Recently there’s been a lot of blog traffic on the subject of how to motivate oneself and our associates to go out and make it rain for our law firms. It seems the blogosphere has figured-out what the most successful Rainmakers already know: Rainmaking is not a passive activity. There is a BIG difference between waiting around for it to rain, and implementing a system, a set of skills and a plan to Make It Rain.
Doing good work and waiting for appreciative clients to refer more business to you is a nerve-wracking way to go through life – been there/ done that so don’t feel bad if you’re still learning how to avoid it too.
One of the most effective ways to institutionalize Rainmaking activities in a law firm (large or small) is to pose the question “So, how can I/we do better next time?” after EVERY sales call. Of course, this assumes there is no such thing as a perfect sales call. . .because there isn’t! If answered objectively and with sincerity, this question always leads to improvement.
Get into the habit with your partners, associates, or just you and some friends from other firms with whom you can engage in some two-way peer coaching, of talking critically but constructively about your respective Rainmaking experiences, with the goal of self-improvement – not competition.
And if you can’t find anyone with whom you are comfortable, feel free to send-in an e-mail briefly detailing your experiences & I’ll post it as a new discussion so you get the benefit of multiple interpretations, opinions, ideas & suggestions from attorneys in other markets who are not competing with you.
