It has long struck me as odd that even though lawyers consistently ask for more or better support from their marketing and BD teams, firms don't train for that.
What does "more" mean? It depends. Communication comes up a lot, especially regarding frequency, clarity, and brevity.
Sometimes "more" means greater anticipation of lawyers' needs. Sometimes better knowledge of an industry. Sometimes just sharing back updates from other practice groups--lawyers are always hungry to learn what's working for colleagues and peers.
Mind the Gap Here are common complaints I've heard through 14 years of in-house experience:
"They don't understand my practice."
"I never know where my project is, or if anyone is even working on it. I have to ask for updates"
"I don't need a 30-page litigation report. I need the top 5 highlights from the report, preferably in 5 one-line bullets."
"'What do I think we should do?' You're the marketing expert. You tell me."
Truth: Sophisticated lawyers (aren't they all?!) know that the service they provide to clients is typically the sole differentiator they can rely on to earn and keep business. It's not what they know; every downtown high-rise is full of smarty-pants lawyers with excellent experience and credentials. It's how lawyers use that knowledge--and how they make clients feel during the process--that sets them apart.
Is it any surprise that these same lawyers want to be treated, well, like they treat their clients?
Snap Poll
Lawyers: Raise your hand if your firm trains support professionals on client service.
Marketers: Raise your hand if your onboarding included a session on client service delivery.
Don't worry--I see you. All three of you.
It's not just lawyers that suffer for this lack of training. Marketers are sent to the wolves without the knowledge or skills to effectively serve an incredibly discriminating clientele. It's often not pleasant for them, either.
Good news: Firms can train marketing and BD professionals on the very things lawyers are desperate for.
Client Touch
Communication
Critical Thinking
Leadership
Too often, these are discarded or overlooked as "soft skills." We tend to try to hire the right people and assume the rest will work itself out. Then we train on processes, systems, and software.
The thing is, knowing how to use the CRM matters less than knowing what pieces of information to share with lawyers, when to share, and how to share in ways the lawyers will tune in to.
If all this hits close to home, let's chat. I love to help marketers with exactly these issues, and more. I even built a program around it, Axis Accelerator Training, and the reviews are excellent. I'd love to tailor a version for your team. Email me at matt@axismarketingstrategies.com.