LawVision INSIGHTS Blog

Posted In: Business Development, Legal Sales

Driving Law Firm Revenues: Quick Tips for Making Client Teams Successful

By Steven M. Bell on December 16, 2020

This post originally appeared August 17, 2020 in PinHawk’s Legal Administrator Daily.

Studies in the legal market consistently show that most client team “programs” are not doing well and that many firms do not even have a focus on key clients. Here are some quick bullet points to consider for enhancing the firm’s client team strategy.

To Do or Not To Do

Regardless of firm size, the most successful revenue growth strategy is to have what we call a SAM-Legal strategy. (SAM stands for Strategic Account Management, a focus on strategic (aka key) clients. Without a strong focus on strategic accounts (for a B to B firm) or strategic markets (for a B to C firm), any firm’s long-term success is in jeopardy. SAM is a must-do strategy.

Here are some key elements and quick tips on what creates low-performing teams and what facilitates high-performing teams.

Client Teams—High Performers/Low Performers—What Makes the Difference?

Low Performing Teams—When Teams Can Improve

Team Leaders

Poor planning
Team meetings are postponed regularly
No Vice-Chair—too dependent on one leader
Too analytical; analyzes versus acts
No sales training or account management skills training or experience
No or little accountability to firm leadership or to team members and others who service the client
Do not hold team members accountable and vice versa
Build teams that are large versus nimble

Team Members

Unclear about their role/have not confirmed role with leader
Reactive versus proactive about ideas
Lack confidence to challenge each other’s and team leader’s thinking
Lack sales training and are unable to build effective relationships at their level within client organization
Unprepared for meetings; do not follow through on active, open tasks

Business Development Professionals

Note-takers versus strategic advisors
Do not see their role as coaches to help motivate/encourage Not informed about client goals
Reactive versus proactive about value-add opportunities
Have not had sales training or any sales or account management experience
Focus on reporting history and current WIP versus facilitating conversation about potential

High Performing Teams—You Can Make the Difference!

Team tactical information

Budgets
Post pitch debriefs
Client interviews (aka client satisfaction surveys)
Investor relations communications
Daily newsworthy events—impact on client/impact on RG
Daily tracking of decision-makers who are key to the relationship with RG

Report and suggest actions

Encourage (demonstrate leadership)
Proactive (anticipate needs; think strategically)
Patient (not discouraged)
Persistent (not argumentative)
Prepared (review and understand relevant data)
“Partner” with team leaders outside of team meetings to discuss strategy/ideas
Own responsibility for success of the team
Proactive about providing information
Visit counterpart at client organization; get to know the procurement people
Attention to the supply chain/vertical market of clients and what is going on that may impact the client
Stay abreast of team and industry initiatives, e.g., where are R&D investments being made? What supply chain challenges does the industry face?
Encourage team leaders to be their best

Encourage Team Leaders to be their Best

High Performing Teams—Where Business Sales Professionals May Influence Team Leaders

Suggest they recognize and value others; compliment input and accomplishments
Help facilitate team conversation
Help team leaders look good–Prepare for meetings
Suggest assigning a Vice-Chair and potential successors to team leadership
Demonstrate confidence—you are their “partner” for client teaming
Suggest inviting client(s) to join team meeting at least once a year
Help to define roles and metrics for reporting to firm management
See revenue as a by-product of successful client engagement through team efforts versus as the only goal
Help create a sales pipeline

The Intersection of Client Visits and Client Loyalty

Know the difference between client meetings, firm leader visits, and client interviews
Identify the correlation between above and team success
Communicate clients’ views and expectations about client service
Send value propositions to the client to align with their business goals and do so proactively—do not wait to be invited
Invite the client to team meetings—things will go much better

Read about these and other successful SAM-Legal tips in our upcoming book, “SAM-Legal: From Key Clients to Strategic Accounts,” which will be available on Amazon.