KCALA PRESENTS… TOP 10 REASONS TO BE A BUSINESS PARTNER

1. KCALA PRESENTS…TOP 10 REASONS TO BE A BUSINESS PARTNER Prepared by, The KCALA Business Partner Committee Top 10 Reasons to be a Business Partner

2. Business Partner ProgramPurpose and Benefits • Purpose • Enhancing the business relationships between Business Partners and KCALA Chapter members. • Increasing networking opportunities for both Business Partners and members. • Assisting the KCALA in paying for quality education throughout the year by supporting KCALA with your sponsorship fees.

3. Business Partner ProgramPurpose and Benefits • Benefits • The opportunity to develop new and lasting relationships. • Quality one-on-one face time with administrators in a relaxed social setting. • The opportunity to network with other Business Partners.

4. KCALACHAPTER DEMOGRAPHICS • 10 or less attorneys 25% • 11 to 20 attorneys 26% • 21 to 35 attorneys 16% • 36 to 50 attorneys 9% • 51 to 100 attorneys 12% • Over 100 attorneys 12%

5. NETWORKING VS. SELLING • Network with Administrators to best understand their diverse needs related to size, practice areas and structure. • Don’t sell, network in order to establish business partner relationships with KCALA administrators enhancing your referral prospects.

6. UNDERSTANDING HOW TO WORKWITH LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS • First and foremost, Administrators are people too! • Administrators can have between 2 and 100+ bosses depending on firm size. Listen and learn about their needs. • Become a resource to the Administrators you meet. They rely heavily on key vendors as a resource to make firms work from an operational standpoint.

7. TOP “10” 10 Ways to “Play” successfully in the sandbox with Legal Administrators

8. No. 10 Do your homework. Use Martindale Hubbell, Web sites and other sources so that you learn all you can about the firm and the legal market. “Tip” Impress us by knowing a little about our firm. Don’t expect the administrator to spend time talking about general firm information. Use your time to discover what the firm needs and how you can take care of those needs. Fit your product to our needs, don’t expect us to change our needs to fit your product or your company.

9. No. 9 Talk about trends you’re seeing in the legal industry. “Tip” We always like to hear about trends from the vendor’s perspective. Take advantage of your opportunity to be our eyes and ears.

10. No. 8 You don’t usually get a second chance to make a good first impression. “Tip” Pressing for an appointment may backfire on you. It’s always easier to get new business from existing customer referrals. Just like a good movie, we talk about the vendors we like and that help us deliver great services to our clients. Hard selling to an administrator who does not have a use for your product/service will only leave a “bad” taste in their mouth.

11. No. 7 Be direct, to the point, and make sure your initial deal is your best deal. “Tip” There is nothing more frustrating than going back and forth between competing vendors attempting to get the best price. Give us your best price right out of the gate and tell us so. You may not get another chance to put your best deal on the table.

12. No. 6 Good news and bad news travels fast. “Tip” Although ALA is a large organization, it’s still a small world. Dropping the name of another administrator to get your foot in the door isn’t always a good idea. One of the biggest ALA member benefits is the ability to find out which products and services other firms have used. We do contact each other to obtain information about vendor experiences.

13. No. 5 Please offer references of other law firms. “Tip” Don’t wait for us to ask for them and don’t seem surprised when we do. We have a unique industry and you need to demonstrate your experience and expertise with law firms on a local, regional and national basis.

14. No. 4 Don’t show up unannounced! Send us resource information about your company and services. We all have resource files, and even if we don’t have a current need, we’ll file your information for future reference. “Tip” A more effective approach would be to mail, fax, voicemail or email information regarding your products/services. When emailing, be mindful of your subject lines so that your message will not get blocked by the firm’s anti-spam software.

15. No. 3 Referrals from other administrators will make a better impression than using a partner’s name. “Tip” Using a partner’s name (especially when you don’t really know the partner) when calling an administrator to make an appointment may initially get you in the door, but you will have a very difficult time maintaining a good working relationship. We all know most partners have relatives that sell something we need.

16. No. 2 Ask administrators what they would like your next step to be – and respect that. “Tip” Law firms do not make quick decisions. Let us rephrase that – the law firm decision making process is extremely slow and grueling. Hang in there. Ask us how often and in what form we prefer you to follow up. Be honest with us and we’ll be honest with you.

17. No. 1 Make an effort to understand our job. “Tip” Administrators are typically responsible for everything from “plumbing to partners”: financial management and office operations; controlling expenses; purchasing furniture and fixtures, equipment, and supplies; hiring, firing and managing expectations of all staff; setting policies, relationships with vendors, landlords, banks, payroll services, getting the bills out, getting money in, etc. Many are also involved in management and politics at the attorney or partner level. Generally speaking, if it’s not billable, it’s our responsibility.