Jaimie Field – Enlightened Rainmaking

Simply put, marketing is communicating what you can do for prospective clients by creating awareness.

Rainmaking is converting those people into prospective clients by creating relationships.

Marketing educates your prospective clients and referrals sources about the services you can provide to them.

Rainmaking creates the relationships which allow your prospects and referrals to know that you can provide these services just for them.

Marketing uses a lot of reactive tactics to generate awareness of your services.  For example (this is not even close to an exhaustive list – there are more than 100 ways to get your services known):

• Advertising
• Blogging
• Websites
• Newsletters
• Articles

Rainmaking uses proactive tactics to get to know people personally which will allow them to make the decision to hire or refer you.  For example (Again, this is not even close to an exhaustive list – there are more than 100 ways to create relationships which will get you clients):

• Networking
• Referral Systems
• Entertaining for business (coffee/lunch appointments)
• Social Networking (yes, even online networking can be used for Rainmaking Purposes and will be covered in future blog posts)

So while Marketing will get you known, Rainmaking will get you clients.

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.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie? Call or email for more information.

Rainmaking Recommendation #41 began the first of three steps on how to get referrals.

The first step answered the question:  Are you Referable?

The second step answers the question:  Do you know how to give referrals?

Why is giving referrals important?  You’ve heard the old adage: “Give to get”.  Nothing could be truer than that statement.    Lawyers, who know much about the law, sometimes fail to take advantage of a law known as “The Law of Reciprocity.”  This law states that people are inherently motivated to pay you back for the nice things you do for them.

However, there is an art to giving great referrals and it begins with these steps:

• Listen closely to what your prospects, clients, friends and family are saying.  Somewhere in that conversation they may need help with something.  You can then provide a referral that helps them with that problem or issue.  (Your referrals to others do not have to be just providing the other person with new clients.  You can refer doctors, restaurants, movies, a great piece of advice, etc.  The point is that you are listening intently and trying to provide a solution to others. )

• Discover exactly who the other person’s perfect client is by asking them for a detailed description and try to provide them with a referral that fits that description.

• Ask the person to whom you have made a referral to keep you in the loop after they have contacted the person you have referred to them.  This will help you to make better referrals in the future.

Start giving great referrals to people and referrals will be returned to you.

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.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie? Call or email for more information.

Rainmaking Recommendation #41 began the first of three steps on how to get referrals.

The first step answered the question:  Are you Referable?

The second step answers the question:  Do you know how to give referrals?

Why is giving referrals important?  You’ve heard the old adage: “Give to get”.  Nothing could be truer than that statement.    Lawyers, who know much about the law, sometimes fail to take advantage of a law known as “The Law of Reciprocity.”  This law states that people are inherently motivated to pay you back for the nice things you do for them.

However, there is an art to giving great referrals and it begins with these steps:

• Listen closely to what your prospects, clients, friends and family are saying.  Somewhere in that conversation they may need help with something.  You can then provide a referral that helps them with that problem or issue.  (Your referrals to others do not have to be just providing the other person with new clients.  You can refer doctors, restaurants, movies, a great piece of advice, etc.  The point is that you are listening intently and trying to provide a solution to others. )

• Discover exactly who the other person’s perfect client is by asking them for a detailed description and try to provide them with a referral that fits that description.

• Ask the person to whom you have made a referral to keep you in the loop after they have contacted the person you have referred to them.  This will help you to make better referrals in the future.

Start giving great referrals to people and referrals will be returned to you.

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.

How many clients have you had over the years?

If each of these clients could refer just one good client to you, and then each of those new clients could refer one new client to you . . . . and so on and so on, how big would your book of business be?

Each time you finish a legal matter and say “goodbye” to a client, it only takes a short period of time before they begin to forget about the great work you have done.  “Out of sight, out of mind” is a truism.

Instead, find a way to say “Talk to you Soon.”

So how do you keep yourself in their minds at all times?  Keep in Touch.

There are so many methods Rainmakers use to keep in touch on a regular basis:

• Phone Calls
• Emails
• Newsletters
• Firm announcements
• Blog posts
• Holiday Cards

No, you should not become a pain in the butt and bombard them with spam, but you should find a method that works for you to keep in touch on at least a quarterly basis.

Let your clients know that you are still there even if they do not need you at that moment.  In fact, while they might not need you at that moment, they may know someone who does.

This year is flying by so quickly – we are more than halfway through this  year!  It’s time to review what you have (and have not) done to build your books of business. For those who have been reading the Rainmaking Recommendations since its inception will recognize that this is very similar to Rainmaking Recommendation #11 (June 2010) but it truly bears repeating.

