Top Lawyer Coach, LLC

5 Tips to Help Small Firms Gather Intelligence and BUILD BUSINESS!

Ask  marketing experts and they'll tell you that the key to staying ahead of the game in the legal industry is to LISTEN.

Open your ears to find out what is happening outside the firm.

Gathering good old-fashion external intelligence can help law firms grow business.

How?

By listening to trends that affect clients and prospects and the legal world in general, firms can tailor their marketing campaigns to yield big results: MORE BUSINESS!

While large firms can generally rely on their competitive intelligence staff to do this investigative work, small firms can become sleuths themselves.

Here are five steps small firms can take to LISTEN MORE and BUILD BUSINESS:

1. On-site visits.

Take the time to visit with clients in-person at their places of business. These meetings will help you better understand the issues and trends that affect them.

2. Survey clients.

Clients can be excellent sources of information on opportunities, concerns, and trends.

3. Be proactive with referrals.

Once you have identified your referral sources, set up meetings with them - often. By doing this, you will learn what issues are affecting them, their businesses, and their clientele.

4. Be social.

Get out and join trade groups and associations. Attend meetings and conventions to stay abreast of developments happening in the legal field.

5. Monitor the Web.

Don't just stick to your own blog and social networking sites, branch out! It's important to keep tabs on what your competitors are doing on the Internet. Tracking websites will also help you collect information on industry and market trends.

Don't get stuck in the dark ages!

21st-century firms need to be "in the know" about what is happening around them.

Take these steps to learn more about the world outside your firm, then use that knowledge to your advantage.

Use your ears to get in the game - and stay there.