Did you ever wonder what your most effective business development tool is? Stand in front of the nearest mirror to find out. No one can sell you or your practice better than you.
Today, many law practices are reaping the benefits of developing active speaker programs and expanding their public relations objectives through speaking engagements. Whether you realize it or not, you're already "presenting" yourself and your practice on a daily basis by speaking at meetings, client presentations, community groups, bar functions and seminars. Presentations are a sophisticated form of marketing and they are particularly suited to marketing legal services. They often result in generating new clients while providing increased awareness of the firm and its specialty areas. Here are the top four reasons to use presentations as a marketing tool.
1. Giving a presentation positions you as the expert on a particular topic. Just as writing a book or article lends credibility to the author, speaking helps you build your status as an expert. There is a viral marketing effect at work--the more you speak, the more people see your name. The more people see your name, the more positioned as an expert you become. The more positioned as an expert you become, the more you are invited to speak and so on. In addition to increased visibility, your credibility is also established by the sponsoring organization that has invited you to speak to their group.
Bob Nabors is a partner with Nabors, Giblin and Nickerson, P.A., a statewide firm of 23 attorneys, with offices in Tampa, Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida. His firm represents predominantly local governments and state agencies in finance and tax matters. "We do what is called traditional bond counsel or tax exempt debt work and then we represent governments on a variety of local issues related to generating revenues and solving local problems."
Although he's been giving presentations and seminars for 35 years, he did not initially set out to use them as a marketing tool. He says, "It was really just to be involved in bar organizations and other groups. We would put on seminars. I served as special counsel to the Florida Association of Counties, and they put on seminars periodically as an educational tool for new commissioners, staff and county and city attorneys."
However, now his firm actively utilizes speaking engagements as a subtle form of marketing, with many of the attorneys making in-house presentations and teaching educational classes around the state.
Nabors' audience is generally county and city attorneys that have an interest in local government, elected officials, government staff, or a combination of all three. He has definitely obtained new clients out of these presentations. He says "By speaking at events, if people have a problem of a similar nature, it puts your name in front of them and they will maybe remember to ask for your help."
2. Presentations differentiate you from your competition. The person who can clearly express her ideas is seen as more intelligent and more self-confident than the person who stumbles through a disorganized presentation. When you're competing for business, a well-crafted presentation can give you the advantage. An attorney once told me that he was sure his firm was more successful in getting business because the people they chose to make their presentations were highly trained in presentation skills.
David W. Henry, a shareholder with Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A. of Orlando, Florida, has been doing speaking engagements for ten years. Approximately twelve times a year, he speaks to audiences that consist primarily of other lawyers and insurance industry personnel about insurance coverage, litigation topics, the role of insurance agents, and corporate culture building in the insurance industry.
He purposefully started making presentations as a marketing tool for his own practice in intellectual property and business litigation, and acquired one of the firm's largest clients through a speaking presentation he made in Texas several years ago. As a marketing strategy, Henry recommends that attorneys explore the possibilities for in-house presentations for companies that show up at association sponsored programs and events.
These days, Henry thoroughly enjoys speaking engagements because as he says "It gives me face time with people who are potential clients. I'm speaking to them for long periods of time and I connect with them in a way that I would not be able to do otherwise."
3. Presentations provide unique opportunities for interaction. Presentations provide you with an environment to capture and maintain audience attention for an extended period of time. Advertisements compete with other advertisements for mindshare, but when you can demonstrate benefits and make the material relevant to the audience in a presentation, you'll enjoy an unparalleled opportunity to make your singular message heard.
Ed Wright is a name partner with Stradley & Wright in Dallas, Texas, where he practices civil and personal injury litigation in a firm consisting of 11 attorneys. He was first encouraged to start making presentations about 20 years ago by one of his former law partners. Wright says that he has definitely brought clients to his practice through speaking engagements, either by someone who attended a presentation or referred him to another individual after the presentation.
Wright believes speaking presentations generate excellent publicity. Having your firm's name and logo on handouts that people can take back to their office will have a strong impact and is a great form of "free" advertising. He feels that an attorney who is just starting out securing speaking engagements would benefit from specialized training. He said that if he were just now starting this process, that would be the number one thing that he would do differently.
When asked what advice he would give to someone who was considering using speaking engagements as a marketing tool for his or her practice, he replied he would encourage them to contact the State Bar and local Bar Associations. For example, where he lives, the Dallas Bar Association has luncheon programs. "Try to get on the list and make a presentation. With the State Bar, or continuing legal education, just try to get on one of the committees and become a speaker."
