Are you considering starting a client development coaching program in 2017?

Several years ago, I spoke and moderated a panel of Virginia lawyers I coached at the Virginia Bar Association Summer Meeting. The title of our program was Helping Lawyers Create and Expand Client Relationships in a Challenging Market.

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Whenever I do a program on helping lawyers create and expand client relationships, I always encounter what I call the old school lawyers who believe lawyers either have client development skills or not. Many of those lawyers tell me that they never had client development coaching, so why should the younger lawyers in their firm.

A few months ago I blogged: Client Development Coaching: Some Current Thoughts to answer some of those skeptics.

I know there are some seniors lawyers who still might not see the value. There are many reasons client development teaching, training and coaching will benefit your firm.

Here are a few. Client development teaching, training and coaching will:

  • Increase your firm revenue and profitability.
  • Be a great retention tool for your firm.
  • Enable your lawyers to figure out what client development activities work best for them.
  • Help your lawyers deal with the more complicated client development landscape.
  • Enable your associates and young partners to become more successful because they focus on using their time most wisely to become more valuable to clients and potential clients.
  • Enable your associates and young partners to become more focused on their own individual goals and as a result enjoy greater success in their efforts.
  • Produce more cross-selling opportunities for your firm.
  • Develop closer bonds among the lawyers in the program.
  • Produce as great a return on your firm’s investment (ROI) as any investment you make in your lawyers.

I started a client development coaching program in my own firm and enjoyed my experience so much that I left my firm to coach full time.

If you have a successful rainmaker who also loves to mentor and help younger lawyers, you can set up a program in your own firm. If you are a regular reader, you know I have created an eBook: Client Development Training and Coaching that is available on SlideShare and iTunes. You can also find slides: Client Development Coaching Program.