10 Super Rainmaking Secrets Support CURE Childhood Cancer

Posted by Robin Hensley on March 01, 2011

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Brilliant legal briefs alone are not enough to build a successful law practice. You must also make it rain. Fortunately, rainmaking is a learned skill.

Super rainmaker John C. Yates, Chair of the Technology Practice at Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has set down 10 secrets to super rainmaking in a new eBook that captures, in simple terms, exactly what it takes to make it rain - even when the economy seems to be working against you. I am pleased to be a part of this project with John, adding coaching points at the end of each chapter to give you practical, doable action steps that put John's strategies into practice.

Talking to the Atlanta Business Chronicle recently, John described Super Rainmaking: 10 Secrets To Raising the Bar In Your Law Practice this way.

"Over the years, I've collected a number of concepts, principles, lessons and never put them all down on paper in one place. To be able to present to others was the motivation for me to get them organized and really show that there was a consistent thread in the business development model that we've been using." Topics covered range from differentiating yourself from other attorneys to the business building power of reputation. John also presents ways to balance competing demands on your time while still meeting your business development goals. Take a look at the Table of Contents for a complete topics snapshot.

Uncertain if these secrets can work for you? Then you'll want to get right to Secret #10 and learn why John says, "Be optimistic...the odds are in your favor."

John and I are proud that the profits from the sale of this eBook will support CURE Childhood Cancer. Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is a leader in acting on behalf of children and families to conquer childhood cancer through research, education and critical support of patients and their families. We appreciate your support of this important cause. 

Priced at $29.95, you can order the book here. 

Until next time,

Robin

Robin, how can I get my client prospect to read my emails? Part 2

Posted by Robin Hensley on November 30, 2010

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Today, we're finishing up our conversation about email that we started last month.

I am often asked how to get prospects to read client emails. It's frustrating when there is no reply or the reply is not the favorable response the client is seeking. While I'm not going to tell you what to say, the following ten tips will help you lay out your message so that whatever you say will have a better chance of being read. Better hurry, though. IM (Instant Messaging) is rapidly replacing email. Getting your message down to just a few characters is an art in itself and a topic for another time. For right now, just master the nuances of text placement as outlined below.

1. Make your message fast and easy for the reader.

  • Map out your message so that the reader intuitively knows where to look for specific information.
  • The subject line is the first place the reader looks. Make the subject short and compelling, capturing the information like a newspaper headline would.
  • Include a signature line, as the reader will intuitively look for contact information there.
  • Make the message itself stand out with bulleted points that move the reader’s eye where you want it to go.

2. Write for skimming and scanning.

  • Readers skim e-mails, giving different levels of attention to different parts.
  • They also scan, looking for specific information while ignoring the rest.
  • Set your e-mails up to help your reader do both.

3. Use white space to speed up skimming and scanning.

  • To skim and scan, the eyes need to move around the text, focusing in some places, resting in others.
  • A dense block of print discourages rapid eye movement.
  • Contrast speeds things up.
  • Alternating print with empty white space “gives the reader wings”.

4. Use white space to add meaning.

  • White space is not empty. It’s full of meaning.
  • White space tells the reader that there’s a change in idea, a shift in the argument, an example on the way, a contrast coming, or an objection being raised.
  • Readers use white space to navigate information for meaning.

5. Make the first sentence count.

  • In business e-mail, the first sentence of the text is the most important.
  • Readers decide to read an e-mail immediately or save it for later based on that first sentence.

6. Begin with your conclusion, and then explain.

  • For replies, give your answer in the first sentence and explain your reasons below.
  • To save time when making a request, tell the reader straight out what you want.
  • For updates, summarize the situation in the first sentence and then detail it in the rest of the e-mail.
  • If you have a question, ask it right away. If the reader has asked you to reply, remind him or her of that at the start.

