Clarity on "Loyalty"

Barbara Walters Price over at Marketing U (who keeps an excellent blog on professional services marketing) asked, "Can somebody help me? What does "we are loyal about our enemies" mean?" in reference to my recent post on client relationships. BTW, thank you Barbara for the positive comments on the commentary of that post.

Let me explain the statement with an example. I watch a lot of NASCAR and of course have a favorite driver (Jeff Gordon and any other car driving for Rick Hendricks). I also have drivers I villainize. In fact, I am so loyal to them as villains I can find evil even when they so something good. To be nice the villains will remain nameless.

"Loyalty" is a word that can swing both positive and negative. It simply points to a concerted dedication. So, when I say, "Loyalty only knows two extremes; We are loyal to our friends and we are loyal about our enemies. Everyone else does not matter" I am pointing at what we are dedicated to. Both tag our passion to act in belief.

I hope this brief explanation adds clarity.

A Business Relationship Networking Cheat-Sheet for Lawyers

The hardest part of business relationship networking is the first step. "Now that I am here what do I do?" Here is a simple method for those people that enjoy having a "mission" in most things they do.

One - Make a list of each thing you want to accomplish at the event you are attending. The list might include:

• Arrive by 5:30PM
• Introduce myself to at least one person I do not know while in the registration line
• Wear my name tag on my right lapel
  
• Talk to at least one person I do not know while waiting in the bar line (alcohol consumption is optional)
• Meet at least one other person and exchange business cards with the potential for a follow-up meal/meeting

Two - USE THE LIST. Take it out of your pocket every time you accomplish one more piece of the mission and check it off. Some things on the list are easy and happen on their own accord, but being able to check things off helps build our internal perception of momentum.

Three - Follow up the next day with anyone you met.

Simple, tactical, motivating -- All the right ingredients for a successful method of making the most of business networking opportunities

Proof that Relationships Win Business

Has your firm ever missed the mark on a client matter -- and the client is still with the firm? In truth that question could be answered "yes" for many of your existing clients.

If clients valued excellence in legal services over the relationship they would jump ship every time an attorney did not perform in absolute excellence. Granted, the quality of legal services has to be in the realm of good to best, but I hope you see my point.

Do well at your work and do better at your relationships. Loyalty only knows two extremes; We are loyal to our friends and we are loyal about our enemies. Everyone else does not matter.

Help Your People Deliver Their Best Work

This post at Obviously presents a compelling argument for encouraging less "time in the office" for greater productivity. Law firms and law firm marketers can certainly relate to extended periods of long hours and dealing with burnout.

The Next Generation -- A Computer is an Accessory

I am posting via a new addition to the MC blogging family -- a quite friendly, suave in black Mac Book. Now I too can sit in Panera sipping coffee looking casually hip as I free-ride on their wifi signal.

An interesting conversation with my daughter in Italy. We were talking about computer bags for toting about my MacBook, and like a true trooper of the Millennial generation she commented that she almost exclusively keeps her Mac in a neoprene sleeve because the bags she carries (for art at college, or travel on weekends, or wherever she is going) is never about the computer. The bag is about what she is doing and if she takes her computer it rides along as an accessory. Imagine that -- her computer is an accessory, like carrying a pen or a camera.

For my generation (at least for all that I speak with) it's all ABOUT the computer. For her, it's just one way of many to accomplish tasks in front of her. She makes choices based on the moment in front of her using the variety of technology available like clothing in her closet.

Law firm marketers -- as the millennial generation enters our work force and become buyers of legal services are task will change significantly. They will expect that they can get information and make choices based on where they are and what accessory is most convenient to where they are in the moment. Can we deliver via text message, cell Internet, web page or social network?

It's just like its always been in marketing. Are we ready to adapt?

Just Show Up Enough and the Results are Priceless

I went to a networking event this evening. I couldn't stay long so I did my fast-rounds thing. Interestingly enough, the organizer supplies custom names tags for members of the association but have failed to have one made for me even though I have been a member for a while. So, in a moment of silent rebellion I decided that I wasn't going to wear one of those hand-printed labels and just go sans name tag. If you read this blog often enough you know that I "show up" at a lot of events, ergo, I am known by many. Tonight I was pleased to discover how large my circle of relationships has become.

As I walked from conversation to handshake to conversation every cluster of people had at least one person that greeted me by name and provided introductions to others. At one group someone even joked, "Why would he need a name tag -- everyone knows Bruce!" Sweet!

It was a valuable reward for taking my own advise. Just get in the habit of showing up and the reward of good relationships will appear before you.

The Client of a Law Firm Marketer

The client of a law firm marketer is the the firm that employs the marketer. It is not individual lawyers within the firm and it is not the clients of the lawyers of the firm. The client is "the firm". If you can grasp this concept (if you do not already live it) you will make a tremendous leap forward in your law firm marketing career. I wrote about the firm as a client when discussing how I view the brand of the firm. Taking that one step further; If you stand for "the firm" and have a clear vision of what it is, you can lead incredibly productive discussions with individual attorneys when they want to sprint in new directions.

Meditate -- The client of a law firm marketer is the the firm.