We went to school.   For many years.  We became Professionals – with letters after our names.  Lawyers got to call themselves Attorneys At Law.  A proud profession indeed! 

We hung our shingles.  They promised us that’s all we needed to do in order to obtain a full base of clients.  Well, I with my Ph.D. soon learned otherwise and spent a fair share of my time marketing my practice as well as that of the colleagues of mine who rented space from me.  I learned lots of lessons in those years. 

Soon some of my attorney friends were asking for advice.  Billboards, TV ads, Social Media entries were of limited value.  Too many others were doing this form of advertising trying to vie for the same business.

This reminds me of a funny story – not quite a complete digression from the topic – but a slight but useful detour.

Years ago, I’d flown into a town in Texas because I was scheduled to conduct a weekend board of directors training for an organization in that town.  The President of the group, an attorney, picked me up at the airport and was driving me to my hotel.  As we were driving down the road he said, “Pay attention to that billboard up a little ways on your right and tell me what you think.”

The billboard was of three cowboys, guns blazing saying something like we always get our man.  I thought it was crass.  My companion laughed and said, Yes, it is crass.  But they are the most popular, the richest attorneys in town because they advertise directly to the population they are seeking:  the motorcycle accidents and the fender benders.

What a lesson!   Here those of us who were professionals only used the loftiest language and wouldn’t lower ourselves to …

…

My take-away.  You gotta know your territory – and deal with them at their level.

In any event, to get back to the main portion of my blog today. 

There is no exact right or wrong way to market/sell to drum up business as a professional.  

When I am consulting to law firms on business development, I interview and observe each of the lawyers and work with them individually (as well as in groups) to try to find the way in which they could uniquely and comfortably expose themselves in a manner designed to bring them business.

Is it through public speaking?  Making phone calls to other professionals asking for referrals?  Advertising on billboards?  Community service boards?  Volunteering for activities themselves?  It’s different for each individual. 

Years ago, when I was starting my practice, I worked for a highly respected psychology group called Associated Psychologists.  One of my male colleagues made it a practice of phone-calling physicians and inviting them to lunch.  Two or three days a week Art would have lunch with a physician he hadn’t known before.  I never joined him so I don’t know exactly what he said at those meals, but that’s how he developed his referral base. 

Me, I couldn’t do that in a million years.  I felt – and still feel – awkward telling someone I don’t know what my services are and how great I am at conducting them.  I usually learn a lot more about other people than they do about me at networking events.

On the other hand, I love public speaking.  A talk, a seminar, a panel, a workshop – I’m happy to contribute.  People hear me, meet me, get a sense of me – and I get referrals.

I tell you that because it is so important to realize that we are different and different approaches are important.

That’s why – when I consult to law firms, accounting firms, mental health firms, etc., I work with the professional team to help them find the ways that work for each of them – the ways that make them effective and still comfortable.