Unless you work at a very large law firm, odds are that you don’t have a dedicated employee(s) for writing proposals or responding to RFPs. And that’s okay – you should still go for it; there are just a few points you may wish to consider:

1. Don’t respond to everything. You can waste a lot of time and money if you respond to proposals if you don’t meet the requirements. Read the RFP document carefully and consider if you truly are a good fit. 
2. Ask for clarity. Sometimes there are mistakes or vague statements in RFP documents; you might disqualify yourself if you make assumptions. 
3. Read the RFP documents with your lawyer hat on – in some instances, simply ordering the RFP documents or a bid submission alone can act as a contract.
4. Don’t assume you aren’t able to provide a competitive proposal just because you are a sole practitioner, a small firm, located outside of a major commercial centre, etc. Many RFPs clearly state that they are looking to build a varied roster of legal support, while some RFPs will allow for you partner with other lawyers or firms to help meet the requirements. It won’t hurt to ask if it isn’t expressly prohibited in the document.
5. Customize your proposal! One of the recurring comments from corporate counsel is that they don’t like to see the “canned” presentation. Using a pre-fab response does not allow you to reply within the style frame that is sometimes, but not always, explicitly laid out.
6. While you should customize your responses, don’t start from scratch every time. There are some standard questions that manage to find their way into most RFPs, so you may wish to come up with some wording that can be easily adjusted for each proposal.
7. Research, research, research. Know your audience and the challenges they are facing or that are common to their type of organization or industry and address them in your proposal. 
8. Be honest. This goes without saying, but exaggerating counts as lying. 
9. Know when you need help. Proposals often require a slightly different style of writing than most lawyers are accustomed to. Some RFPs are incredibly complicated and require very dedicated attention. In these cases, it may be wise to consider a consultant or freelance writer that specializes in this area.
10. Don’t assume it’s a slam dunk. When your existing client comes to you and asks you to participate in their new proposal process, take it seriously. You could lose their business if you don’t.
11. Answer every question in a direct and clear fashion. Avoid flowery language or buzz words (unless you know the organization to be big on flowery language and buzz words, in which case you could use this as an opportunity to demonstrate fit).
12. Deliver ahead of the deadline. Given that most RFPs have relatively short timelines, this means that you may wish to create a work back schedule. 
13. Consider conflicts of interest that might arise in the future and how that might affect your current client base.
14. Don’t offer discounted or long term rates you can’t afford – you might get more (or less) than you bargained for. 

At the top of my list of things that should never be uttered in a marketing meeting is “because we’ve always done it this way” and “we’ll be the first in our industry to do it.” These are simply not acceptable answers to the most important marketing questions that you should ask yourself before you incur any marketing expense. 

Think of marketing as a type of investment. While rates of return and maturation periods vary, a sound investment plan should ultimately help you meet financial goals. Likewise each marketing dollar spent should net you returns if marketing expenses are carefully considered and key questions are thoughtfully answered.

What

What is the expense and what are the proposed benefits? What type of return can you expect? If you are paying tens of thousands of dollars on an event sponsorship and only getting a couple of logo placements in return, you aren’t getting very much for your money. 

Who

Who does this marketing endeavor reach? You may have found cheap advertising in Gardening Now magazine, but that’s only a good thing if your best clients and most desired prospects are gardening enthusiasts. 

If you haven’t taken the time to identify who your best clients are, do it now – figure out what they have in common and how to find more of the same. While looking for new clients don’t forget about existing client development – a happy client is one of your best at marketing tools.

How

How much success have you had with similar events in the past? Perhaps you have created many fruitful referral relationships from alumni events? 

How will business growth result? Is it something tangible like opening a new matter or something a little less measurable like increased brand equity? 

Where

Where does the expense fit into your marketing and business plans? If it isn’t a perfect fit a few alterations might do the trick. Or not. Be realistic.

When

When do you throw in the towel on an event? When do you stop courting that big prospect? Do your homework on how much you might gain, and how much you would be willing to spend to get it. Know your limits and when to pull the plug.

Do not be afraid to re-evaluate long-standing marketing efforts. Your business, and the world in which it operates, evolves and so should your marketing practices. After all, as the markets and your financial goals change, do you not have your investment plan revised?

When do you try something completely new? As with a new type of investment you should wait until you are comfortable. You can search the Internet or ask a marketing professional to help become more familiar with new marketing methodologies and technologies. New isn’t always good, but it isn’t always bad either.

Why

So, why should you move forward with your marketing endeavor? Because asking these questions has allowed you to make the decision based on value and return on investment instead of emotion or complacency.

Recently there has been debate about the concept of personal branding. Detractors of personal branding argue that companies, objects and services can be branded, but that people cannot be branded in the same way. Much of this debate seems to hinge on the idea that to undertake acts of personal branding, one must relinquish a degree of humanity and individuality. This couldn’t be further from the truth and is purely an issue of semantics.

Branding is the process required to create (and maintain) a controlled and instant impression of the identity or personality of the subject in the minds of the audience. That is, well-executed branding gives humanity and personality to companies, objects and services in order to build relationships with consumers and clients. With successful branding, these impressions evoke strong emotional reactions that can trump reason and result in strong brand loyalty.

Personal branding is not much different. The core difference is personal branding does not create an identity or personality; it merely enhances what is already existing. The challenge for most people is in understanding yourself as others see you. If your personal branding efforts stray too far from your true self, it will appear disingenuous and will cause more harm than good.

As it relates specifically to lawyers, personal branding is the strategic use of your legal expertise, professional appearance, experience and relationships to ensure that others view you in a particular light. 

Judges, opposing counsel, clients and potential clients are all making determinations about you whether you buy into this or not. Engaging in personal branding at least allows you the best possible chance to influence the outcome of said determinations.

Personal Branding Tips for Lawyers 

• Write down a list of lawyers you know in your area of practice. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see their name? If they were conducting the same exercise – what would they think when they saw your name?
• Determine how you would like to be perceived. Remember, this is about YOU – not your employer. 
• Arrange a meeting with someone in your Marketing or PR department, a specialized consultant, or a lawyer who you perceive to have achieved a similar personal brand.
• Understand the relationship between your personal brand and your firm or company’s brand. Are they complimentary? Do they clash?
• Develop and frequently review your personal branding plan. While the exact nature every personal branding plan is different, don’t forget to include goals, specific action items that contribute to those goals and realistic deadlines.
• Look the part! Conduct an appearance audit: Replace ill-fitting, outdated or damaged items, update hairstyles and accessories.
• Have realistic expectations. A third year lawyer is likely not going to become an expert guest on CNN. 
• Remember that the best personal branding activities for lawyers are subtle and dignified.
• Always act in a way that is consistent with your personal branding goals or you risk sabotaging all of your hard work. Tiger Woods and Helena Guergis can vouch that technology and the Internet can be particularly damaging to your personal brand.
• A personal brand is not exclusively a tool for lawyers in private practice, it can also be a valuable tool for career planning and working with opposing counsel and judges.