Tom's Talent Blog

Ever get a cold call from an attorney? Probably not, because their code of ethics has strict rules against solicitation. And if you did, what would you think? Your initial response would be they probably aren’t a very good attorney, or they wouldn’t need to cold call.

So how do lawyers sell? Well, since cold calling is off the table, they have to be creative. They network like crazy and advertise on TV, radio, and in publications. They sponsor associations, host educational events, ask for referrals, and a variety of other ways to get in front of their prospects. They can’t rely on just picking up the phone and making call after call after call, so they find other ways to build name recognition and credibility. And it works!

Mary Kay, Amway, Thirty One Gifts, Avon. All of these companies have been consistently successful using one timeless sales mantra: people who know you are more likely to buy than people who don’t. And the closer they are to you, the more they tend to buy.

I hate to break this to you, but you are just one person. And because of this reality, there is a limit to how much sales activity you can physically do. So how can you overcome this limitation and bring in more sales? Well, you can always bring on more salespeople, or you can create a network that essentially prospects for you.

Ever notice how there are always one or two people (or companies) in a market that are synonymous with their industry? Like the auto dealer that is a not-so-minor celebrity in your city, or the HR consultant that everyone thinks of first when they have a need, or the professional speaker that seems to be the keynote at every Rotary, chamber, and industry meeting you attend.