In the larger law firms there's such a collective glue within practice groups that you really have to think twice before unravelling that in a separate way. If you can achieve an effective combination and create some sort of matrix where people are based in their practice groups, but also take an active role in an industry-focused marketing group, then it's possible to penetrate market sectors very effectively indeed. You just need a nimble matrix, and that needs to be managed. At the end of the day it is really all about working out who you want to sell to and how you are going to get to them. That involves sharing information on potential clients and then targeting your marketing.
Lawyers are very bad at getting out and selling.
They've tended to waste their marketing pounds by trying to market at arms length, but there's no substitute for sitting down in front of a prospective client and telling them exactly what it is you can do for them. You've got to do something that demonstrates to the client that you know what you're talking about. It is really all about setting yourself apart from the competition, and taking the time to gen up on one particular sector can be the easiest way of doing that. In the spirit of the season, this week's title is a gift, literally. He takes this idea a stage further in his latest book.