Join a group that caters to that hobby.  One of the best places to find a group in a nearby location which caters to what you like to do is Meetup.com.   These are called “Affinity Groups” and you can find a group of like minded people for even the most obscure of pastimes.  If your passion is knitting, there’s a group for that.  If your passion is restaurants, there are groups for that.  If your passion is growing vegetables or raising chickens, there are groups for that.

Remember, anytime you have the opportunity to meet another person, you have the ability to turn that person into a referral source or prospective client.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.  If you would like Rainmaking Recommendations sent directly to your email please sign up here.

Whether you do or don’t, you can create clone after clone of your ideal client (barring conflicts of interest) by taking the following actions:

1)      Write down exactly what your ideal client looks like.  Be specific.

2)      Research where these clients hang out.  Join the associations they join, be where they are as often as possible.  This can include social networks online.

3)      Communicate with them.  Most people will tell you everything you want to know about them or their business if you ask them about it.  People love to talk about themselves, their business, how they got started.

4)      Talk to your current “ideal client” and find out who they know who are like them.  Ask them to introduce you to these new people and provide the new group with information in the form of email correspondence, blog posts, and articles written.

The more often you perform these action items the more chances you will have to meet those who meet your criteria for the “ideal client”.

As always, you must be proactive.  Just waiting for the phone to ring is not going to bring you the clients you want or need.

Please use the comment section below to tell us what your ideal client looks like.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

First:   I had fully intended to blog more often and let you get to know me not only as a Rainmaking Trainer and Coach but as a person. As a promise to myself and to you, I will begin doing just that starting with this post.

Second:    The title of this blog is “The Enlightened Rainmaker. I had stated in the first post that in order to become the best rainmaker, to have true success and happiness, you need to have goals in all areas of your life to create balance:

• Physical & Health,

• Career & Financial,

• Home & Family,

• Social & Cultural,

• Spiritual & Intellectual

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to tell you that my life has been tremendously unbalanced.

For the past six months, since the start of 2010, I have been concentrating solely on the Career and Financial aspects of my life to the abandonment of almost everything else. What is it that they always say? “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy”. Well, life hasn’t been dull but it hasn’t been yielding the results in areas of my life that should also be important.

For this particular blog, let’s chat about the Physical and Health area.

A few years ago I gained a lot of weight for me. Last year, I lost half of those excess pounds. While I have been able to keep that weight off, I have not been proactive about taking off the other half off. I have not worked out and I have not been eating healthfully. While far from being fat, I do not feel good about the way I look or feel.

How’s your Weight effecting your

Rainmaking?

Why is this part of this blog?

It’s here for a number of reasons:

• Rainmakers need to have the right image – let’s face it, as a society we are judged on our looks when we first meet others. It is important to look and dress your best at all times (dressing for success will be the subject of a future blog).

• Rainmakers need to have energy – there is enough medical and anecdotal information which shows that eating healthfully – fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, fiber rich products – and exercising consistently will boost our energy levels. We all know how sluggish and cruddy we feel after we eat a meal of fried, fattening, sugar laden foods. Rainmakers need to have the energy necessary to not only get through a full day of work and commit to Rainmaking activities on their schedules, but also to be successful in all of the other areas of their lives.

• Rainmakers need to have a positive self image – Having high self –esteem is one of the biggest predictors of Rainmaking and business success.

However, the number one reason why we are having this discussion is, as was stated above, having balance in all areas of life is a measure of true success.

As part of my coaching services to my clients, after helping them to determine their individual goals for every area of their lives, I then hold them accountable for achieving these goals. I am giving my readers permission to hold me accountable for losing weight, getting back into shape, feeling healthy and energized by the end of this year.  I will keep you updated as well.

How are you feeling physically? Are you going to make any changes? Do you want the readers and me to hold you accountable? Write down your goals below and let’s get it going!

Do you have a written Rainmaking plan?  If not, why not?

Do you set schedule time, every day, to do at least one Rainmaking Activity?

As a Rainmaking coach and a trainer, I cannot force you to do what you need to do.  I can only motivate and educate you.   You need to find the motivation to do the tasks necessary to advance your practice.

Motivation comes from having goals.  These goals must be worthwhile to you.   Whether your goals are to make partner, earn more money, make enough to go on more vacations, create a life that you are looking to create, or whatever reasons you may have, they have to have meaning to you.  

Just use the oft-quoted acronym:  SMARTY when determining your goals:

S = Specific:  Be very specific about the goals you want to achieve

M=Measurable:  Can you put a number or some other measurement to this goal?

A= Actionable:  Is this something that you can take action on?

R = Realistic:  Will you be able to achieve this goal?  If a goal is not realistic you will have a tendency to beat yourself up if you don’t achieve it.

T = Time Bound:  Your goals must have a deadline.  If they don’t then it becomes only a dream.

And

Y = You:  Is it YOUR goal or is it a goal you think you should be accomplishing because someone else thinks you should.  This is a surefire way to have a goal languishing because you will NEVER have the motivation to accomplish it.

It’s not too late this year to start.  Start by writing down your goals and then motivate yourself to accomplish them.

What’s your motivation?  Use the comment section to tell others how you motivate yourself to achieve your goals.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. If you want them sent directly to your inbox sign up at Marketing Field.com

Usually this means that they went somewhere else for a matter they would have been more than happy to give to you – had they known your firm could handle the matter.

Let them know.

Make sure all of the people you know or meet know what you and your firm can do. This way they can either use your firm or refer new legal matters to you.

How do you let them know? Simple. Tell them, and tell them often. Not only can this be done verbally, but with newsletters, the backs of business cards, sending them articles by other members of the firm, and by introducing them to other attorneys who may not be in your practice area.

