Workshops

 

 

Effective Business Development Made Simple

“Discover How to Generate All
the Business You Want, So You
Can Have the Successful, Satisfying,
and Sustainable Practice
You Desire… Without Ever Feeling
Pushy, Obnoxious, or Desperate!”

 Learn the system that will teach any
client service professional to build a full client pipeline

Have you ever wished that you could just focus on doing your best work, and not have to worry about getting clients?
 

Are you concerned that you might come across as pushy or, worse yet, desperate in your business development efforts?
 

Do you put off rainmaking activity even though you know you need to do it?
 

Have you wondered why you struggle to bring in enough new business?

If this describes you, I’ve got good news. 

 

There is a way to make your business development efforts an extension of your brilliance, so you can focus on what you do best: work with your clients.  When you discover simple but effective ways to incorporate strategic activity into your schedule, you can bring in all the business you need to build a successful and sustainable practice that you enjoy.

I’m Julie Fleming, and I’d like to personally invite you to Effective Business Development Made Simple, a 1-day workshop offered in Chicago on June 17, 2010.

REGISTER NOW  

Dear Chicago client service professional,

So many client-based based owners (such as photographers, event planners, coaches, consultants, holistic health practitioners, massage therapists, bookkeepers, and financial planners) wish that business development didn’t have to be so hard.  Sometimes it’s hard even to know where to start or how to fit in the time.  And as long as there’s enough work to stay busy, it’s easy to put business development on the back burner, to wait until you can figure out a way to bring in new business without feeling pushy or desperate.

Today is the day to change your approach to business development.

Imagine what it would feel like if you could
spend your time working on client matters
and then integrate your expertise
into business development activities that
are effective, authentic, and even fun.  

What if you could match your strengths and the things you enjoy doing to business development?  It can be that simple, if you know where to begin and how to maximize your opportunities.

• Have you tried all of the “time tested” ways of getting clients, only to discover that they aren’t very effective for you and that you’d really rather do almost anything else instead?
• Do you see other service providers doing the same things you’re doing and successfully landing new business… And wonder why it isn’t working for you?
   
• Are you tired of trying to reinvent yourself as a rainmaker?
   
• Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to be yourself and still to be successful in your practice?
  
• Are you just starting your business — and wanting to find the quickest path possible to success?

I’ve been there, too…

In 2004, I was practicing patent litigation in the Atlanta office of a large, international firm.  I decided that I wanted to make a lateral  move, so I contacted a recruiter and had an interview.  After we’d talked for about 30 minutes, the recruiter asked about my book of business.  I’m embarrassed to admit it now, but I was stunned.  I’d worked in a very small firm for a time, and I knew that business development was important, but now I was a midlevel associate working on matters with an average value in the hundreds of millions of dollars.  I didn’t have my own clients, nor did I think I should, given my practice situation.

I’ll never forget what happened next: the recruiter took off his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighed, and said, “Well, I’ll do what I can.”

I felt gut-clenching fear as I wondered for the first time whether I’d crippled myself by approaching business development as something I’d need to work on “someday.”  And then I soothed myself, thinking it was just this one recruiter’s crazy idea.  So I called the next, and the next, and the next — and they all had the same crazy idea.  Someone was out of step, and I had the terrifying realization that it wasn’t the recruiters.

But this was 2004.  Times were good back then.  Even without clients, I was able to make a lateral move to a firm where I was delighted to practice.  But I swore that I would never again have to confess that I didn’t have any clients, and I got busy learning all about business development.

Like any good lawyer, I did my research.  I read the books and listened to the occasional presentation.  I talked to successful rainmakers, and I figured out that the key was to do lots of networking.  One particular mentor impressed the importance of networking upon me by telling me that she attended functions at least four times a week.  And she was very successful!

There was just one problem…

I hated networking!

I’d go to meetings, have superficial conversations, and see absolutely no results.  I didn’t know what I was doing wrong, but I was sure that I hated every painful minute of it.  After a few difficult weeks (remember, I was attending networking events almost daily!), I was ready to give up. 

I’ll never forget sitting in my office after another agonizing networking hour that led nowhere and thinking, I did NOT go to law school to be a salesman.  And I HATE trying to sell myself!  I was ready to throw in the towel and to resign myself to being just another worker bee, even though I knew that my opportunities would be dramatically limited if I couldn’t develop my own clientele. 

