In this episode, we’ll be exploring both sides of achieving win:win commercial agreements with clients. Typically that centres on the fees that we charge and are paid but can increasing is focusing on how we deliver work and the added value services we offer. Buying and selling anything intangible, as professional services are, is clearly more nuanced than something that is tangible. But is it a science or an art? Therefore, we will be considering questions including: What d...

In this episode, we’ll be finding out what it is like to have the top job in a firm’s business development, marketing & comms team. If you have ambitions for senior management – whatever the size of firm – what do you need to know about being at the top of the tree? To help answer this, we will be considering questions including:How important is it to have a clear vision for the firm’s marketing, BD and comms efforts?Do you need to be an expert politician?What should be your pri...

In this episode, we’ll be discussing the development of a professional service firm’s strategy and the role that business development takes in that process.Your host is James Stringer, a former BD Director and now trainer, consultant and coach on business development and bids. He is joined by guests Mike Beswick and Hannah O'Grady.Questions considered include:What are the benefits and pitfalls of having a clear strategy? What is the best process to create one for the firm or practice?Wha...

In this episode, we’ll be discussing the nerve racking, unpredictable and exciting world of event management. Since lockdown, most people’s views of being at in-person events, meeting other people and gaining knowledge has changed to some degree. Therefore, we consider questions including: What event strategies are proving successful in the post-COVID world? Which events are most impactful – ‘own brand’ or sponsorship?How is ESG influencing event management and how should we be respondin...

In this episode, we discuss alumni programmes. Are these just feel good and self-serving exercises to make professional services management teams feel that they are staying in touch with people who they no longer employ, or are they actually a two-way street where those who take part get benefits as well? We consider questions including: What is the purpose of an alumni programme? Is there any evidence that they have created a return on investment for the firm? Can any f...

While all professional service firms are seeking growth, having worked in big law and the Big Four, I recognise that different firm’s attitudes to sales vary from enthusiasm to seeing it as a dirty word. Therefore, we will be considering questions including: Why does the idea of selling provoke such mixed reactions still?Can firms use sales professionals successfully either to augment or instead of the traditional partner model of revenue generation?If a firm wants to increase its sales...

In this episode, we consider how we can make our thought leadership efforts even more effective. We consider questions including: What are the most important ingredients to get right if you are considering a thought leadership campaign?How can we make ours stand out? What are the best sources of this insight and what tips do my guests have on how to gain that insight in a cost-effective way?Are there any industries (either within or outside of professional services) where we should look ...

In this episode, we explore what makes for a great leadership team in a professional services firm. In our careers as BD, Marketing and Communications professionals, many of us have already or will be asked join leadership teams and this episode seeks to explore how as non-fee earners, we can best influence and contribute to these teams. We’ll be considering: - What factors contribute to great leadership. - How can a firm’s leadership best support and nurture individual practices which ...

Most days, I read something about using data to create greater insight to help market firms more effectively. This comes from writers of opinion surveys, industry groups or vendors. My issue is that I’ve been hearing this for the past 15 years. Is data actually unlocking new revenue or is marketing professional services too complex to apply a data-led approach? In this episode, we consider: - Is data really providing insight that uncovers new revenue opportunities? - In what ways are f...

This episode considers whether the legal directories - publications such as Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 - really do influence how clients choose their lawyers or are they becoming sidelined as firms influence clients directly, through social media and content creation. The costs involved in engaging with directories is high and so this seems like a good time to consider topics including: - Does a great ranking really matter to clients? - What factors do the directories use to ...

This episode considers both how we can get hired for our next role but also find the best people when we are looking to recruit. We’ll consider topics including: The importance of creating a coherent story if you are looking to secure a new roleHow to differentiate yourself from other candidatesHow you can increase the chances of securing the role, even if you don’t have the direct experience soughtHow we should be altering our approach to hiring and being hired in the new hybrid world?To hel...

This episode tackles how to work more effectively with challenging people. Personalities and politics can present tremendous obstacles to our ability to do the work for which we are hired. In this episode we consider: How can we navigate these obstacles as effectively as possible?Which personalities and behaviours are we talking about?Should we be seeking behaviour change from them or focus on modifying our own?If you are a team leader, what should be your priorities if you and your team have...

This episode is about Client Listening and clients’ experience of service. Every firm wants to be client-centric: in other words to put clients at the heart of their business. But are they serious? One way to help achieve this is to implement a client listening (or client feedback) programme. In this episode we answer the following questions: How do you convince your firm that this is a good way to understand more about your clients? Is its role to listen and learn or listen and sell?&n...

This second episode on PR in professional services focuses on crisis management, the value of media training for fee earners and what attributes you need if you want to specialise in PR. We discuss: What should you do if a bad news story is about to hit the media?What are the benefits of media training and what issues can it address?What do PR leaders look for when seeking to hire PR colleagues?Once again I am joined by Campbell McIlroy, Director of Global Communications at Grant Thornton In...

This episode is about positive public relations (PR). For professional services firms, this means the affirmative coverage that they receive in target media. I consider the following questions: How can we engage successfully with both international and trade media, even if we are a small firm?How should we set up a PR campaign for maximum impact?How do we measure PR success?To help me answer these questions, I am joined by Clare Rodway, managing director of specialist legal PR agency Kysen a...

This episode of The Glue is about managing client relationships or CRM in professional services firms. James Stringer is joined by CRM experts Samantha Roberts and Ben Kent to discuss all aspects of CRM within professional services. Topics explored include: Whether non-fee earners can play an important role in client relationships.What a successful CRM approach should look like.How you should choose which clients to involve in a key account programme.Whether any firms are managing client r...

In this episode of The Glue, James Stringer - a former BD Director at Deloitte Legal and senior BD leader in major law firms - talks to Alex Low, an expert in the use of LinkedIn and social selling in professional services. This episode explores social selling and how BD, Marketing & Comms teams can harness it more effectively, both for their firms and themselves. Topics discussed include: Does social selling generate revenue for professionals?How can you convince more professiona...

Former BD Director and now coach, trainer and consultant James Stringer is joined by Stefanie Hoogklimmer of Venturis Consulting Group and Eddie Bowman of Eddie Bowman Consulting to get clarity on our role, where and how we can have the most impact and what skills and attributes we need now and in the future. With 30 years of sales, marketing and client relationship experience, James has spent the last 14 years working in BD, Marketing and Communications in professional services. He was glob...