Companies with in-house marketing departments handle a growing variety of projects these days. At some point, though, the workload often becomes overbearing. So, when is a good time to consider an outside firm to outsource work to?

When corporate budgets are tight, and time and resources are limited – that’s really the perfect time to contract work out. Here’s why:

1. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION PLANS – An agency will help develop sophisticated marketing and communication plans for businesses that define and promote sales and marketing opportunities for the company, increasing ROI. Plans provide reports that map out results. They take into account an important aspect that is most often overlooked in companies — strategic marketing — and plan for the implementation and integration of marketing tactics.

2. TARGET AUDIENCE – Agencies can help enhance the definition of a company’s target audience because they look at businesses from an outside perspective. While a company may know an audience already through a metric such as sales reports, an agency can go in-depth to research and define not only who they are, but also how better to target them with results that work, creating a higher ROI.

3. NETWORKED IN THE COMMUNITY – Most likely, a local agency will be well-networked in the community, an added benefit for their clients. Agencies should be familiar with local news and media, for public relations and advertising purposes, and know what tactics work best for each part of your communication strategy. They also work with a variety of community vendors, which leads to the next point…

4. PRICING AND RESOURCES – Outside agencies may be able to negotiate better pricing on service and materials (such as stock photos and printing services) than in-house marketing departments. They have established relationships with a wide array of vendors which allows for price shopping and high quality.

5. CREATIVITY can be greater when a company’s marketing team works in tandem with an agency. In fact, most companies believe that the quality of work is much better. In-house marketing departments can often get too comfortable with products – losing their creative appeal. Outside agencies will have a fresh outlook and new ideas. They can also act as a catalyst for change by offering a different perspective on a myriad of issues.

6. WORK HIRED UNDER CONTRACT will be accompanied by a legally-binding agreement ensuring that roles and responsibilities are defined, ideas are well-crafted, and costs are calculated in the appropriate areas – which can be difficult for internal departments to determine.

© 2010 Furia Rubel Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

From Guest Blogger Laura Powers of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc. Laura Powers is a marketing strategist with a history of developing award-winning campaigns that create continuity of brand, Web, print and promotion. Laura understands how design and image components fit within comprehensive marketing programs – building brands and their affinities. Laura regularly manages a broad range of marketing and promotion collateral including interactive websites, annual reports, company catalogs, product and service brochures, capabilities, brand identity and correlating pieces, ongoing quarterly newsletters and e-marketing newsletters. 215-340-0480 www.furiarubel.com

The National Law Review is proud to be a media sponsor of the 3rd Annual Automotive Product Liability Conference in Chicago Sept. 22-23

The National Law Review is proud to be a media sponsor of the 3rd Annual Automotive Product Liability Conference in Chicago Sept. 22-23 – Sutton Place Hotel http://www.americanconference.com/Automotive.htm  Entering priority service code NLR1795 on the registration form entitles you to a $400 discount.  Kathy & Jennifer will be there from the National Law Review.

International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) Legal Technology Conference in Las Vegas August 22-26

The National Law Review suggests you look into attending the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) Legal Technology Conference – Strategic Unity in Las Vegas August 22-26 Aria Resort http://conference.iltanet.org/

Diversity: a Core Value and a Strategic Investment

This Week’s National Law Review  Business of Law Guest Blogger is Vera Djordjevich, Senior Law Editor of Vault.com.  Vera explains why diversity in the legal profession benefits everyone.

As the latest “Jobs & JDs” report from NALP makes clear, today’s lawyers face a challenging job market. Widespread layoffs, reduced summer programs and other recruitment-related cutbacks raise particular concern for those tracking diversity in the legal profession. Even before the recession, progress in this area, particularly at the law firm partnership level, had been slow; now, many worry that the economic fallout will have a disproportionate impact on attorneys of color and other under-represented minority groups.

