Fall is Planting Season; Sow the Seeds of Success

Previously published in the October issue of Spotlight Branding's newsletter "Spotlight Quarterly"

This is the time of year when we return from the beach, mountains, golf course, dropping kids off at college – it’s fall. Time to get back to work for one more fiscal quarter before the New Year. When ours was an agrarian society it was time for the harvest, reaping summer’s bounty, sowing fall crops and planning for next year’s planting.

The analogy of “sowing seeds” in the months of September and October is an apt one for those of us who seek business growth and greater professional success in 2017. It’s during these two months that many businesses – and individuals – take stock of their financial gains thus far and start to budget for next year. In November and December we want to meet and mingle with clients and other important business connections, but the purpose is to show gratitude and to socialize. It’s okay to talk a little business – and it’s a good idea to indicate that you intend to be in touch in the New Year – but typically these touches are too late to have an impact on 2017 budgets for legal services.

Regardless of the fiscal year of any particular business, business people are influenced by the turn of seasons and the ingrained concept that we start new things in the New Year. So connecting with key clients and prospects now - and specifically throughout the months of September and October - is an excellent investment of time and effort. You want to influence client and prospects’ plans for 2017 that require legal services. You also want to stay top of mind as the professional who will provide such services.

Here are five ideas for how to plant the seeds of 2017 success during the fall season:

1. Review three years of billing records and identify the top clients of your practice. Make plans to visit with representatives of each “off the meter” and preferably at the client’s office so that it is more of a business meeting. The purpose of getting together is to obtain feedback on how well the client believes he has been served by you. Before you meet, come up with a short list of open-ended questions to ask. If the client is well-pleased – or has been in the past – discuss how you may be helpful to him/her in the New Year. Have some suggestions ready. Perhaps there is an impending change of law that will impact the client’s business. You want to be able to prompt clients and plant that seed of need that will sprout – with good tending by you – in 2017. With a client who is pleased, ask whether he/she will act as a reference for you when new opportunities arise. Finally, make sure you are connected with and review your clients’ LinkedIn network before meeting. Happy clients are pleased to make introductions on our behalf to others in their networks. Ask for this business favor of an introduction and make it specific by mentioned the names of his/her LinkedIn contacts with who you would like to meet.

2. Offer an off-the-meter audit of legal compliance in your area of specialization. For example, if you are an employment attorney, then come up with a brief document describing the types of employment practices that should be the subject of an annual audit due to changes in state and federal law and developing best practices. Going to a client’s place of business and offering a helpful service is a way to identify the types of assistance he/she may need in the New Year. It also promotes reciprocity and a sense of gratitude. At the conclusion of your complimentary services, recommend a few areas that need closer attention by you. Most likely you will have a couple new projects to start 2017 strong.

3. Provide a free presentation to the client and his/her staff who work in your area of expertise. You may wish to provide a “forensic” review of a particular legal matter that you worked on with and for the client in the past year. Indicate how, with the client’s help and support, you were able to obtain a good result. Suggest ways to avoid such legal problems in the future. Making the key client representative and his/her team your client in this way is a smart move: as a result you become “everyone’s attorney” and create broader opportunities for referrals and introductions by team members. In addition, team members appreciate being recognized for their respective contributions to the ultimate success of the case or matter. You will have fans for life, and when they move on to other organizations, they will most likely create new opportunities for you there if possible.

4. Find out the client’s charity of choice and ask how you can support his/her commitment to the organization. Fall is a time for fun runs, bike marathons and other types of outdoor fund raising events. Getting involved in such an activity with your family, partner or friends is a great way to demonstrate commitment to an important client. Be sure to follow up after the event with a casual discussion of the client’s needs for your legal services in 2017. He/she will feel inclined to reciprocate by expressing interest in your practice, and whether or not that is the case, you will have the satisfaction of contributing to a good cause .

5. Study the year’s case law, statutes and regulations – and those pending for the New Year in your field of specialty. Create an easy-to-read “primer” on the year’s key legal issues that impact clients, and those that may, should they become law in the New Year. Make this a special publication – through your web site client portal or otherwise – only for clients of your practice. Let them know that because of their loyalty and support of your practice you want them to have this inside information. If this effort doesn’t generate emails and phone calls regarding the subject matter and potential new projects related to it, then use the publication as an opportunity to call your clients, inquire about their views regarding the information and make recommendations about the types of steps they should consider to safeguard their respective businesses.

There's still time to apply these "sowing" techniques before the holiday rush. For more tips like these, follow us on Linked In.