Editorial foreword

THE PROBLEM with marketing often starts with the terminology. Most firms now have some degree of marketing/business-development strategy, ranging from a single marketing or, perhaps more commonly, business-development/client-development professional, to large, and separate, marketing and business-development divisions.

But agreement over the functions of these various roles/divisions, can vary. Some firms have a strict definition of marketing, related to tactical communication including organising events and seminars, advertising/sponsorship and template management (for example, with requests-for-proposals (RFPs)). Meanwhile, business development is more likely to focus on understanding clients and training attorneys, client targeting and providing background information for RFPs. However, there is also plenty of potential overlap between marketing and business development, which may lead to some disagreement as to who or which division should be responsible for which function.

Add to this the know-how and/or library functions of the firm and the room for confusion or even internal departmental competition grows. After all, a librarian’s role in gathering market-research information on clients or other firms may fundamentally clash with a business-development professional’s responsibility in understanding and targeting clients. If a firm undertakes detailed intelligence gathering and goes on to win a client pitch, who should take the credit for the research success – the library, marketing or business-development teams? If one department feels hard done by, will it increase internal tensions resulting in poor teamwork and even actions to undermine other departments? It goes without saying that if firms cannot get the internal dynamics right, it is highly unlikely that external activities will be successful.

In trying to overcome some of these challenges, this issue of Managing Partner drills down into marketing/business-development strategies across a range of firms, providing some differing perspectives and experiences around the main topics of debate. In particular, Doug Hoover’s article on the ‘competitive-intelligence blueprint’ provides an excellent insight into research activities that impact several internal functions. By providing practical guidance in implementing a competitive-intelligence framework, Hoover not only aims to improve a firm’s ability to gain competitive advantage, but also provides some essential tips on better integrating internal teams.

This issue of the magazine also coincides with Ark Group’s September conference ‘Strategic Marketing in the Legal Profession’. This two-day conference will take many of the topics raised in this issue of the magazine and expand further into likely future trends, client-feedback programs, knowledge-management/marketing-integration strategies and internal communications. A more detailed review of the event will appear in the next, October issue of Managing Partner.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue of the Managing Partner and please do not hesitate to send any feedback or comments direct to me at cpoynton@ark-group.com.

Caroline Poynton

Editor

Features

Thought Leader Free
Beverley Landais, director of marketing and business development at Baker & McKenzie, examines global marketing strategies.

The heart of the risk matter Free
Risk management is now on the agenda for many law-firm managers, yet it has to be much more than laying down a set of ground rules and hoping lawyers will slavishly follow. Risk management has to pervade every aspect of a firm’s business, from the systems it uses and clients it works for, to the attitude of the partners and the culture they promote…

Efficiencies of future business development Free
Most firms now consider it essential to invest in marketing/business-development activities. But expenditure is pointless unless balanced against growth in a firm’s overall revenue and profit. The key, therefore, lies in business-development efficiency rather than increased spend. By James Stapleton, Fenwick & West LLP

Masterclass: Competitive-intelligence blueprint Free
An effective competitive-intelligence process will comprise a perfect mix of people, services and organization, to make a firm’s attorneys more competitive. Getting it right for your firm will mean understanding the competitive-intelligence framework and each phase of the process.

Masterclass: Making the most of your prospects Free
Getting your toe in the door of a prospective client is only the beginning of establishing a successful close relationship. It is the follow-up steps that will be so essential to gaining a client’s long-term loyalty.

Casestudy: Differentiation through diversity Free
This August, the business law section of the American Bar Association hosted a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program entitled ‘Successful Strategies to Achieve Diversity in Your Organization.’ It was a two-hour, substantive-credit course being offered by one of the most prestigious sections of the American Bar Association.

Channels to market... Free
To coincide with Ark Group’s Chicago conference – ‘Strategic Marketing for the Modern Law Firm’ (September 2006), correspondent Kieran Flatt presents three different vantage points on the buzz, spin, hype and grind of law firm marketing.