Like many people, attorneys begin the year with the amazing intentions of achieving lofty rainmaking goals. The question is: have you achieved these goals or like most New Years’ Resolutions have you let it fall by the wayside?

Don’t beat yourself up if your goals haven’t been achieved (or even started). Just start more intelligently again – NOW.

Write your goals down. For goals to be effective, use the oft cited S.M.A.R.T. system

S – make sure the goal is Specific

M – Make sure the goal is Measurable.

A – Make sure that there are Action steps that you can take every day.

R – Make sure the goal is Realistic

T – Make sure that there is a Time-Frame (or deadline) to it.

Now add one more part:

Y – Make sure the goal is Yours

These are SMARTY goals!

If you have achieved or are starting to achieve the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year – pat yourself on the back! However, now is not the time to “rest on your laurels”. You have momentum on your side. Make new, more exciting, goals and go after them!

This is an extremely important question to ask yourself.

Recently, a couple of my clients have been giving me excuse after excuse after excuse (and that’s all they are – excuses) as to why they have not been doing the tasks they need to do to become the Rainmakers THEY have said they want to be.

Becoming a Rainmaker, bringing in new business or client matters is truly a commitment.

It takes work.  In fact, Rainmaking is very simple  . . . but it is not easy.  More importantly, it takes time and this becomes frustrating to many attorneys when they are not seeing results on an immediate basis.

Like any goal you set, you have to commit to its achievement, regardless of how long it takes.   It is like losing weight and getting into shape.  Just saying that you want to lose weight isn’t going to make it happen.  You need to start eating healthy and begin working out.   It is truly that simple but it is work.  If you are starting out looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy™, you are not going to turn into bodybuilder overnight.

If you don’t know how to be a Rainmaker, find the tools and teachers who can help you.

You can become a Rainmaker – you just need make a commitment to yourself and your career that you are going to do the things necessary to become a rainmaker and then keep doing the work.

(Starting April 2011, the attorneys who signed up to receive the Rainmaking Recommendation in their email have been receiving the current tip two weeks earlier than it is posted on this blog.  This is my way of thanking them for being a part of the group.  If you would like to see the current Rainmaking Recommendation before anyone else, please sign up to be a part of the list.)

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month via email to a list of amazing  attorneys who have signed up to receive them.    They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain.  Previously the subscribers of the tips and the readers of this blog got the information simultaneously. They are not longer being  posted immediately to this blog.  As stated above, those who are subscribed will have the Rainmaking Recommendation two weeks earlier than those who read this blog.  To get these tips sent to your email before the rest of the world reads them, please follow the instructions for subscribing.

To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie? Call or email for more information.

(Starting in April 2011, the attorneys who signed up to receive the Rainmaking Recommendation in their email will receive the current tip two weeks earlier than it is posted on this blog.  This is my way of thanking them for being a part of the group.  If you would like to see the current Rainmaking Recommendation before anyone else, please sign up to be a part of the list.)

Who was your very first client?

When was the last time you spoke with them?

The clients you have worked with in the past could be the best source of new business in the future.   Many attorneys assume that once a matter is concluded, the client has no more need for their services.   At that time they lose contact with this client.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Past clients hired you because they liked you, trusted you and knew you would do a wonderful job helping them with their situation.  They could be one of the best resources for new matters or referrals to new clients.  However, you must continue to nurture the relationship you have with these clients.

or example:  you negotiated the sale of business for a client.  This doesn’t have to be the end of the relationship with the client.  Do they need a new estate plan or and updated Will to reflect the sale?  Are there tax implications that need to be addressed?

You have the opportunity to not be the attorney who does a single legal transaction (case/trial) and then exits from the clients’ life, but a true advisor.  Even if you don’t engage in these practice areas, you can still become their trusted advisor as you refer them to others who can help them with this work (this is called cross-marketing).

What if you haven’t spoken to them in a long time?

So what!

Pick up the phone, write an email, send a letter – let them know that you were thinking about them and wanted to find out what has been happening in their life, their family and their business.

Renewing a relationship with a past client could just bring you a future of big business.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month via email to a list of amazing  attorneys who have signed up to receive them.    They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain.  Previously the subscribers of the tips and the readers of this blog got the information simultaneously. They are not longer being  posted immediately to this blog.  As stated above, those who are subscribed will have the Rainmaking Recommendation two weeks earlier than those who read this blog.  To get these tips sent to your email before the rest of the world reads them, please follow the instructions for subscribing.

