Published 12/1/2010
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The key to business development success is building relationships with potential clients. Relationship development is a marathon, not a sprint, and it starts with getting into the public eye. There are many ways to do this, some with more credibility than others: writing a newspaper or magazine article, speaking to a community organization, running an advertisement, launching a blog, mailing out a brochure. The goal, no matter what is done, is to create a personal relationship with the prospect that convinces him or her to become a client. Personal contact is the marketing fundamental that gets a lawyer noticed. Marketing requires you to educate the public about your existence and the ways that you can assist them.
If you accept this premise, there is no better way to establish effective personal relationships with prospects than by establishing a presence for your firm or your practice at industry trade shows and association meetings. By properly researching and targeting your attendance, you can meet more prospects in one day than you might otherwise meet in months. And by physically being present at these meetings of potential clients, you demonstrate that you know their business, understand their concerns, and are serious about offering solutions.
