Most law firms don’t employ sales people because their owners don’t see the point of them. Here are our top reasons why they should start investing in a sales team:
Reason 1 – Lawyers aren’t sales people
Sales involves spending a huge amount of time on people who usually don’t want to speak with you. Sales people understand this goes with the territory, which is why this isn’t always easy for lawyers.
Reason 2 – Lawyers should do the Lawyering
Lawyers should focus on getting deals through, not spending time giving quotes which can take up most of their day. A sales team will avoid lawyers getting distracted from what they should be doing and be able to prioritise new business.
Reason 3 – Sales can be challenging
Sales is a highly repetitive process and just because a lawyer does well on a case does not mean it will result in new business. It usually takes numerous mailings, calls and visits, which may only result in a one-off referral.
Reason 4 – Keep the pulse on the competition
Understanding competitors is vital for pricing and service delivery expectations and a sales team can really help in this area. By getting feedback from clients and agents as well as the thrill of mystery shopping, insight can be gained and decisions can be made on how to develop the business further.
Reason 5 – Always be prospecting to protect your business
Just having people answering the phone is not a business growth strategy. A sales team focused on building market share will reduce the risk to the business when a good source of work either gets bought, goes bust or goes to the competition.
Conclusion
For businesses, growth is key – making sure this happens needs the right people in the right roles and law firms need to wake up and realise how an effective sales team could well mean the difference between success and failure.