EP097: The Law Firm Rainmaker Playbook – With Ken Hardison, Steve Nudelberg and Alan Margulius

Ten Golden Rules Internet Marketing for Law Firms Podcast

Today, we're diving into one of our most popular webinars The Law Firm Rainmaker Playbook with guests Ken Hardison, Steve Nudelberg, and Alan Margulius. We'll explore key strategies to build your own book of business and boost your firm's business development, including building your personal brand, creating a personal referral network, hosting client advisory boards, using books for personal branding, and leveraging social media.

Ken shares innovative tactics for generating referrals, while Steve provides insights on modern communication techniques. Alan emphasizes leadership, accountability, and authentic relationship-building. We also discuss creating a referral mindset, networking on LinkedIn, and providing value beyond legal services.

Young lawyers will benefit from practical business development plans, focusing on high integrity relationships, simple and repeatable strategies, and prioritizing clients' agendas. Tune in for actionable sales content, referable practices, and the importance of return on relationships (ROR) over traditional ROI. Get ready to transform your business development approach with expert advice.

Key Topics

• 01:25 What is the definition of a rainmaker in the context of law firms?
• 06:34 The First principle of being a great Rainmaker is to give with no expectation of receiving anything in return.
• 07:48 Importance of giving without expectation of return, and becoming a connector.
• 08:18 How extensive involvement in various organizations and events helps build connections and reputation.
• 11:22 Creating quality connections starting with a one-on-one.
• 12:08 Ken Hardison’s introduction as a thought leader in legal marketing.
• 15:32 Creating and regularly distributing high-quality content through a chosen medium, leveraging tools like Calendly for organization.
• 17:15 Referral systems for law firms, emphasizing the importance of creating a referral mindset and educating clients on how to refer business.
• 20:44 Prioritizing building long-term relationships with clients to generate repeat business and referrals.
• 22:12 Creating a VIP for clients to provide status and referral opportunities to past clients. Including hosting VIP dinners.
• 24:23 Suggestions for maintaining top-of-mind awareness with your clients to start seeing returns.
• 27:02 Leveraging books as a lead generation tool to attract referrals and new cases.
• 35:45 A look into rainmaking strategies and what that means
• 38:22 Shifting from transactional to relational environments requires a change in mindset, with a focus on building personal connections.
• 39:40 Relationship capital and social capital are key to success, with ROI replaced by ROR (return on relationship).
• 44:36 Clear strategy, disciplined tactics, and a guaranteed process for success, advising the identification of dream clients and using modern tools to understand their criteria and preferences.
• 48:13 What is the "50 cups of coffee" program to help employees connect with potential business contacts?
• 53:45 Creating air cover through social media and documenting value to build a global brand through advertising and social media to create awareness and generate leads.
• 56:46 Discover an unconventional approach to law firm business development, emphasizing trust and growth rather than sales.
• 58:33 Shifting your mindset from chaos to basics, focusing on opportunity amidst global uncertainty.
• 01:01:03 The importance of creating a personalized business development plan for lawyers, regardless of their personality type or social skills.
• 01:02:46 Uncovering the common misconception that business development requires being overly aggressive or annoying.
• 01:18:04 Researching clients on LinkedIn and Facebook before meetings to show authenticity and care and to understand clients' corporate cultures and charitable pursuits.
• 01:23:45 Storing valuable knowledge gained during meetings, including keeping a prospect file with specific information and digging deeper before meetings to find authentic conversation points.

Resources Mentioned

*Books*

1. Systematic Marketing by Ken Hardison**: Listeners are invited to request a copy by emailing [e-mail]

*Apps/Software*

1. Zoom: Used for virtual client advisory board meetings and networking through programs like "50 Cups of Coffee."
2. Calendly: Recommended for lead generation and scheduling meetings.

*Websites*

1. Urban Recipe: Mentioned as a significant organization during the pandemic, originally founded by Chad Hill.
2. pilmma.org

About Ken Hardison:

Ken Hardison has dedicated over 35 years to fighting for individuals' rights as a trusted personal injury lawyer. His unwavering ethics, integrity, and passion for his clients led to the creation of Hardison & Cochran, one of North Carolina’s most successful law firms, and Carolina Disability Lawyers, a thriving Social Security disability firm in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Today, as the owner and publisher of Law Practice Advisor and the founder and president of PILMMA, Ken focuses on empowering attorneys to build preeminent law practices through proven marketing strategies and management resources.

Recognized as one of the top 100 Trial Lawyers in North Carolina and a member of the exclusive Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Ken is a respected authority in the field. He has authored five books on law firm marketing and management, including his latest, "Systematic Marketing," and is a sought-after speaker nationwide.

Known as the “Millionaire Maker,” Ken has earned this title by helping his coaching clients double and even quadruple their law practices and income through his expert advice and insights.

Residing in North Myrtle Beach, SC, Ken enjoys playing golf and fishing in his free time when he’s not busy helping lawyers grow their practices.

About Steve Nudelberg:

Steve Nudelberg is a renowned author, expert sales trainer, consultant, keynote speaker, and serial entrepreneur. He is the driving force behind On the Ball, a company dedicated to investing time and talent in emerging businesses and corporate teams to foster growth. Steve's dynamic and energetic approach infuses adrenaline and innovative ideas to inspire individuals and teams, significantly enhancing their overall performance.

With over 40 years of sales experience and relationships with top performers globally, Steve has distilled his extensive knowledge into his book, *Confessions of a Serial Salesman*. This book features 27 core Leadership Rules of Engagement, which have been honed through decades of corporate and entrepreneurial leadership. These rules, which Steve terms as Standard Operating Procedures, focus on creating effective daily sales processes, accelerating sales development, mastering Social Selling, the art of building relationships, engaging storytelling, and pipeline development. Steve's expertise lies in transforming organizational sales strategies and driving substantial performance improvements.

About Alan Margulius:

Alan Margulius brings over 30 years of business development expertise, specializing in building global sales and marketing teams, creating growth initiatives for law firms, and managing logistics for sales efforts to boost profitability. His extensive experience spans multiple industries and market segments.

Alan's mission is to establish effective sales, marketing, and distribution strategies while driving revenue growth in existing markets. He achieves this by leveraging past successes and implementing proven best practices.

He also serves on the board of Urban Recipe, an organization dedicated to providing food security, fostering community, and preserving dignity through partnerships with corporations and individuals in need. Alan is deeply passionate about this cause and actively contributes to its mission.

About Jay Berkowitz:

Jay Berkowitz is a digital marketing strategist with decades of experience in the industry. As the CEO of Ten Golden Rules, he has helped countless law firms and businesses harness the power of the internet to achieve remarkable growth and visibility. Jay is also a renowned keynote speaker and author, sharing his expertise at various industry events and publications worldwide.

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