7. Keep it simple to keep things moving.

  • Use headers and sub-titles to enhance skimming.
  • Use short sentences and common vocabulary as much as possible.
  • Keep your message length to screen size to eliminate scrolling.
  • Use simple, straightforward language to get your message across right away.
  • Use simple present and past tense.
  • Use simple salutations. A first name followed by a comma is less formal, a name followed by a colon is more formal and signals something important is about to be said.
  • Cut the e-mail thread and start a new e-mail (and subject line) when the length becomes cumbersome.
  • Use the subject line to gain the reader’s attention.

8. Build connection through your tone.

  • Avoid using CAPITALS. The reader interprets them as SHOUTING.
  • Avoid using punctuation such as exclamation marks ("!") when your message is intended to be formal!

9. Proof, then send.

  • Always use Spell Check.
  • Read to get a fresh perspective and to pick up typos and errors.
  • Change the typeface to see your message with fresh eyes, or enlarge the type size.
  • Print a hard copy.
  • Read your message aloud to listen for errors.

10. Know when to call instead of e-mailing.

  • Use the telephone to build or enhance your connection with the reader.
  • Call to communicate how you feel.
  • Call if you need to break bad news before you send the e-mail.
  • Call to reach resolution if e-mails have gone back and forth for a long period.

For more on e-mail dos and don’ts, sample texts for a variety of situations, and visual cues to give your messages more impact, pick up a copy The Executive Guide To E-Mail Correspondence by Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.

Until next time,

Robin

Robin, how can I get my client prospect to read my emails? Part 1

Posted by Robin Hensley on October 26, 2010

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A client told me recently about a very detailed email he had sent to a prospective client. He already had that person’s attention and was on the brink of setting a time to meet when he felt he should expand on his background—just to be sure his target understood all that he had to offer. He wrote several paragraphs filled with details and explanations of how he had successfully achieved many important results. He told me about it because he couldn’t understand why he never received a reply. The target had gone dark. His situation reminded me of the importance of understanding how email works and how it is different from paper communication.

First, let’s talk about what e-mail is and what it is not. E-mail is not the same as hard copy, according to Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D. and author of The Executive Guide To E-Mail Correspondence. Dr. Baude explains the differences this way:

  1. E-mail is designed to move or transact information as rapidly as possible, from the writer to the reader. It usually produces immediate action, often in the form of another e-mail. Hard copy, on the other hand, is designed for contemplation over time and does not necessarily move the reader to act. E-mail is a transaction; hard copy is a reflection.
  2. Unlike hard copy, e-mail is more than rectangular. It appears in a window, with clearly defined edges. These edges focus reading in a way that is very different from the way we read hard copy. The edge of a piece of paper is not so insistent. It’s easier for the eye to lift, to wander, to reflect.
  3. E-mail is boxed-in with multiple frames that relentlessly focus the eye on the text. Rigid borders confine the gaze and keep it on the words. The trapped-in quality of the text affects our expectation about the purpose and intent of reading. When we look at an e-mail message, we expect to receive information, right away. We get frustrated when we don’t get it.

Why is it important to see the e-mail page differently from hard copy? If you understand how e-mail information is seen and processed at a conscious and sub-conscious level, you can use that knowledge to create messages that are more likely to be read and acted upon. We’ll talk more about this in next week’s post. For now, just be aware that email communication is different and keep that in mind as you use it.

Until next time,

Robin

Robin, how often should I follow up with a client I haven't closed yet?

Posted by Robin Hensley on October 05, 2010

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The right answer to this question is not how often you should follow up but rather that you follow up—especially if you have lost a new business pitch. Tom Hopkins says in his classic book, How To Master The Art Of Selling that every “No” gets you closer to “Yes”. Most people give up at the first hint of “No”. But “No” is not “Never”. You still have an opportunity to build a relationship. Even if you don’t go on to win business from that client, your thoughtful and respectful persistence can keep you top of mind for referrals to others in that prospect’s sphere that could benefit from what you do. And, you can ask for feedback from your prospect if you don’t win your pitch. According to Mariette Edwards, RTB’s resident expert on pitching, asking for feedback is one of the 5 keys to success in any pitch you make. If you win your pitch, Mariette suggests that you ask your new client this:

What were the top three factors that influenced your decision?

If you lose the pitch, you can still ask for feedback depending on the situation, of course. Mariette suggests this question in the right circumstances: 

What could we have done that would have made our pitch stronger?

