Post on 17-Jul-2020
www.LawFirmCultureShift.com
Creating a Cross-Selling CultureShift®
David H. Freeman, J.D. Founder, Law Firm CultureShift®
CEO, David Freeman Consulting Group
www.LawFirmCultureShift.com
www.LawFirmCultureShift.com
Increase Share of Wallet
“The typical law firm has about 23% of the business they could be getting from a top client.”
“New business is sitting there, right in front of
you... . You can go from capturing 23% to 75% of the work available to you.”
“Mad Clientist” Blog post, BTI Consulting , Wellesley MA
1445 Respondents
Average score for all statements = 3.34
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Cross- … Selling
Referring
Connecting
Protecting
Serving
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Increase amount of client feedback Better client service
Serve the best interests of the client Increase client retention and loyalty
Enhance communication between groups Higher performing teams
Deepen understanding of other lawyers’ services Know, like and trust
Improve lawyer retention Context to ask for new business Greater personal accountability
Proactive leadership
Cross-Serving Cascade
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Obstacles to Cross-Serving • Trust • Inertia/Habits/Time • Internal and external communication • Identifying best opportunities • Replacing existing relationships • Understanding others’ skills • Understanding client needs • Understanding our lawyer’s needs • Capacity • Credit and compensation • Lack of comfort/skill • Lack of planning • Accountability, follow-through and tracking
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Name 2 – 3 of your biggest cross-serving obstacles
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Cross-Serving Culture Shift
Unleash, direct and sustain cross-serving efforts
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“I can’t because …” “It won’t work because …”
“I tried this once before and it didn’t work.” “The comp system doesn’t reward me for this.”
“My firm doesn’t …” “My partners won’t …”
“It’s not in our culture to …” “That’s not how we do things around here.”
“The market is bad.” “All the good clients are taken.”
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Increase Engagement
Find/create windows of opportunity Find high level pain/needs Build the business case
Start with the coalition of the willing Access their inner entrepreneur
Align personal needs with group goals Make it their idea
Gain permission (e.g. collaborative planning)
Compensation
Assign deputies
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Discuss your most effective techniques for increasing
engagement
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Develop High Performance Organizational Habits:
Activate Key Accelerators
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Activate the Accelerators The Client Feedback Accelerator The Key Client and Industry Team Accelerator The Exceptional Client Service Accelerator The Internal Cross-Connections Accelerator The Internal Giving Accelerator The Internal Approach Accelerator The Client Contact Accelerator The Technology Accelerator The Compensation Accelerator The Key Measures Accelerator The Internal Communication/PR/Education Accelerator The Accountability Accelerator The Leadership Mega-Accelerator
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Client Feedback Accelerator Focus on your best targets
Go three levels deep
Understand firm capabilities
Create a replicable process
Develop an action plan
Establish “Watcher” systems
Client/Industry Team Accelerator • Identify targets • Team dynamics • Team standards • Team roles • Client feedback • Exceptional service • Share knowledge • Cross-selling • Market visibility • Educate client • Deep client/industry
knowledge • Proper measures • Tracking and reporting
High Performing Teams Project Aristotle - Google initiative on how to create perfect teams
Understand and Influence Group Norms
“Traditions, behavioral standards and unwritten rules that govern how we function when we gather”
The Key Factor = Psychological Safety A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking
Team members treat each other well
Most critical norms = communication and empathy High social sensitivity to feelings and needs
Members listen to each other Speak in roughly the same proportion Create interpersonal, human bonds
Smarter Faster Better, by Charles Duhigg
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Trust & Loyalty
Add Value Highly Responsive
Know Their Business Be Proactive
Manage The Relationship
Exceptional Client Service Accelerator
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Cross-Connections Accelerator Know, like, trust
(Effective) internal presentations Connect the right lawyers Connect the right groups
Connect the right practice leaders Connect client & industry team leaders
Connect offices
Approaching/Giving Accelerators Build the business case
• Make it easy
• Give before receive
• Find high priority client needs
• Look good to the client
• Manage service and credit expectations
• Probing questions
• “Gifts”
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Client Contact Accelerator
Soften the ground Build relationships in advance of need
Look for openings/contexts for contact
Meeting preparation and execution
Ongoing follow-up
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Key Measures Accelerator Client feedback
Meetings between complementary lawyers
Client teams formed/meetings
Extraordinary client service
On-site visits
Introduce other lawyers to clients
Ongoing follow-up with top prospects
Number of practice groups used
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Internal Communication Accelerator
Reminders, PR, Education
Consistent and persistent
Internal newsletters, group meetings, teams, retreats, one-on-one, teams
Compensation
Highlight “Champions”
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Leadership Mega-Accelerator
Manage the culture shift Hold people accountable Gain permission Assign deputies Establish Watchers Managing Partner as the ultimate Watcher
Unleash, direct and sustain cross-serving efforts
www.LawFirmCultureShift.com
Prioritize Your Accelerators The Client Feedback Accelerator The Key Client and Industry Team Accelerator The Exceptional Client Service Accelerator The Internal Cross-Connections Accelerator The Internal Giving Accelerator The Internal Approach Accelerator The Client Contact Accelerator The Technology Accelerator The Compensation Accelerator The Key Measures Accelerator The Internal Communication/PR/Education Accelerator The Accountability Accelerator The Leadership Mega-Accelerator
www.LawFirmCultureShift.com
Creating a Cross-Serving CultureShift®
David H. Freeman, J.D. Founder, Law Firm CultureShift®
CEO, David Freeman Consulting Group
www.LawFirmCultureShift.com