Is doing good work is enough to grow your business? This is a great question and one that I am asked frequently. My go to response is, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound? Think about it-just doing good work poses the exact same dilemma. If you are doing good work and no one really knows about it, does it still count?
Don’t get me wrong, good work is essential to growing your practice. In the early stages of your career, often the partners or mentors providing you work are your pseudo-clients. Good work is absolutely the key to keeping your pseudo-clients happy and becoming a good lawyer. In some instances and under some business models, doing good work is enough to maintain a steady flow of work. Again-a great thing; but, not the same thing as growing your business.
When you are ready to grow your book- the rules of the game change. Just doing good work without anything else is not enough to grow your practice. Why? If all you are doing is doing good work without anything else the right people will never know about. If you want to grow your business, you must do good work AND let others know.
How do you let others know about your good work? The choices are endless. You can write an article highlighting your expertise. You can conduct a seminar. Tell your co-workers at a practice group luncheon. Teach the new lawyers in your group about your practice area. Speak at a trade show. Apply for awards and public recognition. Speak at the local bar association. Tell your work out partner, your office mates, and anyone else that will listen. The opportunities to let others know about your good work are limited only by your creativity and strategic marketing plan. But, you must DO something. You must take responsibility for finding a way to let others know about all of your good work. Good work alone will not grow your practice.
If you are a worker bee that wants to move to the next level of your career, begin to strategize about how to let others know about your good work in a manner that is comfortable to you. If you are stumped, sit down with your mentor, a rainmaking partner, or your marketing director. Chances are good he/she can help you find some opportunities to show case your brilliance.
Do not be the tree falling in the forest with no one around to hear it. Do good work, and sing about it from the rooftops. Better yet-find a strategic partner (or 12) to sing it for you. It all starts with doing good work and letting someone know about it. You can do it. It is OK. Your mother will not be disappointed. You are not being bragadocious. You are being strategic. You are being a rainmaker!
Don’t forget your umbrella, I hear rain in your forecast.
About Jonelle- Jonelle Vold is a business coach that is passionate about your success. A mother of twins, former Assistant Dean at a tier-one law school, attorney, and seasoned sales professional, Jonelle understands the challenges of high-level professionals. Her coaching philosophy is every person has the ability to be a rainmaker by cracking their own personal code and doing business with intention. You can reach Jonelle at jonelle@jonellevold.com or www.jonellevold.com.
Women's Short-Term-Massive-Action Group Coaching Classes starting on September 22, 2011. If you are ready to jump start your success, regain control of your time (and your life), reignite your professional passion, and of course learn to make rain-this is the class for you. Space is limited contact jonelle@jonellevold.com for details
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