To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie? Call or email for more information.

This may be a bit of an uncomfortable Rainmaking Recommendation for some. However, in order to become Rainmaker, sometimes the truth hurts.

There are two types of people in this world.

• Those who get it done, and
• Those who make excuses.

Which are you?

Are you making excuses for the reasons why you haven’t been able to bring new clients or matters into your practice?

Do these sound familiar?

• I’ve been too busy to follow up,
• I haven’t had the time (to go to the networking event, or write that blog post, or be involved with Social Media,  etc)
• I don’t know how (to write a Rainmaking Plan, set goals, organize my office or time more effectively),
• They don’t call me back,
• They may say “no”,
• The weather has been awful so I haven’t been able to leave my office.

Are these and anyone of a plethora of excuses the reasons that you haven’t gotten it done?

If you have a multitude of “reasons” for why are you are not doing the activities which will bring you in new clients, you will never bring in new business.   Stop making excuses find the mentors or teachers who can help you and start making plans to be a Rainmaker.

Rainmaking Recommendations are sent the first and third Wednesdays of the month and then posted immediately to this blog .  They are bite size tips that, when implemented will cause you to make rain.  Previously the subscribers of the tips and the readers of this blog got the information simultaneously.  However, beginning in April 2011, those who are subscribed will have the Rainmaking Recommendation a week earlier than those who read this blog.  To get these tips sent to your email before the rest of the world reads them, please follow the instructions for subscribing.

To learn more about Rainmaking, Goal Setting and Achieving the Life you want as an Attorney please contact Jaimie B. Field, Esq.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie? Call or email for more information.

Call it Spring Fever but I am offering ladies & gentlemen who practice law in the USA the following offer (part of this is very selfish – I had a great time doing this in June of last year): 

Would you like a

• free,
• no obligation, and most importantly
• no sales pitch

45 minute Telephone* Rainmaking Training Session with Jaimie Field ($275.00 value)?

The first 25 Attorneys to sign up for the bi-monthly Rainmaking Recommendations email by following the instructions listed on this page and to like Marketing Field, LLC’s Facebook fan page will be contacted to arrange a date and time.

Please mention in your email that you read about this offer and have liked the Facebook Page.

Terms and Conditions for this Offer:

1. It is only open to the first 25 Attorneys who respond to this offer and who are licensed to practice law in the United States of America.
2. You must be a brand new subscriber to “Rainmaking Recommendations” and have not received a training session in the past.
3. The Training Session Must Occur between April 25, 2011 and June 3, 2011 .  A mutual time will be determined by email.
4. You must follow the instructions listed here and by liking Marketing Field’s Facebook page
5. You must be truly want to become a better Rainmaker and are willing to do the work – I cannot do it for you.  However, I can coach you on how to create relationships, find the places to meet new clients, and obtain new business.
6. This offer ends after the first 25 Attorneys who reply or on Friday, June 3, 2011 at 5:00PM  EDT which ever comes first.

* If your office is within a 20 mile radius from Morristown, NJ we can discuss scheduling an in-person session where I will come to you.

(Comments below will not qualify you for this offer – but feel free to make any comments you would like)

The economy seems to be turning around, albeit slowly; still many attorneys are finding themselves with more and more work on their desks.

Unfortunately, this is when many attorneys put their rainmaking activities on the back burner.  “I’m too busy right now,” is the reason they give.

They discontinue networking activities, they stop following up with prospective clients, they let their other marketing activities fall by the way side.  They are so busy trying to bill the hours of work that are now on their desk that they neglect to cultivate the relationships which will bring them more business in the future.

Big mistake!

Now is when you need to continue your rainmaking activities.  Not when you don’t have any business on your desk, but when you do.   At some point the case will be over, the project will be finished, the client will no longer need your services at this time.  Then you will find yourself desperate for new projects, cases and clients with which to work.

By lining up new prospective clients or matters with current clients on an ongoing basis you mitigate this risk.   You have the ability to stop the cycle of “feast or famine” as it relates to your book of business by continuing to market yourself and your services consistently and constantly.

*Many thanks to Fleetwood Mac and Classic Rock Radio which inspired this Rainmaking Recommendation when I heard this song.

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 to have these tips sent directly to your in box, please sign up here.

Did you know you can schedule an in-house, customized Rainmaking training workshop for your law firm? begin telephone or Skype individual rainmaking training from wherever you are in the world with Jaimie? Call or email for more information.