It may be commonplace for employers to voice their support of a diverse workplace, but making diversity a reality rather than simply a refrain requires work, planning and, to some extent, money. When there’s less cash to go around, budgets for programs that ostensibly represent only a company’s conscience rather than its fiscal responsibility may be the first to shrink. However, diversity is not simply an ethical imperative, it is also a strategic endeavor. A company or law firm with a long-term strategy needs a well-rounded and able workforce to preserve and grow its business. The cultivation of talent, diverse in experience, culture and outlook, represents an investment in a firm’s future. It is not a distraction from, but a contribution to, a law firm’s fiscal health.

Moreover, if you look at both the tools that promote diversity and the effects that a diverse staff has on a work environment, it’s clear that they provide broad benefits to the business as a whole.

1.       Retention and development tools benefit all associates

Naturally, law firms need to be strategic and focused in their spending. But some of the most successful measures when it comes to diversity require little, if any, extra spending — mentoring, monitoring the progress of attorneys, and ensuring they have equal access to significant opportunities and clients in order to move forward in their careers.

The real hurdles may be less financial than philosophical. The legal profession is famously slow to institute significant structural change and law firms in particular hew to traditional systems of hiring, advancement and compensation. But the inherent limitations in the up-or-out pyramid model, lockstep salary system and trial-by-fire training are coming to the surface as more legal professionals consider alternative frameworks for compensation, assignment, advancement and development — frameworks that are merit-based, but focused more on evaluating than judging, developing than criticizing.

While many of these new models are discussed specifically in the context of improving retention among minority and women attorneys, the truth is these approaches should help all lawyers succeed. Consider these examples:

  • Effective frameworks based on core competencies
  • Solid, practical training programs
  • High-quality mentoring, in which mentoring is treated as a valuable contribution to the firm rather than a pro-forma obligation
  • Regular and substantive feedback regarding performance and expectations, rather than cursory annual reviews that take associates by surprise and offer little guidance
  • Recognition that there can be more than one effective approach to a given task

These are tools that benefit all associates and, by extension, the firm itself. Having a cadre of confident, well-trained and high-performing lawyers should be every law firm’s goal.

 2.       Everyone shares the benefits of an inclusive culture

This Friday, Vault and MCCA will be holding their fifth annual Legal Diversity Career Fair, giving diverse law student and lateral candidates and legal employers an opportunity to meet. As a prelude to the fair, Vault will be hosting a special breakfast to announce its 2011 Law Firm Diversity Rankings and honor the law firms who were the most highly rated by their own associates for their commitment to hiring, retaining and promoting diverse attorneys.

It seems no coincidence that the law firms that receive high marks for their commitment to diversity in our annual Law Firm Associate Survey include many of the same firms that are rated highest for firm culture and professional development. Of the top 20 firms in overall diversity this year, more than half were also ranked among the best in firm culture and for formal training and/or informal training and mentoring.

As an associate at one of the top-ranking firms noted in response to our survey: “The firm makes a conscious effort to recruit attorneys from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and it makes for noticeably better, more well-rounded case teams. I am continually amazed and impressed by the experiences my colleagues bring to the table.”

A law firm that keeps minority and women lawyers challenged, engaged and optimistic about their careers likely offers a welcoming environment and professional development opportunities to all of its attorneys. Having a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and insights represented among employees not only makes for a livelier, more interesting workplace, but it also produces better results.

© 2010 Vault.com Inc.

Vera Djordjevich Senior Law Editor, Vault.com

Vera Djordjevich is senior law editor at Vault.com, where one of her areas of focus is diversity in the legal profession. She oversees the research and publication of information about law firm diversity initiatives and metrics for the Vault/MCCA Law Firm Diversity Database. She also edits Vault.com’s content related to law practice in the UK and co-authors Vault’s law blog, which provides career news, advice and intelligence to the legal community. Prior to joining Vault, Ms. Djordjevich was an editor at American Lawyer Media and practiced law in a small litigation firm in New York. She has a law degree from New York University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

How to Motivate Attorneys to Market

National Law Review Business of Law Guest Blogger Deborah Knupp of Akina Corporation provides some very helpful and specific tips on how to motivate attorneys to market.

