My wife and I have become increasingly skeptical about television. I’m guessing you have too. We’re all on the same endless search for something, anything, worth watching. It’s not just that so much of what’s out there is junk. It’s also that, once we figure out a show’s formula, we’re out.
Spoiler alert: most writers follow formulas that carry a series from one season to the next. Maybe it’s the “Problem-Solution Cycle,” where the core conflict resolves just in time to reset again. Or it’s “Character Arc Plus World Expansion,” where the protagonist evolves through new dilemmas and settings.
But here’s the twist. While a predictable formula might ruin a good show, it’s really the secret weapon for lawyers looking to grow their books of business. At the heart of every successful rainmaker is a formula, something they created, borrowed, or straight-up stole.
For me, it started with wasting an absurd amount of time networking. I had no direction and no results, so I had to develop a formula out of pure necessity to reclaim my time and drive real business. In my second book, “The Attorney’s Networking Handbook,” I opened with a truth bomb: no one I knew had wasted more time networking than I had, and that still holds. So, I committed to fix it, get efficient, and build something that actually worked.
For lawyers buried in billables who understand the value of their time, there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. A proven process beats winging it every time. While I can’t share every formula I use with clients, I will give you one that captures the core of them all: Planning, Process, and Performance.
Planning
You’ve heard it: failing to plan is planning to fail. That saying exists for a reason. One of the first questions I ask prospective coaching clients is, “Do you have a written plan?” The most common answers? Either “No,” or “Yes, the one my firm makes me write every year.” Both responses usually explain why they’re talking to me in the first place.
A real plan, one that works, must be both strategic and tactical. It should clarify what you’re doing to build business, where you’re spending your time, and list the actual actions you’ll take to produce results. Without it, you’re flying blind.
Process
This might be the most overlooked piece of the puzzle. You’ve got processes for brushing your teeth and running a trial. But you don’t have one for business development? That’s a problem.
I get it. You didn’t learn this in law school, and you probably didn’t sign up for it. But here you are. And if you want control, freedom, and long-term sustainability in private practice, building your own clients is nonnegotiable.
The key is to become a student of the game. Read. Watch. Listen. Learn from people who have figured it out. Doing this will save you years of trial and error and build long-term wealth. If you’re not sure where to start, check out my blog at fretzin.com/blog, my YouTube channel @stevefretzin, or any of my five books on Amazon. I give away plenty of secrets and processes to help you succeed.
Performance
Even with a solid plan and process, execution is where most lawyers fall short. Performance is about showing up and getting it done, especially when things get busy. From interviewing hundreds of rainmakers on the “BE THAT LAWYER” podcast, one theme always comes up: consistency.
Business development must be part of your weekly rhythm. Block time on your calendar for lunch meetings, events, or even just LinkedIn activity. Stick to your plan to avoid falling into the trap of “random acts of marketing.”
And don’t forget the other side of performance: improvement. Ask yourself, do you have 10 years of business development experience, or one year of experience 10 times over? If you’re not debriefing after calls and meetings to identify what went well or what tanked, you’re likely repeating costly mistakes.
Case in point: I recently evaluated a lawyer who wasn’t asking enough, or the right, questions in prospective client meetings. After some quick math, we realized it had cost her millions in lost originations. Yes, it was a tough pill to swallow, but we agreed that the past is the past, and that her future earnings will look a whole lot different.
There are formulas all around us, most we never think about. But when it comes to building business, my “Three Ps” haven’t failed me or my clients. If you can commit to planning for success, following a process, and consistently performing and improving, business development becomes second nature.
And if you’re looking for direct help applying these ideas, shoot me a DM on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected]. I’m here to help.
Steve Fretzin is a bestselling author, host of the BE THAT LAWYER Podcast, and business development coach exclusively for attorneys. Steve has committed his career to helping lawyers learn key growth skills not currently taught in law school. His clients soon become top rainmakers and credit Steve’s program and coaching for their success. He can be reached directly by email at [email protected]. Or you can easily find him on his website at www.fretzin.com or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin/.