When I was a law student, I spent countless hours in the library doing legal research. It was grueling, yet I had to do it. But I really didn’t dig it.

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However, today, “research” is something I enjoy doing. Especially, because it’s crucial to helping me help my clients achieve their desired outcomes and the right results.

In law school, my research was dedicated to scouring voluminous books and never-ending shelves that housed the answers and insights from previous cases, writings and legal opinions.

Today, my research is far more varied, as I discover how a client and their people “go to market.” I study their website. Surf the web for related industry news. Study annual reports. Review brochures. Listen or watch promotional CDs and DVDs. Or, conduct interviews.

This research process often enables me to uncover what clients now like to call “hidden assets.” These “hidden assets” are then promoted and leveraged to help them create new profit-centers and revenue-streams.

Being trained as a lawyer and broadcaster, clients tell me I know how to “ask the right questions.” And the questions are often posed to selected attendees in telephone interviews prior to a keynote, seminar or learning-system I’ll be conducting.

Over the years, clients’ C-class decision-makers, leaders, sales people and front-line employees have shared with me their challenges, frustrations, philosophies, successes, insights and anecdotes.

The kind of stuff, I can then reference during a program.

Clients and their people are very quotable. For me, it’s an invaluable learning experience.

Here’s a great example:

On Dec. 1, I had the pleasure to work with the team at Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek. WHD is a very successful and rapidly growing law firm, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Their leadership team, attorneys, paralegals and support staff are smart. Real smart. And, they’re also good folks. Friendly. Hospitable. And fun to be around.

It starts with leadership

Mark Miller, WHD’s CEO stressed to me his team has very talented attorneys. Yet, they must realize it’s okay to sell, market and continually improve one’s business or practice-development skills. Or, as attorneys like to say, their ability to be a “rainmaker.” Under Mark’s leadership, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek is growing.

Fast! Why? They have a culture for success. An entrepreneurial spirit. And a willingness to be continuous learners.

Often, I’ve heard other attorneys or professional service providers claim, “We don’t need to sell or market our services. Our work speaks for itself!” Wrong!

The folks at WHD get it. They know effective rainmaking or business-growth requires a skill-set. An attitude. And most important, the right behaviors. To discover the “right behaviors” that are already being executed, Mark suggested I chat with four of his shareholders or partners.

While I expected, (as always), to hear quotable insights to reference during a program, I was also taken by surprise. How?

By the depth and breadth of the comments I heard. This was a treasure trove of good stuff. A goldmine. It was a mother lode!

And, they’re the types of business lessons, with immediate adaptability and application to you and your business.

Know what matters

Joe Pickart, who specializes in state and local taxation, told me that while his clients appreciate his and the firm’s expertise, what they also value is ongoing contact, constant updates with valuable and applicable information to their business, and quick response-time. (By the way, when I left Joe a message, he called me back 13 minutes later.) Joe also emphasized, 100% of his business is from referrals.

He’s continually deepening and strengthening relationships with his referral sources, i.e., accountants and other trusted advisors.

Plus, Joe knows he has to execute multiple strategies to capture interest, eyeballs and new business. That’s why he also writes, speaks and sends lots of personal notes to those in his

network.

And Joe knows great legal counsel, is only one element for success. He also emphasized, “When you engage people, you have to be a good person to be around!” Next week, more strategies on winning, faith, service and becoming the go-to person!

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Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer who lives part-time on Marco Island. His clients call him a “business-growth specialist.” Send an e-mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com or go to www.jeffblackman.com to subscribe to his free e-letter.