How to drive organic growth in your SME law firm   

In episode 14 of the Empowering Law Firm Leaders podcast, Joanna Gaudoin, Managing Director of Inside Out Image, discuss how law firms can accelerate their business development skills to drive organic growth.  

Joanna, an expert in professional relationships and business development, shares her expertise on how law firms can build effective business development strategies, overcome common sales challenges, and create a culture that supports growth. 

In this conversation we cover:

• Essential characteristics of a successful law firm leader
• Best practice for effective business development
• Skills to network effectively
• How to leverage existing relationships
• Maintaining a business development culture

Top three essential characteristics for being a successful law firm leader 

Joanna highlights three essential characteristics that are crucial for being a successful leader in a law firm: 

1. Vision for the firm 

“The people overseeing the entire law firm need a vision for the firm. Who do we want to be? Who do we want to serve in the market, and how are we going to stand out?” Joanna emphasises the importance of having a clear vision and strategy that is communicated effectively to the entire firm.  

2. Recruiting and developing the right people 

“Recruit the right people and really think about who are the right people. Yes, good lawyers is an obvious point. But actually, there are a lot of good lawyers out there. Making sure you’re recruiting the lawyers that are right to help you deliver against your vision.” Joanna stresses the need to hire individuals who not only have the necessary technical skills but also align with the firm’s culture and values. Additionally, investing in their development is crucial for their growth and the firm’s success. 

3. Passion for client service 

“Be absolutely passionate about the focus on your clients. Because if you haven’t got clients that buy into you, that are loyal to you, that refer other people and feel really happy about your service, you haven’t got a great basis for a business.” Joanna highlights the importance of maintaining high standards of client service to build a strong reputation and attract new clients. As the firm grows, it is essential to ensure that the quality of client service remains consistent. 

Best practices for effective business development 

Joanna identifies several common challenges that law firms face in business development, including the difficulty of knowing where to start and how to allocate time and resources effectively. “The danger is you just start going to do a bit of this, a bit of that, don’t really give it a proper go as in thought through and give it enough time. So you feel like none of it works,” she notes. 

To overcome common challenges in business development, Joanna Gaudoin recommends several best practices that law firms can implement to drive growth and success.  

Establish a clear vision and strategy 

Joanna emphasises the importance of having a well-defined vision and strategy for the firm. A clear strategy should be communicated effectively to all members of the firm to ensure alignment and focus. 

Engage all lawyers in business development 

One significant challenge is getting more lawyers involved in business development activities. Joanna suggests that it is crucial for the firm’s growth to have a broader base of lawyers engaged in these efforts. “Getting enough lawyers engaged in business development is massive. Very often, what I see is in a firm, it’s reliant on a subset of people, quite a small subset usually partners.” Joanna suggests implementing:  

Training and development plans: “You do need more lawyers in your firm, realising why they need to contribute.” 

Activity plans: “Develop specific activity plans for business development that outline the roles and responsibilities of each lawyer.” 

Foster collaboration between marketing and fee earners 

Effective collaboration between the marketing team and fee earners is essential for successful business development. “Make sure there’s engagement with the marketing. Marketing can support lawyers, and lawyers can feed back into marketing what they’re seeing out in the market.” Joanna recommends to ensure that: “marketing efforts are aligned with the firm’s overall strategy and that they support the business development activities of the lawyers.” Crucially, Joanna suggests establishing a feedback loop where, “lawyers can share insights from their interactions with clients and potential clients with the marketing team.” 

Maintain accountability and momentum 

Maintaining momentum in business development activities is crucial for long-term success. Joanna suggests several strategies to ensure that these activities remain a priority: 

Departmental accountability: “Create accountability at the departmental level by regularly reviewing business development activities and their outcomes.” 

Regular reviews: “Conduct regular reviews of the business development strategy and update the team on progress and new initiatives.” 

Skills needed to network effectively 

Effective networking is a crucial skill for lawyers looking to enhance their business development efforts. Joanna outlines several key skills that are essential for successful networking: 

Know your Goals: Before attending any networking event, it’s important to have clear objectives. “Think about where are you going, and why are you going there.”  

First impressions: The way you present yourself can significantly influence how others perceive you. “What impact are you having? Are you the sort of person people glance at and think, ‘Oh, I’d like to talk to that person’?” Dressing appropriately, maintaining good posture, and displaying confident body language are all important. 

Human connection: Establishing a personal connection before diving into work-related topics is crucial. “The worst thing you can do when you first start talking to new people is just start talking about your work.” Engage in small talk and find common ground to build a rapport. 

Active listening: “The key skill is listening and asking great questions.” Show genuine interest in what others are saying, ask insightful questions, and listen actively to understand their needs and interests. 

Articulate your value: Be prepared to clearly and concisely explain what you do and how you can help. “I’m a lawyer is not a good option.” Instead, provide a brief, compelling description of your services and how they benefit clients. 

Follow-up: Networking doesn’t end when the event does. “The big, important thing is follow up.” Connect with new contacts on LinkedIn, send a follow-up email, or arrange a coffee meeting to continue the conversation and build a lasting relationship. 

Read the room: Being able to read the room and adapt your approach based on the situation is key. “[For example], making sure we join a group where there’s clearly an open space for us.” Understanding social cues and adjusting your behaviour accordingly can help you navigate networking events more effectively. 

Maintaining momentum 

Maintaining momentum in business development is crucial for long-term success. “Accountability is really important, that means that there is actually accountability as a department. What activities are we doing that we actually feedback to one another? What’s worked? It’s important to share knowledge about things that have been effective,” Joanna explains. 

Regularly reviewing and updating the firm’s strategy is also essential. “Reviewing the strategy, updating the team, looking at the impact on marketing and making sure that’s communicated. Any new initiatives, that’s why they communicate. It’s not just kept within the partnership,” Joanna advises. 

Driving growth through strategic business development  

Law firms must adopt a strategic approach to business development to thrive in the modern legal landscape. By building a clear vision and strategy, recruiting and developing the right people, focusing on client service, and overcoming common challenges, firms can drive organic growth and achieve long-term success. Joanna’s insights provide valuable guidance for law firm leaders looking to enhance their business development efforts and prepare for the future. 

Watch the full interview with Joanna Gaudoin now to discover more advice and guidance on driving organic growth. You’ll also hear Joanna’s exclusive advice on leveraging existing client relationships to boost new business.