I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.

- Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) in Say Anything

OK, I know you don’t like to think about it but YOU . . . ARE . . . IN . . . SALES.

There, I’ve said it. It’s out there, live with electricity. Kinda like the third rail, actually.

Lawyers believe that they are esteemed professionals, working on a higher plane and above the “little people.” People go to a lawyer because of reputation, experience, and standing within the community.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. People choose a lawyer based primarily upon whether he or she makes a good first impression. That includes clothing, attitude, office location and size, and a ton of razzle-dazzle. If it were not true then no new lawyer would ever get a new client. Period.

So get used to it, make yourself comfy and take a few laps around the track to limber up. Because my friends, you are all in sales. From the first moment that phone rings until the minute your client passes from this ortal coil, you are selling yourself. Selling your abilities, your arguments, your expertise. You’re singing for your supper, so you better start gargling with salt water and taking voice lessons.

Over the next few weeks the conversation will be taking a remarkable turn as we explore the role of the attorney as sales person.  Much of what I have to discuss will be controversial, and a few things may be outlandish.  But in the end, you will come away with a huge arsenal of proven tactics for turbo-charging your firm profitability.

Keep your browser pointed here - I promise, I won’t disappoint you.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 23rd, 2007 at 9:51 pm and is filed under Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.