The Essence of Motivation 

Consider that what lies at the heart of many motivational techniques is often a proverbial “carrot” or a “stick”, externally presented by a person of authority in an effort to coerce behavior to a desired outcome.  The “carrot – stick” continuum often manifests within law firms through monetary rewards (or not), primo assignments (or not), invitation to partnership (or not) and a measure of “protection” that ebbs and flows with the rising (or falling) tides of the marketplace.  The biggest challenge for sustained motivation and momentum with the “carrot – stick” continuum is that it relies largely on managers to consistently keep the motivators present and to be consistent in the reward or consequence when behavior does or doesn’t align with expectations.  In essence, “carrot – stick” is a highly management-dependent motivational technique.

A more effective motivation technique is one that emphasizes reflective, intrinsic motivators and places accountability for sustained motivation and momentum on the individual.  With this approach, a manager’s job is to create a set of conditions whereby a person can be at their best and sustain energy and momentum to meet (or exceed) expectations.  Self-motivation, as it is often referred, is generally the result of three things:

1)     Effective training whereby the individual knows what to do

2)     Effective coaching whereby the individual knows how to do what is being asked or expected

3)     Regular encouragement that reinforces behavior, course corrects mistakes and supports progress in pursuit of the ultimate result

So the short answer to the big question, “How do you motivate attorneys to market?” lies within these three truths – training, coaching, and encouragement.  Further, motivation to market begins with changing the marketing mindset from “marketing is a cheesy, arm-twisting, manipulative, unsavory, self-interested set of activities” to “marketing is about 1) building authentic relationships and 2) solving problems that should be solved even if it means temporarily suspending self-interest.”   Or as my six-year old most recently said to me, “Mommy, you help people know how to be nice, make friends and share.”

Training – The What’s

Let’s begin with training.  There are four key things attorneys should know before they embark upon a marketing effort:

1)     They need to know their target markets.  Target markets can consist of industries, types of business situations, specific buyer types or even specific company targets or contacts. Target markets should be selected based upon strengths, natural skills and genuine interest.

2)     They need to have an authentic reason to market.  If an attorney doesn’t have a good reason to pick up the phone and call, then the attorney should wait to call until there is an authentic reason.  Attorneys should ask themselves – “If I was the person I’m about to call, why would I be interested in hearing from me?”  Authentic reasons generally fall into one of three “IN” baskets – Invitations, Introductions, Information.

3)     They need to have a message.  If an attorney wants to be memorable, they need to be message ready with a Quick Pitch. A Quick Pitch answers the question, “what do you do?” with a response that answers the question, “the problem I solve for whom is ______”.  People care about what we can do for them or others (not just the job title or practice group).

4)     They need to choose marketing activities that are rooted in joy.  For some, they would rather impale themselves with a sharp object than go to a networking event.  For others, writing or speaking is the equivalent to watching paint dry.  Attorneys need to choose marketing activities that are most likely to lead to authentic relationship building and position them as problem-solvers.  For some, this is networking and helping people make connections.  For others, this is becoming a subject matter expert, writing or speaking on thought leadership or advancing in a leadership position for a professional association.

Coaching – The How’s

Once an attorney knows what to do, there are four key things that provide the “how” for execution:

1)     Prioritize prep/planning/strategy.  Effective preparation suggests that we honor another’s time by caring enough to have a game plan designed to get to a clear destination.  Key elements of preparation are having an objective for why we want to meet, preparing key messages to convey interest and value, know the discovery questions we will ask to deepen understanding and relationships and anticipate outcomes with potential definitive next steps.  Preparation helps attorneys control the variables they can in an uncertain market place.

2)     Utilize the Platinum Rule when asking questions.  The Platinum Rule says do unto others as they would have done unto themselves or in more basic terms serve another’s interest first and your interests will be satisfied over time.  The Platinum Rule gives attorneys a posture of service over self-interest.  The best way to demonstrate credibility is to ask questions that demonstrate care and interest in another.

3)     Utilize time-boxed follow-up to stay connected.  Time-boxed follow-up is the opportunity to set definitive next steps in the moment.  It’s saying “I’ll call you next Friday to set up lunch” or “I’ll reach back out to you in 6 months if we don’t connect again before then” versus leaving next steps open-ended or saying “we should do this again some time.”  Definitive next steps give us the chance to demonstrate that we are our word.

