Position your firm or die!
Just like those panel beaters who “specialise” in ALL makes and ALL models, the generalist service provider will struggle, particularly as technology and off-shoring continue to commoditise and consolidate previously profitable areas.
Continue ReadingMagical business development?
We often receive enquiries from firms looking for short cuts and quick fixes to business development issues and prosperity problems. Many contact us when things are already dire – perhaps they’ve lost a big client due to an unsuccessful tender, or because there’s been a monumental service slip up. Many are looking for a magic […]
Continue ReadingThe year ahead: new realities and legal market trends of 2014
As 2014 gets underway, the legal profession is continuing to feel the bite of rapidly changing business models, practices and processes that are dictating the success or failure of firms. Here are some of our observations on trends set to impact the legal market in 2014 …
Continue ReadingBusiness development is not a spare time activity
For professionals who want a prosperous, thriving practice and more agile and profitable firm, business development is not a spare time activity. Maintaining flow of work from clients, developing revenue streams, and funding future clients rank as priorities alongside attending today’s matters. Business development shouldn’t wait for time to spare. It’s a core activity rather […]
Continue ReadingMeaningful differentiators of professional services firms
Too many professional services firms spend far too long trying looking for one out-of-the-box differentiator to beat all the rest. Only rarely is it possible. Some professional services firms make the lame claim that their differentiation is their people. Let’s face it, all people are different, but good and great and kind and generous and […]
Continue ReadingHow to develop perceived advantage over competitors
Maybe you’re one of those fortunate professionals who has such a stand out service to offer that it’s clearly technically superior, demonstrably better, and so reported by objective analysts and high-profile “industry authorities”. More likely, the professional services you offer – while better than many – are neck-and-neck with alternatives. If you belong to the […]
Continue ReadingGreat marketing is about finding the sweet spot
Good marketing starts with the word “no”. No, not the right client. No, not the right matter. No, not right fit for us now. In the same vein, great marketing is largely about finding your “sweet spot” – and finding ways to do lots of that work. Better still, only that work. Maybe it will […]
Continue ReadingPainful to replace
No one is irreplaceable. No expert, no professional, no one. But if you want to push yourself up the continuum towards “irreplaceable” status, here are some things to work on. Don’t just focus on routine work – no matter how profitable. Work that can easily be reduced to a set of rules, routines, instructions, or […]
Continue ReadingKeys to differentiation
We all know how difficult it can be to differentiate ourselves from our (often very) successful competitors. However, differentiation is critical to a winning proposal – without it, you will simply be one of the pack. Four keys to effective differentiation are: focus on what your client thinks is important – not only on what […]
Continue ReadingUnmet, unaddressed, and unrecognised needs are business opportunities
Clients have needs: some recognised, others unrecognised. Among the needs they recognise, some clients may have unmet needs – needs for which they have not yet found a professional service solution. Unmet needs present business development opportunities for an expert professional. By implication, unmet needs can be classed as: unsatisfied – no satisfactory service has […]
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Feature article
Closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals
Firstly, what are closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals? In addition to the generally well-understood terms ‘tender’, ‘bid’ and ‘proposal’, there are ‘open’ and ‘closed’ processes, and then variations within each that can apply to professional services procurement. Open or public tenders, bids and proposals An open tender is just that, open to […]
