & Business Development at Connolly Gallagher LLP in Wilmington, Delaware.  She is active in The Legal Marketing Association and currently chairs the Chief Marketing Officer SIG for the Philadelphia Steering Committee.  Connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Tags: Business Development, Connolly Gallagher, Jenn Smuts, Law Firms, Legal Marketing
Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Lindsay Griffiths Lindsay Griffiths

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the…

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the goals of a global professional services network. She manages all major aspects of the Network, including recruitment, member retention, and providing exceptional client service to an international membership base.

In her role as Executive Director, Griffiths manages a mix of international programs, engages a diverse global community, and develops an international membership base. She leads the development and successful implementation of major organizational initiatives, manages interpersonal relationships, and possesses executive presence with audiences of internal and external stakeholders. Griffiths excels at project management, organization, and planning, writes and speaks with influence and authority, and works independently while demonstrating flexibility in thinking, especially in challenging situations. She also adapts to diverse and dynamic environments with constant assessment and recalibration.

JD Supra Readers Choice Top Author 2019

In 2021, the ILN was honored as Global Law Firm Network of the Year by The Lawyer European Awards, and in 2016, 2017, and 2022, they were shortlisted as Global Law Firm Network of the Year. Since 2011, the Network has been listed as a Chambers & Partners Leading Law Firm Network, recently increasing this ranking to be included in the top two percent of law firm networks globally, as well as adding two regional rankings. She was awarded “Thought Leader of the Year” by the Legal Marketing Association’s New York chapter in 2014 for her substantive contributions to the industry and was included in Clio’s list of “34 People in Legal You Should Follow on Twitter.” She was also chosen for the American Bar Association Journal’s inaugural Web 100‘s Best Law Blogs, where judge Ivy Grey said “This blog is outstanding, thoughtful, and useful.” Ms. Griffiths was chosen as a Top Author by JD Supra in their 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, for the level of engagement and visibility she attained with readers on the topic of marketing & business development. She has been the author of Zen & the Art of Legal Networking since February 2009.

Read more about Lindsay GriffithsLindsay's Linkedin ProfileLindsay's Twitter Profile
Show more Show less
Related Posts
getty-images-xDHeojssOrc-unsplash
Adapting Networking Strategies for the Post-Pandemic Era
October 8, 2024
philip-oroni-Ed-ec5NLsvA-unsplash
Supercharge Your Networking with Social Media: A Lawyer’s Guide
September 24, 2024
fabian-gieske-yobw-nedZ2s-unsplash
Relationship Marketing for Lawyers: Strategies for Meaningful Connections
September 17, 2024