4)     Know how business really closes.  There is no magic phrase or silver bullet to close business.  There are however, 6 qualifiers that can be like silver bullets to close business.  Business will generally close if there is 1) a legitimate problem, for which we have 2) a good fit solution and there is 3) a sense of urgency attached to the timeline to make decisions.  We must 4) have access to the decision makers and their decision-making criteria, 5) expectations must be in alignment for the level of effort it will take to initiate a relationship or work with us and 6) there must be a budget that fits with our fee structure.  When the prospect’s interests align with our 6 qualifiers, business has a way of closing itself. 

Encouragement

One of the big reasons attorneys lack motivation (or sustained motivation) to market results is the lack of seeing tangible results (i.e. new business, new clients, etc.) quickly.  As important as training and coaching are to equip attorneys, one of the largest success factors for motivation is regular, ongoing encouragement.  Encouragement to celebrate when things are going well and encouragement to restore hope when it is difficult to see progress.  Encouragement comes from what gets measured and what gets communicated.  While it is appropriate to measure revenue results, measuring progress is vital to sustain momentum.  Such progress might be advances in relationships and access to new opportunities.  Lastly, regular verbal checkpoints, spot coaching and verbal recognition are some of the most powerful ways to encourage through communication.

Be nice, make friends and share.  The motivation comes from within.

Deborah Knupp has worked globally with CEOs, executives, managing partners and attorneys as a coach and business executive for over 20 years. She has helped these leaders align their people systems and business objectives to create cultures based on the principles of accountability, integrity and authentic relationship building. Her work has focused on making the work environment a place where employees “want” to be; where clients “want” to buy; and, where leaders “want” to serve a bigger purpose in their communities and families. www.Akina.biz

As first appeared in the January/February 2010 edition of the “Administrators Advantage” the newsletter of the Chicago Chapter of Association of Legal Administrators. 

COPYRIGHT © 2010 AKINA CORPORATION The Essence of Motivation

 

Save the Date – ABA Annual Meeting August 5th – 10th

ABA (American Bar Association) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA Law Practice Management Section  are meeting August 4-7 at the Hilton Union Square / Business Law Section is meeting August 6-9 at San Francisco,  Fairmont / Intercontinental Mark Hopkins http://new.abanet.org/annual/pages/default.aspx

From Languishing to Leadership through Effective Delegation and Feedback

This week’s Business of Law Guest Blogger at the National Law Review is Deborah Knupp of Akina Corporation  : 

General Patton

The Essence of Leadership

Think of someone who has been a positive leader in your life.  What leadership qualities do they demonstrate that you most value and appreciate?  Some common leadership traits that many admire include the ability to communicate a clear vision, set clear expectations, inspire commitment and give and receive feedback. 

What is leadership?  Does it require a certain personality style to be effective?  In its most basic terms, leadership is the ability to get yourself and others from where you are to where you want to be. It is about getting things done through and with other people.  Leadership is when people follow you because they want to, not because they have to follow.  The most effective leaders utilize influence and coaching not authority or coercion to get positive results.

What’s the difference between leading by authority and leading by influence?  The chart below gives a few distinctions: 

Authority Influence
Do it because I said so… Do it because it is the right thing to do and you want to do the right thing
I say when… I say how… I say when… You say how…
Command and control Collaboration and connection
…Or Else …What Else
Defend and protect Create and build
Scarcity Abundance
Playing not to lose Playing to win

If a leader wants to get things done through and with other people, then effective delegation skills are needed.  If a leader wants to be followed because people want to follow then effective feedback skills are essential.

Delegation

How many times have we had a task that we are sure we should delegate to someone only to find ourselves working extra hours to get the job done?  Intuitively, most leaders know that delegation is critical to get results, however it’s not always a choice leaders make in the moment.  Typical reasons leaders avoid delegation are fear that the job won’t be done right or done well, and in many cases it is perceived as “easier” to do it yourself.  Consider, though, the longer term consequence to not delegating.  We miss opportunities to grow and develop our people and free ourselves up to work on the more complex, strategic needs of the organization. That said ineffective delegation can be almost as detrimental to no delegation, so the following 5 techniques aid leaders in delegating effectively.