Can persistence go too far? I’m reminded of The Fight Lawyer, Justin Klein, who tried to get feedback on a pitch he’d lost and could not get his prospect to return his call until he left this VM message:

I will continue to call you until you call me back.

What happened? His prospect called him back with the information he wanted while reinforcing that he certainly lived up to his brand!

(FYI, we’ll be talking more about how and when to ask for feedback as well as the 4 other keys to successful pitching in our Pitch Secrets for Lawyers, CPAs and Other Professionals workshop in Atlanta coming up this week.)

Until next time,

Robin

Robin, how do I build an elevator pitch?

Posted by Robin Hensley on September 28, 2010

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Super rainmakers know what they do and how to communicate that in a headline statement, or what’s often referred to as an elevator pitch. They look at their services from the client’s point of view and then craft, refine and practice that statement so they can say what they do in any situation with ease and grace.

A classic mistake many service professionals make is to talk about what they do vs. the problems they solve. If you’re not creating connection with your target market, it may be time to re-think how you talk about what you do.

Before I worked on my own headline statement, I used to say, “I’m a business development coach for attorneys and CPAs and I help people come up with a marketing plan and I meet with them once a month and I hold them accountable,” and on and on and on until they stopped listening. My headline statement clearly wasn’t working. That’s when I went back and looked at the last 20 people who hired me and here’s what I discovered about those clients.

Number 1: They hated marketing.

Number 2: They didn’t have time to do marketing.

Number 3: They were very frustrated with the results of the marketing efforts they had done.

Now when I meet people I say, “I’m a business development coach for attorneys and CPAs who hate marketing, don’t have time to do marketing or are frustrated with the results of the marketing efforts they have done.” The statement creates a connection with the listener and is remembered long after our conversation ends.

Is your headline statement working? If not, try the following exercise to create a new and more compelling message.

  1. Think about the last 10 – 20 clients who hired you.
  2. List the top three reasons they hired you:
  • _____________________________________
  • _____________________________________
  • _____________________________________

     3. Turn those 3 reasons into a statement about what you do and the problems you solve.

Until next time,

Robin

Robin, I lost my last new business pitch. What can I do to win my next pitch?

Posted by Robin Hensley on September 21, 2010

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This is a question I am asked quite frequently by clients who are great lawyers but who are challenged when it comes to making a formal pitch.

As a Business Development Coach, my work focuses on showing clients how to get an opportunity to pitch. Once you get it, you will often need an expert to help you win the pitch. For advice on that, I went to Executive Coach Mariette Edwards of Star Maker Enterprises. Mariette has done extensive work with clients on pitching in a wide range of situations. She had this to say on how to increase your chances for winning every pitch you make.

“So often, I see very successful professionals who are brilliant at what they do completely blow a pitch that should have been a winner or at least put them within striking distance of their goal because they failed to do the right preparation. There is only one way to position yourself for delivering a winning pitch and that is to prepare.

“There are five steps to preparing for a new business pitch.

  1. Set the right goals. Know what you want your pitch to do. (Hint: Winning is not the only goal.)
  2. Know your audience. You must know as much about the people you are pitching to as you can by building a complete profile of each player.
  3. Optimize your message. Once you know your audience, you can craft your message to connect with what is most important to them. (Hint: Your message should not be all about you!)
  4. Choreograph and practice. Find out from your prospect what the room will look like where you will be meeting. Plan out every minute of your pitch from what happens when you walk in that room, to who will say what and when and how you will handle questions. Then practice, practice, practice—out loud including answering any questions that could come up.
  5. Ask for feedback. Invite at least one person to review your practice pitch and get feedback on what is working and what needs to change. If you don’t win the pitch, ask your prospect for feedback on how they made their decision and what you could have done that would have made your pitch better.

“Most people do not take the time to properly prepare. If you do, your chances of winning will be greatly improved.”

Thanks, Mariette. Look for Mariette's new book, The Creative Curse: Why Creativity Is Not Enough coming soon.

Until next time,

Robin