But before I gave up, I talked with another mentor who gave me a pearl. 

“You shouldn’t expect to
grow your practice like everybody
else does. You are unique, your
practice is unique, and
you have to find what works for you.”

 

As I let that sink in, I realized that he was right.  I was attending the meetings that my mentor had suggested, but our personalities were completely different — and where she would shine, I’d wilt.  But I had strengths that she didn’t, and I started to see how I could bring those to bear.

I realized that I’d received referrals from other lawyers over and over, and so I redoubled my efforts in a bar association, and this time, I was more careful to let my colleagues know what kind of clients I wanted to find.  I began taking on responsibilities that let me showcase my greatest strengths, and word began to spread.

Clients started coming my way.  I got to be myself and do work that I enjoyed, and it was leading to new business! 

And then life threw another curveball, and I decided to leave practice so that I could manage a family business in another part of the country when circumstances changed and there was no one else who could take on that work.  I’d always enjoyed helping other lawyers figure out how to build successful careers, and I decided to open my own coaching and consulting business.  I was terrifically grateful for the time I’d spent learning business development, because in my own business I could pay my mortgage (not to mention the expenses of starting a business) only if I could attract enough clients.  That was four years ago, and my business is going gangbusters! 

In 2009, I wrote The Reluctant Rainmaker: A Guide for Lawyers Who Hate Selling so that as many lawyers as possible could have access to the simple, effective, and authentic approach to business development that I had discovered and implemented so successfully.  And did they ever learn.

Julie has been tremendously helpful as I’ve launched my practice.  I started thinking about how to position myself as a new sole practitioner even before I graduated from law school, and having Julie’s advice has helped me to make the right decisions about everything from defining my practice areas to building my website to networking and following up with the contacts I make.  I’ve read Julie’s book The Reluctant Rainmaker and heard her speak, and I’ve consulted with her 1-on-1 several times.  My practice is now growing, and I have every confidence that (since I have a solid plan and know how to proceed) it will continue to do so.  Julie has been, and continues to be, an invaluable resource. 

◊  Virginia sole practitioner

What surprised me, to be perfectly honest, was the number of non-lawyers who found my book, read it, and sought me out.  They realized that what I was teaching applied to all client-based businesses.  In response to their demand, I expanded my services and began working with a wide variety of client service professionals: photographers, event planners, creativity consultants, holistic health professionals, and more.  That one-on-one work has created amazing results.

 

And now, I’m distilling everything
I’ve learned about business
development into a 1-day workshop
that will show you how to
bring in all the business you want…
without ever making you feel
pushy, obnoxious, or desperate.

 

I’ve developed the Client Service Professionals Business Development Blueprint, a seven-step system that will show you how to take on activities that fit you and your practice, so you can bring in as much business as you need.  The steps of the Blueprint are:

1. Create a strategic business development plan.  (I’ll show you how to perform a complete assessment of your practice so you know not only what to do, but how to set yourself apart from others in your area of practice.)
    
2. Set yourself up for success.  (I’ll share the specific habits and resources that successful rainmakers incorporate into their daily practices.)
    
3. Draft strong written marketing materials.  (Too many professionals make a fundamental and fatal error in drafting their marketing materials, and I’ll tell you exactly what to avoid and what to do instead.)
    
4. Build your credibility and skills.  (Sure, you know that writing and speaking can be useful for business development — I’ll show you how to craft articles and presentations that get results and even give you a “cheat sheet” for future use.)
    
5. Build relationships with clients, potential clients, and referral sources.  (You’ll discover why you shouldn’t turn first to strangers when you want to bring in new business, and what you should do instead.)
    
6. Know whether, when, and how to ask for business.  (So many professionals are uncomfortable about asking to handle a matter, often with good cause; once you know how to handle this sensitive but critical part of the business development conversation, you’ll see how simple it can be.)
    
7. Prioritize your time.  (You may be surprised to learn that business development is a lot like farming, and if you don’t understand the crop cycle, you won’t understand client development.)

When you know exactly how to use these seven steps in your business, you’ll finally see just how simple effective business development can be.