 1)     Decide what to delegate.  A critical first step to effective delegation is to decide what can (or should be) delegated.  The choice is likely dependent upon the complexity of the assignment and time/urgency to complete the assignment.  Low risk or repetitive tasks are an easy place to practice delegation.

2)     Decide to whom to delegate. The second step is to determine who has the skill to do the task, who can be taught the skill to do the task and/or who is available to do the task.  Ideally, the leader decides based upon who will benefit the most in professional and career development from the delegated assignment.

3)     Define the project.  Defining the project begins with clarifying project goals and the expected results. It is critical that the leaders establish clear due dates and project milestones.  The leader should also explain criteria for evaluation and define the limits of authority.

4)     Determine check-in procedures.  During most every delegated project, questions and check-in will be required.  An ideal approach is to mutually determine how and when check-ins will occur.  Determine the preferred mode of communication for check-ins as well as define the process for answering questions.  Lastly, the leader should build in time for mistakes.

5)     Manage completion of the project.  If there are mistakes in the project, the leader should avoid fixing them if at all possible.  Learning from a mistake is often the best teacher. Once the project is completed, it is valuable to review what skills were utilized and developed to complete the tasks.  It is also important for the leader to reward and recognize results.

 Giving & Receiving Feedback

Leaders inspire followers when priority is placed on giving and receiving feedback regularly.  Feedback is a gift, even if it feels like it is wrapped in barbed wire, it is a gift nonetheless.  Following are the 6 techniques for giving and receiving effective feedback. 

1)     Preparation, planning and strategy.  A critical first step to giving or receiving feedback is to have a game plan with a set agenda, goals and objectives.  Leaders do well to ask for smaller windows of time and provide smaller “bites” of feedback in any given meeting.  Preparing thoughtful questions can also be helpful to stimulate conversation and collaboration.

2)     Ask permission. Getting ambushed or receiving a stealth voice mail message requesting to “give feedback” is a recipe for fear, worry and lost productivity.  With spot feedback, leaders are encouraged to ask if it is a “good time” to give/receive feedback and properly set the stage for a productive conversation.  “Asking permission” also gives the other person time to prepare.

3)     Active listening.  Active listening is a function of making eye contact, providing encouragement through non-verbal cues like nodding, asking follow-up or probing questions and confirming next steps.  Leaders should avoid the temptation of multi-tasking with one ear in the conversation and one eye on the computer, PDA or cell phone.  Remove distractions and meet in a neutral setting to encourage optimal listening.

4)     Showing your work.  One of the most basic indicators that feedback has been accurately received is to ask the listener to provide a summary recap in an email of what’s been heard and the next steps.  Alternatively, the leader can also provide a summary of key messages and expectations to ensure that feedback and expectations are clear.

5)     Intentional relationship building.  The most effective feedback is communicated when both parties have a foundation of trust.  Trust is best built through relationship building.  Relationships are built when leaders seek to understand the goals and objectives (personal and professional) of the other person and invite feedback, ask advice and offer to help without any “strings” or ulterior motives.

6)     Make the most of small moments.  Leaders often think that feedback is what you give during annual reviews and formal sit-down meetings.  Some of the most effective times to exchange feedback are in the small moments that may include before or after hours, over coffee or traveling with a person when the environment is more relaxed and conversational.

 What’s Possible?

Imagine the possibility that you have more time, more freedom and more trust within your teams.  Imagine what benefits you can receive (short and long term) when you are willing to let go and let others do and when you are willing to provide feedback that is both constructive and rewarding.  Leaders grow future leaders when they are willing to delegate and willing to communicate feedback regularly.  People work with the leader because they want to, not because they have to and ultimately the leaders have more freedom to focus on higher level, more strategic work.  Leadership is privilege and leaves a legacy with those who follow.

Stop languishing.  Start leading.  

