LSSO NEWS – The official newsletter of the Legal Sales and Service Organization

ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO REGISTER FOR THE LSSO WEBINAR:
"Business Relevance: The Key to Client Satisfaction and Account Growth"

Speakers: Mike O'Horo "The Coach", Sales Results Inc. and Darryl Cross, LexisNexis
Date: October 18, 2006
Time: 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. (EDT)
Cost: This webinar is offered at no charge by LSSO - our mission is to deliver sales and service education and resources!
Register: alyssa@legalsales.org or 617.726.1500

70% of corporate counsel are dissatisfied with their primary law firm, and half say they plan to try a new law firm, according to a BTI study (How Clients Hire, Fire and Spend: Landing the World’s Best Clients) cited in the September 8th ABA Journal eReport “In-House Counsel Axing Law Firms.” The reasons? Pretty simple, according to the study. The law firms:

· Fail to keep up with clients’ changing needs.
· Do not articulate the value they deliver.
· Do not communicate well with clients.

Says BTI president Michael Rynowecer, "The major components of client satisfaction are the ability to make legal expertise client-specific, to understand the client’s business, to go beyond what’s anticipated and to achieve the client’s goals." Beyond that, one large firm chairman says, “Developments have become so complex that even the clients themselves are struggling to anticipate their own needs.” The survey suggests that firms keep a "trained eye on changes in clients’ needs, goals and expectations."

So, how do you make sure that you’re in the 30% instead of the 70%, or if your firm is on the outside, that you’ll be successful with the 50% who say they’re receptive to your sales overture?

Join Mike O’Horo (“The Coach”) and Darryl Cross on Wednesday, October 18 for a lively webinar that explains how to guarantee your lawyers’ “business relevance,” and earn the preference of these valuable clients who insist that you be much more than a technically competent lawyer. Here’s a hint: “Relevance" refers to business needs.

To register, please contact Alyssa at alyssa@legalsales.org or 617.726.1500.

GAIN VISIBILITY: SPONSOR LSSO

Get better sales opportunities and more visibility than ever before by sponsoring LSSO for a full year! Now LSSO offers customized opportunities to reach a rapidly growing target marke by various vehicles including RainDance 2007 on June 12 - 14th at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Dallas, TX. Click here for details or call Alyssa at 617.726.1500 to create a customized package.

LSSO SALES PROFILE
Read our most recent Sales Profile, Memorable Events – Measurable Returns where Dean Harakas, Esq., Vice President - Client Services and Strategic Planning of Sachnoff & Weaver, Ltd., talks about the firm’s award winning annual “networking events” series. Harakas says “the measurable business development success of the events was strongly tied to getting the right “mix” of people and creating a comfortable environment that enhanced the intimacy of the connections at these events.” Click here to read the full interview sponsored by The WJF Institute.

THOMAS H. LEE AWARD FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE IN LAW

Pre-application Deadline Extended to 1/31/07: This award has been created to recognize those firms that are committed to excellence and outstanding performance (in the clients’ eyes) coupled with superior organizational results. This award recognizes and honors those firms that are driven by the standards and leadership necessary to achieve continuous improvements in delivering service excellence in a ceremony at RainDance 2007. APPLY NOW! For more information, click here or email us for more information.

FINANCE, STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP SPEAKERS SOUGHT

As a service to LSSO member Dave Bruns, who is LMA Bay Area Chapter Program Committee Co-Chair, we are getting out the word to LSSO News subscribers about this speaking opportunity. You are invited to submit a proposal for one of the Bay Area Chapter’s monthly educational programs; the nine, 90-minute luncheon programs will be organized around a series of three topics, encompassing two - three presentations each. The topics include: Economy / Finance, Strategy, and Leadership. These core subject areas are based on standard MBA curriculum – all applied within the context of the legal environment. Click here for the details.

- Alyssa Napoleon, LSSO Administrative Director

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