And as you bring in new business, you’ll start to experience these benefits:

• As a rainmaker, you get to choose what exactly kind of work you want to do and for what clients you want to do that work.  That means you won’t get stuck working on something that doesn’t interest you, and you won’t have the pain of working for unpleasant or unrealistic clients – unless you choose to do so.
   
• As a rainmaker, you hold the keys to your financial success.  You’re able to bring in clients to support your practice, which also means that you have options…
   
  • You’ll know how to build a thriving business.  Some business owners feel tremendous stress just in trying to generate enough income to pay the bills, much less enough to get ahead.  When you can bring in new business on a consistent basis, you won’t have to worry about having enough money to go around.
     
  • You’ll thrive even if you’re working in a business that hits tough economic times.  Your ability to generate business means that you won’t have to depend on others to stay afloat.  Your work won’t dry up – and if it does for some reason, you’ll be able to refresh your client pipeline so the drought doesn’t last.
     
• As a rainmaker, your business and career will advance more quickly.
  
  • You’ll hold more influence within your community.
    
• You’ll receive greater financial rewards more quickly than your non-rainmaker peers.
•  
• Potential clients will know your work before they even meet you, and they’ll be eager to work with you.
   
• When you’re skilled in client development and marketing, you actually provide better client service.  Some of the activities that generate business also help to keep you on the cutting edge of your practice area.  You get to know not only what’s happening in your field, but also what the trends are.  You’ll have an opportunity to provide proactive advice to your clients so they stay ahead of the curve.  Although clients won’t realize that your foresight comes as a direct result of your rainmaking activity, they’ll know that you understand their needs better than other professionals.  Clients will be eager to have you work on their matters, and they’ll happily refer colleagues and friends to you.

These benefits begin to flow as soon as you begin to develop business, and they magnify as you bring in more and more new matters.  What’s more, you don’t have to be a rainmaker extraordinaire to reap these benefits.  The advantages compound as you’re able to bring in more and more business, but even beginning rainmakers experience additional influence, security, options, income, and satisfaction.

Are you ready to master business development, once and for all?  Give me one day, and I’ll show you what you need to know. 

June 17, 2010

University of Chicago’s Gleacher Center

Chicago 

10 AM-4 PM
(Registration begins 9 AM)

 

REGISTER NOW 

Attend this small group workshop to uncover:

How to create (or refine) a personal business development plan specific to your practice and your preferences

How to grow relationships that produce business

How to build your credentials and credibility

Top rainmaking habits

How (and when) to ask for business

The Agenda

9-10 REGISTRATION

10-11:30 Create (or revise) your business development plan

• Note:  This will be a hands-on exercise, using the Business Development Plan Generator™

11:30-11:45 BREAK

11:45-12:45 What to do to attract all the business you need

12:45-2 Lunch (on your own)

2-3:45 Two Business Makeovers Two registrants will be selected for a business makeover. With on-the-spot coaching and critical feedback, we’ll develop exactly what this client service professional needs to do to build the business he or she wants most. (You’ll learn a lot from this even if your business is not selected.)

3:45-4 Conclusion

Effective Business Development Made Simple will be unlike any other business development workshop you have attended.  Here’s what you can expect to have when you leave this highly interactive workshop:

• 7 things you can take back and immediately implement in your practice to make sure you’re working on business development every single day – even days when you’re swamped with client work (yes, it is possible to be that consistent!)
   
• Ideas to overcome the challenges you’re facing in your practice today
   
• How you can explore business potential with social contacts without running any risk of damaging those relationships
   
• Practical ideas for staying in front of your contacts without looking (or feeling) like a pest
   
• Resources that will make your business development activity simpler and more effective than you ever thought possible

• Increased comfort with rainmaking, because you will know what to do to approach potential clients from a service orientation… So you will never look or feel pushy, obnoxious, or desperate
   
• Pinpoint identification of your ideal clients and referral sources, and where to find them
   
• Step-by-step systems that you can implement to develop relationships that are mutually beneficial (and lead to business for you)
   

REGISTER NOW  

You’ll leave with a concrete plan you can begin implementing immediately, plus a roadmap for the next several months.  The workshop will cover not just the foundations of rainmaking but also how you can fit those foundations to your own practice and preferences.  The result?  You’ll have a personalized strategy that works for you.  (And because attendance is  strictly limited, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get feedback.)