Deborah Knupp has worked globally with CEOs, executives, managing partners and attorneys as a coach and business executive for over 20 years. She has helped these leaders align their people systems and business objectives to create cultures based on the principles of accountability, integrity and authentic relationship building. Her work has focused on making the work environment a place where employees “want” to be; where clients “want” to buy; and, where leaders “want” to serve a bigger purpose in their communities and families. www.Akina.biz

As first appeared in the January/February 2010 edition of the “Administrators Advantage” the newsletter of the Chicago Chapter of Association of Legal Administrators.

COPYRIGHT © 2010 AKINA CORPORATION

Save the Date – Vault/MCCA Legal Diversity Career – July 30th Washington DC

‎Come Check out the 5th Annual Vault/MCCA Minority Corporate Counsel Association Legal Diversity Career Fair in Washington DC at Renaissance Washington DC Downtown – July 30th 8:00 am

Save the Date for National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL's) Annual Luncheon

The National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) is the leading national voluntary organization devoted to the interests of women lawyers and women’s rights. Founded over 100 years ago, NAWL has historically served as an educational forum and an active voice for the concerns of women in the legal profession .

Save the Date for NAWL’s Annual Luncheon

July 21-22, 2010
Waldorf Astoria Hotel
New York, NY
Invitation
More Info
Register


Surviving the Economy: Dancing in the Economic Storm

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Vivian Greene

Americans remain apprehensive about the economy, their job prospects and their incomes, even as a recovery is taking shape. We as a country are going through a financial crisis, which is testing us in many ways. Although, individually, we are being and will be affected to different degrees and in various ways, as a country, we are learning how to deal with these challenging times.

It is natural for us to be concerned about our future when we see the economy struggling and people getting laid off and lacking basic necessities. Anger is building in many sectors of society. Like many others, you may be feeling pain, fear, anxiety, betrayal, anger and even hate towards those you believe are responsible for what has happened. However, these emotions will not help you deal with the situation effectively.

Each of us desires the kind of comfort that will keep us steady in times of crisis, regardless of the circumstances. The process of remaining steady in challenging times begins with our outlook. It is important to remember that during difficult moments, we are not powerless. Rather, the contrary is true. We have the power to overcome many of the challenges we face. All too often, we feel so overwhelmed by negative possibilities that we fail to see opportunities before us.

Linkedin Logo Neon It is imperative to maintain an optimistic attitude and arm yourself with practical tools for survival. Since the job market is harder to penetrate now, making it even more competitive, you must be flexible regarding such issues as the type of employer, industry and compensation. Experience and education are more vital than ever. Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn have become an excellent venue for reaching a vast pool of potential employers and should be considered an important resource when looking for jobs. Statistically, over 75% of jobs are found as a result of networking.

It also is essential to know what is going on in the job market and, specifically, the legal industry. This year, small and midsize law firms have been busier than larger ones. Some of these firms are litigation boutiques whose business has increased as a result of litigation related to failed companies and financial institutions or disgruntled investors. Securities and white-collar litigation also has begun to improve. Labor and employment litigation has increased since more companies have implemented layoffs. IP litigation also has remained a strong practice area in most markets. Bankruptcy and reorganization practices have thrived as a result of the economic impact on companies. Additionally, many smaller firms are busier because corporate clients have sought (or demanded) lower fees. Undoubtedly, this trend is likely to continue in the foreseeable future.

Employers of all sizes are taking longer to make hiring decisions. Consequently, finding a job has become a much slower process. It is an employers’ market because they can afford to be more particular about which candidates they interview and hire given that they have a much larger pool of applicants to consider. Therefore, do not assume you have been rejected simply because you have not heard from a prospective employer in a few weeks.

It is a tough job market out there – probably one you never thought you would encounter in your lifetime. Opportunities are scarce in this economic climate and this is the new reality. Multiple job offers are likely a thing of the past, at least for the time being. If you already have a job, remember that anyone in this economy could be the next person let go. Even if you are a star who has great training, experience and skills, and has formed alliances at work, you could be one step away from a job search.

With that said… now is the time to outdress, outspeak and outsmart your competition. And most importantly… it’s time to learn to dance!

Contributed by Guest Blogger Rodney L. Abstone II of  Chicago Legal Search, Ltd.

©2010 Chicago Legal Search, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.