6 Tactics to Immediately Improve Your Pitches and Proposals

Law firm marketers have boundless energy around pitches and RFPs — pro and con. As do clients and the attorneys working on these pitches and pursuits. We heard from them all — in droves after our last 2 posts. They all focused on 2 schools of thought:

• • What clients want to see
  • How to differentiate your pitch

I recommend the following 6 strategies and tactics to engage potential clients, differentiate your firm, and win more work — all in use and winning business:

1. 1. Share Selected Industry Trends

      Note the new and emerging issues in the client’s industry. Highlight potential impacts and issues arising from the trends, engage, and ask clients to comment.

1. 2. Outline How Other Companies in the Industry Handle Similar Situations

      Offer examples with specific protocols and decisions made. Ask their opinion about these approaches.

1. 3. Share Your Early Assessment of the Client’s Situation

      Clients love early assessments. They know all the facts aren’t in — but they value early opinions and direction. They also know the strategy will change if the facts change.

1. 4. Share Your Statement of Your Client Philosophy

      Be clear and concise. Ask clients to comment and add to it. Embrace high-impact words from the client’s perspective — make it a joint statement. Make your client-centricity as clear as a bell. You can read examples of client philosophies from The BTI Client Service All-Stars here.

1. 5. Put Your Credentials and Experience In an Appendix

      Let clients look at your details when they want. As crucial as this information is — clients want more than statistics and credentials. Show off your insight in your pitch — let clients see your credentials if they so choose. (They are more likely to hire you based on your insights.)

1. 6. Share One Idiosyncratic Insider Industry Insight

      You would only know this if you have experience in the industry. This would be different from trends you can glean and develop. Every industry and company has a unique aspect of its culture, history, strategy, or the way it talks about itself. Your idiosyncratic insight is proof of your unmatched understanding.

      You can learn these from partners in the industry, and your client feedback from clients in the industry. You can build an arsenal of these insights through the informal client discussions we recommend here.

Once clients have you at the pitch stage they largely know who your firm is. They are now looking for reasons to hire you beyond your credentials.

You can try these one at a time. Each one makes a measurable difference. Each success will give you more latitude to change the standard approach. And win you more and more business.