And if you’re just starting your business:  You may think you’re starting a bookkeeping business, or an event planning business, or a consulting business… But the truth is, you’re starting a marketing business.  You have to know how to get clients as well as how to serve them.  If you don’t, you’ll be in the massive group of client service professionals who spend way too much time getting the business off the ground — or worse yet, in the group who never do get the business going. 

So what’s this going to cost me?

Just $97  

The value of Effective Business Development Made Simple is best measured in terms of the new work that you’ll be able to generate as a result of attending.  What’s the value of a client to you?  $100?  $250?  $500?  $1000 or more?  As soon as you land a single new client, you’ll have more than recouped your investment in this program.  And you’ll quickly see your investment double, triple, and more.

The potential reward?  If you’re able to bring in just 5 hours of new business, chances are that you will have realized more than a ten-fold payoff on your investment… And that your investment will continue to pay off for the rest of your career.

And for those of you on salary: even if you don’t make a single additional dollar as a result of attending this workshop, look at what you do stand to gain:

• Increased job security
• More professional options
• Faster professional advancement
• Greater job satisfaction

 REGISTER NOW  

I’m throwing in two special bonuses so you’ll be ready to succeed right away.  Here’s what you’ll get with your registration:

1. A copy of the Seven Secrets Every Client Service Professional Must Know to Thrive… Even in a Recession (Lawyers have paid more than $150 to access this information!)  This special report will show you the seven fundamental habits and attitudes you must adopt to build a successful, satisfying, and sustainable practice.
    
2. Audio recording of Seven Strategies for Growing Your Client-Based Business
   This hour-long audio walks you through the fundamentals of what we’ll be covering during the Effective Business Development Made Simple, so you’ll be ready to step into the information at an advanced level… Even if you’re just beginning business development activity.  (Others have paid as much as $500 to access this information… But you’ll get it for free!)
    

And finally… Some of my good friends and colleagues in Seattle were able to convince me to add on two more valuable bonuses — but only for the next EIGHT people to register:

SPECIAL BONUS #1 Bring a colleague with you!  As you’ll learn, one of the most important steps you can take is to surround yourself with others who are also actively working to develop business, so you’ll have a sounding board and an accountability partner.  Bring a colleague, friend, or even your spouse or partner with you to Effective Business Development Made Simple, and you’ll prepare yourself for post-workshop support.

SPECIAL BONUS #2 A 30-minute 1-on-1 consultation with me following the workshop.  You’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get feedback during the workshop, but if you’re one of the next eight people to register, you’ll also receive a 30-minute consultation with me.  That’s your chance to ask any thorny questions you don’t want to raise in a group setting, get feedback on something you implement following the workshop, or prepare for an upcoming pitch.  Because my schedule is so packed now, I almost never offer this gift of my time.  (Value: $210)

REGISTER NOW  

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

If you are not 100% satisfied with the workshop, simply return your materials at the back of the room before the end of the meeting, and you’ll receive a full and cheerful refund. 

I look forward to seeing you on June 17 at Effective Business Development Made Simple!

Best regards,

 

 

 

 

Julie A. Fleming, JD, ACC
2107 North Decatur Rd. #281
Decatur, GA 30033-5305
800.758.6214 (in the US)
404.954.2523 (outside the US)

P.S.  Do you have any questions, or are you wondering if this workshop is the right fit for you?  Please call 800.758.6214, ext. 3 or email support@juliefleming.org, and a member of my team will be in touch promptly.

P.P.S.  Are you going to let this opportunity pass you by?  Or are you going to step up, take decisive action, and transform your business development activity once and for all?

REGISTER NOW 

• Claim your free audio Seven Strategies for Growing Your Client-Based Business

  You'll uncover:

  * 3 common mistakes that will kill your business development efforts

  * Simple strategies to stay in front of your ideal clients and referral sources

  * How (and when) to ask for business so you never risk damaging your relationships

  * How to put business development activities on autopilot so they run with minimal input from you

... and much more.

Just put your name and primary email address in the spaces above to receive your free audio. This is a limited offer, so grab yours TODAY!

You'll also receive a complimentary subscription to my high-content, high-value weekly email newsletter Ignite!, which is packed with the information and strategies you need to bring in new clients and to grow your business. (We never rent, trade, or sell your information, ever!)

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