4. Presentations are the most cost-effective marketing tool that you can use. They connect your key messages to your key audiences. Your audiences are often highly-qualified prospects. Because they already want to be there, you can focus on moving them further along the client-development process.
Joy Butler, a sole practitioner whose office is in Washington, DC, agrees. She initially began doing speaking engagements as a cost-effective marketing tool to promote a product called, "The Guide Through the Legal Jungle Audiobook Series." Presentations have played a key role in the development of her law practice as she speaks on topics related to her practice areas of entertainment, intellectual property and business law. Her audience generally consists of attorneys, musicians, artists, writers, film and television producers, small business owners, entrepreneurs and entertainment business professionals.
Joy said that when she was a junior associate practicing with a firm, she observed that many of the partners used speaking engagements as a way of generating business." She says, "Presentations make a more permanent impact than direct mail or media advertising. Someone who sits and listens to you talk for an hour will remember you more readily when seeking legal counsel than someone who saw your advertisement in a trade magazine."
The evidence is clear: Presentations are one of the most effective, economical and image-enhancing ways to market your services. To implement this strategy and begin using presentations as part of your business development process, keep the following in mind:
First, Make certain you have the requisite skills as a presenter
Experience doesn't necessarily translate into proficiency. We've been driving for most of our adult lives. Does that qualify us to race in the Indianapolis 500? We'd be taking our life in our own hands when we got behind the wheel. Yet many take their professional lives in their own hands when they get behind the lectern to speak without the appropriate skills.
The only thing worse than not speaking is speaking poorly. Don't equate knowledge of the law with proficiency in communicating it. Organization of the content, the way the speaker adapts it to a particular audience, defining a strategic goal in presenting the content and how it is delivered all play equally important roles. The principle of synergy is at work in presentations--the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Some presenters may exhibit excellent delivery. Others may have the latest in visual aids. Some may possess such expertise in their field that their knowledge of the topic is superior to all others. However, without the integration of these various parts into a coherent whole, the presentation will always fall short of optimal performance.
Henry, the Florida attorney mentioned earlier, feels that everyone should receive specialized training to make good presentations because, "It's not a naturally occurring act to get up in front of 500 people with a microphone and start talking."
Second, Don't substitute technology for strategy
Although sophisticated software presentation programs are becoming the norm in many professional presentations, remember that your visual aids should be support for the message, not a substitute. Forget the bells and whistles, and focus on your message. Don't use your slide show as a teleprompter by reading lines of text. Quotations and long text passages are meant to be read, not viewed. Too much emphasis on the visuals will steal audience attention away from you. You should be able to give your presentation effectively even if all the technology fails. Invest time in learning the principles of effective visuals and apply them to your presentations.
Third, Actively market your presentations.
Develop a strategic plan for how you'll get in front of audiences. Offer to make presentations or be a panelist for non-profit organizations, local or regional chapters of associations, professional and industry trade groups, and academic institutions. Search for groups that have an interest in your specialty and can benefit from your expertise. You can also find speaking opportunities through national or international conferences and workshops. Keep in mind that your audience will include members of other organizations and associations, who may want to refer you as a presenter to their own group.
When you've booked a presentation, be sure the event organizer or your firm sends a press release to the local newspaper or radio talk show. This is free publicity that puts your name and the firm's name in front of people, and will bring in other people who share an interest in your topic.
More and more attorneys and law firms are recognizing the importance of making presentations for business development. As the competition increases, it's important to learn how to effectively present yourself and/or your firm. You can begin by reading articles and books on effective communication. The next step would be to find groups where you can practice your message. Toastmasters provides a supportive environment that can also help you overcome any communication anxiety. Their highly structured format provides limited opportunities for speeches over ten minutes in length, but you'll gain confidence and experience. The greatest level of involvement, and the one that will produce the quickest results, is working with a presentation coach. The right coach can help to refine your key messages, suggest techniques to better connect with target audiences, and polish your presentation skills. Wherever you decide to start, you'll be on your way to implementing a powerful new marketing tool.
Dr. Joseph Sommerville (Sommerville@PeakCP.com) is the Principal of Peak Communication Performance, a Houston-based firm that shows attorneys how to use presentations as productive business development tools. Contact him at 1.800.420.5443
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