Get Out of a Rut with these Small Law Firm Business Development Tips

One of the ways to keep your work fresh and interesting is by bringing in new clients and cases, but many of us fall back on tired small law firm business development tactics. If you would like to grow and re-energize your practice this year, it’s time to shake things up a bit.

Here are 5 strategies to help you attract new business:

Expand existing client relationships

Any new business development effort should begin with existing clients and relationships. As you review your existing contacts, identify:

  • Additional people you can meet within the client’s organization
  • Other departments that could benefit from your expertise
  • Legal service gaps that you can fill personally or opportunities to collaborate with other firms to meet those needs
  • Add-on services you can provide to reach more people, such as internal workshops or webinars

Let your current contacts know that you may be able to provide more in-depth services to their team or other departments.

Reach out to new industry contacts

If you currently target one or two key industries or customer types, consider whether other industries offer any opportunities for growth. These industries might relate directly or indirectly to your current customer targets, or they may be completely new sectors for your firm.

If you plan to target a completely new industry, AttorneyAtWork offers some good advice:

“Include something in your firm bio and LinkedIn profile about your industry focus. While it certainly helps to have experience, of course, you can indicate a ‘special interest in’ or ‘passion for’ the area without overstating your capabilities. List the areas in which you can provide assistance as well as your outside activities (e.g., association membership and thought leadership), which will serve to underscore your commitment to the area.”

Do research by attending industry association events and reaching out to new contacts in that area for discovery calls. This research will help you develop a more complete customer profile and marketing strategy as you begin your outreach.

Raise your visibility

Many of your clients likely come through referrals, but you can expand the sources of word-of-mouth marketing through strategic visibility and personal branding efforts, including:

  • Speaking at local conferences and events, including bar and lawyer association events
  • Creating a strong social media presence with high-quality content
  • Attending networking events regularly and establishing long-term relationships within those groups
  • Offering in-person or online educational workshops in your practice area
  • Writing quality how-to or insights articles related to your practice area
  • Consider hiring a marketing assistant or outsourcing some content development to a marketing firm

The goal here is to keep you and your firm top-of-mind. When someone has a need for legal services in your practice area, they should think of you first.

Leverage LinkedIn

If you have not logged into LinkedIn recently, you could be missing out on some of the highest quality leads. Creating a profile is just the first step. In order to make the platform work for you, you need to share, comment and interact with other regularly. Even five minutes a day will help your network understand you, your firm and what you offer.

AttorneyAtWork advises:

You want people to visit your LinkedIn bio and get in touch if they need your help, right? But when it comes to social media, the operative word is “social.” The more active you are on the platform, the more likely it is that people will notice what you’re doing.

And while some people prefer Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn is the most popular social media site for lawyers, according to a 2019 American Bar Association survey. This makes sense, given that it’s designed for professional networking.

After you’re done reading this article, review and update your LinkedIn profile. Then take a look at your contacts. Reach out to one or two, comment on some posts and get the conversation rolling.

Create an in-person networking community

While a lot of connecting happens online these days, nothing can replace the rapport built with face-to-face interaction. Creating a trusted inner circle of referral partners and professional connections will help your law firm grow in a way that aligns with your values and your needs.

Choosing to work in a coworking space or shared office setting can help you develop that inner circle. These spaces often host networking and community events that can help you connect more quickly.

As an independent lawyer operating a small law firm, you have the power to decide what will fuel your growth this year. If you have felt burned out or stagnant, strategic business development could help you bust out of that rut.

To learn more about our collaborative, lawyer-only office communities, reach out to us. A shared office setting can provide a great way to expand your network and fuel your growth.