Most of all this can be accomplished by listening. If you know your clients, really know everything about them and their business,  you will also be aware of what else they may need. Then you can offer your firm’s assistance with other matters that may occur in their lives and businesses.

What ways can you think of to tell your clients and contacts all of the areas in which your firm practices? Please comment below.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

What’s the one phone call can you make to a current or prospective client?  What’s the one more article you can read to learn more about the area in which you practice?  What’s the one more email you can send to create a closer relationship with your clients?

What’s the one more thing you can do which may have a profound effect on your career?

Now that you have that in mind – to quote the Nike ads – “Just Do It”.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

“The ability to set goals and to make plans for their accomplishment is the master skill of success.  Developing this skill will do more to ensure your success than anything else you could ever do.”  Brian Tracy, Maximum Achievement.

Take the time necessary to write down your goals.

Start with three:  What are the three most important things you want to accomplish this year.   Make sure these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and have a deadline.  Always write your goals in the present tense as if you already achieved it. For example:  I am growing my law practice by 15% by becoming the advisor to 3 new corporations/clients within the next 10 months.

This is a specific goal, it’s measurable, it’s realistic and it has a deadline.

What are your goals?  For your practice? For your life?  Please feel free to comment below or send an email directly to info@marketingfield.com

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. at Marketing Field, LLC

• Write down all of the tasks that need to be done,
• Include at least one Rainmaking activity
• Then commit it to your schedule and do it!

When you plan your day, nothing falls through the cracks, you don’t forget and you become much more productive.  

Then you can never use the excuse: “I didn’t have any time for Rainmaking today.”

What’s the one Rainmaking Activity you can add to your day today?  Please comment below:

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. at Marketing Field, LLC

Most attorneys think that joining their state bar association’s (or the ABA’s) practice committee is going to bring them new clients.  While you may get a referral once in a blue moon from another attorney who might have a conflict of interest, you will get the most business by consistently networking, conversing and developing relationships with the business people who are directly involved in the industry.  

Take a minute; Search the practice area you are in adding the word “association” to the search and you will find the various associations which are related to that industry.  Then join. 

Most importantly join in – make sure you attend their local and state events, write articles for their newsletters, give seminars on your expertise, and create relationships. This will create new business.

 Rainmaking Recommendations are sent via email the first and third Wednesdays of the month.  They are bite size tips that when implemented will cause you to make rain. To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq. http://www.marketingfield.com/

While I would love to see every Attorney out there successfully bringing in new business on a regular basis, I have no desire to work with those who aren’t interested in truly working to become thriving Rainmakers.  Neither I, nor any Rainmaking or Business Development Coach, can do the work for you.  We can only be someone who can help move you towards the success you are destined to be.

I will keep saying it over and over again until you believe it:  becoming a rainmaker isn’t difficult.  In fact, I truly believe “Rainmakers are not born, they are Taught. ©” (Yes, there are natural born rainmakers, but most attorneys did not go to law school to become rainmakers.)  Yet, today, if you are not a rainmaker, you either don’t have a job or you don’t have a practice. 

One of the questions I am constantly asked by prospective clients is:  “Why should I hire a Rainmaking Coach?”

I can give you at least 6 reasons to hire a Rainmaking Coach:

1)      Every superstar who has made it to the big leagues has a coach:  Regardless of the sport or even business, most people have had someone in their lives who has helped coach them to the top and continue to help them stay at the top. 

 2)       A Rainmaking Coach can provide unbiased feedback:   A coach should have no hidden agendas.  They can tell you when and where you are veering off course and try to steer you on the right path.

  3)      A Rainmaking Coach can help you define your vision:   Many Attorneys do not know how to plan their Rainmaking Strategies to obtain the clients they are seeking.  As a result, they perform marketing and business development activities in a haphazard fashion, on an intermittent basis,  and wonder why it isn’t working.  Your coach should be able to help you develop a plan which works for you and which you can do consistently.

 4)      A Rainmaking Coach can keep you on track:  Life has a tendency to get in the way.  With all of the distractions that can come with being an Attorney (and being a human being), sometimes business development gets put on the back burner.  A good coach will be able to help you separate the “have-to’s” from the “want to’s”, freeing up your time to do more Rainmaking activities leading to new business.

 5)      A Rainmaking Coach can keep you accountable:  Attorneys are at their best when they have someone they must answer to, whether it is a client, a judge, an opposing council, a board of directors.  The work gets done.   A Rainmaking Coach keeps you accountable for your activities, monitoring your progress and making sure you’re taking the actions necessary to become a great Rainmaker

 6)      A Rainmaking Coach can celebrate your successes and pick you up when you fail:  We all need someone to pat us on the back when we do well; conversely, we all need someone who will lift us up when we are feeling down.  Yet, in the business world we rarely get the accolades we deserve (even for the little wins) or have someone who can give us encouragement when things aren’t going as smoothly as we would like.  Your coach should function as someone who can do both. 

There are a plethora of reasons why you should think about hiring a Rainmaking Trainer/Coach – can you think of other reasons why having someone in your corner helping you grow your business would be worthwhile?   Do you currently have a Rainmaking or Business Development coach who helps you? Are you happy with the work they are doing?  Why or why not?  Please comment below.

A future post will show you how to find the right Rainmaking Coach/Trainer for you.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I have a coach with whom I work, Jana Groscost-Matthews who functions for me in two ways:  She is my both my business coach and spiritual coach.  Jana has a background in business development, accounting and spiritual development and she is helping me find a new way to approach my life and my business.)